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Famous for its beautiful squares, lush valleys, and traditional nomadic culture, Mongolia has long been considered a great destination to visit in the summer.
However, a new event has been launched to attract international travelers seeking an authentic Mongolian winter experience.
The first Mazari International Snow and Ice Festival opened on January 14th and will be held until January 28th at Sky Resort, a golf and ski resort on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar.
free events ““This is a major milestone in the development of Mongolia’s winter tourism sector.” Mongolia’s Minister of Culture Nomin Chinbat said in a statement.
“Over the next two weeks, visitors will be enchanted by the beauty of the winter landscapes and sculptures on display, and we hope to inspire even more people from around the world to visit our country during the winter months.” I am.”
Although it’s only been open for a few days, the event has reportedly already set a Guinness World Record. This means that most people will be able to go down the ice slide within an hour.
As part of the opening festivities, 408 participants raced down a 16.4 meter long ice slide one after another to victory. Photos from the event show Guinness officials witnessing the success of the endeavor.
Other festival highlights include a 5-metre-tall snow and ice sculpture of the nationally protected Gobig bear (mother rai (in Mongolian) and their children, and aims to raise awareness about this endangered animal.
An additional 52 ice Mazarai statues were erected at the festival to represent the 52 remaining Gobi bears in the wild.
Ministry of Culture/Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Government of Mongolia
The festival will feature 52 ice sculptures in the shape of the Gobig bear, an endangered species in the country.
There is also a 56.4 meter long snow and ice sculpture with a large ice skating rink.
On January 17, the festival hosted the Maza Rai International Ice Competition, which featured 24 artists from six countries including China, Thailand, France, Russia, the United States, and Mongolia.
There is a reason why visiting Mongolia in winter is not appealing to everyone. The capital, Ulaanbaatar, is widely considered to be one of the coldest cities in the world, with average temperatures in January ranging from -15 to -30 degrees Celsius (5 to -22 degrees Celsius). Temperatures are likely to be even colder in the northern regions of the country.
Meanwhile, flights to some remote areas of the country do not operate during the winter.
However, there are benefits to visiting during this time, including cheaper hotel and tour prices and dramatic snow-covered scenery. The country hosts a variety of unique winter events, including the annual Lake Khuvsgul Ice Festival held on Mongolia’s largest lake in early March.
Minister of Culture Chinbat said the new Mazarai International Snow and Ice Festival is part of the government’s goal to welcome one million international tourists to Mongolia annually. In 2019, before the pandemic, Mongolia hosted 637,000 international travelers, according to the World Bank.
The country has already taken several steps as part of its goal to reach this seven-figure mark, including expanding the list of countries whose citizens can visit Mongolia without a visa, and this policy will remain in place until the end of 2025. That is scheduled.
Meanwhile, negotiations are reportedly underway to launch direct flights between Mongolia and the US this year.
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