Khuvsgul Ice
Festival
Three days on the frozen lake — sculpture, fire, and khoomei at minus thirty.
What this event is.
Each March, when Lake Khuvsgul freezes over a meter thick, the local communities of Khatgal and the Darkhad valley gather to mark the end of the long winter. Visitors arrive across the ice on horseback, on offroad rigs, and on foot — to witness three days of ritual, sport, and quiet.
The festival is intentionally small. There is no main stage. There are no announcements. Instead, ice sculptors work through the night, throat-singers perform from a circle of bonfires, and dogsled teams race the length of the southern bay at noon. We curate access, transport, and respectful introductions to the families who host it.
Four things worth coming for.
Ice sculpting
Sculptors carve mythological figures into the meter-thick lake ice across three days.
Fire & lantern night
A closing procession of paper lanterns and bonfires lights the frozen shoreline.
Khoomei concerts
Throat-singing and morin khuur performances from Darkhad and Tsaatan masters.
Dogsled & horse races
Open competition on the lake surface — locals and visiting teams welcome.
Frames from past editions.
Schedule.
- Day 01Arrival & openingWelcome ceremony at sunset, bonfire on the eastern shore, opening drum circle.
- Day 02Festival dayIce sculpting finals, dogsled races at noon, evening throat-singing concert.
- Day 03Closing ritesSunrise ovoo blessing, lantern procession, communal feast and farewell.
Want to attend? We’ll handle the route.
Limited capacity. Transport, accommodation, and a small-group offroad option are available — get in touch and we’ll send a tailored itinerary.