Winter travel destinations that immediately spring to mind might include the likes of Canada, Norway or Iceland. But Mongolia? That one might slip under the radar. However, that could all be about to change thanks to a brand-new festival entirely dedicated to all things snow and ice, organised by the country’s government to showcase Mongolia as a winter destination.
Thanks to the combined efforts of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Ministry of Culture, the Mongolia Tourism Organisation and the city of Ulaabaatar, the Mazaalai International Snow and Ice Festival opened on Sunday January 14.
Visitors get to appreciate the awesome work of 24 local and international ice sculptors (including some beautiful sculptures commemorating the 52 native Gobi bears left in the wild) who are competing in the Ice Competition.
But that’s not all – there’s wintry activities like ice-skating and a Guinness World Record-winning slide zipping through the country’s dazzling landscapes. It’s free to attend, can accommodate around 400-500 people, and is running until January 28.
Here are some snaps of this ice-cool new festival.
This isn’t the only innovative ice creation this winter. Take a look at Europe’s dazzling Ice Hotel, just opened for the season.
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