Planning a trip
Hearing music in Mongolia
Playtime is the flagship Mongolian festival, and its status is listed as moved. It ran in the Gachuurt Valley from 2009 to 2023, and since 2024 it has been held at Playtime Field in Nalaikh. Check that any listing you rely on names Nalaikh rather than the valley. It suits listeners who want the Mongolian rock and indie scene alongside sacred music: the opening day features throat-singing ensembles and morin khuur players.
The festival runs three days in early July, in the comfortable Mongolian summer. Workshops and throat-singing run from 10:00 to 17:00, and the main rock and indie programme runs from 17:00 to midnight. The opening day's throat-singing programme is the editorial peak and often features the country's best khoomei vocalists, so do not skip it for the rock stages. You camp in gers, and food is mutton on coals.
Fly into Ulaanbaatar (UBN) and travel about 50 km to Playtime Field in Nalaikh. The data does not confirm a transport service, so check the festival's own channels for shuttles from the centre of Ulaanbaatar. With a single entry, the atlas rests on this one: Mongolia's steppe and throat-singing slot, and a place where you hear the wind between sets.
FAQ
Questions people ask
When is Playtime Festival in Mongolia?
It runs for three days in early July each year. The opening day's throat-singing programme is the one to catch. The main rock and indie programme runs from 17:00 to midnight.
Where is Playtime Festival held now?
Since 2024 it has been held at Playtime Field in Nalaikh, about 50 km from Ulaanbaatar. From 2009 to 2023 it was in the Gachuurt Valley, so check that listings name Nalaikh.
How do you get to Playtime Festival from Ulaanbaatar?
Fly into Ulaanbaatar (UBN), then travel about 50 km to Playtime Field in Nalaikh. Shuttles from the city centre are not confirmed, so check the festival's channels before you travel.