Shamans of the Steppe: Shaman Festival + Nomadic Small Group Tour 2027

Join in as 300+ Shamans perform ceremonies and rituals before meeting intimately with a local female Shaman clan. Plus, experiencing nomadic living and the connectedness to nature in Mongolia.

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Highlights of this Shaman Small Group Tour include:

Learn about the history and beliefs of Mongolian Shamanism during this intimate small group experience.
Privately meet with a powerful female Shaman clan.
Attend the Shaman Festival where more than 300 shamans gather and hold fire ceremonies, intense rituals, and more. The festival only takes place once every few years!
Visit the Black Market to buy Shaman accessories and paraphanelia.

This experience isn’t for the tame of heart. During this trip we will do a deep-dive into Mongolian Shamanism in a respectful and intimate way. This could be deep, dark, and make you vulnerable to what the spirits want you to see and experience. But that’s what you’re here for, isn’t it?

One of the most powerful practices in the world, Mongolian Shamanism isn’t something to be messed with. The spirits channeled through Shamans are powerful beings and can lead to intense questions being answered, or worse, curses being cast. This experience is for anyone who is open to learning these ancient rituals in a respectful and open-minded way.

I’ve been fascinated by these practices and what they mean to the local people, culture, and how they tie into everyday life here in Mongolia. It’s still very much an underground practice that many tourists and outsiders never get to really experience.

Join us as we get up close and personal to this ancient and powerful practice.

This experience will take place late May 2027. The festival only happens every few years and won’t resume until then. Fill out the Google Form below to be added to the waitlist for this tour in 2027.

What's Included

All airport transfers.
Transportation costs during the trip dates.
Support crew that includes an English-speaking local guide/translator.
All accommodation during the trip dates including a hotel in Ulaanbaatar (Best Western or similar) and a nomadic homestay.
All activities listed on the itinerary, including tickets to the Shaman Festival.
Meals* (breakfast, lunch, dinner) as outlined on the trip itinerary.

*Please let us know of any dietary restrictions before booking.

What's Not Included

International flights.
Visa costs and fees.
Travel Insurance that covers medical evacuation and cost of participation (required).
Personal expenses such as laundry, alcoholic beverages, telephone calls, optional activities, and meals which are not included in the trip itinerary.
A sleeping bag and sleeping pad are required for this trip. These items will not be provided and should be brought from home. If you would like to rent a sleeping bag and sleeping pad for the trip, the cost is $40 USD.
Tips and additional gratuities.

Book Now

The price to book this Shaman Festival and Nomadic small group immersive tour is $3,500 USD per person.

Join us and attend the annual Shaman Festival in Ulaanbaatar. Afterwards, get to know Mongolia on an intimate level by living with a camel herder in the Mini Gobi for an experience you’ll never forget.

This once in a lifetime trip happens late May 2027.

To be added to the waitlist and be notified when signups for this experience open for booking, please complete the Google form linked below.

About Meanwhile in Mongolia, Your Tour Company

Hi everyone! I’m Breanna, the founder of Meanwhile in Mongolia.

I created Meanwhile in Mongolia because I wanted to curate tours that make people see a different side of Mongolia. While it’s hard to give you a full glimpse into what makes this country such a truly special place, each tour is customized so that you get the fullest experience possible. From Shaman festivals to road tripping to reindeer herders, Meanwhile in Mongolia isn’t your average tour company and this isn’t your average tour!

Is this trip right for me?

This trip is meant for anyone who is open to experiencing a more spiritual side of Mongolia, and themselves.

Do you:

Are you passionate and open minded when it comes to exploring and experiencing the world around you?
Does learning about Shamanism on an intimate level intrigue you?
Are you looking for answers to some serious questions in your life right now?
Do you want to experience authentic Mongolian living and sleep in a yurt next to a nomadic family?

While everyone’s journey is and will be different, having an open mind and heart are the most important thing to come into this experience with.

This isn’t some hokey pokey stuff. We take respecting Shamanism, and the Shamans opening themselves up to us very seriously. This is a huge privilege that most other tourists don’t get to experience on this level.

This trip will be limited to 8 participants.

Breanna facilitated the kind of experience that allowed myself and my fellow group members to each have an individual experience that was expertly-planned but not overly curated, meaning we could form memories and connections unique to ourselves. Through her expertise I was able to sleep in local gers, experience the mysticism of a shaman, and ride a horse for three days without feeling like any of it was overly wrought. Breanna mastered that fragile balance of guiding my group without shielding us from the reality of traveling through such wild country.

Can’t stop thinking about my holiday - loved the country, the Mongolian people were so generous and welcoming, every day was an adventure. Thank you to Breanna & Aagie of Meanwhile in Mongolia - they really know how to show you the real Mongolia. The memories will live long in my mind.

I was not expecting to have such a culturally immersive experience as I did when going to Mongolia. This was hands down the most culturally distant place I have ever gone. I went on an organized tour equipped with a Mongolian driver as well as an interpreter. This is not a country I would recommend just "winging". Many destinations have no roads, no signs, and no other way of finding them without local knowledge.

As someone who went on a trip with Breanna in Mongolia - HIGHLY RECOMMEND. It changed my life. Love her and Mongolia and the amazing women I met alone the way.

The Itinerary for this Small Group Tour

Below you’ll find a day-by-day breakdown of this small group trip.

Meals included in this tour are indicated as Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), and Dinner (D).

Day 1: Welcome to Ulaanbaatar

During the day you are free to explore Ulaanbaatar, get settled into Mongolian time, exchange cash, and visit the city’s museums. We’ll have a Welcome Dinner in the evening where you’ll meet your guide and fellow travelers for this adventure.

Welcome Dinner

Meals: D; Overnight: Best Western Premier Tuushin or Similar

Day 2: Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and Chinggis Khaan Equestrian Statue Day Trip

Ditch the urban life for countryside living. Get a selfie with the world’s greatest Khaan, eat lunch with a local nomadic family, ride horses, and get in a short hike to soak up the views (and fortunes) at Aryabal Meditation Center.

Chinggis Khaan Equestrian Statue
Lunch in a nomadic family
Horse Riding
Aryabal Meditation Center
Dinner at Leisure

Meals: B, L; Overnight: Best Western Premier Tuushin or Similar

Day 3: Attend the Shaman Festival

Now that you’re easing into Mongolian life, it’s time to start getting to know Mongolia’s Shaman culture on a much deeper level. Today you’ll attend the Shaman Festival and see more than 300 Shamans gather to hold intense ceremonies and rituals. The Festival is a celebration of this ancient and revered religion, and while it may seem weird to see Shamans in this setting, this is an incredible introduction to meet different clans from around the country, and world.

Today’s schedule will include:

Shaman Parade
Cultural Performances
Live Performances by Local Bands
Sun Ritual
Fire Worshipping Ceremony

Meals: B; Overnight: Mongolica Hotel or Similar

Day 4: Live with a Nomadic Camel Herding Family

Still feeling the buzz of the previous day’s Shaman Festival, move to a quiet and special corner of the country. Dive into the slow life and meet one of our favorite camel herding families in the Mini Gobi. This is an area where the steppe meets the dunes, creating a stunning landscape you won’t be able to get enough of. Tonight we will have a bonfire to feel the spirits of the land around you.

Ride Camels through the Dunes of the Mini Gobi
Stay with a Nomadic Camel Herding Family
Sit around a Campfire and Feel the Spirits of the Land Around You

Meals: B, L, D; Overnight: Nomadic Family Homestay

Day 5: Day Trip to Kharkhorin, Genghis Khan’s Ancient Capital City

As the ancient capital of Mongolia, Kharkhorin is a city packed with history, tombs, and tales from the Silk Road. While the city is nothing like it was during it’s glory days, there are still special places to visit – and people to meet. Along the way, ride camels and visit Mongolia’s oldest monastery once you arrive. Plus have a private calligraphy class with one of the country’s greatest calligraphists (and a great friend of Meanwhile in Mongolia!).

Erdene Zuu Monastery (Mongolia’s Oldest!)
Kharkhorin Museum
Private Calligraphy Class at the Mongolian Calligraphy & Art Center

Meals: B, L, D; Overnight: Nomadic Family Homestay

Day 6: Drive Back to Ulaanbaatar to Visit a Powerful Female Shaman Clan in the Evening

This is the experience your entire trip has been leading up to.

Have an Intimate Shaman Ceremony in the Evening
Afterwards, Carry out Your Assigned Tasks by the Shaman

Meals: B, L, D; Overnight: Best Western Premier Tuushin or Similar

Day 7: Free Day in Ulaanbaatar

After a late night with the Shaman, today you’ll have to spend at leisure. Your guide will take you to the local Black Market to look for Shaman accessories and ritualistic pieces. After that, she’ll be able to do a quick guided tour through the Chinggis Khaan Museum, one of the best museums in the city.