Bucket List / Experience Goals
Attend The World Nomad Games
Still to do
Horseback wrestling, golden eagles and a game of polo played with a goat carcass, all watched from a yurt-dotted steppe.
The adventure
Imagine an Olympics where the events were invented by herders and horsemen. At the World Nomad Games, riders gallop flat out while grappling to drag each other from the saddle, archers shoot from horses at full tilt, and teams fight over a goat carcass in kok-boru, a brutal, thundering cousin of polo that has been played across Central Asia for centuries.
Away from the hippodrome, valleys fill with yurt villages where families serve fermented mare's milk, bards recite epic poems and hunters show off golden eagles and falcons trained to take foxes. The opening ceremonies are huge, theatrical spectacles of horses, costume and drums. Few Western tourists make it, so you'll often be the only foreigner in the stands, cheering alongside nomadic families who have travelled for days to be there.
Why it’s epic
- Kok-boru, the national sport of Kyrgyzstan, played on horseback with a goat carcass instead of a ball.
- Eagle hunting demonstrations with golden eagles, a tradition handed down through Kyrgyz and Kazakh families.
- Dozens of traditional sports, from horseback wrestling and archery to mind games such as toguz korgool.
- Yurt camps with felt-making, folk music and traditional food alongside the competition.
What it is
The World Nomad Games celebrate Central Asian sports such as horseback games and eagle hunting.
How to do it
Check the host country for each edition.
Top tip
Arrange transport early.
Need to know
- The first three Games (2014, 2016 and 2018) were held in Kyrgyzstan, followed by Turkey in 2022 and Kazakhstan in 2024; check the next host and dates early.
- Accommodation near the venues is limited and transport between events can be chaotic, so book a tour or driver in advance.
- Some events, especially kok-boru and animal displays, are raw and not for the squeamish.
- Visa rules differ by host country, so check before booking.
Make it happen
Why it’s on my list
World Nomad Games are an international sport competition dedicated to ethnic sports practised in Central Asia.
Currently 37 sports are included, you can see the full list on the World Nomad Games website.
The countries taking part in those games are Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Turkey, Afghanistan, Philippines, Russia and the United States
The first three World Nomad Games were held in Kyrgyzstan, however Turkey has been announced as the host of the fourth games.
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