2011 Camel festival

Asia » Mongolia » Gobi Desert
March 11th 2011

Published: March 20th 2011

After the dramas of the travel in the Russian van for the Ice Festival, I was relieved to step into a relatively new Hyundai 4WD van for the trip to the Gobi. It was clean, spacious and actually had some suspension! However, never count your apples! Just before starting the return journey to UB, Gans, our tour leader, asked the question, "What is a good Mongolian car?". The answer? "A new one!" Wi... Read Full Entry

Photos are below

Photos: 88, Displayed: 21

Relaxing

One of the camel's relaxing before his part in the relay begins

Ready to lasso the babies

Each team had to lasso an unbroken camel

Got him!

Lassoing completed

The team steps in to help

The camel was then tied up.....

More team work

...and brought to the ground!

Immobile

Camel feet after being brought down

Vanquished!

Camel tied up and new piece of wood through the nose - despondent but has no idea what is going to happen next.

In the meantime....

he is being shaved.....

...to make rope

Yet another component of the relay

We won this section!

Our team's rope was judged to be best!

Breaking in the camel

Let loose from the ropes, the camels were then ridden - most very successfully.

Final relay component

....loading up the camels with a ger

Our relay team

...then first to finish this final section

The winners

Our winning relay team parading

Awards ceremony

Some camels had plenty of medals already!

Airag

The winning camels had airag (fermented mares milk) poured on them in celebration

Jamin, our host

Jamin drinking airag in celebration of his gold, silver and bronze medals

The cup!

The winning relay team with the cup - the first year this cup has been awarded. They could not wipe the smiles off their faces for days!

Most camels

This gentleman was awarded a camel trophy for owning the most camels in the local region

Most babies

This gentleman was awarded a small trophy for successfully breeding the most camels in the local region

Riding into Vulture's Valley

This was a very tame section, hence it was photographed!

20th March 2011

Marg
non-member comment

End of Mongolia
You have kept me enthralled with your blog, have shown various grandkids some of them while visiting me. All you need to do now is to get a similar jod in Peru, Equador or Costa Rica and I will be in 7th heaven. Hope to see you back in Australia PS I saw some of the vultures circling while in Mongolia

30th March 2011

mharleyuk
mharleyuk

Great 'people' pictures
Merryn, Great pictures of people, particularly the guy carrying the polo mallets, and 'Jarmin' drinking from a bowl. Good 'National Geographic' type pictures and you've done well to capture them when it looks like they weren't aware. You use a long lens on them? Welcome back to Melbourne & the heat. Time to breathe a sigh of relief. Speak soon. Mart.

12th June 2011

The Travel Camel
Shane Dallas

Fantastic Camel Photos!
Thanks for such a great blog - the Camel Festival is definitely on my future travel plans.

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2011 Camel festival

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