October Is Khoomei Month: Mongolian Throat Singing Explained
Mongolian throat singing, or khoomei, has its own month this October. Khovd aimag in western Mongolia has named October 2026 Khoomei Month, with lessons and online profiles of master singers, and on 17 October 2026 a Mongolian Living Heritage Day brings khoomei, the morin khuur horsehead fiddle and long song together for students. For travellers, it is a good moment to learn what you are hearing before you visit.
Key facts
What: Khoomei Month: lessons and online profiles of khoomei masters
Where: Khovd aimag, western Mongolia
When: October 2026; Living Heritage Day on 17 October 2026
UNESCO: Khoomei inscribed 2010; morin khuur inscribed 2008
Styles: Kharkhiraa (deep) and isgeree (whistled)
Singers: 120+ registered in Khovd; 1,308 sang together in 2019 (Guinness record)
Visa-free stays: Singapore, Malaysia, Japan 30 days; Hong Kong SAR 14 days (MFA, read 12 Oct 2026)
Source: Montsame, UNESCO, Mongolia MFA Consular Department, AeroRoutes
What is happening in Khovd this October?
Khovd aimag has designated October as Khoomei Month to promote and protect the art, Montsame reported on 2 October 2026. Local cultural institutions are running lessons and outreach under the theme "Living Heritage", and the biographies and works of leading khoomei singers are being published online.
Khovd takes the art seriously. More than 120 khoomei practitioners are registered in the aimag, most of them young people, and in 2019 a total of 1,308 singers performed at the same time in Khovd to set a Guinness World Records title, according to the same report. No public concert dates or venues had been published when we checked on 12 October.
What is Mongolian throat singing?
Khoomei is a way of singing two sounds at once: a steady low drone and a melody of high overtones above it. UNESCO explains that the singer holds the drone with very tense vocal cords and shapes the melody by changing the size and shape of the mouth with the lips and tongue.
The sounds imitate nature. Montsame describes singers copying mountain echoes, running water, waterfalls, wind and animal calls. UNESCO says the practice comes from the Altai mountains of western Mongolia and that the name refers to the pharynx, the part of the throat behind the mouth.
What are the main khoomei styles?
UNESCO names two main styles. In kharkhiraa, or deep khoomei, the drone is sung in a normal voice and the singer emphasises an undertone one octave below it, which gives a growling, chest-deep sound.
In isgeree, or whistled khoomei, the emphasis is on the overtones, so listeners hear a clear, high whistle floating above the drone.
When do Mongolians sing khoomei?
Khoomei belongs to everyday nomadic life as much as to the stage. UNESCO lists occasions from state ceremonies to family gatherings, and notes that it is sung while herding and inside the ger to lull babies to sleep. It is traditionally taught orally, from master to apprentice.
The art was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. The morin khuur, the two-stringed horsehead fiddle that often accompanies singers, was inscribed in 2008. Its strings and bow are made of horsehair.
What is Mongolian Living Heritage Day on 17 October?
It is an educational event for young people on 17 October 2026, organised by the School of Culture at the Mongolian National University of Arts and Culture with Dance Info Mongolia and Amka Dance Studio, UNESCO's event listing shows. The programme includes khoomei, morin khuur, urtiin duu (long song), the tovshuur lute and the tsuur flute, plus talks on horse tamga symbols and rock art.
The listing does not give a venue or say whether the public can attend, so check with the university before planning around it.
Planning a trip from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong or Japan?
Most travellers from these places can visit Mongolia without a visa for a short stay. According to the Consular Department of Mongolia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, citizens of Singapore, Malaysia and Japan can stay up to 30 days and Hong Kong SAR passport holders up to 14 days. These are standing agreements, separate from the temporary tourism exemptions that end on 31 December 2026.
Flights are also changing with the season. MIAT Mongolian Airlines will fly Ulaanbaatar–Singapore twice weekly from 15 December 2026 to 17 January 2027 on a Boeing 767-300ER, AeroRoutes reported. Our country guides cover routes and practical details for travellers from Japan, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
What this means for your trip
Hear it in Ulaanbaatar. Our Cultural Tours Mongolia (1 day) includes a nomadic show and a family visit near the capital.
Go to the source. The Altai Tavan Bogd 10-Day Experience travels through Khovd and the western lakes, the heartland of khoomei.
Listen before you go. Knowing the difference between kharkhiraa and isgeree makes a live performance far more rewarding.
Read more on culture. See our guide to cultural tours in Ulaanbaatar and our nomadic lifestyle tours guide.
How Enza Tours can help
We can start you with the nomadic show on our cultural day tour near Ulaanbaatar, or build a western Mongolia route around Khovd and the Altai. Tell us your dates and interests, and we will plan the music, the landscapes and the travel time around them.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mongolian throat singing called?
Mongolian throat singing is called khoomei (also spelled khöömei). It was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2010, and Khovd aimag has named October 2026 Khoomei Month.
Where does Mongolian throat singing come from?
UNESCO traces Mongolian throat singing to the Altai mountains of western Mongolia. Khovd aimag in western Mongolia has more than 120 registered khoomei practitioners.
Do I need a visa for Mongolia from Singapore, Malaysia, Japan or Hong Kong?
No visa is needed for short stays. Mongolia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists up to 30 days visa-free for Singapore, Malaysia and Japan citizens and up to 14 days for Hong Kong SAR passport holders.
Is there a direct flight from Singapore to Mongolia?
MIAT Mongolian Airlines plans a seasonal Singapore–Ulaanbaatar service twice weekly from 15 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, according to AeroRoutes. Check the airline for current schedules.
Tours that fit this story
Hand-picked from our current programmes. See all of them on our Mongolia short tours page.
Cultural Tours Mongolia (1 day): A nomadic show and a family visit near Ulaanbaatar.
Altai Tavan Bogd 10-Day Experience: Khovd, the western lakes, Altai Tavan Bogd National Park and Uvs Lake.
Ulaanbaatar City Tour (1 day): Gandan Monastery, the central square and Zaisan Hill.
Sources
Montsame: October designated as Khoomei Month in Khovd (2 Oct 2026)
UNESCO: Mongolian traditional art of Khöömei (Representative List, 2010)
UNESCO: Traditional music of the Morin Khuur (Representative List, 2008)
UNESCO: Mongolian Living Heritage Day, 17 October 2026 (event listing)
Mongolia MFA Consular Department: visa-exempt countries (read 12 Oct 2026)
AeroRoutes: MIAT shortens Singapore seasonal service in NW26 (29 Sep 2026)
About this article
Written by the Enza Tours News Desk in Ulaanbaatar and checked by our team before publishing. Every date, number and rule in this post comes from the sources listed above, which we read on 12 October 2026. Last updated: 12 October 2026.
About Enza Tours LLC. We are a Mongolian inbound tour operator, founded in 2018 by Enkhzaya (Enza), and a member of the Mongolia Tourism Organization (MTO) and the Mongolian Tourism Association (MTA). Office: Room 39, Building 33, 4th Khoroo, Baga Toiruu Street, Chingeltei District, Ulaanbaatar 15141, Mongolia. Phone +976 8911 2100 · info@mongoliantour.guide · Meet our team · Contact us
