The World Nomad Games offer one of the most distinctive travel experiences available: a living celebration of nomadic heritage through traditional sports, culture, and community. With the 2028 edition confirmed for Kazan in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, many travellers are already planning how to get there and make the most of the event. This guide covers what the Games are, the 2028 host city, practical flight options into Russia under current restrictions and why you should book your Nomad Games tour with Saiga Tours .
What Are the World Nomad Games?
The World Nomad Games are an international multi-sport and cultural festival dedicated to the ethnic sports and traditions of historically nomadic peoples, particularly those of Central Asia and the wider steppe region. Athletes compete in disciplines that have been practised for centuries as training for survival, warfare, hunting, and community life on the move.
Core sports include Kok Boru (or Kokpar ), a high-energy horseback contest involving a goat carcass; various styles of traditional wrestling such as Kurosh and Alysh ; equestrian races and skill events; archery (including mounted archery); eagle hunting and falconry demonstrations; intellectual games like O rdo and Toguz Korgool ; and a range of strength and skill contests. Alongside the competitions runs an extensive cultural programme featuring ethno-villages of yurts, traditional music and dance, craft demonstrations and, of course, lots of different food.
The Games were initiated by Kyrgyzstan and first held in 2014 in Cholpon-Ata on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul. They have grown steadily in scale and international participation. UNESCO has recognised them as the best attempt at safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage of Nomadic life. The event attracts not only athletes from classic nomadic nations (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, etc.) but also competitors and spectators from Europe, the Americas, Asia, and beyond. The atmosphere is part sporting spectacle, part cultural immersion, and part festival, often described by visitors as unlike anything else on the global calendar.
Previous editions took place as follows: 2014, 2016 and 2018 in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan; 2022 in Iznik, Turkey; 2024 in Astana, Kazakhstan; and 2026 again in Kyrgyzstan (opening in Bishkek with main events around Cholpon-Ata and Issyk-Kul). Each edition has expanded the number of disciplines, participating countries, and cultural programming while retaining its distinctive character.
Where Are the 2028 World Nomad Games Being Held?
The VII World Nomad Games will be held in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in the Russian Federation. The announcement was made by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov at the opening of the 2026 Games, following an official letter of readiness from Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly confirmed the country’s willingness to host. At the closing ceremony of the 2026 edition on 6 September in Cholpon-Ata, the ceremonial baton was formally handed over to representatives of Tatarstan.
Kazan sits at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka rivers, approximately 800 km east of Moscow. It is one of Russia’s largest cities with a population over 1.3 million and is the political, cultural, and economic centre of Tatarstan. The city is renowned for its harmonious blend of Tatar (Turkic-Muslim) and Russian cultures, visible in its architecture, cuisine, languages, and daily life. The Kazan Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a striking symbol of this synthesis, featuring both the Kul Sharif Mosque and the Annunciation Cathedral within its white walls.
How to Get to Russia (and Specifically to Kazan)
There is a widespread perception that flying into Russia is difficult or that options are severely limited. In reality, once you look past the absence of direct flights from certain Western countries, the picture changes dramatically, especially when your destination is Kazan itself. Kazan International Airport (KZN) is a well-connected regional hub with a surprisingly broad network of direct international services.
Kazan International Airport hosts non-stop flights linking Kazan to destinations across the Middle East, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, as well as several. These include:
- Frequent services to Dubai (flydubai) and Sharjah / Ras Al Khaimah (Air Arabia)
- Connections to Istanbul and Antalya (multiple carriers including Pegasus, Nordwind, Pobeda and others)
- Direct links to Tashkent, Samarkand, and other Uzbek cities
- Services to Bishkek, Dushanbe, Khujand, Almaty, Astana, Yerevan, Baku, Tbilisi, Batumi and further Central Asian and Caucasian points
- Longer-haul options such as Shanghai (China Eastern) and Sanya
One particularly useful route for many travellers is the direct service operated by Turkmenistan Airlines between Ashgabat and Kazan. This link is especially relevant for anyone already travelling in or via Turkmenistan, or planning to combine the Games with time in the country . Turkmenistan Airlines flies to London, Frankfurt, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Delhi, Dubai and Istanbul amongst its many destinations, making it one of the best connected and budget friendly airlines to fly to Kazan.
While travellers originating in the EU, UK, US, Canada, Australia and similar countries still need at least one stop in a third country, the range of viable hubs and onward flights into Kazan is extensive. Istanbul, Dubai, the Gulf, Central Asian capitals, and Ashgabat itself all function as effective gateways. Combined with domestic Russian connections from Moscow or other major cities, there are genuinely many practical ways to reach the 2028 host city.
Should You Book a Tour to the World Nomad Games?
Yes! Booking a specialised tour is the strongly recommended approach for the World Nomad Games.
Our experience from previous editions of the World Nomad Games consistently shows that organisation, scheduling, ticketing, venue access, and last-minute changes can be complex, fluid, and sometimes chaotic. Detailed competition schedules and ticket information have frequently been released very late, sometimes only days before events or even after the Games have begun. Venue locations can shift, transport between sites (especially when competitions are spread across a city and surrounding areas or ethno-villages) have been poorly signposted, and language barriers plus local ticketing systems add further difficulties.
Why You Should Travel with Saiga Tours
Among the operators who specialise in the World Nomad Games, we, at Saiga Tours, stand out for a simple but decisive reason: continuous, hands-on experience across every previous edition. Saiga has been on the ground for all of the Games to date (with the exception of Turkey), starting with the inaugural 2014 event in Cholpon-Ata, through the subsequent Kyrgyzstan editions, the 2024 edition in Astana, and the 2026 return to Kyrgyzstan. That unbroken track record means the team understands not only the official programme but the practical realities that rarely appear in press releases: how schedules actually unfold, where bottlenecks form, which venues deliver the best atmosphere, how to navigate last-minute changes, and how to balance competitive events with the ethno-village and cultural programme so travellers leave feeling they have truly experienced the Games rather than merely attended them.
Choosing Saiga for 2028 therefore means travelling with a team that already knows the rhythm of the Nomad Games, has refined its approach over more than a decade of successive editions. For travellers who want to focus on the spectacle, the culture, and the shared experience rather than on deciphering schedules or chasing tickets, that depth of continuity is a decisive advantage.
How to Get a Russian Visa
Visa requirements depend on nationality. Russia operates a unified electronic visa (e-visa) system. As of 2026, citizens of 64 countries can apply for a single-entry e-visa online. This e-visa is valid for 120 days from the date of issue and permits a stay of up to 30 days from the date of entry. It covers tourism, business, humanitarian, private, and sporting/cultural event purposes—ideal for attending the World Nomad Games. No invitation letter or hotel booking is required. Applications are submitted via the official Russian Foreign Ministry portal (or the associated app), require a passport scan and a recent digital photo, and are normally processed within four calendar days. The passport must be valid for at least six months from the application date. Medical insurance covering the period of stay is required. Kazan airport is among the designated entry points that accept the e-visa.
Citizens of countries not on the e-visa list (including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia in current configurations) must apply for a traditional tourist visa through a Russian embassy, consulate, or authorised visa centre. This usually requires an invitation (which can be arranged through hotels or tour operators), a completed application form, passport photos, and sometimes additional supporting documents. Processing times vary but are typically longer than the e-visa route, so apply well in advance. Some nationalities enjoy visa-free access for short stays under bilateral agreements.
See you in 2028!
Attending the 2028 World Nomad Games in Kazan combines the thrill of unique traditional sports with the rich cultural landscape of Tatarstan. With realistic planning around flights and visas, and especially with the support of an experienced operator that has already navigated every previous edition successfully, the journey becomes not only feasible but highly rewarding. The Games themselves remain a rare opportunity to witness living nomadic heritage on a grand scale, something well worth the effort.
