Mongolia’s new snow and ice festival sets new Guinness World Record

A new event has been launched to lure international travelers in search of an authentic Mongolian winter experience.

The inaugural Mazaalai International Snow and Ice Festival, which kicked off on January 14, takes place till January 28 at Sky Resort, a golf and ski resort on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar

The free event “marks a major milestone in the development of Mongolia’s winter tourism sector,” Mongolia Culture Minister Nomin Chinbat said in a statement.

“Over the next two weeks, visitors will be captivated by our winter landscapes and the beauty of the sculptures on display, and I hope many more from around the world will be inspired to visit our country during the winter season.”

Though it’s only been open for a few days, the event reportedly already set a Guinness World Record – most people to descend an ice slide in one hour.

As part of the opening festivities, 408 attendees helped secure the win by whooshing down the festival’s 16.4-meter-long ice slide, one after the other. Photos of the event show a Guinness official on hand to witness the successful attempt.

Other attractions at the festival include a five-meter-high snow and ice sculpture of the country’s protected Gobi bear (Mazaalai in Mongolian) and her cubs, aimed at raising awareness of the critically endangered animal.

A further 52 ice Mazaalai statues were erected at the festival to represent the 52 Gobi bears that remain in the wild.