Traveller Spotlight: From the Gobi Desert to the Sagsai Eagle festival

It all started with a phone call from a wonderful lady in the USA, whose energetic voice immediately made us smile. Anne wanted a memorable way to experience Mongolia, and later, her husband Burr joined her. Together, they decided to explore two very different sides of Mongolia — the spectacular Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival and the vast landscapes of the Gobi Desert.

Their two-week journey in September combined wildlife, nomadic culture, vast landscapes, and the unique traditions of western Mongolia.

One of the highlights of their trip was the Sagsai Golden Eagle Festival, held on September 17–18, where they had the opportunity to witness Kazakh eagle hunters and their magnificent golden eagles in action. They also explored the Gobi Desert and stayed in traditional ger camps, enjoying the peaceful surroundings and experiencing Mongolia's unique way of life.

After returning home, Anne and Burr kindly shared their wonderful feedback with us.

“First, the trip met all of our expectations (though it was too bad that the horses were put away for the season at Hustai National Park).  Our views of the Przewalski’s horses and the red deer more than compensated for this (see attached pictures).  Our trip was a success particularly based on our guides.  H*** or May (was this Ms. Khallun?) was extraordinary - perhaps the best tour guide we have had in our many travels.  Not only was she knowledgeable and attentive, her personality fit into a script for another adult grandchild as well.  This made her presence additionally super.  Ms. Nara was also competent and helpful in the trip to the Eagle Festival.  Above and beyond in the line of duty was Zara.  She met us on our arrival and was exquisitely sensitive to our concerns about not having seats for our return flight out of UB at the end of the trip.  Clearly not in her “job description”, she took us over to MIAT airlines and essentially refused to leave until we got the necessary seats!  We were so appreciative.  We clearly would recommend Premium Travel to anyone who wants our opinion.”

They also enjoyed their stays in the ger camps, with many of them exceeding their expectations. At the same time, they shared some constructive feedback about the local accommodation in Ölgii. We completely agree that accommodation options in this remote part of western Mongolia still have room for improvement, and finding more reliable and comfortable options is now on our list of things to work on.

Their experience is a wonderful reminder that travelling through Mongolia is not only about the landscapes and wildlife, but also about the people, stories and unexpected moments that make a journey truly memorable.

We are truly grateful to Anne and Burr for choosing to explore Mongolia with us, for sharing their thoughtful feedback and for sending us their beautiful photographs.

We hope to welcome them back to Mongolia for another adventure someday!

If you’d like to experience what they’ve experienced and create your own tailor-made, private journey, we’re here to help.