Trekmates Travel Reviews 2

My wife and I have just returned to Australia after attending the Golden Eagle Festival in Olgii in the far west of the country.

We used the services of Trekmates Travel and in particular the guidance of Erka who is the principal of the company.

Erka organised to pick us up in Ulaanbaatar and to transport us to Ulgii in a comfortable Landcruiser. The journey took four days and was both educational and enjoyable. The hotels were of a good standard as were the BLD meals provided.

Once in Olgii we attended the eagle festival and enjoyed it despite the very cold weather. Erka had a tent set up for us where we could retire to and warm up with warm drinks, lunch and snacks as required.

After the festival we headed out for a "home stay" and two days of horse riding and hunting for game with two eagle hunters and their eagles. It was a great experience.

Our final day was a drive into the mountains to get a final look at the snowcapped peaks.

Erka had organised our flight back to Ulaanbaatar which went well

We have travelled a lot over the last 50 years and have experienced all sorts of guides, both good and not so good. Erka ranks at the very top of the list. His level of professionalism and attention to detail, our needs and his culture were exceptional.

We also felt very safe when being driven in his Landcruiser both on the paved roads and off-piste. He was very patient in the traffic and took a zero risk approach at all times.

We recommend the services of Erka and his company and may well return to Mongolia next year for the Naadam Festival

David and Pat Mottram

I wanted to experience the Golden Eagle Festival but not with a major tour company. I am a solo traveler who wants to experience the authenticity of a culture through the intimacy of its local people. I want to experience the good and the ugly. I did not want the big company experience where you are catered to and placated.
I knew I found what I was looking for from the very first contact with Erka. I also added his "Visit to Eagle Hunter Family" tour which surpassed my experience at the festival. I have seen unsurpassed beauty through walks, horseback riding, and fishing.
While I witnessed those aforementioned things, one of my favorite moments was playing a local card game with him, his staff, and the Eagle Hunter family. It was humbling and heartwarming to see everyone get genuine excitement from such a simple thing in a day and age where people can only derive a thrill from electronic gadgets.
It's kind of hard to even call Erka a guide. It's more like visiting an old friend who is simply showing you around. A very humble being who wishes to bestow upon you knowledge of his culture and way of life. No matter which tour you choose you will be in safe, conscientious hands and you will feel that immediately from the e-mail and upon meeting him.
I can also pretty much guarantee that you will have some of the most amazing home cooked meals that CANNOT be provided by a major company. It was some of the very best that I ever had and some of it made me exclaim out loud how delicious it was.
I hope everyone reading this will book with Trekmates not just for the amazing experience you are sure to have but also because you will be supporting an individual who is trying to grow his company and support his family and not some well-established non-local multi-million dollar company.
I plan to experience his mountain bike tour AND revisit the Eagle Hunter family and hope you find something as well. Support Local and Support Trekmates!!!!!!!!!!!!