BIKING 12days/11nights HA NOI to HOI AN along HOCHIMINH TRAILS
Highlight: The system developed into an intricate maze of 18-foot (5.5 m) wide dirt roads (paved with gravel and corduroyed in some areas), foot and bicycle paths, and truck parks. There were numerous supply bunkers, storage areas, barracks, hospitals, and command and control facilities. All of this was concealed from aerial observation by an intricate system of natural and man-made camouflage that was constantly expanded and replaced. By 1973, trucks could drive the entire length of the trail without emerging from the canopy except to ford streams or cross them on crude bridges built beneath the surface of the water.
The popular conception of the logistical arrangements on the trail sometimes bordered on the romantic. The image of barefoot hordes pushing heavily-loaded bicycles, driving oxcarts, or acting as human pack animals, moving hundreds of tons of supplies in this manner was quickly supplanted by trucks (especially Soviet, Chinese, or Eastern Bloc models), www.vietnambiketours.com which quickly replaced the human as the main method of supply transportation. As early as December 1961, the 3rd Truck Transportation Group of PAVN's General Rear Services Department had become the first motor transport unit fielded by the North Vietnamese to work the trail and the use of motor transport quickly escalated.
Brief Itinerary:
As you follow the route once used by North Vietnamese soldiers on their way to war, you will travel through remote areas where Westerners are still a rarity. You will take in the beautiful limestone mountains of the Truong Son Mountain Range. www.vietnambiketours.com Visit historical sites dating back to the 15th, the birthplace of Ho Chi Minh and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Phong Nha National Park. For war buffs, it will be possible to visit the site of the US combat base at Khe Sanh, where one of the most famous battles of the war took place. This is a challenging adventure with basic accommodation, but providing a unique insight into remote Vietnam.
Day1: Hanoi - Mai Chau - Puluong (25km cycling) (B,L)
Head to Mai Chau before taking a ride on an old supply route of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, along a spectacular and undulating river valley towards Hoi Xuan and Pu Luong.
Overnight in Pu Luong Nature Reserve homestay.
Day2 : Puluong - Ngoc Lac (70km cycling) (B,L)
Leave Pu Luong behind and ride on a more undulating terrain route, with tarmac all the way, to Ngoc Lac. Overnight in Ngoc Lac.
Day3: Ngoc Lac – Kim Lien - Vinh (60km cycling) (B,L)
Ride on the newly built two- lane Ho Chi Minh Highway to Kim Lien the birthplace of president Ho Chi Minh, before driving out of the mountains to Vinh. Overnight in Vinh- close to the beach.
Day4: Vinh – Huong Khe (80km cycling) (B,L)
Drive back up onto the Ho Chi Minh Highway and cycle along the increasingly mountainous highways to Huong Khe. Overnight in Huong Khe
Day5: Huong Khe – Phong Nha (80km cycling) (B,L)
Ride from Huong Khe to Phong Nha, on the tranquil Ho Chi Minh Trail, with mountains rising and roads winding up, down and along the hillsides. Overnight in Phong Nha.
Day6: Phong Nha – Camlo – Khe Sanh (80km cycling) (B,L)
Take a smoother cycling on the Ho Chi Minh Trail to Cam Lo before transferring to Khe Sanh near the Laos border. Overnight in Khe Sanh.
Day7: Khe Sanh – Aluoi (65km cycling) (B,L)
Ride through spectacular scenery to Khe Sanh combat base, and head to Aluoi along the traffic- free but more undulating terrain of the southern part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Overnight in Aluoi.
Day8: Aluoi – Hue (60km cycling) (B,L)
Ride cut across the trail to Hue, due to the bad roads south of Aluoi. Overnight in Hue.
Day9: Hue (no cycling) (B)
Rest day with a sightseeing trip within Hue: Forbidden Purple City/ Boat ride along the Perfume River. Overnight in Hue.
Day10: Hue – Hoi An (100km cycling) (B,L)
Ride for climbing uphill to the Hai Van Pass (pass of the mountain clouds), before taking an epic ride (by motorbike) coast down to Danang followed by a ride to Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day11: Hoi An - My Son – Hoi An (100km cycling) (B,L)
Ride out of Hoi An town to My Son, on scenic country back roads passing paddy fields, villages and through eucalyptus forest and lush jungle along the Song Tranh River. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day12: Hoi An – Da Nang (Departure) (B)
Free at leisure until transfer to Danang for onward flight. End of trip and welcome back.
Incusive of:
Air conditioned bus/van
Truck to carry bikes
English speaking biking tour guide
Entrance fees/motobike supports
Boat trip & ferries
Airport transfer in/out
Pick up & drop off at your hotel
Meals as mentioned (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
Bike/Helmet/Tool kit/First aid kit/Mechanic/Doctor(10 travelers)
Water, snacks, cold towers, soft drinks and fresh fruits for cycling day
Accommodation
Exclusive of:
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Departure dates: Daily
Group size is minimum 2 and maximum 10 travelers.
TOUR PRICE: Rates vary frequently. Please contact us to get the best possible price based upon your travel period and specific touring needs.
