14D Riding the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Vietnam
USD $1,995 per rider, Single Supplement USD $325
Tour cost DOES NOT include International airfares and airport taxes.
The Ho Chi Minh Trail was an elaborate system of mountain and jungle trails linking North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos during the Vietnam War against the United States. This web of trails and dirt roads ran for 2,000 kilometres, roughly parallel to the Vietnam/Laos border, along the Truong Son Mountains. Once a small track used only by locals and ponies, the trail expanded to roads for vehicles to transport troops, millions of tons of foodstuff, weapons, and other essentials from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the war.
Today, the many paths of the Ho Chi Minh trail criss-cross the newly built Ho Chi Minh Highway. On this tour we explore the northern section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which was previously inaccessible, from Ngoc Lac to the Hai Van Pass in Danang.
During the Vietnam War the trail was maintained regularly by the Viet Cong and others who were willing to work full-time day and night to keep the trail in good condition. They suffered difficulties, dangers and even death in the name of national unification and sovereignty. Together with the Northern Vietnamese troops, workers maintaining the trail played a very important role in the defeat of the Americans.
In 2000 construction started on the Ho Chi Minh Highway to provide a parallel alternative to congestion on the only other north-south road, the busy Highway 1 in the coastal areas of Central Vietnam, and to stimulate the economy in some of Vietnam’s poorest, most remote regions.
The wide, smooth undulating highway is a bikers dream as there is little traffic on the road. And it conveniently will take us through farms, orchards, tribal villages and offers us easy access to some of the country’s top attractions — one of Vietnam’s most spectacular caves, the ancient royal seat of Hue, the picturesque trading port of Hoi An and South China Sea beaches.
Highlights
- Ride on smooth Ho Chi Minh Highway through lush jungle, rice paddy fields and tribal villages nestled under the Truong Son mountain range.
- Overnight at Phong Nha National Park, home to one of Vietnam’s most spectacular caves which was used as a hospital and ammunition depot during the war.
- Visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Hue, My Son and Hoi An
Enquiry / Booking Form
Prices
- USD $2,100 Twin
- USD $325 Single Supplement
- USD $170 for Bike Hire
Dates
- Feb 05-18, 2012
- Apr 15-28, 2012
- Sep 16-29, 2012
- Dec 02-15, 2012
Trip Itinerary
14 Days / 13 Nights starting and finishing in Hanoi
Day 01
Meet in Hanoi and have a guided tour by cyclo followed by a welcome dinner at a fine Hanoi restaurant.
Day 02
Transfer to Mai Chau and have lunch at a local Tai village house before riding along the Song Ma river heading towards Hoi Xuan. Overnight in a traditional Thai village home stay, part of an eco-tourist community project.
Day 03
Start riding from Quan Hoa on an undulating tarmac road with looming limestone cliffs and lush vegetation as our scenery.
Day 04
Today we ride on the wide, newly-built Ho Chi Minh highway, which we’ll have virtually to ourselves. Stop to visit Ly Thai To Pagoda and the birthplace of former president Ho Chi Minh at the rice-farming village of Kim Lien.
Day 05
Cycle from Pho Chau on a road that winds through lush jungle and beautiful villages nestled under the Truong Son mountain range to the remote town of Huong Khe.
Day 06
From Huong Khe the road remains tranquil and undulating as we ride towards Phong Nha National Park, home to one of the most spectacular caves in Vietnam.
Day 07
After an exploration of Phong Nha Cave we’ll transfer and then continue riding on the Ho Chi Minh Trail across the DMZ, stopping en route to visit Truong Son cemetery, to Cam Lo on the border with Laos.
Day 08
We visit the Khe Sanh combat base where relics of the war are exhibited and then ride through spectacular scenery, mainly downhill, from the Laos border to Dakrong River.
Day 09
We ride through the middle of Vietnam on country back roads to Hue, Vietnam’s Imperial City, recently designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 10
Enjoy an easy cycle on the back roads of Hue through lush countryside to explore the tombs of the Nguyen emperors who ruled from 1802 to 1945 and along the banks of the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda.
Day 11
Today we climb up the Hai Van Pass with amazing views over the bay and lunch at Lang Co beach with time to swim and enjoy white sands and emerald waters before we coast down to Danang and overnight at Hoi An, another UNESCO World Heritage site.
Day 12
An easy day ride cycling along scenic country back roads past paddy fields to visit My Son, the ancient centre of Cham civilization. Return to Hoi An with time to wander the quaint town.
Day 13
Free morning before transfer to Danang airport for flight to Hanoi.
Day 14
Day free until onward flight.
Trip Profile
The wide, smooth undulating highway is a bikers dream as there is little traffic on the road. And it conveniently will take us through farms, orchards, tribal villages and offers us easy access to some of the country’s top attractions — one of Vietnam’s most spectacular caves, the ancient royal seat of Hue, the picturesque trading port of Hoi An and South China Sea beaches.
Facts & Figures
- Tour Cost USD $2,100 – Single supplement: USD $325
- Bike Rental USD $170
- Total Distance 770 Kilometres
- Number of Days 14 days / 13 nights
- Number of Cycling Days 10 full-days and 01 half-days
- Road Surface The roads for this bike tour are a mixture of good asphalt with some broken or potholed roads.
- Support Air conditioned van.
- Group Size Minimum 02, maximum 16.
- Staff Cycling leader (for groups of 10 or more), plus a local cycling guide, as well as drivers and assistants for all groups. Smaller groups will be led by our local guide and support team.
- Accommodation Due to the remoteness of this tour, most of the accommodation will be tourist class hotels. All hotels will be clean, comfortable and include private facilities, such as hot water, etc.