|
|
Mongolia - The mythical land of Blue Skies
Present-day Mongolia, shut in by the Russian bear and the Chinese dragon, is only a small part of the Great Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries which stretched from the Danube to the Yellow River, the largest continuous empire in the history of the world.
Of the four million Mongols, only a little more than two million people live in Mongolia, the rest live in Russia and in China, Inner Mongolia (an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China).
The Mongolian People's Republic or Mongolia, a sovereign nation, founded in 1921, but only emerging recently from the Soviet Union influence, is locked between the Great Wall in the south and Lake Baikal in the north (Siberia's borders). A country larger than the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy put together.
Mongolia……. The horse king country, snow capped mountains mingling with deserts, nomadism, Mongols, shepherds of the wind, vast sea's of the grass steppes, sand dunes of the fabled Gobi Desert, 300 sunny days a year, dotted with 4,000 lakes. Mongolia, the very name evokes images of Genghis Khan's Golden Horde galloping through endless steppes, nomadic warriors, who inspired an admirable awe.
The epic tales of the Mongol empire reached the West in the writings of travellers, such as the great Venetian merchant Marco Polo and the Franciscan monk Guillaume de Rubruck, and still now the Mongol dream feeds the western imagination, where there senses are truly challenged.
Mongolia - a land of extremes where mounted on a steed of steel is second only to a Mongol pony, to once again instils the spirit of old Ghanghis Khan……. Come join HMB in yet another epic biking journey.
See our calendar above for tour dates
Vietnam: The land of cyclists
A journey to the land of cyclists. One thing is for sure on this cycle expedition, you will rarely be cycling alone. The Vietnamese daily commuters will ride up and join you just to pass the time of day. Stop at a road side cafe and the locals will want to know all about your bike. Mind you they'll even offer to look after it, while you eat, and delight in the simple pleasure of ringing the bell. Your ride will take you over mountain passes, along coastal plains and to such historic destinations as China Beach and Marble Mountain.
Please don't mind your strange road companions as you share the road with water buffalo, herds of ducks, hay wagons and other cyclists and pedestrians. Every corner brings a new scene, be it...... women planting paddy fields, oxen ploughing fields, a boy playing a flute on the back of a water buffalo.....
Laos - Land of a million Elephants
This is a dirt road journey amongst the land of a million elephants. Here, endless tales echo of drug lords whilst dense jungle retreats abound amongst the mountains.
Mountain biking in the infamous Golden Triangle, where Burma, Laos and Thailand meet will give you a natural high with the only side effects being a drooling appetite to save and explore some more. You'll tour lush hillsides, deep jungles, poppy fields, temples, ancient cities and local hilltribe villages along well trodden and sparsely populated byways. Occasionally you may catch a rare sighting of the 'motor vehicle' (probably our support vehicle), as we have a change of pace aboard a river ferry whilst cruising the historic Mekong River linking biking trails, villages and cities.
A Country off the normal tourist destination hit list and still waiting to be discovered makes it ideal for biking.
Ideal times to ride are November through March and April.
Oh! it's not all cycling as we take in the must see places of Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Dalat, Nha Trang, Saigon and the Mekong Delta. In fact it's all your choice as you can peddle as much or as little as you personally desire. It even suits bringing your non-cyclist friend along...... not to just repair your occasional puncture!. Our support vehicle is there all the way for your non biking pleasure, whenever you want it and to take you on excursions when you leave your cycle behind. This is a ride of immense culture and scenic beauty when you ride into Saigon you'll want to do it all again.
Starts first Sunday in March and October or with any group of 6 or more
see our calendar above for tour dates
Ph : 977-1-4212860
Fx : 977-1-4212861
P.O.Box: 12673
Kathmandu, Nepal
Site designed by ACA DESIGNS - Adventure Centre Asia
© 1997-2004 HMB: Himalayan Mountain Bikes