|
|
 |
|||||
|
Form Object
|
Total time: Seven Weeks
Indochina Venture has something for everyone, from the metropolitan cities of China to the tranquil villages of Laos. There are many ways of getting around and a combination of bus, train and bicycle provide unique experiences and close contact with the people. As well as the urban centres, we visit the far flung upper reaches of the Mekong river, the remote Tiger Leaping Gorge and the empty beaches of south Vietnam. Trekking, biking and other adventure activities keep the adrenalin flowing whilst the food provides a whole new culinary experience!
Through the Mekong Delta to Saigon (Week 6) The ancient Chinese sage Lao-tzu said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." And that first step for us means boarding the boat down the Mekong to Vietnam. After negotiating the chaos at the border control, we’ll switch to bus and complete the journey to Ho Chi Minh City by road. Ho Chi Minh City sits on a giant bend in the Sài Gòn River and before thousands of mopeds had choked the centre of the city, Saigon had been christened the ‘‘Paris of Asia’’ and for a moment you may be fooled by the smells of coffee and baking bread, and by old Renaults sounding their horns at roundabouts. The best way of all to see Ho Chi Minh City is on foot and the best way to eat is to go local, though you will probably find unusual fare on the menus, like sparrows, wild deer and steamed silk worms! Mountain biking through highlands, lowlands and white beaches. (Week 7)
The third day of the bike-trek follows the coast road north to the beach town Nha Trang with its pristine beaches, off-shore islets and hot springs. A great place to ease away the aches and pains of our cycling trip and relax in the bars of this travellers’ haven. The next port of call is the charming riverside town of Hoi An. Formerly a bustling port and important trading post, the town now enjoys a more relaxed way of life, exuding a languid charm fully deserving of its status as a World Heritage site. In addition to admiring the heady mix of French, Chinese and Japanese architecture, Hoi An is particularly famous for its high quality silk and inexpensive tailors' shops; an excellent chance to get fitted for your very own Vietnamese outfit!
Back in the saddle for the final time we take an exhilarating ride through stunning jade-and-emerald rice paddies towards the beautiful town of Hue (home of the Forbidden Purple City). Hue was formerly the imperial capital of Vietnam and is now recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. The ancient citadel contains magnificent imperial tombs, solemn ancient pagodas and the palaces of royal family. Hitch a ride on a moped or a 'cyclo' for a fantastic way of seeing the sights with the wind in your hair!
Laos – experiencing life in the slow lane (Weeks 8, 9 and 10) Laos is a land of mountains and forest that has so far escaped the dramatic industrial development of its neighbours. This landlocked country offers real tranquillity with its French colonial character still very much intact along with many Buddhist temples and pagodas. The capital Vientiane, situated on the banks of the mighty Mekong river has changed little over the centuries. Vang Vieng breaks the journey between Vientiane and Luang Prabang and sits on the Nam Song River with the magnificent Karst limestone mountains as a backdrop; stunning at any hour, these mountains are particularly beautiful with the golden-pink glow of sunset behind them... the perfect time to sit and have a drink in one of the riverside restaurants. For action and adventure, there are caves to explore, elephant trekking, kayaking and rafting trips in the area. Luang Prabang is the old royal capital of Laos and is one of Asia's most beautiful cities. Surrounded by forested mountains, the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, old villas, temples and civic buildings nestle among palms and tropical foliage as though the city is in one giant garden. Our expedition through Laos provides an insight into this ancient and secretive land that was for so long closed to the rest of the world. A trek through the remote mountainous region takes us to villages tucked into the forest with splendid cloud-capped mountains in the background. The peace and quiet of these wilderness treks often provides the rare moments and hidden treasures that stick in the memory long after coming home. We stay over with families during the trek, catching a glimpse of a foreign lifestyle in a different world. Our 3 day trek from the town of Luang Namtha weaves across the Nammat river and climbs slowly through the lush monsoon forest of the Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA). Our local guide will point out interesting and useful plants along the trail and help spot the wildlife. Entering the community forest area of Ban Nammat Kao we start to see signs of human habitation: bamboo aqueducts offering a cool drink, thin twig markers left as signs to other villagers, rice storage houses, and a small spirit house, which serves as an altar for offerings to the forest spirit.
Tiger Leaping Gorge and rural China (Week 11) Entering China we head for the famous Yangtze river: 300 million people live within its influence and it is the third longest river in the world. After the river’s first bend at Cloud Hill, it turns north before bending again into one of the world’s most spectacular gorges: the Tiger Leaping Gorge, locally known as Hutiao Xia. Just north of Lijiang, is a narrow gorge between Haba Peak (4,500m) and the steep side of Jade Dragon Mountain (5,600m). The hiking trail runs along the base of Haba Peak providing spectacular views of 2,500m foot cliffs yielding to the jagged pinnacles of Jade Dragon Mountain that rise another mile above them. Overall, it’s about 3,900m from the river to the top of Jade Dragon. The Gorge itself is only about 16km in length should you choose to swim but by foot it’s a rigorous three day 40km hike. We stay in family homes along the trail and just experiencing the lifestyles within these remote homesteads is an experience in itself. The hospitality of our hosts is amazing, as is their food, so good in fact that many of the last year’s group were tempted to stay there for a week! Giant Pandas and a giant river (Week 11)
Apart from food and drink, another major point of interest here is the Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base which is one of the most important centres in the world for the conservation of these loveable animals. 85% of the world's pandas live in Sichuan province with only an estimated 1000 in the entire world. A visit to the centre guarantees a close encounter with this iconic symbol of conservation. The Yangtze River and an army of Terracotta Warriors. (Week 12) The Yangtze is the third longest river in the world after the Nile and the Amazon. It flows across China from its source in the Tibetan highlands to its mouth in the East China Sea and has traditionally marked the divide between north and south. The famous Three Gorges are the main attraction of any river trip along this great river. However, with the completion of the controversial Three Gorges Dam, the river’s landscape is due to change for ever. Our 2006 Venturers spent four days on the river enjoying life on board a typical – if noisy – Chinese ferry. We await to see how quickly the damned section of the river rises and how this might affect plans to take a boat through the gorges. Xi'an, the historical centre of China, sits on an ancient site and there are layers upon layers of cities of different names beneath and around you. Since the age of nomads, people have settled in this rich land to take advantage of the relatively flat landscape, ready water, and ease of travel. The 5,000km Silk Road, a route to the west travelled by merchants, bandits, pilgrims and soldiers, started here and successive dynasties established their capitals in what was then known as Chang'an. The first emperor of China, Qin Shinhuang, built his capital in Xi’an more than two thousand years ago. Known as the “Yellow Emperor” it seems that Qin Shinhuang had aspirations to succeed in the next world. The accidental discovery of his gigantic tomb revealed an afterlife army and his attempt to perpetuate his power in the afterlife world. When you visit the tomb take a close look at the terracotta statues and you’ll see that each figure bears different facial expressions and ranks. The Great Wall of China, Beijing and the Forbidden City (Weeks 13 and 14)
Richard Nixon – former president of the United States
Our walk along the wall is a walk through history, for 6 days we follow its snaking path to some of China’s more remote regions where village life is far removed from the hustle and bustle of modern day Beijing. The wall climbs to high mountain ridges and seems to straddle centuries. Parts of the wall are restored and parts are “wild”. Our “Wild Wall” treks take us into parts of rural China not often seen by outsiders, village life here is a million miles away from the country’s heaving cities. The restored sections of the wall provide the “classic” wall views and the unmistakable image of a stone serpent stretching across steep mountain ridges. We stay in simple countryside hostels during this trek which lets us rest and recuperate after each day’s exertions! Our trek finishes in the capital, Beijing, that thrived under the protection of the wall. The Forbidden City, located in the centre of Beijing, was built between 1406 and 1420 during the Ming Dynasty. It had been the Imperial home of 24 emperors of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. From their throne in the Forbidden City, they governed the country by holding court sessions with their ministers, issuing imperial edicts and initiating military expeditions. The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, then still a child, abdicated after the republican revolution in 1911. But he, his family and their entire entourage were allowed to stay in the palaces. They were finally expelled by republican troops in 1924. The Forbidden City has been a museum to the public since 1950 and is one of the largest and best-preserved palace complexes in the world. Having reached journey’s end we must prepare to conclude the Venture. Peking Duck is a favourite dish for final night diners along with a dazzling array of side dishes. Try washing it down with the “Great Wall” wine which isn’t at all bad! Afterwards Life can seem very tame when you return home from a place like Central South East Asia. It’s important to retain contact with your fellow Venturers to help put your travel experiences into context. VentureCo host an annual reunion party every September to help you achieve this. The event is open to all Venturers, past and present and is an important date in the social calendar! Where else do VentureCo operate around the world?
|
|
Terms & Conditions |
Privacy Policy Statement |
|||||
VentureCo worldwide Ltd, The Ironyard,
64-66 The Market Place, Warwick CV34 4SD, Phone Number 01926 411 122 |
home
![Tiger Leaping Gorge is a canyon on the Yangtze (locally called the Jinsha Jiang [Golden Sands River]) located 60km north of Lijiang, Yunnan in Western China.](pics/icv/tiger.jpg)
Adopting two wheels we begin the journey through Vietnam. The first day on the road is a “warm up” day: We clear Saigon in our support vehicle and head towards the highlands. Here we try out our bikes, our legs and our lungs; the gently undulating road passes through tea plantations and we visit the spectacular Dambri waterfalls. We stay overnight in Dalat, a former hill station built by the French to escape the heat of Saigon. The next day’s 80km ride towards the coast is mainly downhill and passes the 13th Century Cham towers, which is a good place to take a break and admire these relics of the ancient Hindu Kingdom of Champa. By this time you will have become adept at giving 'high fives' and waving to the hordes of children and awe-struck villagers as you pass by, adding to the enjoyment and forgetting the pain!
![The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca [black-and-white cat-foot]) is a mammal now usually classified in the bear family, Ursidae, that is native to central China.](pics/icv/panda.jpg)
Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province and its inhabitants have a reputation both within Sichuan and in China generally for having a laid back attitude and for knowing how to enjoy life. Chengdu's cuisine is considered to be one of China's most outstanding. The many local specialties include Grandma Chen's Bean Curd (Mapo doufu), Chengdu Hot pot, and Carrying Pole Noodles (Dan Dan Noodles). Chengdu has also been labelled China’s party city, it outnumbers Shanghai in the number of tea houses and bars despite having less than half the population!
For 4,000 years, under the rule of 35 dynasties, China evolved into the world’s longest continuous civilisation. To defend the growing empire, a huge wall was built that zigzagged its way from east to west through the mountains north of the capital Beijing. This is the Great Wall, which is even visible from the moon!