Romania, Laos and Combo Vietnam and Cambodia, New BikeHike Adventures Trips for 2009

One of the best parts about my job is developing new trips all over the world. I truly love it. We choose our new trips by listening to you, our travellers, and where you want to go. I must admit, though, some of the new destinations we start trips in are because of my itch to get there. What can I say, it's just another one of the advantages to this exciting profession we work in.

On that note, we have three new trips and destinations coming in 2009, Romania, Laos and a combined trip in Vietnam and Cambodia. Here's a brief outline of the trips but stay tuned to our website because we'll be launching the pages very soon.

And if you have any questions, drop us a line or give us a call.



Romania, Transylvania Traverse
10-days, Mountain Biking, Hiking and Horseback Riding

Romania. The name alone conjures up iconic images of Count Dracula, Transylvania, the Carpathian Mountains and old world Eastern European culture. It's a country where Western and Byzantine influences meet, shepherds still tend their flocks, horse drawn carriages are more numerous than cars, and medieval villages retain their traditional character. On BikeHike's Transylvania Traverse we explore the South East of Romania by mountain bike, horseback and foot. We'll show you ethnic diversity from Romanians, Hungarians and Saxons to Gypsies, Ukrainians and Poles and we'll learn about their traditions and beliefs. We'll sample the region’s local cuisine and wines in the ambiance of a medieval castle, visit Dracula's Castle and hike and bike in the legendary Carpathian Mountains, the backbone of Eastern Europe. Our trip to Romania and the Transylvania Alps is an artful blend of active adventure, traditional culture, exquisite scenery and ancient history.

Dates 2009: May 22-31, June 26-Jul. 5, Aug. 7-16, Sept. 11-20, Oct. 9-18, 09
Price: $4299 (2 travelers) and $3799 (3+ travelers) Land Only


Laos, A Captivating Culture
13-days, Mountain Biking, Trekking, Kayaking and Elephant Riding

They say that variety is the spice of life and on this Northern Laos Sports Extravaganza, there is plenty of it. Our adventure starts and ends in the ancient royal city of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site surrounded by forested mountains, the mighty Mekong River and golden Buddhist monasteries filled with chanting orange-robed monks. In 13-days we mountain bike into rural communities where time seems to stand still. We spend four days on foot, trekking high up in the magnetic mountains through Hmong and Akha hill tribe villages with overnights in family homes. We ride elephants through expanses of bamboo forests and float down the peaceful Nam Ou river in kayaks. This adventure to Laos is a trip into the past, to a quieter, less hurried time.

Dates 2009: Jan 18-30, Feb 15-27, Mar 29-Apr. 10, Apr. 19-May 1, May 17 - 29, Sept. 6-19, Oct. 11-24, Nov. 22-Dec. 4, 09
Price: $2299 USD per person Land Only



Vietnam and Cambodia, Active Indochina for the Deluxe Traveler
12-days, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Sailing and Sea Kayaking

This double dose of adventure in Vietnam and Cambodia is for those travelers wanting a luxurious experience in South East Asia. We stay in deluxe boutique hotels and on a Luxury Indochina Sailing Junk. The first eight days are in Northern Vietnam, kicking off in Hanoi, where we hike and ride cyclos around the bustling old quarter. We mountain bike through remote villages past mountainsides of terraced rice paddies, trek into the Sapa Region to see the colourful Dzao hill tribe and overnight in a cozy Eco Lodge high in the lush mountains. In Halong Bay we explore a labyrinth of limestone cliffs that rise out of the sea from the comfort of our sailing junk and in our sleek ocean kayaks. The last four days are in Cambodia, visiting Ankor Wat, the epitome of classical Khmer architecture. This 12-day ramble is loaded with comfort, culture, nature and adventure and is a sure bet to satisfy.

Dates 2009: Jan. 21-Feb . 1, Mar. 4 -15, Apr. 29-May 10, May 27-Jun. 7, Sept. 16-27, Oct. 28- Nov. 8, Nov. 18-29. Dec. 9-20, 09
Price: $3599 US per person Land Only