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The day has finally arrived! Any last-minute nerves will turn to excitement as the plane touches down in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) after an overnight flight from London.
On arrival, a local Charity Challenge representative will accompany your group to a centrally-located hotel. Lunch will be served after check-in, followed by a full trip briefing and bike fitting. In the evening, you will be able to enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant, providing you with the perfect opportunity to get to know your fellow team mates.
Accommodation: Hotel
After breakfast you will transfer to My Tho, the gateway to the Mekong Delta. Your cycling adventure begins after a ferry journey across the Tien Giang river. A varied section of biking follows - off-road, gravel and dirt lanes, weaving around hamlets, across water channels and through dense vegetation. The final ferry of the day sees you cross the Co Chien river to the tree-lined town of Tra Vinh, which will be your home for the night.
Accommodation: Hotel
The road may be long, but the atmosphere is calm and peaceful as you head along narrow and pretty roads to Can Tho. There’s plenty to see along the way, including the magnificent lotus flowers floating on Ba Om Pond. The route also takes in the contrasting architectural styles of ethnic Khmer homes and Khmer temples, as well as fascinating river scenes as you cycle across countless wooden bridges. You will be offered the unique chance to learn about the life of students at a local Khmer Temple School before you reach your final destination for the day. Get a good night’s sleep in Can Tho in preparation for tomorrow’s early start.
Accommodation: Hotel
After an early breakfast, take a ride along the narrow-paved road beside the river and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Cai Rang floating market. Weave through the morning traders, and absorb the sights of everyday morning life – from the coconut shredders to the timber merchants. After visiting the An Binh Market, you will continue on to Phong Dien Village and stop for lunch. There’s a 30-minute transfer to the town of Long Xuyen where you will spend the evening.
Accommodation: Hotel
After a short, early morning transfer to Tri Ton, the cycling starts to undulate as you ride closer to Chau Doc and Cambodia. The afternoon is spent at the killing fields of Vietnam at Ba Chuc, where Pol Pot’s regime massacred an entire village in 1978. The haunting, ‘skull pagoda’ and small museum stand as a memorial to the villages 3,000 victims and its one, solitary survivor. The route then loops around to Chau Doc and along the border where you will spend your final night in Vietnam.
Accommodation: Hotel
It's time to leave Vietnam behind and continue your expedition by heading into Cambodia. Rise early to take a boat journey up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh. It’s five hours upstream to the Cambodian capital, where you’ll meet your Cambodian guides and be fitted with your new bike. Lunch will be spent soaking in the town’s colonial atmosphere and buzzing local life. After lunch, you will travel to Cambodia’s harrowing killing fields and the Tuoel Sleng prison. In the evening, you will be welcomed to Cambodia with a delicious Khmer dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Hotel
Starting with an early morning bus transfer to Kampong Cham, you group will head north via the ancient Japanese bridge, to visit the famous Cambodian town of Skun. Feel free to try the local cuisine here of fried tarantula! Departing Skun, you’ll Transfer to Thnong village, from where you’ll commence a 65km cycle through the stunning tropical countryside. Once you arrive at Kampong Thmor, it’s another 38km to the final stop of Kampong Thom, on the banks of the Stung Saen river. A well-deserved evening meal awaits you, giving you the opportunity to rest your legs before your final day of cycling.
Accommodation: Hotel
It’s the final day! An early transfer to the village of Domdek, to begin your 45km ride to the incredible Angkor Wat. The route into the site is lined with temples, creating a truly spectacular final leg of your journey to reach the finishing line. To celebrate you will be able to stretch your legs on a short walk around Ta Phrom and Bayon Temple before a celebratory dinner at a traditional Khymer dinner. Ta Phrom is a site that has been reclaimed by nature and features tree roots breaking through the stone carvings and walls.
Accommodation: Hotel
Shake off the heavy legs by watching an incredible sunrise over Angkor Wat. Explore the entire complex, it is well worth taking the time to climb the steep and narrow steps of the central spire of Angkor Wat. From the top, you will be rewarded with remarkable views over the temples and the surrounding jungle.
Transfer to the airport for your journey home.
DUE TO THE FLIGHT SCHEDULE ON THIS DEPARTURE WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO MAXIMISE TIME AT ANGKOR WAT ON THE PREVIOUS DAY AND BEFORE GOING TO THE AIRPORT TODAY.
Accommodation: In the air
Armed with a sense of achievement, you can feel proud as you touch down into the UK. Don’t forget to exchange contact details with your fellow cyclists before heading home to share your journey with family and friends.
BELIEVE >> ACHIEVE >> INSPIRE