- Duration: 9 days
- Date: Daily
- Start/End: Phnom Penh/Siem Reap
- Tour type: Landscape, Nature, Culture and History
- Tour Customizable: Absolutely! (Tell us your specific requirements in the inquiry form)
- Active level: Regular itinerary; Moderate walking
Tour Highlights
- Phnom Penh highlights: Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and National Museum.
- Koh Dach Mekong Island: Local village exploration and craft workshop visit.
- Mondulkiri province: Bousra waterfall and interaction with ethnic minority people.
- Kratie and Koh Trong: Irrawaddy Dolphins and cycling in traditional Khmer villages.
- Angkor Temples: Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat exploration.
BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival Phnom Penh
Day 2: Phnom Penh – Koh Dach Mekong Island
Day 3: Phnom Penh – Mondolkiri
Day 4: Mondolkiri – Elephant valley project
Day 5: Mondolkiri – Kratie & Koh Trong
Day 6: Kratie - Siem Reap
Day 7: Treasure Hunting in Angkor Thom & Angkor Wat
Day 8: Pink Temple – Land Mine Museum & Cambodia Circus
Day 9: Exploring Floating village & Departure
Day 1: Arrival Phnom Penh
Up on arrival, we are greeted by local tour guide and driver who will take us to the hotel after that. On the way, tour guide will deliver a very interesting briefing about the history of Cambodia, its culture, people as well as lifestyle.
Later today, we will start explore the Capital city of Cambodia by visiting the Royal National Museum, Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. In the complex we will know all about of history of the Royal Palace as well as the Silver Pagoda with a solid Buddha encruisted with 9,584 diamonds weighing 90kg and a small 17th century emerald and baccarat crystal Buddha.
End of the day, we enjoy a cyclo tour along the Mekong River front passing Wat Phnom and Phsar Chass. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Meals: None
Accommodation: Town View Khan Don Pneh 3***
Day 2: Phnom Penh – Koh Dach Mekong Island (B)
After breakfast, we take the local transportation known as the Moto Remork or Tuk Tuk to Koh Dach Island where we will have our local's eye view of life on the river. Later, we stroll around the village, stop at a community craft workshop and relax at the thatched roof of a water bungalow on a hammock. Besides fishing and farming, the local people guard many arcane skills in arts and crafts, put to excellent use in their high-quality products sold in the local market.
In the afternoon, we are back to the hasher times of Cambodian history while ruled by the Khmer Rouge (1975 – 1979) with a visit to the Tuol Sleng Museum which used as an interrogation center before sending the victims to the Killing Fields about 15km south of Phnom Penh. After that, we visit Killing Fields and last stop at the Russian market where we will have a short visit or shopping. There are many things such as souvenirs, curios and silks…
Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Meals: Buffet Breakfast at hotel
Day 3: Phnom Penh – Mondulkiri (B, D)
After breakfast, we depart to Mondulkiri province to discover the ethnic minority people, nature here. the Mondulkiri province with its capital town called Senmonorom, situated on the northeast plateau of Cambodia. This area is very unique nature and surroundings while the life is so simple. The ethnic minority people is still working with hand tools; living in hand-built stilts wooden houses; and they gather around the fire and share a warm meal and homemade rice wine….
Arriving in the afternoon, we check in and start a visit to one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Cambodia of Bousra waterfall. This is a great place for swimming, relaxing, enjoying the nature. Later on, we visit a minority village nearby the fall.
In the evening, we enjoy some local entertainment with folk songs, traditional music performed by the villagers and return to town for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Nature Lodge Cambodia 3***
Day 4: Mondolkiri – Elephant valley project (B, L, D)
Elephant Livelihood Initiative Environment was founded in early 2005 with its goal of improving the health and welfare of captive elephants in Mondulkiri province; and the more important goal is to work with the owners and keepers about the problems that face them. The local people are trained how to care the elephants and improve the techniques used with treating working elephants.
Today, we spend our full day with the elephants, shadowing two families of elephants in the jungle; learning about the elephants, local mahouts, the forest and conservation. This is a highly unique experience for our visit the northeast plateau of Cambodia.
We return to the town for our dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Mondolkiri – Kratie & Koh Trong (B)
Kratie is one of Cambodia's lesser-populated, eastern provinces. The city with some nice-looking homes of French and Khmer style scattered about, stands along the Mekong River bank. The citizens of the city live and make their living in the river bank such as fishing and farming. Arriving this city after few hour driving, we visit the local market and see the daily life of the local people. After having lunch, we cross to Koh Trong island. This island is stuated in the middle of the Mekong River directly opposite Kratie Town. A 9 km loop road around the island is great for cycling or ox cart ride. Relax in the rest of the day with ox cart riding or cycling through traditional Khmer villages, orchards and rice fields while observing the daily rituals and routines of traditional village life. Overnight in Kratie.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Rajabori hotel -3***
Day 6: Kratie - Siem Reap (B)
After breakfast today, we travel along the riverbank and take a boat excursion to see home of a group of rare fresh water Irrawaddy Dolphins. Later, we travel to Siem Reap. It takes us 5 hour driving and we will cross the Mekong River, pass the rubber plantations and green villages. Taking a short rest at Kompong Thom where we get a never-forget memory of deep fried spider, crickets and small birds that local eat. When we arrive in Siem Reap, we check in hotel and relax in the rest of the day. Overnight in Siem Reap – the ancient capital of Khmer Empire.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Claremont Angkor Boutique 3***, 1,5 km to the Night market
Day 7: Treasure Hunting in Angkor Thom & Angkor Wat (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we begin the magical day at the mystical Ta Prohm temple where ancient stones and massive tree roots engulf the ruins. These trees and stones provide a stunning temple experience while also enjoying with sound of birds and nature; this is a wonderful place to start the temple tour. The exploration will take approximately one hour, walking through this jungle temple. After weaving our way through the beautiful Ta Prohm we journey into the ancient city of Angkor Thom.
In the Angkor Thom, we will explore the treasures of this ancient walled city and visit to the mystical Bayon temple adorned with its smiling faces. The journey through the jungle to the famous Bayon which stands in the middle of the city of Angkor Thom, is now everyone's favorite site, surrounded by hundreds of smiling faces engraved on the pieces of gigantic sand stone; the temple is definitely one of the most stunning and mysterious. We head further into the temple complex and visit Baphoun, a hill top pyramid-temple, consecrated to the God Shiva that just opened to the public recently after renovation. We also visit the Elephant and leper king terraces, the royal enclosure temple of Phimean Akas and the serene Preah Pithu groups of smaller temples. We will enjoy a walk along the ancient walls of this city and relax with a hot Cambodian style picnic lunch in a shaded area or alternatively we will have lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we head to the jewel of the Khmer Empire and visit the amazing Angkor Wat. The amazing temples of Angkor were constructed to express the wealth and power of the Khmer Empire at the time. Many stone inscriptions describing the foundations of the temple have been found but Khmers left no word to tell how this great empire collapsed. Come and dig out some secrets of Angkor with our experienced guide, reveal the stories and legends behind the sandstone carved bas-reliefs, gables and lintels. Stroll around this massive monument to admire the Khmer architectural masterpiece and engineering.
Later today, we will enjoy sunset time and stunning sightseeing of Tonle Sap Lake, Western Baray, Angkor Wat and dense jungle of Angkor Thom at the top of mountain temple of Phnom Bakheng.
Overnight in Siem Reap.
Meals: Buffet Breakfast, Set menu Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Pink Temple – Land Mine Museum & Cambodia Circus (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we head of with tour guide to the Mountain at Phnom Kulen National Park which was used as the ancient capital city in AD802 under the reign of King Jayavarman II, the King gave birth to present day Cambodia. There are 56 Angkorian temples of bricks and volcanic stones but most of them are in poor condition here. We will see the Thousand Linga River, an enormous reclining Buddha, constructed in the 16th century. Before having our picnic lunch on the riverbank, we are relax or do swimming at the waterfall.
In the afternoon, we descend from the mountaintop and head to see the pink sandstone temple of Banteay Srei, which stands alonge in the jungle. This is a favorite sites of many visitors. The special charm of this temple lies in its remarkable state of preservation, and the intricate, high quality carvings in the solid sandstone. The unanimous opinion amongst French archaeologists who worked at Angkor is that Banteay Srei is a 'precious gem' and a 'jewel in Khmer art'.
Later today, we visit the Cambodia Landmine Museum where we can learn about the period of civil war in Cambodia which was only ended as recently in 1998.
Tonight we will be amazed by the spectacle of the Phare Cambodia Circus; a troupe of young Cambodians offering a spectacular and exciting blend of traditional and modern theatre, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling and contortion beautifully choreographed and performed as a story about Cambodian life and society. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Meals: Buffet Breakfast, Set menu Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Exploring Floating village & Departure
This morning, we travel to eastern part of Siem Reap to visit the Kompong Phluk or Kompong Khleang floating village in Tonle Sap Lake area. Here, we will know about the daily life of local people during the dry season and the wet season. We also stop at local houses to touch with the local families, discovery the culture of nowadays Khmer people…
In the afternoon, our awaiting vehicle will take us back to the airport for our departure flight to home. Trip ends.
Meals: Buffet Breakfast
