Multisport, Angkor Hike & Bike

📍 Transfer from Phnom Krom to hotel: 15 minutes Cycling distance up to 17 km Difficulty: Easy

Arrive at Siem Reap International Airport today, where our guide and driver will provide transport to the hotel.

This afternoon, set out to explore the rural charms of the Cambodian countryside: a rich tapestry woven with lush scenery, colorful bustling villages, stilted houses, hidden temples, and dusty back roads hedged with sugar palms await!

Pass through the Village of Chreav en route to Tonlé Sap Lake. Wander down meandering roads where flashes of effervescent green and rich red earth abound from the fields. Stop for a brief rest in the shade of the ancient Wat Athvea, taking some time to explore this beautiful temple. Weave through the dusty back roads and end at a small, stilted hammock bar overlooking the rice fields. Stop for light refreshment before proceeding to the seldom visited Phnom Krom hill. The temple at Phnom Krom sits on top of one of the best vantage points overlooking the vast expanse of the Tonlé Sap Lake. Take in this view as the sun sets. 

Transfer back to the hotel. This evening, sample Khmer cuisine at Spoon Restaurant. Your meal change Cambodian’s young generation. It is an NGO which provide a free education to them on the hospitality skills.

Overnight in Siem Reap.
 

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer from Angkor Complex to hotel: 20 minutes Cycling distance up to 40km Difficulty: Easy

Today is fantastic!  Set out directly from your hotel explore Angkor Wat via bicycle this morning, pedaling through dense jungles of the magnificent temples of Angkor.

Arrive the back way for a visit to Ta Prohm temple (a setting of one of the Tomb Raider films), built in the mid-12th to early 13th centuries in dedication to Jayavarman VII’s mother. Ta Prohm is unique in that it has been left largely as it was found: overgrown by jungle, trees and vines, with many parts of the temple crumbling to the ground. This makes Ta Prohm one of the most picturesque and memorable of the Angkor temples.

From Ta Prohm, dive back into the jungle and pedal through hidden passages to the ruins of Ta Nei (Grandfather Nei) and Preah Khan (dedicated to Jayavarman VII’s father) before heading to Angkor Thom. This was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. An eight meter high wall draws a perfect square around the city ruin. Enter through the ancient East Gate. On each side of the entrance path a row of fifty-four gods and demons hold the sacred Naga snake of Hindu lore.

From the walls of Angkor Thom, head inward for Bayon Temple in the exact center of the city. This 12th century masterpiece is a study in grandeur and is well-known for its fifty-four towers with enigmatic faces representing the fifty-four provinces of the Great Khmer Empire. The Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King are also must-visits as they are both known for their intricate bas-reliefs.

Southward now, through Angkor Thom to the famous Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world. It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple of god Vishnu gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple toward the end of the 12th century.  Built during the reign of King Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat is constructed following the model of the temple mountain symbolizing Mount Meru, the home of the gods. Inside the temple, the walls are covered with stone carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II fought during his reign. Angkor Wat is well known for the more than 2,000 Apsara dancers decorating the temple. Construction is thought to have taken around thirty years of intensive labor. Today, Angkor Wat is figured on Cambodia's national flag as the temple symbolizes the soul of the Khmer people.

One of the first Western visitors to the temple was António da Madalena, a Portuguese monk who visited in 1586 and said that it "is of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decoration and all the refinements which the human genius can conceive of." 

Tonight have dinner at a nice Khmer restaurant called Café Indochine.

Overnight in Siem Reap.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Cycling distance up to 55km Difficulty: Easy

This morning, set out for a countryside tour to Wat Tabeng. This traditional village is amongst the most scenic in Cambodia, set amidst a sea of rice fields. Explore the local pagoda, village and surroundings with the guide who can help facilitate some conversations with locals.

After that, continue to Banteay Srei and the surrounding villages- only a short 18 km via back roads. Discover how rice paper is produced and sample some Palm Wine and Palm Sugar, which are a popular local produce (seasonal). Before exploring the temple, enjoy a picnic lunch in a relaxed setting at Banteay Srei Pagoda. 

Banteay Srei, which translates directly to “Citadel of the Women,” remains the best preserved temple in Cambodia. It displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art and is noted for its remarkable fine bas-reliefs. It is also unique in the fact that it is constructed entirely of pink sandstone, which is seen nowhere else in Angkor.

After viewing some of Cambodia’s ancient history, it’s time to take a look into the darker, modern history with a visit to the Landmine Museum. Mr. Aki Ra, the museum’s founder, was trained as a child soldier during the Khmer Rouge regime and is working today as a de-miner. The museum serves also as a rescue centre for a number of landmine amputee children that Aki Ra has brought off Phnom Penh’s streets or from impoverished rural communities.

Spend the night in the countryside at the Bong Thom Homestay: an adventure-style accommodation in the Cambodian countryside.   Interact, immerse, and get to know how the locals live.

Enjoy a Khmer dinner at the lodge. 

Overnight at homestay.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer from homestay to Wat Tabeng: 15 minutes Trekking up to 4+hrs Difficulty: Medium

Rise early for a breath of fresh, countryside air. 

After breakfast, take a short transfer to the trailhead and begin to hike through seemingly endless rice fields. Rising up from the flat countryside is the enormous Kulen Mountain, and it slowly begins to dominate the view as the trail approaches.

Kulen Mountain (Phnom Kulen) is an impressive sandstone plateau in this otherwise flat area. The mountain is considered the birthplace of the Khmer empire and a sacred place for the Khmer. At the top of Phnom Kulen, discover stone carvings in a riverbed, a large reclining Buddha from the 16th century, and several hidden pagodas. 

After a long climb to the top, stop and enjoy lunch at a popular local hangout: the Kulen Falls. Many Cambodians gather here on the weekends and national holidays to escape the heat and enjoy some time beneath the trees. Further afield, for those who wish to hike a bit more, is a hermitage cave filled with religious artifacts… and a few bats as well!

This evening enjoy dinner by the riverside and see the magnificent stars.  Tonight we are at a nice riverfront campground and overnight in tents. 

Overnight Camping.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer from Svay Leu to Beng Mealea: 20 minutes Trekking up to 4+hrs Difficulty: Medium

Trek east in the cool morning, bound for Svay Leu Pagoda. En route, discover some of Cambodia’s most pristine jungle. Keep an eye out for lychee trees, for which Kulen is famous for. For some lucky trekkers there may be curious wildlife hanging around the trees. Further on, the jungle breaks in places and gives way to farmland, interspersed with patches of forest. 

After a rest in a local village, the pathway begins to descend toward Svay Leu. There is often a lively local market near the pagoda and, time-permitting, take a short while to explore it.

From here we transfer a short ways to the undiscovered and untouched for centuries temple ruins of  Beng Mealea, which has only recently been made accessible and remains unrestored. Visit the temple via a wooden walkway that climbs for an incredible view of the toppled ruins.

Transfer or trek to local villager’s house for homestay and dinner.  Once again, enjoy interacting with the locals and their way of life.

Overnight at homestay.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer to hotel: 20 minutes Cycling distance up to 60 km Difficulty: Medium

Enjoy one last morning in the deep countryside. After having breakfast, head out for the final leg of the journey from Beng Mealea to Siem Reap. Return to the bikes and pedal onwards through typical Cambodian countryside filled with palm trees, rice fields, and happy children waving and shouting hellos. A portion of this cycling travels some stretches of local highway, though traffic should not be heavy. 

Tonight, enjoy a Khmer dinner at Mahob Restaurant.

Overnight in Siem Reap.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

Enjoy a leisurely morning followed by breakfast. The driver will be waiting to provide transport to the airport for the onward flight (today no guide accompany)

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast