Essential Angkor

📍 Siem Reap Angkor International Airport - Siem Reap (52 km): 1 hrs

Upon your arrival in Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, you will be welcomed by a local English speaking guide and transferred to your hotel for check in. 

Siem Reap is the gateway to the majestic temples of Angkor and a charming riverside town. Take a rest from your flight at the hotel or discover Siem Reap on a stroll through its beautiful pagodas and the colourful market on your own.

In the evening enjoy a welcome dinner at Lum Orng. Cambodia’s first farm-to-table restaurant, Lum Orng is located in a village on the edge of Siem Reap. Here, owner-chef Sothea Seng cooks New Mekong Cuisine from Cambodia and beyond, based on seasonal produce from his farms, local markets, and growers across the region.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

📍 Siem Reap – Temples (7km): 10 mins

Start your day with a tour to the temples of the Small Circuit. The most famous among these is Ta Prohm temple, built in the mid12th to early 13th centuries. 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. Your visit will also include Banteay Kdei, a Buddhist monastery from the late 12th Century, and Srah Srang, also known as the “pool of ablutions”.

Visit the ancient city of Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Great Khmer Empire under the reign of Jayavarman VII. This city is surrounded by an 8 m high wall, drawing a perfect square. Enter the city through the ancient South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with Elephants and four giant faces. On each side of the entrance path a row of 54 gods or demons is holding the sacred Naga snake.

From here, continue to Bayon Temple in the exact center of the city. This 12th century masterpiece is a study in grandeur and is well-known for its 52 towers with enigmatic faces looking out towards the provinces of the vast and great Khmer Empire. The nearby Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King are also must-visits as they are both known for their intricate relief carvings.

Leisure time at your hotel.   

1600 By remork (a Cambodian “tuktuk”) visit a local enterprise, Satcha, where craftsmen and women find a safe and clean space to work as well as receive training to further hone their talent and grow themselves into artistic entrepreneurs. 

Walk through the serene, natural gardens and watch the artists carve stone, wood, weave baskets, paint and more while your guide explains some specific traits about each field of work and how the enterprise supports the Cambodian artists. We will have the opportunity for a little retail therapy if you wish to do so. 

At 18:00, enjoy a food-hopping tour that gives back to the local community: Dining for a Cause, a gastronomical exploration of Siem Reap that focuses on restaurants with a social mission to benefit the people and communities of Siem Reap. Over the course of the evening, visit three different establishments to learn about each of their programs and sample some of their best local cuisine.

At the first stop, where follows a different business model, directing their profits to various organizations. You may order any drink from the menu (they make some special cocktails and fruit mix using local ingredients) and any one appetizer (try different ones and share with each other) while exploring the large selection of second-hand books donated by their supporters in the UK.

Next, enjoy Khmer classic dishes at a restaurant which is another social enterprise restaurant providing disadvantaged youths, and underprivileged adults, professional training and employment in the hospitality industry. Learn about its efforts while dining. 

After dinner, go to a local restaurant run by an organization that operates a hospitality training school where all the restaurant workers learned (or are currently learning) their trade. Learn about how the program runs and its achievements while enjoying a creative cocktail, a glass of wine, beer, or coffee.  This stop will mark the end of your you're and your driver will bring you safely to your hotel or, at your choice, drop you off at Pub Street or in the city center of Siem Reap.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🍗 Dinner

Today embark on an authentic rural Cambodia tour to learn about life in a typical village. Meet friendly locals and discover traditional village customs and cultures.

Start with an early morning visit to Ta Brak village. Like most villages in Asia, Ta Brak is busiest in the morning hours. Sit down with a local family and enjoy breakfast (take-away from the hotel) while observing the activities of the village. 

Take an ox cart ride, a traditional countryside method of transporting people and goods. The 30-minute journey passes through the village on the way to the local market. Explore the colorful displays of vegetables, herbs and other locally-grown produce, and mingle with the shoppers who come every morning to buy the fresh ingredients.

Continue on foot through the village, providing ample opportunities to stop and chat with locals and to observe their activities. Depending on the time of year, they may be planting rice, weaving thatch coverings for their roofs, harvesting vegetables, or other similar tasks. For a truly immersive experience, lend a hand and join the locals in these activities!

Before leaving the village, partake in a special Buddhist tradition. Local monks will impart wishes of good luck and success in a solemn, age-old ceremony.

Back to your hotel for some rest. 

As the only west-facing temple, Angkor Wat is best to visit (and photograph) in the late afternoon, arriving around 3pm, enjoying the uppermost platform around 5:00pm, and walking out as the guards begin corralling visitors out of the complex at 5:30pm. Exiting the temple with the setting sun shining on the Vishnu image discovered beneath the temple’s central sanctuary is a magical sight to behold and a fitting end to your exploration of the temple built by King Suryavarman, whose name translates to “protected by the sun”.

Note: Should you wish to witness a sunset, there are limited options and they can be quite crowded. Consider finding a quiet place away from the crowds, such as atop the city wall beside the West or South gate of Angkor Thom, or Srah Srang. Be advised that a sunset will typically have you returning to town after 6:00pm. 

Return to your hotel and free at your leisure. 

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast

📍 Siem Reap – Kbal Spean (52 km): 1 hrs / Kbal Spean - Banteay Srei (13 km): 15 mins / Banteay Srei - Siem Reap (37 km): 50 mins

0700 Today head north through pastoral countryside to visit Kbal Spean, one of the earliest Hindu pilgrimage sites in Cambodia. A short 3 km trek up the hill through dense jungle will reward you with excellent views over the plains and the Kulen hills. At the top, be surprised about the “River of 1000 Lingas” with some remarkable stone carvings of Hindu gods, animals and other symbols in the river bed. During the raining season, you can enjoy a refreshing bath in the waterfall, which is extremely popular with the local families.
(Note: Please note the trek is fairly easy going but as the walk is uphill and on uneven ground it is really only suitable for clients with a good level of fitness and not suitable for clients with mobility problems.)

Then, visit the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity (ACCB), the first nature conservation project established in Cambodia. A knowledgeable staff member will explain about the threats to Cambodia’s wildlife and the efforts of ACCB to protect the environment and promote wildlife conservation through education. As you stroll around the compound’s forested grounds, you will see various endangered species, including a squeaky otter, various primates including hooting gibbons, various reptiles such as miniature tortoises, and a beekeeping project, all of which are on site.

Having lunch in a local restaurant.

This afternoon, experience the “gem” of the Angkor area, the pretty temple of Banteay Srey. The so-called “Citadel of the Women” remains the best preserved temple in Cambodia. It displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art as this small temple is noted for its truly remarkable fine bas-reliefs. Banteay Srey is unique in that it is constructed of pink sandstone, which is seen nowhere else in Angkor.

Continue on to the APOPO visitor center for an exclusive tour of this fascinating and life-saving organization. Spend up to an hour learning about the devastating impact of explosives that lie buried in the Cambodian countryside and get first-hand experience about this creative solution to the problem. 

In a simulated minefield built for training purposes, help guide the rats as they sniff their way along the ground in search of explosive material. Visit the room where the rats live and pose for a photo with the furry rodents and their handlers. Watch an informative video and take the opportunity to learn more about landmines, Cambodia, APOPO, and the HeroRATs through a Q&A session. Every guided tour is led by a mine action professional with real-life experience of humanitarian demining. (Note:  The last tour to visit to APOPO center is at 1630)

After a day in the fantastic outskirts of town, the tour concludes with a drive back to Siem Reap. 

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

Get on a vintage jeep for a countryside tour to immerse yourself with the local communities, nature and especially visit the Kulen Elephant Forest, a sustainable sanctuary where the elephants are enjoying a long-awaited and well-deserved retirement. 

Depart from the hotel at 7:00 for a one-hour drive by a jeep to the plains surrounding Kulen Mountain, the birth-place of the Angkorian civilization. After an introductory briefing, head down to the pond for a meet and greet with the elephants. The program at the Kulen Elephant Forest will join with other guests (Not Private).

After feeding the elephants some treats (and posing for selfies with them), follow the elephants as they wander around the area, snacking on leaves from nearby trees. Gradually the elephants will wander down a shady forest path where a guide will explain how indigenous flora is used by the local population as you walk along with the elephants.

After the trek (~2km), prepare some additional snacks in the shade as the elephants splash around in the pond. At noon, retire to base camp and enjoy a traditional Khmer meal, family-style. 

Afternoon free at leisure.

Overnight in Siem Reap.
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Siem Reap – Kompong Khleang (52 km): 1 hrs

Escape from Siem Reap to see the beauty of the countryside. Drive to the shores of the Tonle Sap Lake, approximately 52 km from the city, and climb aboard a wooden motorboat to explore its waters and mangrove forests. This unique lake swells and contracts dramatically in rhythm with the monsoon season, meaning most of the houses are built on stilts or floating pontoons. 

Cruise through the Kompong Khleang floating village and see this unique way of living. For an even deeper understanding of life on the Tonle Sap, head to a local family house for lunch. See the inside of a typical house and watch the boats pass by while enjoying a packed lunch. (Note: during the months Apr-Sep the water level may be too low for a visit by boat. However the village can be visited by car. It is fascinating to walk around and see how the stilted houses are exposed from the lake when water levels are low!)

Afternoon free at leisure.

1930 Enjoy an evening of culture at Phare Cambodian Circus Show. Set up by refugees of the Khmer Rouge era, Phare promotes performing arts as a way to cope with trauma. Over the years they have not only helped hundreds of Cambodians but also helped to promote traditional Khmer culture.
The lights will dim and the performers will take to the stage. The hour-long show tells stories of modern life in Cambodia through a rich spectacle of song, dance and acrobatics. The performers combine traditional Khmer theatre with modern influences resulting in an entertaining and enthralling show.
Following the show there is an opportunity to take photos with the cast, a spectacular memory of the evening’s performance.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Siem Reap Hotel - Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (52 km): 1 hrs 12mn

Enjoy some time at leisure until the transfer to the airport for your individual departure flight. 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast