With its ancient ruins and majestic countryside, Cambodia is an ideal adventure destination. In this seven day tour, you will cycle to some famous sites while also veering off the beaten path. Highlights include cycling aroundAngkor Thom Ancient City and Kulen Trekking.
Route: Siem Riep – Angkor Wat – Tonle Sap – Kulen Mountain – Preah Kral – Ta Penh Village – Preah Angthom – Siem Riep
Day 1: Siem Reap
Day 2: Siem Reap – Angkor Complex (50kms cycling)
Day 3: Siem Reap – Roluos Temples – Tonle Sap (60kms cycling)
Day 4: Siem Reap – Kulen Mountain – Preah Kral (25kms trekking)
Day 5: Preah Kral – Ta Penh Village (15kms trekking)
Day 6: Ta Penh Village – Preah Angthom Waterfall (19kms trekking)
Day 7: Preah Angthom – Siem Reap
Inclusions:
Exclusions:
After checking into your hotel, take a wander to the old market of Siem Reap. During the day the market sells everything from fresh fish to hardware, and of a night time the nearby streets and alleys come alive with small boutiques, galleries, cafes and bars.
Feel your excitement build as you cycle into the Angkor Complex and be amazed by the sheer size! Start with a visit to the South Gate of Angkor Thom where statues of the gods of good and evil line the entrance. Your next stop is the Bayon, known for the hundreds of smiling faces that grace the towers.
The bas reliefs are quite impressive and tell stories of daily life and the great battles that were fought between the Khmers and ancient Thais. Pedal to Phimeanakas, shaped a bit like a pyramid with two ponds in the rear and the nearby Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper Kings. Then cycle to one of the most loved temples of all – Ta Prohm. This small crumbling temple his held together by giant tree roots giving it a magical feel.
After lunch and a well earned rest, cycle to the magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. This visually spectacular temple is a massive three-tiered pyramid, rising 65 metres from the ground and crowned by five lotus towers.
Today there is more cycling, this time to the Roluos temples, the former ancient capital of the Khmer Empire. Explore the small temples of Bakong, Preah Ko and Lolei and then hop back on your bike and cycle to the Tonle Sap Lake. Along the way you will pass small villages and vividly green rice paddies – a portrait of rural Cambodia. Children may scamper out of houses to greet you as water buffalos wallow in muddy ponds.
Depart early and drive to the base of Kulen Mountain for the start of your trek. Begin trekking uphill through dense forest, passing the lingas carved into the rock and waterfalls. You will enjoy great view and a well deserved lunch at a local village, before continuing to Sras Damrei and the Bat Cave. Return to Preah Kral village and enjoy dinner and stay overnight in the local monastery.
After breakfast and a quick good bye to the monks, you will set off on a trek through the forest to a hidden temple. Continue trekking to reach tonight’s homestay at Ta Penh Village. You will stay with a local host family in their modest home. Basic bathroom and toilet facilities are available. The village has about 200 families and the majority earn their living through agriculture.
Today you will continue your trek, walking through rice fields and forest to the mountaintop temple of Kra Hom. See the reclining Buddha statue and take a few photos of the countryside below. Finally, arrive at Preah Angthom Waterfall where you will have lunch, go for a swim or just relax. Tonight’s homestay is only a short walk away.
After breakfast with your host family you will be driven back to Siem Reap