(PHNOM
PENH-KRATIE-MONDULKIRI- KAMPONG-CHAM-SIEM REAP-PHNOM PENH-BATTAMBANG-KEP)
18DAYS
/ 17NINGHTS
ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVE PHNOM PENH
Arriving early afternoon at Phnom
Penh International Airport. Welcome by our local guide and transfer to your
hotel. After a little rest, walk on the pier and take a cruise on the Mekong
River to enjoy the scenery along the river and the city of Phnom Penh in the
evening. Welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at your hotel.
DAY 2: CITY TOURS
After breakfast, depart for a tour
of the capital. You will start with a sacred site called Wat Phnom on the only
hill of the city, and go see the monument of independence ". Visit the
Central Market , a great architectural originality, built by French architects
in a colonialist-Art Deco style. This recently renovated yellow hall is huge
and absolutely found it all. In continuation you will make a tour of the main
vestiges of colonial architecture of the city.
In the afternoon, you will go to the
National Museum admirable collections (bronze, bas-reliefs from the temples of
Angkor, jewelry, weapons, Palanquins, various currencies and ceramics) .You
will visit the Royal Palace, built by King Norodom in 1866 of traditional Khmer
style. Overnight at your hotel.
DAY 3: PHNOM PENH -
BARAY (KAMPONG THOM)
After breakfast depart
by car to Kampong Thom, one of five provinces surrounding the Tonle Sap Lake.
Sixty kilometers before the town of Kampong Thom, you will stop and check in at
the host family in Baray district. You will go for a ride in a cart pulled by
ponies, main means of transport for the local population. The tour allows you
to visit several craft activities, such as the village of rice pulp mill and the
village of weavers. You will also have the opportunity to walk through the
village where you will spend the night. you are served with a traditional dance
dinner by the children of the district orphanage and night with your host
family.
DAY 4: BARAY - KAMPONG
THOM - SIEM REAP
After breakfast depart
for the town of Kampong Thom, where is the pre-Angkorian temples of Sambor Prei
Kuk. In the morning you will discover the ancient Khmer capital dedicated to
the Hindu, God Shiva. These temples were abandoned but they were restored in
1980. The afternoon depart for the city of Siem Reap and check in hotel and
free time for your rest. Overnight at hotel.
DAY 5: ANGKOR THOM -
GRAND CIRCUIT
After breakfast, depart
for the site of Angkor, you will begin by the south gate of Angkor Thom with a
ride elephant to Bayon temple. In continuation you will visit temples: Baphuon,
Phimeanakas and the Terrace of Elephants and Leper King. In the afternoon, you
go on the big circuit: Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, Mebon, Pre Rup and Ta
Prohm, surrounded by jungles with huge roots cheese. Return to Siem Reap and
night at your hotel.
DAY 6: ANGKOR WAT -
BANTEAY SREI TEMPLE
After breakfast, we
begin the visit by the majestic Angkor Wat.
You will admire its unique architecture and its splendid reliefs. In the
afternoon, you will continue the visit by the discovery of Banteay Srei
(Citadel of Women). This temple carved from pink sandstone and entirely
decorated with reliefs close to perfection is certainly one of the most
beautiful temples of Cambodia. On way back visit Banteay Samre temple. You will
end the day with the sunset on the hill Phnom Bakheng. Return to Siem Reap and
night at your hotel.
DAY 7: ROLOUS GROUPE - KAMPONG PLUK
Breakfast at the hotel.
Depart to visit the Roluos group, 15 km east of Siem Reap. This name refers to
several temples in the late 19th century such as Lolei, Preah Ko and Bakong.
You will also take an oxcart ride through the village and enjoy the beautiful
countryside views. In the afternoon, you will discover the picturesque floating
village of Kampong Pluk where most houses are built on stilts 6 to 7m height,
and enjoy a hiking boat navigating through the flooded forest. Return to Siem
Reap in the late afternoon and overnight at your hotel.
DAY 8: SIEM REAP -
PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE
Today you will go to
discover the abandoned temples in the forests of northern Cambodia. Breakfast
at the hotel and depart by private vehicle and accompanied by your guide to the
temple of Beng Melea (60 km from Siem Reap) .You were browsing an authentic
Cambodian countryside with miles of rice fields across a multitude of village .
You will visit and discover this long abandoned temple (11th century),
strangled by the jungle. 2 hours in addition to road, you will arrive at Koh
Ker complex, an ancient capital of King Jayavarman IV. Free lunch. Then you
leave Koh Ker for Sra Em located in the small town, the site of Preah Vihear.
Overnight at Sra Em Village.
DAY 9: PREAH VIHEAR
After breakfast, we
reach the entry station to the site of Preah Vihear. This one is located on the
hill overlooking the valley. We take tickets for the 4x4 car that will take us
to the top of the hill (quite steep climb by the new concrete road).
PreahVihear temple dates back to 889 in 1108. It consists of 4 groups of
temples that we discover as the ascent of the hill where it is located. Back to
Sra Em and overnight at your hotel.
DAY 10: PREAH VIHEAR -
STUNG TRENG – RATTANAKIRI
After breakfast, depart
by private car to Banlung, a capital of Ratanakiri. You will pass through the
towns of Steung Treng and Preah Vihear, a pretty fairly recent road (just the
track 25kms) and take a ferry to cross the Mekong River before arriving in
Steung Treng. Lunch in Steung Treng. After lunch, depart for the city of
Banlung. when you arrive in the afternoon, check in hotel and free time.
Overnight at hotel.
DAY 11: BALUNG – VOEUNG
SAI
Ratanakiri Cambodia is
a very isolated area and little visitors. There are tribes of different ethnic
groups in villages. There are roads or tracks in red dirt off a lot of dust, or
become filled with ruts and very slippery in the rain, rubber forests for
rubber and pepper plantations. In the morning, visit the Banlung market, a
particular market with the different ethnic groups (Kroeung, Tompuon, Jarai) to
sell or exchange their products, vegetables, gathering in forest, game, etc.
These races are very recognizable in small round wicker basket that women carry
on their backs or in front of them for the market. Then starting with car and
guide for the village of Voeung Sai. The village consists of several
communities such as Chinese, Laotian and Tompuon. We will take a canoe on the
Se San River to visit a village, Tompuon tribe that practice funeral statuary
(Totem, wooden statue bearing the likeness of the deceased, installed in a
"graveyard"). Back to Banlung and night at the hotel.
DAY 12: BANLUNG –
KRATIE
After breakfast,
excursion to the volcanic lake of Yeak Laom, beautiful body of water nestled in
the tropical rainforest. You can have a swim and relax in the heart of this
beautiful environment. In the afternoon, drive to Kratie through the red dirt
gravel roads. Arrive in Kratie and check in at the hotel. After a short rest,
you will go to Kampi to see the Dolphins - a freshwater mammal species. We will
stay until the evening to enjoy the sunset. Overnight at hotel.
DAY 13: KRATIE - SEN
MONOROM (Mondulkiri)
After breakfast, you
visit Wat Roka Kandal (2km south of Kratie, right on the riverfront), where is a former Laotian style pagoda restored with
old Khmer traditional houses. Next, depart through dense jungle or wild orchids
bloom for Sen Monorom, a capital of Mondulkiri province (215km = 5 hours). Arrived
in Sen Monorom and check in hotel. In the afternoon, visit the waterfall of
Monorum, a hydroelectric plant equipped with 2 turbines to provide 185kW each.
Overnight at hotel.
DAY 14: SEN MONOROM
(Mondulkiri)
After breakfast, we
will travel from the city to discover the cascade of Bou Sra. You will follow a
trail through villages. At Bou Sra waterfall, you can relax and swim at the
foot of this large, beautiful waterfall. On the way back you will visit coffee
and orchid farms. In the afternoon, go Doh Kramon Hill and then visit the
pepper farm and visit many communities of the ethnic minorities to find daily
life and crafts. Overnight at hotel.
DAY 15: MONDULKIRI -
ELEPHANT VALLEY PROJECT
Breakfast at hotel and
depart for the center of Elephant Valley Project. Project was created in
collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Cambodian Forestry
Administration Project to protect the wild elephants of Mondulkiri province.
The goal is to protect this endangered species by restoring a herd for the time
parole and protected ethnic Phnong. With this project, we can immerse ourselves
with the elephants and their mahouts and participate in various activities in
collaboration with Phnong. In the morning, you will walk with the jungle herd
to observe the interactions between the different members of the herd, their
relationship with the forest. This is also the time to listen to the stories of
their Phnong protectors. You will prepare and distribute the meals for
elephants. In the afternoon, you will participate in the work within the
framework of the Elephant Valley Project. This is a very unique experience and
the first of its kind in Cambodia. Dinner and overnight in a bungalow in the
jungle.
DAY 16: ELEPHANT VALLEY
PROJECT – Mondulkiri
Breakfast. Spend the
morning with an elephant family and will practice in the afternoon of volunteer
work on the project. The activities such as gardening, agriculture and
participation in small construction projects and the continued development of
the site. Lunch at Elephant Valley. Back to Sen Monorom and overnight at the
hotel.
DAY 17: MONDULKIRI -
KAMPONG CHAM
After breakfast, we
leave to the province of Kampong Cham. All along the roads 7 and 6, you can
admire the beautiful scenery, forests, mountains, green hills and thick
vegetation and rubber plantations. Arrival at Kampong Cham, check in hotel. In
the afternoon, visit the temples of Wat Nokor Bachey, Phnom Pros and Phnom
Srey. You will then discover the colonial architecture of the third largest
city of Cambodia. Night at your hotel in Kampong Cham.
DAY 18: KAMPONG CHAM -
PHNOM PENH
After breakfast, we return
to Phnom Penh via national road 6 and 7. Arrive in Phnom Penh, visit the
Russian Market and Central Market for shopping before your transfer to the
airport for the return flight.
