Routes: Siem Reap – Battambang – Kampong Cham – Phnom Penh – Kampot – Sihanoukville – Phnom Penh

There’s a magic about Cambodia that casts a spell on many who visit this charming yet confounding kingdom. Ascend to the realm of the gods at the mother of all temples, Angkor Wat, a spectacular fusion of symbolism, symmetry and spirituality. Descend into the hell of Tuol Sleng and come face to face with the Khmer Rouge and its killing machine. Welcome to the conundrum that is Cambodia: a country with a history both inspiring and depressing, an intoxicating place where the future is waiting to be shaped.

Day 1: Siem Reap Arrival (D)
On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check-in. In the evening, you will have a first group meeting with your local tour leader before going to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day 2: Siem Reap / Angkor (B)
After breakfast, you will begin to explore the complex of Angkor Thom including the South Gate, Bayon, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King. Then, you also visit Ta Prohm in the morning. You will have lunch at a local restaurant around the temples, and in the afternoon you will visit Srah Srang and Prasat Kravan before visiting Angkor Wat. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day 3: Siem Reap - Angkor Thom (B)
You will have an early wake-up this morning hoping to catch the sunrise on Angkor Wat before having breakfast. Then you will pass through Angkor Thom to reach the temple of Preah Khan. From there, you will visit the temples along the road which is called the great circuit, namely : Neak Pean, Ta Som, East Mebon, Pre Rup and Banteay Kdei. Then you will go for lunch before visiting the exhibition on the Tonle Sap located on the school for blind children directed by the NGO Krousar Thmey. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day 4: Siem Reap - Banteay Srei - Kbal Spean (B, L, D)
After breakfast, a 37 km drive northeast of Siem Reap will take you to the temple of Banteay Srei. Continue driving to Phnom Kbal Spean. After a 30 mins walk in the forest, you will arrive at Sahasralina, the River of a Thousand Lingas. After lunch, you will visit Phnom Bok. Then a nice countryside road will take you to Chau Srei Vibol, a temple in ruin in a quiet location, and finally, you will visit Banteay Samre, one of the most complete complex at Angkor, restored with the method of the anastylosis. Dinner at La Noria with shadow puppet show. Overnight in Siem Reap.
Day 5: Siem Reap - Battambang (B, D)
This morning you will take a regular speedboat departing from Siem Reap at 7:00 am. At arrival in Battambang and after check in at the hotel, you will go for lunch at the White Rose. In the afternoon, we will drive 11 km along the Sang Ker River to reach Wat Ek Phnom temple. On the way back you will stop at the NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak, where you will enjoy a circus performance followed by a dinner. Overnight at Battambang.
Day 6: Battambang - Phnom Penh Capital (B, D)
Early in the morning, you will leave Battambang by public bus to the capital city of Phnom Penh. After arrival in the early afternoon and transfer to the hotel by tuk-tuk. You will visit Wat Phnom and enjoyed a drink on the roof top of FCC restaurant, a nice spot to enjoy a whole view of Phnom Penh. Dinner at the restaurant Friends which is a non-profit restaurant run by street youth in training. Overnight at Phnom Penh
Day 7: Phnom Penh - Kampong Cham (B)
After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive out of Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham. You will visit Wat Nokor and Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei (“Man and Woman Hill”). After check-in will have lunch at Hao An restaurant. In the afternoon you will ride bicycles to the Koh Pean Island. On the way, you will be able to see the activities of the locals at the paddy field and inside the village. Overnight in Kampong Cham.
Day 8: Kampong Cham - Kampong Thom - Phnom Penh (B)
After breakfast, we will drive to Kampong Thom Province. A two and a half hours drive through a beautiful countryside will take us to Sambor Prei Kuk. This is the setting of the most impressive group of pre-Angkorian monuments anywhere in Cambodia. There are more than 100 small temples, scattered through the forest. In the afternoon you will drive to Phnom Penh. On the way back, you will stop to visit the village Skun. You will arrive in Phnom Penh at the evening where you will have dinner at the Khmer Sorin restaurant. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Day 9: Phnom Penh - Kampot (B, L)
After breakfast, you will leave Phnom Penh and drive to the South. On the way, you stop to visit Phnom Tamao wildlife sanctuary. This zoo was established to preserve and rescue rare and endangered local species from poachers and smugglers. Continue to visit two temples of Tonle Bati. After lunch, you will take a boat on the Prek Kampong Bay River and passing through a Cham village, this journey will lead you to the rapids at Tekchhou, a pleasant place very popular with the locals on weekends. You will return to Kampot for dinner. Overnight in Kampot.
Day 10: Bokor National Park (B, L)
After breakfast we will drive to Bokor Hill Station. You will spend a full day in this eccentric and surprising site with a picnic lunch near the Popokvil waterfalls then we will drive back to Kampot in the evening where you will have dinner. Overnight in Kampot.
Day 11: Sihanoukville (B)
You will begin the day with an early breakfast before leaving Kampot to Sihanoukville. Sihanoukville is Cambodia’s leading beach resort. There are white-sand beaches around the headland, unspoilt islands off the coast and the popular Khal Chhay waterfall near town. After check-in at hotel, you will have a whole free afternoon to explore the beaches. Overnight at Sihanoukville.
Day 12:Sihanouk Ville - Ream National Park (B)
After breakfast at the hotel, you will have a half day to visit the maritime National Park of Ream. There, you will explore the mangroves by boat and view wildlife on the shore. In the afternoon, you will return at Phnom Penh by public bus. This bus journey will take us about 5 hours. Overnight in Phnom Penh.
Day 13: Full day in Phnom Penh Capital (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we will drive about 16 kilometers to the Choeng Ek killing fields and the Tuol Sleng genocide Museum - a mass gravesite and a former high school converted to a detention and torture centre by the Khmers Rouges when they came to power in 1975. Choeung Ek also serves as a memorial to those killed under the Khmers Rouges rule. After lunch, you will visit the Royal Palace, the Royal Residence, the Throne Hall or Vinichhay Temple, the Chan Chaya Pavillon and the Silver Pagoda. After that, you will walk about 10 minutes to the National Museum then you will go for our farewell dinner in one of the numerous restaurants of the capital city. Overnight in Phnom Penh
Day 14: Phnom Penh Departure day (B)
This is departure day so no activities are planned. Check-out will be at noon and you are free to leave at any time.

Validity until 31 December 2012 (US$/Pax)

Accommodation

Inclusions: Meals as mentioned in the itinerary; Private car and bus transfer with air-con; English Speaking Guide (other languages on request); Hotel accommodation on a twin-share basic with breakfast; All entrance and sightseeing fees; Boat trip; All taxes and service charges
Exclusions: Insurance; Personal expenses; Tipping / Gratuities; Surcharge on special days; Any other services not clearly mentioned above

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