departures are guaranteed (min 2 participants). Subject to availability
Itinerary
Giorno 1 — Siem Reap (Angkor)
Welcome upon arrival and transfer to the hotel, The room is available starting from 14.00., the rest of the day available, dinner free, accommodation Talbott Hotel,
Auto
Giorno 2 — Siem Reap (Angkor) → Preah Vihear
Breakfast, At 08:00 departure from Siem Reap towards the remote northern region of Cambodia, an area that remains deeply rural and traditional. Today’s destination is the archaeological site now known as Koh Ker, which encompasses the ruins of the great ancient city of Chok Gargyar, capital of King Jayavarman IV who, at the beginning of the 10th century, usurped the throne of Angkor for approximately 30 years.
The most spectacular and impressive monument of Koh Ker is Prasat Thom, featuring a massive and majestic seven-tiered pyramid. Along the route from Siem Reap to Koh Ker, there will also be the opportunity to visit one of the most enigmatic and fascinating Khmer ruins. Known today by the modern name Beng Mealea (“the pond with lotus flowers”), it is a colossal example of a flat-style temple with a central tower, built in a style that is difficult to classify and generally dated to the second half of the 12th century. No inscriptions have been discovered on site that might shed light on its history, adding further charm and mystery to the monument.
Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, continuation further north until reaching the border with Thailand, in Preah Vihear Province. The natural border is marked by the Dangrek Mountains, whose slopes rise gently from the Thai side before plunging dramatically into the Cambodian plains below. Accommodation at a local resort near the small town of Sra Aem. Dinner at the resort and overnight stay., accommodation Hotel Atrio,
Auto
Giorno 3 — Preah Vihear → Rattanakiri
Breakfast, At 07:00 departure for the day’s excursions. Along the edge of the Dangrek Mountains escarpment, the ancient Khmers built one of their most spectacular masterpieces, the ruins of which are today known by the generic name of Preah Vihear, after the province where they are located. Construction of the temple began during the 11th century and it likely marked the northern boundaries of King Suryavarman I’s territories.
In more recent times, these magnificent ruins became the subject of territorial disputes between Thailand and Cambodia. The controversy lasted for decades, fueled by the ambiguous borders drawn by the French during the colonial period. At times, tensions between the two countries even escalated into armed conflict, making the site inaccessible for many years. Recent easing of tensions, supported also by United Nations intervention, has once again opened this architectural wonder to visitors.
Lunch at a local restaurant. The day will continue with an approximately 3.5-hour transfer to Stung Treng. In this town, set along the Mekong River and not far from the Laotian border, we will have the opportunity to walk across the impressive Mekong bridge and admire the river from above. The local association is mainly dedicated to weaving high-quality silk garments and has received several international awards and recognitions for its craftsmanship. The final transfer, of approximately 2.5 hours, will lead to Banlung, the capital of Ratanakiri Province, a vast highland region inhabited by tribal ethnic communities in the far northeastern corner of Cambodia, nestled between Laos and Vietnam. Dinner at the resort., accommodation Estalagem Corte Do Norte,
Giorno 4 — Rattanakiri
Breakfast, At 07:00 departure for a full day dedicated to exploring Ratanakiri Province. We will reach the banks of the Tonle San River, the starting point for a boat journey to the village of Vuersnai aboard a small wooden boat. The cruise along the river is particularly enjoyable thanks to the stunning scenery offered by the surrounding jungle that overhangs the waterway. Visit of Vuersnai village, inhabited by a highland community whose unique traditions have, over the decades, been influenced by the three neighboring countries that converge nearby: Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Of particular interest are the local funeral traditions, which can be observed through the distinctive tombs found in the village cemetery.
Return to Banlung for lunch.Near the town lies the volcanic lake of Yeak Loam, which today fills an ancient extinct crater. In the early afternoon, visit of the lake, followed by an excursion to the nearby Kachanh waterfalls. The final visit of the day will be to a gemstone mine, where entire families work together. The men descend into narrow shafts reaching depths of up to 25 meters to extract gemstones from underground. As soon as they return to the surface, wholesalers await them to negotiate the immediate sale of the stones. Return to the hotel., accommodation,
Auto
Giorno 5 — Rattanakiri → Kampong Cham
Breakfast, At 07:15 we will leave Banlung and head back towards the course of the Mekong River, which we will follow southward until reaching the province of Kratie, famous for its community of Irrawaddy dolphins that have found their natural habitat in some of the river’s deep pools. Aboard small boats, we will navigate in search of these fascinating mammals. They can grow up to two and a half meters in length and usually live in small groups of six. Approximately every two minutes they surface to breathe… this is the perfect moment to try to spot them! Lunch at a local restaurant overlooking the Mekong River. In the afternoon, we will continue further south towards Kampong Cham Province. The destination is the Cham ethnic village of Chiro, where it will be possible to visit a local NGO that actively supports the community through educational and training programs for children from the surrounding area. Cooking class and dinner at the NGO. At the end of the visit, transfer to the hotel and overnight stay in the town of Kampong Cham., accommodation Hertz NZ - B2 EDAR - Economy SUZUKI SWIFT or similar,
Auto
Giorno 6 — Kampong Cham → Phnom Penh
Breakfast, check-out, and transfer to nearby Phnom Penh, the current capital of Cambodia. Phnom Penh is known as “the city of the four rivers.” The great Mekong River, descending from Yunnan and flowing through Laos, divides upon reaching Phnom Penh. It is here, in the Cambodian capital, that the two main branches of the famous Mekong Delta originate. A third branch, flowing northward, is the Tonle Sap River, which feeds the great lake of the same name. At 13:00 lunch at a local restaurant on the banks of the Tonle Sap River, near the point where it branches off from the Mekong. In the afternoon, city tour. The Royal Palace symbolically overlooks the point where Phnom Penh’s “four rivers” converge and separate. It remains today the residence of the King of Cambodia, whose private apartments are separated from the areas open to visitors. Within the palace grounds is also the Silver Pagoda, the name given by Westerners to the Royal Temple because of its magnificent floor entirely covered with silver tiles. Not far away stands the National Museum, which houses artifacts dating back to both the Angkorian and pre-Angkorian periods of Khmer history. Final stop at Wat Phnom, the Buddhist temple linked to the founding of the city of Phnom Penh during the 14th century. Dinner at leisure and free evening., accommodation Aloha Junction Bed & Breakfast - **FEES TO BE PAID LOCALLY**,
Auto
Giorno 7 — Phnom Penh → Siem Reap (Angkor)
Breakfast, At 08:00 departure northbound along National Road No. 6, which runs along the eastern side of Tonle Sap Lake. The lush and untouched rural landscape will dominate the day as we travel for approximately three hours to reach the provincial capital of Kampong Thom. Lunch will be served on the banks of the Stung Sen River before continuing with a detour of about 30 km into the open countryside. Soon we will arrive at the archaeological site now known as Sambor Prei Kuk, corresponding to the ancient pre-Angkorian city of Ishanapura. The visit will take place along a walking route of approximately 2 km to admire the pre-Angkorian ruins dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries. Some of the structures feature a unique and original octagonal design.
During the final stretch of the transfer to Siem Reap, there will be another important stop to admire the bridges built at the end of the 12th century by the great King Jayavarman VII, who initiated the construction of an extensive road network connecting the various provinces of the Khmer Empire. Arrival in Siem Reap is expected in the late afternoon. Check-in at the hotel. Dinner at leisure and free evening., accommodation Talbott Hotel,
Giorno 8 — Siem Reap (Angkor)
Breakfast, accommodation,
Giorno 9 — Siem Reap (Angkor)
Breakfast, accommodation,
Giorno 10 — Siem Reap (Angkor)
Breakfast, Transfer to the airport with your guide at the locally indicated time., end of the tour,
Notes
ROOMS: Triple rooms are always double rooms with an additional bed, often smaller than the two existing beds; triple rooms are subject to availability at the time of booking. Requests for smoking rooms, connecting rooms, adjacent rooms, higher or lower floors, etc., are always on request and not guaranteed.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Participants must ensure before departure that they have the necessary and valid documentation for entry into the countries visited during the tour.
HOTEL FINAL LIST: indicated in the travel documents
HOTEL, CHECK-IN: as a rule, rooms are assigned starting from 2-3 pm; any early check-in is at the hotel's discretion. The request for a guaranteed early assignment requires booking an extra night prior to arrival.
HOTEL, CHECK-OUT: The room must be vacated in the morning, by the time indicated by the hotel; the surcharge for late check-out is equal to 50% of the extra night for check-out by 6 pm; for check-out after that time, an additional night will be charged.
HOTEL / ITINERARY, CHANGES: The organizing company reserves the right to modify the itinerary and/or hotels with others of similar or higher category, means of transportation, etc., if required by unforeseen circumstances and necessary for the safety and normal continuation of the trip. Furthermore, when it is not possible to accommodate all participants in the same hotel, the group will be divided among different hotels of equal category.
TIMETABLES: departure times are indicative and depend on the number of hotels from which pick-ups are scheduled for each day; the pick-up start time indicates when customers should be ready in the lobby for departure; in hotels reached last, a wait of at least fifteen minutes or more compared to the indicated time is likely. The return times to the hotel are purely indicative and variable depending on a considerable number of factors including the time dedicated to visits and the intensity of traffic.
PUNCTUALITY: we recommend respecting the scheduled times. No refunds are provided for services missed due to customer delays.
TIPS: not included, at the discretion of the tourist
MEALS: not included unless specified.
REFUNDS: There are no refunds for parts of the tour or excursions not carried out due to force majeure; in any case, no refund is due to the customer who decides to interrupt the trip or stay.
TRANSFERS: not included unless specified; if included, they are exclusively for/from the hotels scheduled for the tour on the days of the tour's start/end; in case of extending the stay, for transfers to/from other hotels, or for arrivals/departures from other airports, a supplement applies. The supplement always applies if the passenger is traveling alone. Requests for booking transfers not included or for different hotels must be received at least 3 weeks before departure, or an additional urgency supplement will be applied.,
Starts from
8 days / 6 nights - from Siem Reap (Angkor) to Siem Reap (Angkor),
Meals
Legend: B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner,
Price includes
Local guide during visits, entrances, visits and excursions as per the itinerary, accommodation at the scheduled hotel (or similar), meals: breakfasts, lunches, dinners,
Price does not include
Opening fee and Zero Risk coverage, medical-luggage-cancellation insurance, unmentioned meals, beverages and extras in general, tip, entry visa, janitorial work, flights and airport taxes, everything not expressly mentioned in "The fee includes",
Important notes
Flight to Siem Reap (not included): it is possible to arrive at any time., flight from Siem Reap (not included): it is possible to depart at any time, The scheduled times are indicative; the exact times will be confirmed locally by the guides., Cambodia visa required: 30 USD, can be obtained on site (further details will be provided upon booking), Tips: although not mandatory, tips are recommended for all those who provide a service such as guides, drivers of any means of transportation used, porters. It is a sign of appreciation that makes them proud and gratifies them for the work done. As an indication, the amount to consider per person per day is about 5 USD for the tour guide and 3 USD for the driver of the vehicle used for transportation. For the rest of the services provided, the amount of the tip is at the discretion of the traveler.,
