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On arrival check into your hotel. We depart by remork to the drop off point near the bus station. From there, we ride past small rural villages towards Bakong temple. In the wet season, this ride provides magnificent views of endless paddy fields. Upon arrival at Bakong, the temple can be explored. The next temple, Prasat Preah Ko, is situated only a mere 300m away. These temples are called the Rolous Group and were built in the 9th century when the first capital, Hariharalaya, was located here. From the main entrance of Bakong the road continues to Psar Bakong, a very traditional country town market. A right turn onto a paved road will lead towards the most beautiful floating village on the Tonle Sap Lake, Kompong Pluk. At the harbour, a local boat is prepared and provides a wonderful tour through the floating village. Kompong Pluk is still quite unexplored and has an atmospheric submerged forest to explore. Lunch can be enjoyed in the form of a picnic. After this visit, the remork transfers back towards Siem Reap where a rewarding shower and cool drink awaits. In the evening we enjoy the modern circus at Phare before dinner.
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We journey north to Kbal Spean. The original ‘River of a Thousand Lingas’, Kbal Spean is an intricately carved riverbed deep in the foothills of the Cambodian jungle only discovered in 1969. The Khmers venerated its limestone bed with a riot of carvings, including thousands of lingams. A trip to Kbal Spean is one of the easiest ways to experience a short jungle trek in the Angkor area, as it is a steady but scenic climb to reach the river carvings. We head to Banteay Srei, Angkor’s ultimate art gallery. This petite pink temple is the jewel in the crown of Angkor-era sculpture. The elaborate carvings here are the finest found in Cambodia and the name translates as ‘Fortress of the Women’, thanks to the intricate detail here, considered too fine for the hands of a man. A visit to the nearby Cambodia Landmine Museum follows, to learn more about the scourge of landmines and the shadow they cast over rural communities in Cambodia with a visit to this flagship museum promoting mine awareness and education. Then, we transfer to take a Quad-bike tour to enjoy sunset in the rice fields. It’s a great way to get out into the countryside, interact with the locals and to enjoy the setting sun as it dips below the horizon.
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We travel to Ta Prohm which has been abandoned to the elements, left as it was ‘discovered’ by French explorer Henri Mouhot in 1860, the tentacle-like tree roots here are slowly strangling the surviving stones. After soaking up the unique atmosphere of Ta Prohm, we head to Angkor’s latest adrenaline adventure of ziplines, with safety at the forefront. It’s family‐friendly, flying through the air above the jungle canopy is an exhilarating experience and there’s also a 15m abseil to the ground to navigate. After lunch and back on terra firme, we can enjoy a horse-ride in the lovely countryside surrounding Siem Reap, pass through rural villages and visit an ancient Angkorian temple at Wat Athvea, in the grounds of a modern pagoda.
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Rising at the crack of dawn, we journey out to the Mother of all temples, Angkor Wat. Believed to be the world’s largest religious building, this temple is the perfect fusion of symbolism and symmetry and a source of pride and strength to all Khmers. Built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, this is most famous temple at Angkor. We stay at Angkor Wat to enjoy a picnic breakfast. As the crowds return to their hotels, we venture into Angkor Wat to enjoy its magnificence in peace and quiet, beginning at the bas-reliefs that tell of tales from Hindu mythology and of the glories of the Khmer empire. In the afternoon, we visit the immense walled city of Angkor Thom that was the masterpiece of King Jayavarman VII. The scale is simply staggering and we are immediately overwhelmed by the audacity of Jayavarman on arrival at the city’s gates. We begin our visit at the Terrace of the Leper King, continue along the Terrace of Elephants, and visit the Baphuon, once of the most beautiful temples at Angkor, dating from the 11th century. It has undergone a massive renovation by the French and is now once again open for viewing. Our climax is the enigmatic and enchanting temple of the Bayon. Its 54 towers are each topped off with the four faces of Avalokiteshvara (Buddha of Compassion), which bear more than a passing resemblance to the king himself. We unravel the mysteries of the temple’s bas-reliefs, with their intricate scenes of ancient battles against the Chams and their snapshot of daily life during the Angkor period. We can cycle around Angkor Thom or make our tour on foot
Additional Option: Helicopter Scenic Flight over Angkor available upon request.
Note: Pick up at 7.30 am
Services included:
Services not included:
Travel insurance (cover against all cancellation costs, medical expenses, including repatriation, in the event of accident of illness)