Itinerary #1: Cambodia Culture & History
This week-long itinerary provides a full array of experiences, including a sunset cruise on the Mekong, boating through the floating villages, countryside cycling around Battambang, and two full days exploring the temples of Angkor.
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Phnom Penh, Afternoon City Tour | Phnom Penh |
| Day 2 | Tuol Sleng & Killing Fields, National Museum & Royal Palace, Sunset Cruise | Phnom Penh |
| Day 3 | Phnom Penh to Battambang via Andong Rossey & Floating Villages | Battambang |
| Day 4 | Cycle the Countryside, Bamboo Train Ride & Phnom Sampeau Sunset | Battambang |
| Day 5 | Siem Reap, Angkor Thom & Traditional Dance Performance | Siem Reap |
| Day 6 | Angkor Wat Sunrise, Ta Phrom Temple by Tuk-Tuk & Phare Cambodian Circus | Siem Reap |
| Day 7 | Depart Siem Reap |
Begin in Phnom Penh and take to the streets for a tour by cyclo (a three-wheeled pedal rickshaw). You'll see the ornate Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, plus an exploration of the dark side of Cambodian history at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center. Then on to Andong Rossey (an artisanal pottery center), the floating villages of Tonlé Sap Lake, and the charming city of Battambang. From here, spend a morning cycling to countryside villages, enjoy a ride on the tiny "Bamboo Train," and visit the Phnom Sampeau temple and the caverns where the Khmer Rouge threw victims to their deaths.
You'll then head to Siem Reap, the gateway to the great temple complex of Angkor. Spend two days exploring this astonishing UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its scores of Buddhist and Hindu temples. You'll focus on the most important and interesting sites, including watching the sunrise over the vast temple of Angkor Wat, carved with more than 3,000 bas-relief apsaras (seductive heavenly maidens). End with an evening enjoying a delicious Khmer cuisine and a performance of classic Apsara dancing, as performed a millennium ago in the court of the kings at Angkor. Learn more
Itinerary #2: Southern Cambodia Wilds
This week-long itinerary will delight nature lovers with its focus on exploring the countryside around Kampot and the varied ecosystems of wildlife-rich Botum Sakor National Park and Cardomom National Park in southern Cambodia.
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Phnom Penh to Kampot, Boat Ride to Phnom Da Temple | Kampot |
| Day 2 | Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Pepper Farm Visit & Buffalo Cart Ride | Kampot |
| Day 3 | Botum Sakor: Cardamom Tented Camp & Wilderness Hike | Botum Sakor National Park |
| Day 4 | Hike and Kayak at Cardamom Tented Camp (Full Day) | Botum Sakor National Park |
| Day 5 | Free Morning, Transfer to Cardamom National Park | Koh Kong |
| Day 6 | Hike Cardamom Mountains or Boat Cruise to Tatai Waterfall | Koh Kong |
| Day 7 | Free Morning, Transfer to Phnom Penh & End of Trip |
Head southeast from Phnom Penh for an exciting boat ride through wetlands and rice fields to the small town of Angkor Borei and the 6th-century Phnom Da temple, close to the Vietnamese border. Arriving in Kampot, on the Gulf of Thailand, you’ll marvel at its French colonial architecture, and enjoy stand-up paddleboarding on a calm stretch of the serene slow-moving Kampot River. Here you'll visit a spice farm as well as ride in a buffalo-drawn cart to the scenic Secret Lake.
Spend your next three days immersed in nature as you head to Botum Sakor National Park for two nights at Cardamom Tented Camp. Look for wild elephants, tigers, and other endangered wildlife during guided nature treks and kayak trips. Then transfer to Canvas & Orchids Retreat for two nights of luxury riverside glamping within Cardamom National Park. Thrill to a boat ride to the spectacular Tatai Waterfall, plus kayak and hike in search of wildlife amid the mangroves, swamps, and dense evergreen rainforest, before your return to Phnom Penh on day seven. Learn more
Itinerary #3: Active Cambodia: Cycle Angkor & Battambang
Perfect for active travelers, this 7-day itinerary explores the majestic temples of Angkor, plus the lush ricefields and countryside villages of Battambang, by bicycle.
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Siem Reap, At Leisure | Siem Reap |
| Day 2 | Angkor Wat Sunrise, Cycle Angkor & Apsara Dance Performance | Siem Reap |
| Day 3 | Cycle the Grand Circuit & Hidden Temples | Siem Reap |
| Day 4 | Siem Reap to Battambang, Walking Tour | Battambang |
| Day 5 | Cycle the Countryside & Meet Locals (Full Day) | Battambang |
| Day 6 | Bamboo Train Ride, Cycle the Countryside, & Phnom Banan Temple | Battambang |
| Day 7 | Battambang to Siem Reap, Depart |
The huge scale of the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its dozens of temples, makes cycling a preferred way to explore. Spend three days pedaling to the highlight temples, plus more remote, lesser-visited sites, including the renowned Ta Prohm "Tomb Raider" temple and the vast temple of Angkor Wat. You'll also enjoy a performance of traditional Apsara dancing, as performed by women representing apsara for the ancient Khmer kings.
You'll then head to Battambang, Cambodia's charming second-largest city. Here, explore by walking the riverfront and historic downtown, including its colorful Psar Nat market, then cycle into the countryside to learn about rice farming and the traditional Cambodian rural way of life. You'll also visit the small riverside Kampong Pil pagoda, enjoy an unusual and fun ride on the "Bamboo Train," and, in Banan, hike up 358 stone steps to the hilltop Phnom Banan temple. Learn more
More Great Cambodia Itineraries
Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Cambodia? Check out these other Cambodia itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.
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