Pure Cambodia

Day 1: Phnom Penh
Upon arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport, your guide will be waiting for you and transfer you to your hotel for free time at leisure at Rosewood Hotel.

Day 2: Phnom Penh
After breakfast, your guide will be taking you for a full-day city tour in Phnom Penh. You will start the city tour with a visit to Wat Phnom, where a 14th-century stupa and small pagoda stand. Then continue to the Royal Palace, built-in 1866 under King Norodom for a glimpse of Khmer architecture. After the palace, continue to visit the National Museum with its huge collection of Khmer sculptures and artifacts recovered from the ancient Angkor Empire. Lunch will be at Friends Restaurant, which provides street children and at-risk youth with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in the hospitality business. Not only is the food delicious but all profits are reinvested into the training center activities. After lunch, you will be heading out to visit the Tuol Sleng Prison to glimpse the devastating horrors that prevailed during Cambodia's ultra-radical Marxist movement. This excursion may prove distressing for some; it is however an important piece of Cambodia’s recent past. After this visit, you will be going to Choeng Ek, also known as the "killing fields,"- located just outside the city. In the evening head back to your hotel for leisure and overnight at Rosewood Hotel.

Day 3: Phnom Penh- Battambang
After breakfast, you will depart to Battambang, which will take roughly 6 hours. Along the way, you will stop at Udong, which was the capital of Cambodia from the early 17th century until 1866 when the capital was moved to Phnom Penh. Several temples, stupas, and other structures cover three hills. From Udong the view over the countryside is impressive. Upon arrival in Battambang, you will be transferred to your hotel for leisure and overnight at Bambu Hotel.

Day 4: Battambang
After breakfast, you will depart by Cambodian tuk-tuk to the Bamboo train. You will continue by train, to Ek Phnom, an ancient and seldom visited temple. Along the way, you pass small villages where people are preparing bamboo sticky rice (korlan), fish paste, rice paper, and banana paper. Lunch will be served at a scenic local restaurant along the river. Afterward, visit the site of the "Killing Caves" at Phnom Sampeou. There is a Khmer Rouge memorial as well as an interesting temple on top of this hill. While at the top, you will enjoy the view over the Cambodian countryside. If you choose to stay until sunset you will see the countless bats exit from the cave down below, while enjoying a cold drink from a comfortable chair set up by enterprising locals. After sunset, you will be dropped off at your hotel for leisure and overnight at Bambu Hotel.

Day 5: Battambang – Siem Reap
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Siem Reap. Upon arrival in Siem Reap, you will spend the rest of the day at leisure.  Dinner will be at your leisure, but we will be happy to make recommendations or book a table at one of the many world-class restaurants in Siem Reap. Overnight at Heritage Suites Hotel.

Day 6: Siem Reap - Angkor Wat
Early morning at 05:30 am you will depart to Angkor Wat, the largest and most breathtaking monument at Angkor. Built as the funeral temple for Suryavarman II who ruled from 1112 to 1152, Angkor never fails to reward the first time or repeat visitor with its grand scale, surreal bas reliefs, and unbelievable attention to detail. You enter the temple complex from the quiet east side of Angkor Wat to avoid the crowds and will spend the morning exploring one of man's most magnificent creations before returning to the hotel for a late breakfast. After breakfast, you will start your full day visit to the South Gate of Angkor Thom and the temples of Bayon, Baphoun, Phimean Akas, The Royal Enclosure, the terraces of Elephants, the Leper King, and Preah Khan. Next, you will explore Ta Prohm. This jungle-clad temple with overgrown trees exudes a haunting and exotic atmosphere. The magnificent tree roots push between the temple's huge stone blocks in a strange embrace. Ta Phrom is particularly amazing in the late afternoon light after most of the crowds have left. Today you will finish the tour with an unforgettable sunset at Pre Rup or Srah Sarong before returning to your hotel for leisure and overnight at Heritage Suites Hotel.

Day 7: Siem Reap – Banteay Srei & Kampong Khleang
After breakfast, you will leave the hotel for a visit to Banteay Srey, which for many years was off-limits due to its remote location and Khmer Rouge activity. If you are interested, you may choose to visit the Cambodian Landmine Museum, Prevention and Rehabilitation Center. It is estimated that more than 110 million land mines are buried throughout the world. In Cambodia, efforts at clearing mines around Angkor Wat and the major tourist sites have been successful. However, millions of mines remain buried and significantly impact the lives of the Cambodian people. Learn about the center's efforts and work on this visit. After lunch, you will drive to Kampong Kleang village. Imagine wooden houses on 10-meter tall stilts, surrounded by water in the wet season and on the flood plains of the lake in the dry season.  In the late afternoon, you will catch a wooden boat from Kampong Khleang to the Tonle Sap Lake. Both sides of the river are lined by floating houses that look amazing nestled on the great lake. From here you have a picturesque view of the floating house and local people’s way of life and take as many photos as you want. You will enjoy a couple of sundowners on the boat before heading back to Siem Reap for overnight at Heritage Suites Hotel.

Day 8: Siem Reap – Phnom Penh - Kep
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Phnom Penh. Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, you will be transferred to Kep, which will take approximately 4 hours. Upon arrival in Kep, you will spend the rest of the day free at leisure. Overnight at Knai Bang Chatt.

Day 9: Kep – Kampot – Kep
After breakfast, you will travel through the countryside and explore Kep’s famous crab market, then see Phnom Kampong Trach cave, about 20 miles east of Kampot town. The cave sites are host to pre-Angkorian, or as they are referred to outside of Cambodia, prehistoric ruins. The site includes a cave at the foot of the mountain as well a number of small mountain wells, which local people of Cambodian, Chinese, and Vietnamese descent use for worship. In the afternoon you will drive back to town stopping to visit old colonial buildings including a local fish market. Sample Khmer coffee at a local restaurant with a view of the riverfront. After lunch, you will be dropped off at your hotel in Kep for leisure and overnight at Knai Bang Chatt.

Day 10: Kep – Sihanouk Ville - Koh Rong
After breakfast, you will be heading to Sihanouk Ville, from where you will take a shared shuttle boat to Koh Rong. Upon arrival in Koh Rong, you will spend the rest of the day at leisure at Royal Sands Koh Rong.

Day 11: Koh Rong
Today you will spend your day at leisure at Koh Rong. Overnight at Royal Sands Koh Rong.

Day 12: Koh Rong - Botum Sakor National Park
After breakfast, your driver will pick you from your hotel for a drive to Trapeang Rung pier, which will take about 5,5 hours. Upon arrival in Trapeang Rung Pier, you will take a local boat over the Preak Tachan River to Cardamom Tented Camp. Settle into your comfortable safari-style tent. This afternoon, go on an exploratory hike in the jungle around the camp. The diversity of the fauna will amaze you! Get information on the conservation and protection work of Wildlife Alliance. Dinner and overnight at Cardamom Tented Camp.

Day 13: Botum Sakor National Park
After an early breakfast, you will be met by a ranger of the wildlife alliance and an English-speaking guide and embark on patrol over a network of abandoned poaching and logging trails through the dense forest. The half-day hike will stop by the ranger station, where confiscated snares, traps, and improvised hunting rifles are on display. Local Khmer lunch will be served. After lunch, you will spend some time relaxing or swimming in the river. In the afternoon, kayak along Prek Tachan to the camp. If you are lucky you will see some monkeys or some birds during the kayak trip. Dinner and overnight at Cardamom Tented Camp.

Day 14: Botum Sakor National Park – Phnom Penh
If you are up early, you can decide to go on a self-guided hike on the trails around the camp or just enjoy a relaxing breakfast at the camp. At around 10:00 am, board the boat back to Trapeang Rung where your driver will be waiting for you for your transfer back to Phnom Penh airport, which will take approximately 7-8 hours. Your departure flight should be in the night or you can decide to spend an extra night in Phnom Penh and we can transfer you the next day for your departure flight.