DISCOVERY IN NORTHERN CAMBODIA IN 13 DAYS

Upon arrival at Phnom Penh Int’s Airport, process immigration procedure (visa on arrival is available or obtain in advance via www.evisa.gov.kh), then get your luggage and walk straight to the Exit Gate where our guide is waiting. After self-introduced, you’ll transfer directly around 60 minutes to the hotel in the city for check in (check in time is 2pm). Time to fresh-up and relax at hotel.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

After breakfast, we meet our guide and hop on Cyclo, an original means of transport from Phnom Penh and a fun way to explore this vibrant city. First visit Wat Phnom is a Buddhist temple located in center of Phnom Penh City. It was built in 1373 and stands 27 meters above the ground. Next, we visit to the Royal Palace compound build in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom, is the most conspicuous feature and one of impressive colorful Khmer-style Palaces. Nearside the Royal Palace is Silver Pagoda (The Emerald Buddha temple), display plenty of Buddha Statues that were decorated and made by diamond, emerald, gold and silver, continuing visit to National Museum, the distinctive red building with a beautiful Khmer architecture was built since 1917 and contains more than 5.000 art objects made of sandstone, bronze, silver, copper, wood and others. Travelers will proceed to visit Independence Monument, which was constructed in 1954 after Cambodian took their country back from French colony.

We will stop at Central Market in the heart of the Phnom Penh. The Khmer name of the market is Phsar Thmei, which translates to “new market”. The Central Market was built in 1937 during the French colonial period, in Art Deco style, and is painted bright ochre.

We will enjoy a cruise for view sunset on the Mekong and Tonle Sap River (1 hour). Situated at the “Four Arms” where the Mekong meets the Tonle Sap River before splitting into two branches, Phnom Penh offers the ideal location to discover the mighty Mekong.

Overnight in Phnom Penh.

After breakfast, we drive to Kratie, a sleepy Mekong port and gateway to an encounter with the rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphin that inhabit the upper reaches of the Mekong in Cambodia. En route, there is the chance to pause at Skuon, where it is possible to sample the local delicacy of deep-fried tarantula.

Arrive in Kampong Cham, we visit Wat Nokor also called Nokor Bachey Pagoda is an 11th century Mahayana Buddhist shrine made of sandstone and laterite with a large reclining Buddha and numerous alcoves containing Buddha images. Next is Phnom Pros (“Man Hill”) and Phnom Srei (“Woman Hill”).

We continue to Koh Pen Bamboo Bridge. In the dry season, you can reach this island on the Mekong River by an unusual bamboo bridge. Unbelievably this elaborate bridge is rebuilt every year in the dry season after its been washed away by the wet season rains. Despite being made from bamboo, the bridge is very strong, and can even support the weight of cars and trucks.

Overnight in Kratie.

After breakfast, we walk through the central Market of Kratie where you will see the local trades and see some of the old colonial building which remain from the French colony. Before we leave Kratie, we might visit local rice whiskey production.

Visit the famous 100 pillars pagoda and learn its fascinating history as a place of pilgrimage for residents of Kratie. First built in the 16th century by King Chann Reachea. The pagoda includes 100 wooden columns to commemorate the memory of his daughter Vorakpheak who was killed by a Mekong crocodile.

We continue to Kampi, one of the many deep pools where the rare river dolphins gather to feed. We board a local boat and cruise out into the mighty Mekong for a chance encounter with these gentle creatures.

Afterwards, we leave behind the sleepy town of Kratie and travel southeast towards the small junction town of Snuol, our gateway to the wilds of Mondulkiri. We turn left and leave behind the surfaced roads of civilization to take on the red earth roads of hill country. Mondulkiri – means “Meeting of the Hills” a suitable name for such a hilly province.

Overnight in Mondulkiri.

Today, we will have a full day visit one of the Eco-friendly elephant projects, called Bunong Elephant Project (BEP) where elephants are being rescued from hard work like pulling the tree out from the farm and carry heavy things up the mountain. We travel by road out of Sen Monorom to one the hilltop where we will start walking around 40 minutes through the valleys and forests to the project field work. You will be introduced to the herd of elephants and get to know more about their history, character, behavior, body language and relationship with mahout family. You will be able to feed the elephant buckets of bananas. At noon, the elephant must be taken to pastures for at least 2 hours to make sure they get enough food for the day. Elephants eat up to 300 kg of vegetation per day to sustain themselves. While the elephant is grazing, you will have a lunch break. Then, you will learn more detail about the elephant and the community from the elephant guide.

In the afternoon, the mahout will bring the elephant to the river for a wash. You are welcomed to get in the water and give them a hand. Afterward, we leave the elephants and start walking out a different way towards a village where your driver is waiting for. Closer to the village, there is a big hill so you will challenge yourself.

Overnight in Mondulkiri.

After breakfast, we leave Sen Monorom and head east towards the double drop waterfall of Bou Sraa, one of the most famous in Cambodia. Along the way, we may stop at local coffee grower (Unique product in the province).

Afterwards, we leave behind the wilds of Mondulkiri and hit the road towards the red earth of Ratanakiri. We travel north on the newest highway that connects Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri via Koh Nhek. Along the way, there is lush jungle hugging the road and locals claim to see tigers on this stretch whereas some parts of the jungle are giving way to clusters of pine trees and rolling grasslands. The scenery is unique for Cambodia and dotted with traditional indigenous hill tribe villages. We arrive to Ban Lung town of Ratanakiri and check into a comfortable hotel. Later in the afternoon, we enjoy the refreshing waters of the beautiful crater lake of Yeak Loam, set amid a pocket of lush jungle.

Overnight in Ratanakiri.

We start our day at 6:30am before breakfast to explore the origin of Ratanakiri and learn about the indigenous people life who form up the region for thousands of years. Our visit includes Banlung market. It’s most colorful in the early morning, when local indigenous women (Chunchiet) set up around outside of the market, puffing on bamboo pipes of large cigars made from tobacco rolled up in leaves.

Return to your hotel for breakfast, then we travel to Kachon where we’ll take a scenic boat ride for about on Sesan river to a remote village of Kaoh Piek. It is home to a traditional Kachoch burial ground complete with carved effigies of the deceased. Family groups are buried side by side and elaborate ceremonies held after a period of mourning. There are wooden men and women statues standing in front the tombs to guard and likeness of elephant tusks and beautiful decorated tombs. You will also take a walk through the village, visit school. You will learn about the animist belief of Kachoch hill tribe from your local guide in the area.

Return to Ban Lung and we will visit the local gem mining somewhere around town as they always move their mining location, we don’t really know which point exactly but our local guide will find accordingly.

Overnight in Ratanakiri.

We leave behind Banlung and travel southwest towards O’Pongman before veering north towards Stung Treng.

We take a boat trip to explore most beautiful part of the Mekong. It extends south along the Mekong from the border to Laos to Stung Treng. Available only by boat, it is a paradise for endangered mammals, birds and fishes with a unique, flooded forest system that is a photographer’s dream.

We continue to Preah Vihear, our journey through jungle and local village. This good track literate hills along the northern border of the country. Some beautiful scenery along this route yet unpublished and very wild.

Overnight in Preah Vihear.

We drive up to the hill (by 4×4) to visit an amazing Khmer temple Preah Vihear. The Preah Vihear Temple, registered as a World Heritage List in 2008, is on a peak overlooking Cambodia and is the subject of the latest battles with Thailand. We climb the top of the temple of Preah Vihea along the winding road, which is very steep in some places, and finally emerges at the other enclosure of this temple in the king of the mountains. We explore the temple on foot and continue to the last level, clinging to a cliff in the Dangrek Mountains and high hundreds of feet above the lowland of Cambodia.

We continue our trip to Siem Reap. Our first stop at Koh Ker group is a group of many temples in the forest, about 150km from Siem Reap. These were built when Cambodia was ruled by two kings (uncle and nephew), and Koh Ker was briefly one of the two capital cities, during the 1st half of the 10th century.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

We start very early in the morning so we can capture the iconic picture of the pre-dawn facing Angkor Wat temple. Sunrise at Angkor Wat can be a busy venue especially during the months of December, January, February and March.

After sunrise, we will explore the vast and rich of Angkor Wat temple, taking pictures at different angles, playing with light and shadows, and capturing the most beautiful devatas carved in sandstone.

Next destination will be the Ta Prohm Temple, famous for its giant trees where the most impressive scenes of the Tomb Raider movie were filmed. We will continue by veering you away from the crowd to a remote temple in the jungle. We will also visit places out of the beaten path where you will capture unique pictures.

We will get lost in the magnificent Preah Khan temple, one of the best temples to learn photography.

Next, at the Golden Hour, will be the impressive Bayon temple with its 54 towers and 216 faces overlooking the defunct city of Angkor Thom. The final stop will be at one of gate of Angkor Thom to capture sunset over the moat.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Start early this morning at 7am to leave your hotel for Phnom Kulen, considered the holiest mountain in Cambodia. Arrive at Kulen Mountain near the Preah Ang Thom Pagoda. First on the agenda is a wander around the mountain-top pagoda which is home to relics, statues and a large reclining Buddha.

Meet your Motordup (motorbike) driver who will take you for the next few hours up the mountain. The first stop is at Poeng Tbal, where a riverbed reveals a well-preserved stone with details of Shiva and Vishnu and the rock carvings of Ganesh and sages. A short trip leads to one of Cambodia’s most important sites: a small pedestal that sits on top of three step pyramids called Prasat Rong Chen. Head through more paths to a modern temple with colorful statues and a panoramic view. Enjoy a simple picnic lunch in the temple dining room. Continue after a short break to a bat cave that, with the help of torches, you can enter for a few hundred meters and see a modern sanctuary. Both the cave and the temple attract many pilgrims to the area. A short distance away is Srah Damrei (or Elephant Pond). Head back to the starting point with a few more stone carvings to see at Damrei Khrap (Kneeling Elephant). The Motordup adventure ends at Preah Ang Thom.

Two more stops are made before your return, the first is a short visit to see the Thousand Lingas River, hundreds of Lingas carvings can be seen in a section of the river. After visiting the Kulen waterfall, where you can take a refreshing bath. Return to Siem Reap and accommodation.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

This morning, you’ll take a short drive into the countryside outside Siem Reap, where you’ll visit a local village to learn about traditional food, and growing methods, and try your hand at making a three-course meal in a Cambodian cooking class. Although not as well known as Thai or Vietnamese food, Khmer cuisine is arguably equally as good, combining fresh seasonal produce with spices to create unique and flavorful dishes.
After meeting your chef, you’ll take a walk through the village to meet a local family and see the different vegetables growing and being cultivated. Learn about farming techniques and pick some produce, before making your way back to the cooking school, where you’ll get stuck and learn about the history of Khmer cuisine, surrounded by rice paddies and palm trees.

Depart for the Tonlé Sap. You will enjoy a boat ride on the Tonle Sap Lake. This is the largest permanent fresh-water lake in Southeast Asia and flows into Tonle Sap River, joining the Mekong in Phnom Penh. You will see a fishermen’s “floating village” with floating schools, floating police station, etc. The “village” move from place-to-place following water levels and current.

Overnight in Siem Reap.

Transfer to Siem Reap airport for departure to next destination. It’s time to say goodbye, we thank you for traveling with us and warmly welcome you to come back again.