The Ultimate Cambodia Tour: History, Culture & Wonders ( 13 Days)

Phnom Penh – Welcome to Cambodia’s Capital

Phnom Penh is a city that sits along two rivers and the Sisowath Quay stretches along the wide breadth of junction between the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers. Its brick promenade is shaded with large palm trees and decorated with flowerbeds while the rivers' currents carry fishing trolleys and longtail boats and the water mists into the air. Your private transfer will meet you at the airport and take you to your elegant hotel that looks out over the water. You will admire the lobby, which is situated in a French Colonial building, and the windows, whose high arches grant you an excellent view of the city that glows gold from the lights in the evening. Enjoy a welcome dinner of traditional Khmer cuisine while dancers tell ancient stories with their elegant and purposeful movements. Their wardrobe will be gilded to encompass the opulent history of past empires while the city will be energetic and welcoming in its entire historical splendor.

What’s Included: airport transfer, accommodation

Kratie – French Trading Post of Kampong Cham and Wat Nokor Temple

The streets of Phnom Penh are active and lively in the morning. The Victory Tower stands at the end of the long boulevard as it foreshadows the spectacular Khmer architecture to come. Today, you will leave the capital city and make your way to Kampong Cham, a city located on the banks of the Mekong River and considered to be the gateway to eastern Cambodia. The Kizuna Bridge was the first of its kind in the country to span the exceptional width of the Mekong as it reaches over 4,921 feet wide. The river is serene and reflective.

The city feels more like a peaceful town. When you arrive at Wat Nokor, you will discover a modern Theravada Buddhist pagoda that is surrounded by an 11th-century Buddhist shrine. The outer sandstone and laterite walls are a deep and imposing rustic color. Many of the old archways help create new shrines and areas of worship. There are several monks that call the temple home and the tranquil center will allow you time to notice the sandalwood aroma. It is an interesting and useful blend of history and modernity that allows the past to influence and support the present. In the evening you will settle into your hotel in Kratie, where the rural ambiance of the property adds to the absorbing country charm.

What’s Included: accommodation, transfer, tour, breakfast

Kampong Thom – Visit Phnom Santuk Mountain

The next day, you will wave goodbye to the freshwater dolphins and make your way towards Kampong Thom. A pagoda stands atop 980 steps and adorns Phnom Santuk Mountain. The slopes are forested and Buddha images decorate the foothills, intermittently. Here, the summit peaks at 679 feet tall while monkeys linger in the trees and run among the branches. During your climb, you will pass multiple pagodas decorated with nagasand dragons as miniature monk statues flank the stairway to the top of the mountain. Just below the summit are sets of boulders that look southward towards Tonle Sap Lake.

The air is filled with fresh pine from the verdant trees that drape the horizon. The temple at the top of the mountain will actively invite you as monks are eager for you to enter. The surrounding trees are dense and vibrant. The unique nature of the mountain and artistic statues that grace the foothills will give you a tremendously humble feeling. In the afternoon you will arrive in Kampong Thom and settle into the Sambor Village, located alongside the pleasant sweeping sound of the river.  

What’s Included: accommodation, transfer, tour, breakfast

Siem Reap – Angkor Wat and the Ta Prohm Complex

Siem Reap is a city that encapsulates the modern world in its historic center, but continues to feel like a village along the streets outside the central area. The French Colonial architecture is another reminder of the city’s archeological connection. Before dawn, your guide will meet you at your hotel and escort you to the fabled temple of Angkor Wat. You come to the first imposing structure at the western gate and walk through the corridor. The impressive 12th-century temple is breathtaking even as an early morning silhouette. Five towers rise out of the expansive structure. The collection of spires represents Mount Meru, home of the gods.

Each tower is textured with tiers and somewhat resembles a beehive in their shape. The sun begins to rise and casts a golden glow over the entire complex. The lily pond that decorates the open courtyard reflects an image of the temple. When you enter the main edifice you will find detailed reliefs that highlight religious mythology. The scent of incense fills the multiple galleries and the pillars of the first corridor are decorated with lotus rosettes while the wall is decorated with dancing figures. You could spend an entire day tracing your finger against the dancing apsaras and prancing animals found throughout the sandstone. The grandeur is not just impressive but is also captivating for its artistry and magnitude. 

What’s Included: accommodation, tour, breakfast

Siem Reap – Explore the Overgrown Jungle Around Beng Mealea

The majesty of the jungle is not just in its inherent beauty but in its secrets. The trees sprout lush, dense, and tall and the sky is almost overrun with the canopy while the aroma of rich earth emanates from the ground. When you arrive at Beng Mealea you discover the forgotten treasures that the jungle can hide. The Hindu temple was constructed in the 12th century and was enclosed by a large moat. Today much of the temple has been submerged in the overbearing jungle as roots and moss wrap around fallen masonry. The ambiance is serene, which accentuates the sense of legend. Standing walls are decorated with Hindu mythology and the temple corridor is dimly lit but remarkably intact. The pillars are firm and the ceiling comes to a conical point as it leads you deeper into the complex’s center. The standing pediments maintain their marvelous details. Beng Mealea will welcome you like an archeologist set on uncovering the wealth of history.

What’s Included: accommodation, tour, breakfast

Battambang – The Temple of Phnom Sampeau and the Bamboo Train 

Battambang is a city rich with architecture, such as the French Colonial edifices that create the city’s historic center. The pastel colors and wealth of windows create a unique atmosphere amongst the best-preserved colonial structures in all of Cambodia. Outside the city is another preservation of culture, the Bamboo Train. The tracks were laid by the French and connect Battambang to Phnom Penh. The train runs once a week and in order to connect rural travelers to smaller cities and villages around Cambodia alternative modes of transportation were invented. The intrigue of the Bamboo Train comes from its well-designed and methodical system.

The norry is the train car, a seven-foot plank of wood covered with bamboo slats. You will climb aboard the single engine car and begin your short tour through the surrounding greenery. The train car can reach up to 30 miles per hour but often stays at an average of 15 miles per hour and passes jungle and paddy fields. Cows graze in the short distance. When the trees open up you find the splendor of the expanse of fields. This unique transportation system will give you a taste of the entrepreneurial and enduring spirit of Cambodia. 

What’s Included: accommodation, tour, breakfast

Phnom Penh – Depart for Home

The morning will begin with the familiar sounds of the Sisowath Quay. A small group of locals stand along the brick promenade and perform their morning exercises. The current carries fishing boats downstream as the sunlight glistens off of the water. After breakfast, your private transfer will escort you to the airport where you will make your flight home. You will have witnessed more than historic cities but discovered the true splendor of the spirit and culture of Cambodia. History is remembered but majesty is endless.

What’s Included: airport transfer, breakfast