Cambodia Mekong Trail by Bike (IPC16)

Susadei! Welcome to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Upon arrival at Siem Reap Airport, your private guide and driver are waiting to meet you, holding up a welcome signboard with your names on it and take you directly to your hotel for check in.

Are you ready to be on the trail for your amazing cycling holiday with unique experiences?

Spend the afternoon exploring the main Angkor Wat Temple, a largest religious site in the world. There are not really enough words to describe this jewel in the crown of Angkor. You have to witness it for yourself. The scale of the complex is certain to be above expectations, covering an area of 2 km2, but you can easily see the majority of the places of interest in a morning, especially if you decide to start early enough to see the sunrise. Originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, it faces west instead of the usual requirement to face east. Built between 1113 and 1150, it eventually changed to a Buddhist Wat (temple) in the 13th century after a religious revolution in Cambodia. You will have plenty of time to explore most of the complex; you will be amazed at the intricate carvings and bas-reliefs, the long terraces, the many different pavilions and galleries.

Tonight you are invited to a welcome dinner accompanied by a traditional Apsara dance performance depict Khmer mythology and culture.

Please note: You must have both a passport and a visa to enter Cambodia. And your passport must also have at least six months’ validity remaining beyond the date that you enter Cambodia. You can get a visa on arrival in Cambodia. Make sure you have two passport-sizes photographs.

Overnight in Siem Reap
Meals: (_/_/D)

Early this morning will travel by private vehicle to Angkor, enjoy a sunrise tour of Angkor Wat, a truly unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Then enjoy having your packed breakfast near Phnom Bakheng next to the moat of Angkor Thom. Starting back on your bike and cycling to explore Angkor Thom, the site of the ancient capital of the Khmer period. Visit the South Gate, Bayon, Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, Elephant Terrace and the Terrace of Leper King. Continue the fun cycling pass Preah Khan temple in the jungle to Ta Prohm, which is high up many people favorite temple list.

Will enjoy lunch at local restaurant opposite Srah Srang.

In the afternoon you’ll get on your bicycle for cycling to Kampong Phhluk floating village on Tonle Sap Lake, you’ll take a boat excursion to see the village on stilts. Explore this great ecosystem by way of canoeing and hear the calls of the birds or macaque monkeys while observing the forest beneath the lake’s surface, you’ll see the Buddhist temple is standing on the island with some beautiful Buddhist life painting on the celling. You will return to Siem Reap on your two wheels vehicle.

Tonight, you will enjoy with the Phare Cambodia Circus Performance, it’s a circus-style entertainment featuring high-flying acrobatics with live music depict about the life of street kids etc.

Overnight in Siem Reap
Meals: (B/_/D)

In the morning after breakfast we transfer to Roluos where we get on our bikes and cycle through the spectacular countryside, passing villages and friendly local people. Next, we’ll visit Chao Srei Vibol temple, it lies to the east of Angkor, is an “off the beaten track” monument and unrestored ruin. Continuing on to Koh Ker temple group via various transfers. Koh Ker is a 10th-century temple complex in the north Cambodian jungle, also known “one of the battle fields of the recent civil war”. A former capital of the Khmer Empire, the site is now remote and dense jungle. The main structure, Koh Ker Temple, is a stepped 7-tiered pyramid called Prasat Thom. The large rectangular tank, Rahal Baray, supplied water to the complex. The Prasat Krahom, meaning “red temple,” is known for its sandstone carvings, while Prasat Pram is covered in strangler figs.

Overnight in a small town known as Sro Em
Meals: (B/L/D)

After breakfast at a local restaurant we will cycle to the foot of Dangrek Mountain then transfer by truck to the mountaintop to pay a visit to the temple of Preah Vihear, situated on the edge of a plateau that dominates the plain of Cambodia, the Temple of Preah Vihear is dedicated to Shiva. The Temple is composed of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases over an 800 meters long axis and dates back to the first half of the 11th century AD. Nevertheless, its complex history can be traced to the 9th century, when the hermitage was founded. Now a day is known as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. From here we transfer to Stung Treng to the next cycling segment.

Overnight in the town of Stung Treng
Meals: (B/L/D)

Starting in Stung Treng we visit the morning market, then we jump on our mountain bikes and take a fun ride along some gravel roads with river views to Srae Krasang. This trail follows the Mekong River and is a great place to cycle off the main road, enjoying the scenery and remoteness of the area. (28 km)
We continue cycling around 6 kilometers more along the river to see a very unusual tree (Ko Ky Tmor), which collapsed into the water many years ago and is now petrified, then we carry on to the dolphin pool. After our picnic lunch a car will be waiting for us for the 3-hour transfer to Sadan, where we pick up our cycling again and it’s off to Kratie.

Overnight in the small town of Kratie on the river bank of Mekong.
Meals: (B/_/_)

After breakfast at the hotel, we cross the water to the beautiful island of Koh Trong where we will cycle around, as well do some tree planting. Then we cross to the mainland on the opposite side of the island to Kratie town. Here we will enjoy more amazing countryside trails arriving at Preah Prolung where the van will be waiting for us with a picnic lunch at a Chinese restaurant. In the afternoon we ride past Chlong and continue to Krochmar. We will transfer from here to stay overnight in Kampong Cham.

Overnight in Kompong Cham
Meals: (B/L/D)

After breakfast we continue cycling along the banks of the Mekong River passing the local market, villages with tobacco plantations, then enjoy the packed lunch near the riverbank. We continue to cycle until we pick up the van for our transfer to Phnom Penh, avoiding the busy traffic. After checking in at your hotel, we will have a farewell dinner.

Tonight will enjoy with Cambodian Living Art performance at the Cambodia National Museum that will start at 07:00 pm to depict about Cambodian life before heading for dinner.

Overnight in Phnom Penh
Meals: (B/L/D)

Morning
After breakfast, meet your guide and head out to visit the most remarkable sights of Phnom Penh in a Cyclo (a three-wheeled bicycle taxi), an original Phnom Penh means of transportation and a fun way to explore this lively city.

Begin with a visit to the Royal Palace Compound built-in 1866 by the Predecessors of King Norodom, the most conspicuous feature and also one of the most impressive colorful Khmer-style Palaces. Nearside the Royal Palace is Silver Pagoda (The Emerald Buddha temple), which display plenty of Buddha Statues that were decorated and made by diamond, emerald, gold, and silver.

Next, proceed to visit Independence Monument which was constructed in 1954 after Cambodian took their country back from the French colony. Continue to visit the National Museum, the distinctive red building with a beautiful Khmer architecture was built since 1917 containing more than 5000 art objects made of sandstone, bronze, silver, copper, wood, and others. Pass through the River Front Park whose scenery is much worth shooting.

For lunch, you will be treated to a delicious Khmer meal at Le Lotus Blanc, a lovely charity restaurant where former street children are taught the principles of hospitality.

Afternoon
Gain insight into Cambodia’s recent dark history on a visit to the infamous Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as Prison S21) and listen to English commentary en route. The prison comprises 4 buildings with exhibitions in several rooms. During your visit, you will barely meet a single person who didn’t lose a member of their family during these years, yet they are all willing to talk openly about it with you. They wish you to hear about it and see these places, to ensure that it never happens again.

After an hour and 15 minutes at the museum, take a 40-minute drive to the Killing Fields, see a documentary on the Khmer Rouge regime. Under the leadership of Pol Pot, his government caused the deaths of more than two millions people. There will be around 1 hour and 15 minutes to explore the site. An audio guide is available in 15 languages along with a map of the fields.

Continue to visit the fascinating Russian Market, where you will have ample opportunity to shop for some souvenirs. End your day at Wat Phnom, the birthplace of the city, located on a small hilltop that forms the highest elevation of Phnom Penh.

Overnight in Phnom Penh
Meals: (B/L/_)

After breakfast and a leisurely morning on your own, you will check out by midday and your private driver will pick you up and take you to Phnom Penh International airport for your departure flight home or travel on to more adventures, we will help you with the planning.

Meals: (B/_/_)