Day 1: Welcome to Phnom Penh Day 2: Phnom Penh - Kratie Day 3: Kratie - Mondulkiri Day 4: Mondulkiri Day 5: Mondulkiri - Ratanakiri Day 6: Ratanakiri Day 7: Ratanakiri - Stung Treng Day 8: Stung Treng - Kampong Thom Day 9: Kampong Thom – Roluos - Siem Reap Day 10: Siem Reap Day 11: Hiking on the grand circuit of the temples of angkor Day 12: Siem Reap - Beng Mealea - Phnom Kulen Day 13: Siem Reap departure
Highlight
The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh
The Sambor Prei Kuk complex in Kampong Thom
Siem Reap and its temples
The floating village of Kompong Kleang
Ethnic minorities and their daily lives: The Phnong of Mondulkiri, The Kochok of Ratanakiri, The Jarai of Ratanakiri
Hiking in wilderness: Koh Trong Island, Phnom Kulen, Siem Reap
Full itinerary
B (Breakfast), L (Lunch), D (Dinner)
Open and close
Meet with your guide and driver at Phnom Penh airport, and transfer to the city center. Check-in at your hotel from 14h. In the afternoon, visit all the Royal Palace monuments: Chan Chhaya Pavilion, the Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, which has the world's finest collection of Khmer sculptures. Discover the monument of Independence, which is shaped according to the central tower of Angkor Wat, and was erected in 1958 to commemorate the country's independence from France in 1953. Proceed with the visit of Wat Phnom Daun Penh - pagoda built by lady Daun Pen, in 1372, on a small hill. Wat Phnom remains today the highest artificial hill in Phnom Penh and the center of many entertainments.
Car: 10km Night: hotel
In the morning, leave the capital Phnom Penh to head to Kratie via Kampong Cham, a pleasant city on the Mekong River. Make a stop along the way and take a look at the Skun Market, better known as the Insect Market, where the adventurous ones will dare taste unusual specialties much appreciated by Cambodians: cicadas, spiders, grasshoppers, grilled crickets… In the afternoon, explore two hills: the man's (Phnom Pros) and the woman's (Phnom Srei), then visit the Vat Nokor pagoda before heading back to Kratie. The road runs along the Mekong River, offering stunning scenery and a clear view of the floating fishing villages of Vietnamese origin. Make a stop in Chlong and stretch your legs on a short hike to discover old colonial houses. Arrival in Kratie is scheduled for mid-afternoon. Hop on a local ferry to cross the Mekong and reach the island of Koh Trong. Overnight at the hotel.
Car: 240km/5h Night: hotel
After breakfast, hop on a bike and ride around the island to discover the beautiful landscapes of a peaceful countryside. Stop several times at scenic spots, such as the Kbal Koh Pagoda, an abandoned pagoda stupa, or the Vietnamese pagoda. Depending on the season, you can observe the community busy planting rice, vegetables or building boats. A great opportunity to meet the locals and discover their everyday life. Then, take a local ferry to cross the Mekong River and take the road to Mondulkiri, a mountainous province on the Vietnam border. On the way, make a few stops to visit small villages lost in the wilderness. Close to Sen Monorom, the provincial capital, venture into tropical forests, a thick greenery sparsely populated. Arrival late afternoon in Mondulkiri. Overnight at the hotel.
Car: 250km/6h Night: hotel
This morning, meet your local guide and transfer by car to the village of Putrom (10km), starting point for your trek. The local guide will accompany you on paths lost in the jungle and will offer you plants and wild fruits to taste. Cross several times a river on tree trunks or take breaks at waterfalls where baths are highly recommended! Take a picnic lunch by the river. Then a 2-hour climb will take you to the village of Putang, home to the Phnong ethnic group. Your efforts will be rewarded with a breathtaking 360° panoramic view. Time to rest after an intense day and head to a small village bistro to enjoy grilled fish on charcoal and fresh beer. Back to Sen Moronom by car.
Trekking: 6h Night: hotel
After breakfast, let’s head to Ratanakiri, another province of north-eastern Cambodia with stunning scenery. To get there, it takes a journey of 200 km by car, in dense vegetation typical of tropical forests. Authentic Khmer villages scattered along the road will offer you material for a better understanding of Cambodian everyday life. Arrival in Ratanakiri in the afternoon, and visit the legendary Yeak Laom Lake created as a result of a volcanic eruption with a depth of 50m! Rest there, go for a swim and enjoy the panoramic view. Overnight in Banlung, the provincial capital of Ratanakiri.
Today, you are heading north-east of the city, closer and closer to the Vietnamese border, on a single asphalt road, built in cooperation between Cambodians and Vietnamese. Take an easy walk along the road to visit two villages populated by ethnic Kochok and Jarai, then venture into the gemstones mines of Bokeo. The operation is extraordinary: the zircon rush has transformed this cultivated place into a huge Swiss gruyère drilled with hundreds of wells 40 cm in diameter for about 20m deep. Stop in a small village where you will have a pleasant ride in local sampan. Then stroll to discover multi-ethnic villages and their traditional stilt houses, their small Vietnamese funerary houses on the banks of the Se San River. Return to Ratanakiri at the end of the day to spend the night at the hotel.
Car: 100km/3h Night: hotel
Today, transfer from Ratanakiri to the capital of Stung Treng province, by a county road. Upon arrival, take the time to discover the local market before settling into your hotel room.
Car: 220km/5h Night: hotel
After breakfast, let’s head to Kampong Thom, a pleasant stage on one’s journey. This area is not yet touristy but still welcomes a steady number of visitors. There, hundreds of hectares stretch as far as the eye can see, covered by deep green rubber trees, pepper crops and several kinds of vegetables. This extremely fertile region holds an important place for agriculture and for the country's economy. Continue your journey by car for about one hour to reach Sambo Preikuk, former capital of the ChenLa Empire. This city has a rich architectural heritage, thanks to its shrines from different eras scattered in a lush scenery. Night at a homestay.
Car: 250km/5h Night: homestay
Take the road to Siem Reap. On the way, visit traditional Cambodian villages and stop at the Naga Bridge, an ancient Angkorian bridge still used today. Venture into Roulos, the oldest temple complex in Angkor, called "Roluos Group", located 12 km east of Siem Reap. These temples are the remains of Hariharalaya, which was for 70 years (and under four successive kings) the first Khmer capital. ● The Preah Kô is dedicated to Jayavarman II, first king and founder of the kingdom of Angkor ● Bakong is by far the largest temple of the Roluos group and the first "state temple" supposed to mark the center of the capital ● The remains of Lolei, four dilapidated brick towers laid on a two-level basement.
Car: 150km/4h Night: hotel
Today, venture into the three main most emblematic temples of Angkor Complex: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Banteay Srei. In the morning, visit the Banteay Srei temple known as the "Citadel of Women" built entirely in pink sandstone and laterite. Then head to the temple of Angkor Thom (Great City). Entering the southern gate, admire the famous Bayon dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, and the 11th century Baphuon, dedicated to Brahmanism (ancient Hinduism). Continue your visit with the Elephant Terrace or the Leper King Terrace. Your journey goes on through the great hours of the Cambodian Empire with the marvelous temple of Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and will come to a breathtaking end with Phnom Bakheng (the mountain temple) where you shouldn’t miss out on the beautiful sunset. Return and overnight at the hotel.
Night: hotel
Today is dedicated to an in-depth discovery of the countryside and the temples unknown to travelers of the large circuit of the temples of Angkor. A short transfer by bus or tuk tuk (motorized tricycle, carrying up to 4 passengers) will take you to Preah Khan Temple, starting point of your hike. Have a picnic lunch in the wilderness after visiting Ta Nei Temple. Your hike then continues and will lead you to the temple of Ta Keo, before reaching the highlight of the day, the famous temple of Ta Prohm. Return to downtown Siem Reap by motorized vehicle.
Car: 20km Night: hotel
After breakfast, drive to Beng Mealea Temple. Along the way, discover villages, lively local markets and wooden houses on stilts. It will take two hours to explore this beautiful forgotten temple, a miniature Angkor Wat. It's time to start an unprecedented treasure hunt in the maze of Suryavarman, among arcades, galleries and gopura, engulfed by the roots of cheese trees. After lunch at a local restaurant, transfer via the foot of Mount Phnom Kulen (lychee tree mountain). There, like Khmer pilgrims, climb the staircase and follow a lush path to reach the summit of this sacred mountain. At the top, explore the River of a Thousand Lingas, the main pagoda and its huge stone statue. Seize the opportunity to swim in the river next to a beautiful waterfall.
Car: 100km/2h Night: hotel
Free time in Siem Reap while waiting for your departure flight. End of our services.
Car: 10km
€ 1,105euro/personneUSD
The price includes
þ Accommodation and breakfasts in hotels on the accommodation list
þ Meals clearly mentioned in the program: B = breakfast; L = lunch; D = dinner
þ The entrance fee to the sites
þ Competent English–speaking guides throughout the trip except the free days when it is mentioned clearly: without a guide
þ Private air – conditioned car for all land transport except free days when it is mentioned clearly: without driver
þ One litre of drinking water per person per day
þ Domestic flight in economy class
þ All logistic services necessary for the program
The price does not include
ý International flights and airport taxes from/to your country
ý Visa fees
ý Means of transport not mentioned in the program
ý Meals not mentioned in the program
ý Tipping for services: local guides, crew members, drivers, porters…
ý Drink, telephone, linen or all personal expenses not mentioned in the "price includes" section
You need to know
Trip price
All prices mentioned in the quotes provided to clients are in US Dollars (USD). Euros are accepted, but the exchange rate will be determined by the international website https://www.xe.com/ on the date the payment is made. iLOTUS TOURS guarantees the rates mentioned in the quotes, invoices, or documents given to the client. Upon payment of the deposit or the full price, we guarantee the price of your trip (excluding changes made by you). However, certain force majeure situations may require us to adjust our prices to meet the travel conditions described in the quote. These force majeure situations may include: • An unpredictable and significant increase in the rate of our local providers (hotels, trains, planes, junks, boats, road vehicles...) • A significant currency fluctuation that has a considerable impact on the exchange rate • The introduction of a new tax imposed by the government Proof of these force majeure events will be provided to the client. In these cases of force majeure, even after the deposit has been paid, the client may refuse these increases and cancel their trip. We commit to refunding the deposit you have paid.
Reservation and Confirmation
All reservations must be sent to iLOTUS TOURS by email at: contact@ilotustours.com • Registration must be accompanied by a deposit of 25% of the total cost of the trip and 100% of the cost of international flights. • The deposit required for trips lasting less than one week is 50% of the total trip cost. • A larger deposit may be required in the case of last-minute bookings or depending on the specific requests of certain high-category hotels or airlines. • The balance must be paid upon your arrival, without any reminder from our side. • Upon confirmation of the booking, an invoice will be sent to the client by email.
Payment
The trip can be paid for in cash, by bank transfer, by credit card, or through an application (Wise, Revolut, One Pay...): • Cash payments must be made at the iLOTUS TOURS office located in Hanoi, and the client will not be charged any payment fees. • Credit cards: we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and JCB. Any bank fees are the responsibility of the client. • Bank transfer in US dollars or euros.
Cancellation by the Client
In the event of trip cancellation, all cancellations must be confirmed by email. The client must pay cancellation fees corresponding to the following rates: • 25% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 30 days before the trip start date. • 50% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 10 days before the trip start date. • 75% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 3 days before the trip start date. • 100% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS 2 days before the trip start date or in case of no-show. For trips to Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, your travel advisor will provide you with all the information regarding the deposit and cancellation fees.
Cancellation by iLOTUS TOURS
iLOTUS TOURS reserves the right to cancel trips agreed upon with clients for reasons related to a force majeure situation: war or the threat of war, riots, a natural or nuclear disaster, a port blockade, looting, fires, and any terrorist activity, adverse weather conditions, an epidemic, quarantine, or any similar event. In all these cases of cancellation, iLOTUS TOURS will deduct the amount of these penalties from the deposit paid by the client but will refund the remaining amount to the client by bank transfer, with the client covering all bank fees.
