Siem Reap Bike & Hike

Upon arrival into Siem Reap, we’ll be met and transferred to a comfortable hotel in town.

Accommodation: Hotel
Meals:

This morning we cycle to the Mother of all temples, Angkor Wat. Believed to be the world’s largest religious building, this temple is the source of pride and strength to all Khmers. Built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, this is the most famous temple at Angkor. Stretching for almost one kilometre, this intricate carving is a candidate for the world’s longest unbroken piece of art. We’ll continue to the upper levels of the inner sanctuary. The final steps to the upper terrace of Angkor are quite steep, where pilgrims would stoop on their pilgrimage to encounter the Gods. Finally we see the pinnacle, the sacred heart of Angkor Wat. Late morning, we continue on to visit Angkor Thom, an immense walled city that was the masterpiece of King Jayavarman VII. At the southern end lies the Baphuon, once of the most beautiful temples at Angkor, dating back to the 11th century. Our climax is the enchanting temple of the Bayon. Its 54 towers are each topped off with the four faces of Avalokiteshvara (Buddha of Compassion). We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch nearby the temple of the Bayon. Afterwards we set off on bicycles to Gate of the Dead and then onward to Victory Gate. We’ll then follow a road to the ‘Indiana Jones’ temple of Ta Prohm. The tentacle-like tree roots here are slowly strangling the surviving stones. Ta Prohm has been abandoned by the elements, a reminder that while empires rise and fall, the riotous power of nature marches on, oblivious to human history. If time allows, we’ll visit Banteay Kdei or finish with a sunset drink at Srah Srang. We return to the same hotel in Siem Reap and have the rest of the evening at leisure.

Biking Distance: 18 km / 11 mi
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, we’ll be picked up at the hotel and transferred to Phnom Kulen National Park for our trek. We start at the base of Mount Kulen, first ascending stairs to a breathtaking panoramic lookout point. We then continue our trek to visit the riverbed carvings in the “Valley of 1000 Lingas” (dedicated to the God Shiva) along the Stung Kbal Spean River. We’ll visit the reclining Buddha enshrined in Preah Ang Thom temple. This enormous Buddha was carved into sandstone in the 16th century. Afterwards, we’ll visit the magnificent nearby waterfalls. We’ll enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before trekking further to the bat caves, Srah Damrey and Wat Preah Kral, where we can interact with local monks. We return to the same hotel in Siem Reap and have the rest of the evening at leisure.

Hiking Distance: 25 km / 15 mi
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning we are back on bikes, following small backroads through rural landscapes and picturesque villages. Our first stop is the temple of Bakong. We continue into Ruluos town to visit a very local market, virtually untouched by tourism. After a refreshment here, we follow the path of Ruluos River to a point where we’ll board small wooden boats to continue our trip to Kompong Phluk. Cruising down the narrow waterway, we enter a medieval floating village where the houses stand atop stilts as high as seven meters above the water. Everything lives on the water here -- pigs, dogs, crocodiles and people, all jockeying for space in this incredible floating town. We’ll explore the local wat here before boarding a larger boat and cruising through the flooded forest and across the great lake to Chong Kneas, an expansive floating village with over 1000 houseboats. This village includes everything from a floating church to a floating police station. Afterwards, we travel to the holy mountain of Phnom Krom, where we’ll have a short hike to enjoy a glorious sunset before heading back to Siem Reap. We return to the same hotel in Siem Reap and have the rest of the evening at leisure.

Biking Distance: 20 km / 12.5 mi
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We'll transfer you to the Siem Reap airport to catch your international flight home or onward in South East Asia.