Private Tour Highlights
- Get to see some of the lesser traveled, but most beautiful Cambodian cities
- Become enlightened on the turbulent history of the country
- Journey through intricate and beautiful ancient temples
- Marvel at the rural beauty of the Cambodian landscapes
- Visit the diverse array of museums in Battambang
- See the lesser travelled, provincial capital of the remote northwest
- Get inspired by organizations seeking community betterment
- Stop by Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, once a detention center used for interrogation
- Embark on a cyclo tour to visit the Royal Palace, comprised of numerous structures
- See the popular Silver Pagoda, constructed with over 5,000 silver tiles
- Witness the life-sized gold Maitreya Buddha that is decorated with 9,584 diamonds
Tour Overview
This Cambodian overland tour to Battambang includes the traditional highlights of Cambodia, followed by an overland road trip to the lesser traveled, yet beautiful, provincial capital of Battambang in the remote northwest. This tour also includes a visit to Phnom Penh offering insight into some of the more recent history, from the arts and culture to the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge.
Meander through the amazing complex of ancient temples and structures that comprise the enormous Angkor Wat, the largest religious building in the world that boasts a volume of stone equaling that of Khufu’s Pyramid in Egypt. Before hitting the road for Battambang, enjoy a day on the waters of the tranquil Tonle Sap Lake to visit some of the floating villages. Driving to Battambang will then allow you to see more of the rural landscapes and villages of Cambodia, with some unique stops along the way, like a visit to a local non-governmental organization that promotes community development and the revival of Khmer culture through educating and support high risk youths.
Once in Battambang, you will have plenty of opportunities for local interactions and excursions to enjoy the picturesque countryside. Once having sufficiently explored, you will stop at a few more attractions on the way to Phnom Penh, which has many attractions to visit, including the Silver Pagoda, the National Museum and the Aspara Arts Museum. Phnom Penh is also the site of some more somber attractions, including the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, which is essential to understanding the pain of Cambodia’s past. On the other hand, the city’s waterfront has been the site of many recent renovations and now boasts several al fresco restaurants and bars that have nice views across the Mekong, making the area one of region’s “places to be.”
Inclusions
Hotel accommodation including continental or buffet breakfast, private transfers between airports and hotels with assistance and baggage handling, private guided tours in English including all entrance fees, bottled water and cool towels provided for transfers and sightseeing, Cambodian government tax and service charge local airport taxes that are payable in the country of destination are not included. Taxes and security fees that can be paid at time of ticketing are already included in the quote (if airfare has been included in the quote)
Siem Reap Optional Excursions:
Siem Reap Pagoda Tour
Religion is closely linked to Khmer life and pagodas are very important in the country. Visit Wat Inkosei built on the site of an ancient temple, the remains of which can still be seen. Next, visit a workshop where traditional shadow play puppets are made before continuing to Wat Bo pagoda to view its well-preserved paintings. You will also observe monks making the various moldings, which adorn the pagodas. Drive from Siem Reap to the district of Puok to the Silk Farm. Learn the different stages of the complex process of producing handmade silk, including the growing of the mulberry trees, silk worm breeding, and training in the ancient craft of silk dyeing and weaving.
Siem Reap School Tour
Today your guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to a local village school. During your visit, you will have time to interact with students, teach a short English lesson and learn how the education system in Cambodia works. Due to a lack of resources and minimum government funding for schools in Cambodia, there is a shortage of teaching material and school facilities. Donations of books, study materials and sports equipment are welcomed.
Cooking Class and Visit to Local Home
Khmer cuisine is one of the major national identities that reflect the ways of life, thought and mind of the Cambodian people which are hidden in the taste of consumption of meat dishes and sweet food. Start the day enjoying tea and coffee with the Chef before heading to the Siem Reap morning market (Old Market). The Chef will guide you through the market and introduce you to the Cambodian fruits, vegetables, fish, multi-color spices and herbs that are used in traditional Khmer cooking. After picking up fresh ingredients at the market, you’ll head to the restaurant where refreshing drinks and cold towels are waiting for you. Next, head to the kitchen and begin cooking! You will create a full, three courses Khmer menu, all under professional guidance by skilled Cambodian Chefs. Finally, enjoy the fruits of your labor! Afterward, transfer to a local home to learn more about Cambodian daily life.
Notes:
* Due to the low water levels at Tonle Sap Lake between March and June, an alternate excursion will be provided for Day 5.
* Additional supplements may apply between 19 December – 8 January.
* Additional supplements may apply during the weeks immediately preceding and following the Lunar (Chinese) New Year. The dates vary each year, but fall sometime between January 21st and February 20th:
2016 – Monday, February 8th
2017 – Saturday, January 28th
2018 – Friday, February 16th
* Additional supplements may apply for mandatory Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners.
Package Price: From £$ 3719
Prices shown above are per person. Hotel categories do not adhere strictly to international ratings; Yampu has evaluated the hotels according to destination and availability. Prices include local airfare (where applicable), hotel accommodation including daily breakfast; all transfers with baggage handling, all guided tours in English and all entrance fees.
Please note that prices are subject to change based on availability and seasonality, especially during the holiday season from December 20th through January 5th each year. Please contact a Yampu Travel Specialist for more information on best times to travel.
Trip Type:
All our trips are operated on a private basis unless specified otherwise. This is only a sample itinerary; your Yampu Tour Consultant will personalize this trip for you according to your available dates, interests and type of hotels. This is your trip and we will work on making it perfect!
Tour Itinerary
International flight to Siem Reap
Overnight international flight to Siem Reap.
Overnight international flight to Siem Reap.
Arrival in Siem Reap
Upon arrival, airport reception and transfer to the hotel for the evening.
Upon arrival, airport reception and transfer to the hotel for the evening.
Tour of Siem Reap
The morning is free to explore Siem Reap. In the afternoon, explore Khmer temples from the early Angkorian period. Visit the Roluos group of temples dating from the 9th and 10th centuries, including the Preah Ko, Bakong, and Lolei Temples. These temples are the remains of Hariharalaya, the first major capital of the Angkorian-era Khmer Empire. After the tour, return to the hotel. Lunch at a nice local restaurant is included.
The morning is free to explore Siem Reap. In the afternoon, explore Khmer temples from the early Angkorian period. Visit the Roluos group of temples dating from the 9th and 10th centuries, including the Preah Ko, Bakong, and Lolei Temples. These temples are the remains of Hariharalaya, the first major capital of the Angkorian-era Khmer Empire. After the tour, return to the hotel. Lunch at a nice local restaurant is included.
Visit to Angkor Thom
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Rise early to make the most of this exciting day. The guide will take travelers to the monumental magnificence of Angkor Thom – the last capital of the great Khmer Empire. Visit the sprawling Elephant Terrace, the Terrace of the Leper King and the enchanting Bayon. This 12th century masterpiece lies at the very center of Angkor Thom City and is an archaeological wonder of symmetry and grandeur. The exterior gallery walls have extensive bas-reliefs, but the main features are the towers, each with 3 or 4 gently smiling faces, over 200 in total. Continue to visit Preah Khan. This extensive monastic complex, which covers over 130 acres, was built by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a monastery and teaching complex. Afterwards, enjoy lunch at a nice local restaurant.
Transfer by Tuk Tuk to Angkor Wat with a private guide. It is unlike all the other Khmer temples in that it faces west, and is inspired by 12th Century Hinduism. Its symmetrical towers are stylized on the modern Cambodian flag. Intricate bas-reliefs surround Angkor Wat on four sides, each telling a story, but the most celebrated of these is the Churning of the Sea Milk, located on the east wing. The guide will explain the fascinating mystical tale behind it. At the end of the day, enjoy an hour long Kher massage.
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Hindu Temples tour
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In the morning, visit Banteay Srei (The Women's Citadel) a tiny, enchanting temple which is one of the jewels in this remarkable city. Built of red sandstone in the 10th century and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, this is the most Indian of all the temples in Angkor and in the words of H.W. Ponder, "a fairy palace in the heart of an immense and mysterious forest."
Continue to Banteay Samre, another Hindu temple, before visiting Ta Prohm, a temple that has been left largely in its natural state since its re-discovery by the French. Surrounded by jungle, it remains a labyrinth of stone hallways that have become overgrown with roots and limbs of massive banyan trees, which envelope the stone like tentacles. Continue to Pre Rup Temple. Built in 961, the boldness of the architectural design is superb and gives the temple fine balance, scale and proportion. The temple is close in style to the East Mabon, although it was built several years later. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
Afterward, transfer to the famous Tonle Sap, the largest fresh water lake in Southeast Asia. Then take a memorable boat cruise to a nearby floating village for a glimpse of the everyday life of the local people who dwell in floating shacks. For most of the year the lake is fairly small, approximately only one-meter-deep with an area of 2,700 square km. However, during the monsoon season, the water is pushed up from the Mekong River into the lake, resulting in an increased area of 16,000 square km and a depth of up to nine meters, ultimately flooding nearby fields and forests. The floodplain provides a perfect breeding ground for fish. The livelihood of most of the local community depends largely on fishing and Tonle Sap accounts for 75 percent of Cambodia’s annual inland fish catch.
Note: If the Siem Reap Pagoda Tour, Siem Reap School Tour, or Cooking Class and Visit to Local Home is preferred to taking the Boat Ride on Tonle Sap Lake, please contact a travel consultant.
Continue to Banteay Samre, another Hindu temple, before visiting Ta Prohm, a temple that has been left largely in its natural state since its re-discovery by the French. Surrounded by jungle, it remains a labyrinth of stone hallways that have become overgrown with roots and limbs of massive banyan trees, which envelope the stone like tentacles. Continue to Pre Rup Temple. Built in 961, the boldness of the architectural design is superb and gives the temple fine balance, scale and proportion. The temple is close in style to the East Mabon, although it was built several years later. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
Afterward transfer to the famous Tonle Sap, the largest fresh water lake in Southeast Asia. Then take a memorable boat cruise to a nearby floating village for a glimpse of the everyday life of the local people who dwell in floating shacks. For most of the year the lake is fairly small, approximately only one meter deep with an area of 2,700 square km. However, during the monsoon season, the water is pushed up from the Mekong River into the lake, resulting in an increased area of 16,000 square km and a depth of up to nine meters, ultimately flooding nearby fields and forests. The floodplain provides a perfect breeding ground for fish. The livelihood of most of the local community depends largely on fishing and Tonle Sap accounts for 75 percent of Cambodia’s annual inland fish catch.
Note: If the Siem Reap Pagoda Tour, Siem Reap School Tour, or Cooking Class and Visit to Local Home is preferred to taking the Boat Ride on Tonle Sap Lake, please contact a travel consultant.
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Siem Raep – Battambang
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Morning departure from Siem Reap to Battambang. On the way, there is a famous stone carving village, called Phnom Cheng Cheang. One will see various types of sandstone carved into anything, from giant sitting Buddhas to mortar and pestles. Continue to a local non-governmental organization called Phar Ponleu Selpak. The group aims to support community development and provide social and educational help to children through the revival of Khmer culture. The organization originally spawned from one of the many refugee camps along the Thai border as a way to boost morale and offer hope. Members focus on rehabilitating street kids, orphans, high risk children, and their families. Lunch at a local restaurant is included. Overnight in Battambang. ...read less
Journey along the riverbank to Watko
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This morning, take a local Remork (also known as a Tuk-Tuk – a form of auto rickshaw) to explore the stunning countryside to the north, following a scenic river road. Then, take a bamboo train! Along the way, see the beautiful Cambodian countryside and daily life up close with many opportunities for photos and local interactions. Also experience some of the local industries, such as rice paper, Khmer snacks and rice wine making. Take a brief stop to explore the 11th century temple of Wat Ek Phnom and Banon before returning to Battambang via a different route.
In the afternoon, tour the ancient cultural village of Watko to see some of the beautiful early 20th century Khmer wooden houses. There will be a chance to interact with the local families before returning to the hotel. Lunch at a local restaurant is included.
In the afternoon, tour the ancient cultural village of Watko to see some of the beautiful early 20th century Khmer wooden houses. There will be a chance to interact with the local families before returning to the hotel. Lunch at a local restaurant is included.
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Battambang – Phnom Penh
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Depart Battambang for Phnom Penh. On the way, visit a local pottery village and take a boat to a floating village at Kampong Chhnang to get a taste of local life. Continue towards Phnom Penh and make another short stop at Oudong, the abandoned Royal Capital or "City of Past Kings", which was the 17th century capital of the Khmer Empire. Today, several temples and religious structures dot the ridgeline and stupas containing the remains of several great Khmer Kings can be found throughout. Enjoy lunch on the way to Phnom Penh. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel and enjoy a relaxing evening. ...read less
Boat trip along the Mekong River
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The morning is at leisure. In the afternoon, embark on a cyclo tour to visit the Royal Palace, which was built in 1866 and is comprised of numerous structures, one of which is the popular Silver Pagoda. Constructed with over 5,000 silver tiles, this building also houses a life-sized gold Maitreya Buddha that is decorated with 9,584 diamonds and is one of Cambodia’s national treasures.
After lunch at a local restaurant (included) continue on a boat along the Mekong River, which offers magnificent views of the Phnom Penh Riverfront, the Royal Palace, Wat Ounalom and the ever-changing skyline. Cruise to the point where the Tonle Sap meets the Mekong and be sure to have a camera on hand for the spectacular sunset. At the end of day, enjoy an hour long Khmer massage.
After lunch at a local restaurant (included) continue on a boat along the Mekong River, which offers magnificent views of the Phnom Penh Riverfront, the Royal Palace, Wat Ounalom and the ever-changing skyline. Cruise to the point where the Tonle Sap meets the Mekong and be sure to have a camera on hand for the spectacular sunset. At the end of day, enjoy an hour long Khmer massage.
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Cultural history tour of Phnom Penh
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Morning visit to the Apsara Arts Association, a local non-governmental organization whose aim is to see Cambodian arts and culture become more valued and popular in Cambodia after having been destroyed by the ravages of war. Continue to visit the National Museum, A Khmer temple inspired building that houses the world's largest collection of Khmer art sculptures, ceramics and bronzes. Although the emphasis is on Angkorian artifacts, there is also a good collection of pieces from later periods, including a special exhibition on post-Angkorian Buddha figures.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, which is essential for first time visitors to Cambodia. During the Pol Pot regime, Toul Sleng, formerly a high school, was converted to a detention center known for interrogation and torture of prisoners before being transferred to the "Killing Fields." Enjoy a bit of local shopping at the Toul Tom Pong Market, before visiting the fields at Cheung Ek. Today, the site is a memorial for Cambodians and visitors to pay their respect for those lost. A memorial stupa has been erected and displays over 5,000 human skulls, bones and clothes of the victims. This visit is a profoundly harrowing experience of Cambodia's recent past.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, which is essential for first time visitors to Cambodia. During the Pol Pot regime, Toul Sleng, formerly a high school, was converted to a detention center known for interrogation and torture of prisoners before being transferred to the "Killing Fields." Enjoy a bit of local shopping at the Toul Tom Pong Market, before visiting the fields at Cheung Ek. Today, the site is a memorial for Cambodians and visitors to pay their respect for those lost. A memorial stupa has been erected and displays over 5,000 human skulls, bones and clothes of the victims. This visit is a profoundly harrowing experience of Cambodia's recent past.
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International flight home
Transfer to the airport for a flight home or continue with an optional Yampu tours add-on.
Transfer to the airport for a flight home or continue with an optional Yampu tours add-on.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Battambang, Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Places You'll See
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Siem Reap
Showcasing colonial Chinese-style architecture, Siem Reap is a cultural and historical gold mine. There are several Buddhist temples scattered throughout the city, including the Wat Preah Prom Rath showcasing its 500-year history. Take a ceramic class at the Angkor Pottery Center, or catch a traditional performance at the Aspara Theater.
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Battambang
With many nearby ancient temples, Battambang is a popular destination for many travelers each year. This city certainly has unique charm with its well preserved colonial buildings blending into a modern city with an ever increasing varieties of food and coffee.
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Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia as well as the country’s largest city, offers beautiful and historic architecture and cultural experiences galore. One can take a Tuk-tuk ride (a motorcycle with a cabin attached for passengers) to the national museum or even the Royal Throne hall to learn about the area and its history.
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Testimonials
Emily K.
Traveled January, 2015
I had such a great time with Yampu
I had such a great time with Yampu, and I would love to travel with them again. My boyfriend and I booked a customized private tour to Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai), Laos (Luang Prabang), Cambodia (Siem Reap and Phnom Penh), and Vietnam (Saigon, Hanoi, and Halong Bay.) We both enjoyed every minute of the trip. The guides were all friendly and knowledgeable, the drivers were always punctual, the accommodations were lovely, and the food was delicious. I would highly recommend Yampu to anyone who wants to have a good time on their vacation.
Traveled To
Edna
Traveled February, 2014
In Myanmar, all the people were very nice and so were the guides
Overall, it was great and as good as anyone could expect. In Myanmar, all the people were very nice and so were the guides. We also felt quite safe. The hotels were, in one word, superb; each more beautiful than the other. I felt bad leaving. The program was very intense and tough; a lot of climbing and a schedule without, or little breaks. Your tip about wearing sandals was greatly appreciated, since we had to take off and put on footwear so many times. You told us that people wanted clean dollar bills. This was very extreme. Even at the visa office, we have been asked three times for a different bill before it was acceptable. In other words, tourists should not use the ATM, but rather go to the bank and obtain clean new bills. Cambodia was a very good balance to Myanmar. Both places had very nice people, and, of course, fascinating temples and other sites, but the Cambodia part had a more relaxed schedule and the tours consisted of very different temples; huge, large black stones, and ruined structures, rather than the more delicate, golden temples of Myanmar. Overall, we had a great trip. Both countries, as different as they are, are fascinating and the trip more than worthwhile.
Traveled To
Ariel
Traveled June, 2014
Overall I would say my trip to Cambodia was amazing
Overall I would say my trip to Cambodia was amazing! Everyone was really friendly and the temples were beautiful!
Traveled To