The Wild Kingdom of the Khmer – Hidden Treasures in Cambodia’s Jungle
The land of ancient temples, lush landscapes, and a rich cultural heritage offers a unique blend of history and natural beauty. Traveling through its diverse regions reveals the heart and soul of this fascinating country.
Beyond the modern capital Phnom Penh and the cultural world of Angkor, you will discover the wild Mekong with its scenic sunsets and charming small towns shaped by French colonial architecture.
In the remote northeastern provinces near the borders with Laos and Vietnam, untouched jungle landscapes, secluded waterfalls, and indigenous hill tribes dominate the scenery. A highlight of your journey is the encounter with the Irrawaddy freshwater dolphins. A boat trip along the Mekong gives you a rare chance to observe these gentle and playful creatures in their natural habitat.
The Best Time to Visit
Cambodia’s rainy season begins around May and ends in September. Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Battambang can be visited year-round. During the rainy season, we do not recommend traveling to the northeastern regions due to difficult road conditions, nor to the seaside resorts because of rapidly changing weather. The best travel period is from November to March.
11-Day Private Tour Through Cambodia | Daily Departures Available
The Wild Kingdom of the Khmer – Hidden Treasures in Cambodia’s Jungle
Phnom Penh – Kampong Cham – Kratie – Ratanakiri – Kampong Thom – Siem Reap
Vibes of Asia - What's Included
– Private tour in an air-conditioned vehicle with driver
– 10 nights in first-class hotel
– Daily breakfast
– Additional meals as specified (1x Dinner, 9x Lunch)
– English-speaking guide
– All listed entrance fees and attractions
– Detailed day-by-day itinerary
Experience Cambodia– entirely your way
(CAM6105)
This journey is tailored individually. We will be pleased to provide pricing upon request – based on your travel dates and preferences.
Choose between two established travel options:
🔹 Tour with English-speaking guide
🔹 Tour with multilingual guide (French, Spanish, Italian; other languages on request)
We can create a customized proposal for you – tailored to your preferred route, hotel category, and travel duration.
👉 Additional costs may apply during festival periods or for special services such as gala dinners.
👉 Family, children’s and group rates available on request.
📩 Contact us anytime – we will be pleased to advise you personally and without obligation.
Day 1 | Welcome to Phnom Penh
We welcome you at the airport and, together with your guide, transfer you to your booked hotel.
After check-in, you visit Wat Phnom, located in the heart of the capital. Built on an artificial hill, it is the highest religious structure in the city—a peaceful retreat amid the lively urban atmosphere.
In the evening, embark on a culinary adventure with a Tuk-Tuk food tour through Phnom Penh’s bustling streets. Explore local street stalls and learn more about Khmer specialties. After a memorable first day, return to your hotel.
Phnom Penh | Dinner | Local Guide
Day 2 | Historical Highlights – A Journey Through the Past
Today is full of remarkable experiences. At the Royal Palace, you witness the refined charm of the Cambodian monarchy. This complex is the official residence of the King. The National Museum houses an impressive collection that reflects the country’s rich history and cultural heritage. Afterwards, explore the colonial streets by cyclo.
To gain insight into one of the darkest chapters of Cambodia’s past, you visit the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum. Once a high school, it was transformed into a security prison by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, where thousands were interrogated, tortured, and executed.
A short drive outside the city takes you to Choeung Ek, the most well-known of Cambodia’s “Killing Fields,” where the suffering under the brutal regime becomes painfully tangible.
Travel Tip: In the evening, enjoy a walk along the scenic Tonle Sap riverside. Take in views of the skyline, traditional wooden boats, and the lively atmosphere of street vendors. Stroll past the Royal Palace and numerous cafés and restaurants.
Phnom Penh | Breakfast & Lunch | Local Guide
Day 3 | Mekong Islands & Cambodian Countryside
Your morning begins with a dive into Phnom Penh’s graffiti and street-art scene. Colorful murals and intricate graffiti have become vibrant expressions of the city’s evolving urban culture.
Afterwards, take the ferry to Koh Dach, also called Silk Island. This peaceful Mekong island is known for its rural scenery, traditional Khmer villages, and local silk weaving.
Continue to Kampong Cham province, where you visit Koh Paen, an island in the middle of the Mekong. By bicycle or Tuk-Tuk, you experience authentic local life and everyday culture.
Two contrasting temples complete today’s impressions. Wat Nokor, dating to the 12th century, exudes a serene atmosphere. Wat Moha Leap, hidden among numerous small villages, is one of the last remaining wooden pagodas in Cambodia. According to legend, the Khmer Rouge refused to destroy it because they feared its spiritual powers.
Phnom Penh – Kampong Cham | Breakfast & Lunch | Local Guide
Day 4 | Daily Life in Rural Cambodia
Today you visit Cheung Kok Village, supported by the French NGO Amica. In earlier times, villagers were only able to cultivate rice once a year and struggled with seasonal unemployment. Since 2005, training programs have enabled them to diversify their income. Sustainable tourism with homestays was also introduced, and over 95% of families participate.
Your journey continues along the Mekong through lush landscapes to the charming town of Chhlong. Enjoy a visit to its local farmers’ market, colonial-era buildings, and its relaxed riverside ambiance.
In Kratie, a Mekong riverside town, you visit Wat Roka Kandal, a late-18th-century temple built with traditional wooden architecture. It is the only remaining pagoda of its kind in Cambodia. Restored with support from the German government, it now functions as a cultural and handicraft center.
You will also see the reconstructed 200-year-old 100-Pillar House from Chhlong, which now has about half of its original pillars.
Kampong Cham – Kratie | Breakfast & Lunch | Local Guide
Day 5 | Irrawaddy Dolphins & Jungle Waterfalls
Prepare for an exciting day. At the Mekong River, a boat takes you to the natural habitat of the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins.
Their population has declined sharply over the past decades. While thousands lived here in the 1970s, fewer than 100 remain today. Thanks to conservation efforts by the WWF and the Cambodian government, sustainable fishing practices have helped stabilize the population.
Irrawaddy dolphins have expressive, almost beluga-like faces. Unlike oceanic dolphins, they rarely leap fully out of the water—so be ready with your camera.
Continue into Ratanakiri province to the Ka Tieng Waterfall and its nearby elephant camp. Surrounded by dense jungle and named after the local Kreung minority, the waterfall drops 10 meters, offering a beautiful viewpoint. A staircase leads into the natural pool where swimming is possible.
Kratie – Ratanakiri | Breakfast & Lunch | Local Guide
Day 6 | Volcanic Crater Lake & Hill Tribes
Northeastern Ratanakiri borders Laos to the north and Vietnam to the east. It is one of Cambodia’s most remote regions, home to pristine forests, rich wildlife, and numerous ethnic minorities. Its landscapes are strikingly beautiful and largely untouched.
Today you visit Boeng Yeak Lom, a nearly perfect circular volcanic crater lake surrounded by dense forest. With crystal-clear water and a depth of 48 meters, it’s one of the most scenic natural sites in the country.
Continue through rolling hills to Cha Ong Waterfall, where water cascades 25 meters over a cliff into a jungle valley.
The region is home to many indigenous communities, known in Khmer as “Chunchiet.” You will stop in a Tampuon minority village to learn about their traditional ways of life, preserved far from the influences of modern society. Later, a boat takes you deep into forested areas to a Kachon village, home to some of the region’s most impressive totem poles.
Ratanakiri | Breakfast & Lunch | Local Guide
Day 7 | Journey Through Untamed Landscapes
Your route from Ratanakiri to Kampong Thom offers a captivating transition of landscapes. At first, you pass lush forests and cascading waterfalls. As the road winds through green mountains, you experience the raw beauty of northeastern Cambodia. Gradually, the scenery opens into vast plains dotted with rice fields.
Kampong Thom, located in central Cambodia, forms a striking contrast to the remoteness of Ratanakiri. Here, lively market towns and the rhythm of everyday Cambodian life shape the experience.
This road trip not only offers sweeping vistas but also a deeper understanding of the country’s cultural and natural heritage.
Along the way, visit Phnom Santuk, a sacred hill rising 679 meters above the landscape. Its pagoda and golden Buddha statue offer wonderful panoramic views over the surrounding plains.
Ratanakiri – Kampong Thom | Breakfast & Lunch | Local Guide
Day 8 | Jungle Temples & Floating Villages
Today’s journey takes you through lush countryside to Sambor Prei Kuk, a forest-covered temple complex in Kampong Thom province. Older than Angkor Wat by several centuries, this masterpiece of early Khmer architecture is set deep within the forest. It once served as the capital of the Chenla Kingdom, the predecessor of the Khmer Empire.
Continue past green rice paddies and traditional stilt houses toward the floating villages of the Tonle Sap. These unique communities have adapted to the lake’s constantly changing water levels by building their homes on stilts. A boat trip allows you to observe centuries-old traditions, fishing culture, and daily life on Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake.
Insider Tip: Take a Tuk-Tuk through the charming town center to explore the local markets, the Riverside Night Market, and the lively Pub Street with its restaurants and bars.
Kampong Thom – Siem Reap | Breakfast & Lunch | Local Guide
Day 9 | Exploring the Enchanting Temples of Angkor
Today you dive into the mystical temple world of Angkor, the former capital of the Khmer Empire, whose golden age spanned from the 9th to the 15th century.
Within this vast archaeological park, you visit Angkor Thom, the “Great City,” surrounded by massive walls and an immense moat. Enter through the majestic South Gate, lined with statues of gods and demons. At the center lies the enigmatic Bayon Temple, famed for its serene stone faces.
Ta Prohm, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, remained hidden under the jungle for 400 years. Massive tree roots have grown over the temple walls, creating an unforgettable, almost surreal atmosphere.
In the afternoon comes the pinnacle of your journey: Angkor Wat. Considered one of the greatest architectural achievements of antiquity, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a powerful symbol of Cambodia. In the late afternoon, enjoy sunset views from Phnom Bakheng Hill.
Siem Reap | Breakfast & Lunch | Local Guide
Day 10 | Ancient Temple Ruins
Together with your guide, you head into the countryside to visit Banteay Srei. Built in the 10th century, this red-sandstone temple is known for its intricate carvings and its name, “Citadel of Women,” symbolizing grace and refinement.
Continue to Banteay Samre, a beautiful temple built in the style of Angkor Wat.
In the afternoon, explore the Roluos Group—three ancient temples representing some of the earliest examples of classical Khmer architecture. Preah Ko, Bakong, and Lolei date back to the 9th century and reveal the artistic achievements of the early Khmer civilization.
Siem Reap | Breakfast & Lunch | Local Guide
Day 11 | Departure or Extension Program
After breakfast, we transfer you to Siem Reap Airport—taking with you unforgettable memories of this remarkable journey.
We are happy to help you plan an additional program in Cambodia or in other Southeast Asian countries.
Siem Reap | Breakfast | No Guide
Selected Hotels for Your Journey
Palace Gate Hotel 4*
Phnom Penh
Hanchey Bamboo Resort 3.5*
Kampong Cham
Soriyabori Villas Resort 3*
Kratie
Terre Rouge Lodge 3.5*
Ratanakiri
Sambor Village 3*
Kambong Thom
Lotus Blanc Hotel 4*
Siem Reap