Duration:

7 day / 6 night
6 days/ 5 nights (Take out Prasat Bakan)

Challenge:

4 and a bit stars, moderate to a small amount of challenge, more endurance than anything, riding on unpaved, flat national road, some challenging bridges.  The route is well divided out with stops to allow for rest throughout and down time between destinations. 

Tour Summary:

Day 1:

4 amazing temple complexes, 3 provinces in a semi circle, 2 provincial capitals, an old KR stronghold, a challenging ride to the heart of Cambodia, not a lot of luxury but the ride of your life. 

Your tour leader and guide will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to base camp. You will be briefed on safety instructions and procedures for the tour.

Depart Siem Reap to Anlong Veng for your first night on the Dangrek escarpment, burial place of Pol Pot. This was the last stronghold of the Khmer rouge and is located nearly 140 km north, a three to four hour ride. Paul provides an in-depth historical background and a tour of the mountain. Excellent food and accommodation in this stunning mountain camp. 

Day 2:

Drive 125 km along the border of Kulen Prum Tep Wildlife Sanctuary from Anlong Veng to Preah Vihear on this new road to visit this isolated temple in the sky.  About 3.5 hours to the summit. This temple sits overlooking both Cambodia and Thailand and provides exception views on the surrounding countryside. Accommodation in a local guesthouse. Option to sleep out in hammocks. Good food throughout.

Day 3:

Sunrise over Preah Vihear. Drive on rough roads to Tbeng Meanchey, the lively capital town of Preah Vihear Province. This is a small friendly town and a passing through point. You will be able to visit a local silk-weaving co-operative. Lively central town square with restaurants & local entertainment. Good food and accommodation available in local hotel. Drive time 5 hours, distance 130 km.

Day 4:

Following breakfast, ride through the small town of Kulen for lunch and then on before finding yourself in the 10^th century pre-angkorian capital and at the foot of Koh Ker temple. 4/5 hours ride. Accommodation in new wooden house in the village. Food basic. Provisions from Siem Reap.

Day 5:

After climbing to the top of Koh Ker, back on the bikes for the challenging ride to Bakan temple, a massive temple complex seen only by a few. Accommodation is with a prominent local family who welcome us in to their home in the small village of Ta Seng. People are friendly and very interested in the visitors. Access to Prasat Bakan depends on the season. This is very much the Hidden Cambodia. 6 hour ride. Food and accommodation are basic.

Day 6:

The senior guardian provides a tour of the Bakan complex temples before heading on to Kampong Thom, the capital of the province.  Stop off at Sambor Prei Kup, a seventh century complex of temples before hitting Kampong Thom town, the capital town of the province and a busy market town with a selection of restaurants and entertainment. 5 hour to destination. Great food and accommodation in local hotel.

Day 7:

Return to Siem Reap after a visit to Santuk Mountain, a holy place just outside of Kampong Thom. It contains many shrines but its outstanding feature is a reclining Buddha carved on to rock, one of the largest reclining Buddha’s in the world. Flat road back to Siem Reap in time for sunset and celebrations. Check-in to your hotel and wash out the dust and aches and pains of long day’s travel. Reconvene at Hidden Cambodia’s base for dinner to celebrate the journey.  4 hours ride, 150kms.