Northern Cambodia Hike and Bike Tour

Welcome to Cambodia! Find your own transportation to the hotel to check-in after 2pm. At dinner time, meet your guide and group in the lobby for a welcome dinner and orientation on the upcoming adventure.

Start the tour off with an incredible exploration of the ancient temple complex, Angkor Wat. This iconic religious compound is a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the 12th century. Climb along the ancient walls and note how engulfed in nature the crumbling temples are. Have lunch nearby, then continue visiting the must-see spots like the Royal Palace, the Elephant Terrace, and the Bayon Temple. In the late afternoon, return to the hotel, then prepare for a delectable gastronomic tour of the street food stalls dotting Siem Reap. Fill up on local meats and vegetables prepared in unique ways and wash the dishes down with some local beer. Head back to the hotel with a full heart and even fuller stomach.

Rise early for a transfer to the nearby Phnom Kulen National Park. Once you reach the starting point within the park limits, bid farewell to the city’s comforts and head into the jungle for the night. Hike along mighty rivers surrounded by tropical jungle and encounter religious carvings along the way. Stop at the refreshing Phnom Kulen Waterfall for a dip. Continue onto an idyllic picnic spot immersed in nature, then march on to reach a local homestay deep in the Cambodian jungle for the night.

As you wake up, listen to the sounds of birds and step out of your homestay door to admire the surrounding flora. Enjoy a hearty breakfast prepared by the homestay family, then set out on a hiking loop to discover what’s around you. Hike to hidden temples, ancient shrines, and ornate pagodas. Make sure to take moments to appreciate the stone carvings of Shiva, Vishnu, and other Hindu gods marked throughout the path. Complete the loop at the homestay and thank your hosts before receiving a transfer to the hotel in Siem Reap.

After breakfast, leave Siem Reap behind (for now) and head to Banteay Chhmar, a remote commune of ancient temples and local villagers. Check-in to your homestay on arrival and meet the locals who will then prepare lunch for you. A guide from the community will lead you throughout the area, comprised of stunning ancient temples full of history, which the guide will discuss. Head to a nearby reservoir to witness a magical sunset reflecting off its water, then return to your homestay to gather for a traditionally prepared dinner made with local ingredients from the community’s farmland.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast with your homestay crew and wander through the fields, gardens, and farms with your guide. Meet some farmers, help them carry out some tasks, and then gather for lunch together in the community restaurant. Bid farewell to the community and receive a transfer to Battambang. After checking into the hotel, you’ll have a free afternoon and evening to relax.

Wake up for breakfast and pack a day bag for an exciting cycling tour of the countryside. You’ll see the French colonial influences in the architecture along the river juxtaposed with ancient pagodas and temples lining the streets. Entering into the countryside, you’ll see many artisans working on their crafts. Your guide will know some of them so you can get up-close to watch how they produce their wares and maybe even try it yourself. After a full day of riding, you’ll be ready to head back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.

After breakfast, keep your mind on food because you’ll head to a cooking class in the heart of Battambang. Take instruction from the knowledgeable staff at the family-owned Nary Kitchen and create some delectable and authentic Khmer cuisine. To enhance the experience, shop for the ingredients at the market beforehand, and head home with a recipe book as a souvenir. Later in the afternoon, attend a phenomenal performance by the Phare Ponleu Selpak, an NGO with a mission to train disadvantaged young Cambodians. Appreciate their incredible skill and listen to their stories during the performance—it’s a real eye-opener! In the evening, summit a hill above the city to view a glorious sunset before returning to the hotel.

For your final day of the tour, you’ll close the loop on this tour in Cambodia and return to Siem Reap. With views of Tonle Sap Lake with its floating market and traditional Khmer houses, you’ll have plenty more pictures to take. Once you reach the hotel in Siem Reap, you’ll have free time to wander or relax before meeting your guide and group for a farewell dinner.

Enjoy your final breakfast with the Immerse in Cambodia crew, looking back on all the fun you’ve had in the last ten days. Pack up and check out by 12pm and find your own transportation to the next stop on your trip or to the airport to fly home.