Arrival in Phnom Penh and transfer to the hotel. Explore Phnom Penh a chaotic, energetic and always fascinating city with graceful tree-lined boulevards and riverfront promenades are reminders of bygone eras. Start the tour into Cambodia’s cultural heritage with a visit to the ROYAL PALACE and the adjacent SILVER PAGODA also known as the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha. Continue to the elegant NATIONAL MUSEUM, which contains a comprehensive collection of Khmer Art. Finally, explore the modern-day city, visiting one of Phnom Penh’s two great markets. The CENTRAL MARKET, located in a distinctive domed Art Deco building or the sprawling RUSSIAN MARKET, a labyrinth of stalls selling everything from CDs and DVDs to silks, crafts, jewelry and more. Check in at the hotel.

Overnight in Phnom Penh

After breakfast, start an excursion to Takeo Province. It is located south of Phnom Penh with several interesting historical sites including Angkor Borei. Discover TONLE BATI, a lake south of Phnom Penh with a beach and the impressive laterite temple of Ta Prohm. Explore ANGKOR BOREI, a 6th century monument which is one of the few remaining sites with traces of the Kingdom of Funan. Afterwards visit PHNOM DA, a hill south of Angkor Borei with four artificial caves, built as shrines. On top of the hill is a square laterite tower. Retire back to the hotel.

Overnight in Phnom Penh

After breakfast, travel by vehicle from Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham. Discover this lively port on the banks of the Mekong River with some good examples of colonial-era architecture. After visiting the LOCAL MARKET and exploring the town, travel into the countryside to PHNOM PROS (Man Hill) and PHNOM SREI (Woman Hill). According to local tradition, two teams of men and women competed to build a stupa on the summit of each hill before dawn. Continue to visit WAT NOKOR BAYON, a thriving modern-day monastery founded on a 11th century Mahayana Buddhist shrine. Enjoy the colourful shrine at the peak as well as lovely views over the surrounding countryside. Retire back to the hotel.

Overnight in Kampong Thom

After breakfast, start a sightseeing tour around Kampong Thom. Travel just outside the city to see key archaeological sites, starting with SAMBOR PREI KUK, perhaps the most important grouping of pre-Angkorian monuments in Cambodia. Explore the main central complex and gain an insight into the early architectural styles of Cambodia. Afterwards, continue to the modern-day shrines of WAT ANDRI, a thriving monastery. Proceed by vehicle from Kampong Thom to Siem Reap.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Start the day with a healthy breakfast before proceeding to a sightseeing tour in Angkor. Start with the crowning jewel of Khmer architecture. ANGKOR WAT is the national symbol and the highlight of any visit to Cambodia. The largest, best preserved and most religiously significant of the Angkor temples, it impresses visitors both by its sheer scale and beautifully proportioned layout as well as the delicate artistry of its carvings. On the way stop to enjoy the intricate stone carvings that adorn nearly every surface with some 1,700 Apsaras or celestial dancers, sculpted into the walls. Angkor Wat is stunning at any time of the day but sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful times to watch the play of light on the stones. Visit ANGKOR THOM. The fortified city of ANGKOR THOM covers an area of 10 km2. Enclosed by a wall and wide moats the city includes many of Angkor’s most popular sights. Enter by the monumental SOUTH GATE over a causeway lined on either side by statues of demons and gods each carrying a giant naga. Continue to the TERRACE OF THE ELEPHANTS and the TERRACE OF THE LEPER KINGS, former spaces for public ceremonies both adorned with dramatic bas reliefs. Visit the ruined BAPHUON, ROYAL ENCLOSURE and PHIMEANAKAS before continuing to the mysterious BAYON TEMPLE. It’s one of the most popular and compelling in Angkor, explore the galleries of beautifully preserved bas reliefs and ascend narrow stairs to reach the central sanctuary and find giant stone faces smiling enigmatically down from every angle. Continue to TA PROHM. It is one of the most popular attractions of Angkor. Watch the sunset over the Cambodian countryside from the upper terraces of an ancient Angkorian temple. Retire back to the hotel.

Overnight in Siem Reap

Start the tour with a visit of BANTEAY SREI TEMPLE. Seemingly miniature in comparison to the other Angkor temples it is considered to be the jewel of classical Khmer art. Because of its small size, fairy like atmosphere and extraordinary examples of Khmer sculpture, this temple is often a favorite with visitors. Discover BANTEAY SAMRE a mid-12th century temple dedicated to the god Vishnu. Proceed with an excursion to the KAMPONG KLEANG by boat. The place is situated on the north shore of Tonle Sap Lake. This boat trip will explore the floating fishing villages that live at the edges of the lake, passing submerged forests and fishing farms.

Overnight in Siem Reap

After breakfast, start the day with a sightseeing tour in Angkor. Visit PREAH KHAN, covering a very large area but the temple itself is enclosed within a rectangular wall of around 700 by 800 meters. Continue to the NEAK PEAN TEMPLE, a Buddhist temple consisting of a square pool with four smaller square pools arranged on each axis. Afterwards, visit the PRE RUP TEMPLE. It consists of a pyramid shaped temple with the upper-most of the three tiers carrying five square shrines arranged as a quincunx. Continue to TA SOM. It was built in the late 12th century. In the afternoon, visit the EASTERN MEBON, which is located on a former islet in the centre of the Eastern Baray. The base of the temple is guarded at its corners by stone figures of harnessed elephants. Transfer to the airport.