Private 4-Day Trip: Phnom Penh, Kampong Thom & Siem Reap

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Phnom Penh Cultural & Historical Highlights
6 stops
1
Royal Palace
Meet your professional private driver and guide in your hotel lobby. Begin your deep-dive exploration of Phnom Penh, a city where French colonial boulevards meet bustling riverside life and profound historical milestones. Step inside Cambodia's majestic royal residence, built after King Norodom relocated the royal capital from Oudong in the mid-19th century. Admire the striking classical Khmer architecture of the Throne Hall, walk the manicured palace grounds, and enter the legendary Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo Morakot), home to national treasures including the gleaming Emerald Buddha and a floor paved with over 5,000 solid silver tiles.
2 hours • Admission ticket not included
2
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
Gain a moving, essential perspective on Cambodia's modern history at S-21. Once a quiet suburban high school, it was converted by the Khmer Rouge regime into a notorious interrogation and detention center. Walk through the preserved cell blocks and photographic archives to understand the resilience of the Cambodian people.
2 hours • Admission ticket not included
3
Choeung Ek Genocidal Center
Travel approximately 15 km south of the city to the solemn memorial site of Choeung Ek. Pay your respects at the striking Buddhist stupa filled with thousands of human skulls. the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center—widely known as The Killing Fields—stands as a profoundly moving and essential historical memorial. This site preserves the tragic memory of the more than one million Cambodians executed by the communist Khmer Rouge regime during its brutal rule from 1975 to 1979. Visiting Choeung Ek provides travelers with a deeply reflective experience, honoring the victims and offering crucial insight into the resilience of the Cambodian nation.
1 hour 20 minutes • Admission ticket not included
4
Wat Phnom
Rising 27 meters above the bustling urban grid, Wat Phnom is not only the historic birthplace of Phnom Penh but also one of the city's most revered and atmospheric spiritual sanctuaries. Founded in 1373 by a wealthy widow named Penh—who discovered four sacred bronze Buddha statues washed ashore in the Mekong River—this legendary pagoda gave the modern capital its name ("Hill of Penh").
1 hour • Admission ticket not included
5
Independence Monument
Rising gracefully in the heart of Phnom Penh at the bustling intersection of Norodom and Sihanouk boulevards, the Independence Monument stands as a striking emblem of Cambodia’s liberation and national pride. Designed by renowned Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann and inaugurated in 1958, the monument commemorates the country's hard-won independence from French colonial rule in 1953.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
6
Statue of King Father Norodom Sihanouk
Standing proudly in a grand public park across from the Independence Monument, the bronze statue of the late King Father Norodom Sihanuk is a powerful tribute to one of the most influential figures in modern Cambodian history. Dedicated to honoring his tireless efforts in achieving national independence and guiding the kingdom through decades of turbulent history, this towering memorial serves as a focal point for national remembrance. Conclude your immersive day of history and culture with a comfortable private transfer back to your hotel.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
Day 2
Overland Journey via Skun Market to Siem Reap
6 stops
7
Phnom Penh
Meet your private driver and guide at your hotel lobby to begin your scenic overland journey north toward Siem Reap. Sit back and enjoy the shifting landscapes as urban capital scenery transitions into lush rural Cambodian countryside, dotted with rice paddies, traditional stilted houses, and sugar palm trees.
1 hour 20 minutes • Admission ticket free
8
Spider Market
Arrive at the famous local market in Skun, a bustling roadside hub renowned for its exotic culinary traditions. Step out with your guide to explore stalls brimming with regional delicacies, including crispy fried tarantulas, grasshoppers, crickets, and silkworms. Learn about the history behind this unique snack trade and—if you are feeling adventurous—sample a freshly prepared delicacy!
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
9
Step off the beaten tourist path and into the living heritage of Cambodia's artisan culture at the Stone Statues Workshop Area in Santuk Village. Located in Kampong Thom province—an area deeply rooted in the history of the ancient Khmer Empire—this rustic community offers a fascinating look at the traditional stonemasonry techniques passed down through generations. Witness local master artisans and family workshops transforming raw sandstone into intricate replicas of ancient temple deities, Buddhas, and mythical figures using hand-chiseled tools.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
10
Spean Praptos
Stop briefly at the historic Spean Praptos (Kampong Kdei Bridge), an engineering marvel of the Angkorian era. Walk along this magnificent 12th-century laterite bridge featuring multiple corbelled arches and dramatic naga serpent balustrades, offering a fantastic photo opportunity.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
11
Kampong Phluk Floating Village
Arrive at the edge of the legendary Tonle Sap Lake (Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake). Board a private local boat to glide deep into Kampong Phluck, an extraordinary community where towering houses stand on stilts up to 10 meters high to accommodate dramatic seasonal water level changes. Cruise past stilted schools, floating markets, and flooded mangrove forests while observing the unique daily lives of local fishermen.
2 hours • Admission ticket not included
12
Siem Reap
Reboard your private vehicle for the final stretch into Siem Reap city. Your guide and driver will drop you off directly at your hotel lobby for check-in, concluding a rich, culture-filled day of travel.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
Day 3
The Grandeur of Angkor Thom & Angkor Wat
5 stops
13
Angkor Thom
Your private English-speaking guide and air-conditioned vehicle will greet you directly at your hotel lobby. Step back into the height of the 12th-century golden age at Angkor Thom, the magnificent final and most enduring capital city of the Khmer Empire. Spanning a vast 9 square kilometers and enclosed by towering laterite walls and deep moats, this monumental city was built by Cambodia’s greatest monarch, King Jayavarman VII. Begin your journey by crossing the grand South Gate, flanked by dramatic stone rows of gods and demons locked in a legendary ocean-churning saga.
30 minutes • Admission ticket not included
14
Bayon Temple
Stand face-to-face with the mystical smiling stone faces of the Bayon, whose colossal features gaze calmly in all directions across the jungle canopy, creating one of the most hypnotic sights in archaeology.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
15
Explore the sprawling imperial grounds, including the soaring pyramid of Baphuon, the royal enclosure of Phimeanakas, and the majestic, relief-carved Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
16
Ta Prohm Temple
Venture deeper into the jungle to explore Ta Prohm, left intentionally largely un-restored. Here, massive silk-cotton trees (Tetrameles nudiflora) and sprawling strangler figs intertwine aggressively with ancient masonry. Watch how massive roots wrench apart gallery walls and creep across doorways, creating a photographer's paradise and an atmospheric glimpse of nature reclaiming human empire.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
17
Angkor Wat
Dedicate your afternoon to exploring Angkor Wat, the ultimate masterpiece of Khmer architecture and the largest religious monument on Earth. • Walk across the massive sandstone bridge spanning the wide outer moat. • Marvel at the intricate, mile-long bas-relief galleries depicting epic Hindu epics and historical wars. • Ascend to the upper sanctuary tier (* Bakan*) to view the five sacred lotus-bud towers that now form the emblem of Cambodia's national flag, enjoying sweeping views over the surrounding forest before returning to your hotel.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 4
Remote Jungle Ruins of Beng Mealea & Koh Ker
8 stops
18
Prasat Beng Mealea
Your private guide and driver will pick you up directly from your hotel lobby in Siem Reap. Leave the city behind as you head northeast on a scenic drive through rural Cambodian villages, rice paddies, and traditional wooden houses, watching local life wake up along the road. Arrive at the sprawling 12th-century temple of Beng Mealea. Built during the reign of Suryavarman II in the same architectural style as Angkor Wat, this massive site is left largely cloaked in thick vegetation and ancient tree roots. Walk through the atmospheric labyrinth of collapsed stone galleries and moss-covered corridors for an authentic "Indiana Jones" style discovery experience.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
19
Koh Ker Temple
Tucked deep within the remote 10th-century capital complex of Koh Ker, Prasat Pram offers one of the most spellbinding and photogenic sights in northern Cambodia. True to its name—where Prasat means temple and Pram means five in Khmer—this unique sanctuary consists of five individual brick brick-and-laterite towers scattered across a tranquil, tree-shaded clearing.
20 minutes • Admission ticket not included
20
Unlike the iconic red-brick or grey-sandstone monuments scattered across Cambodia, Prasat Neang Khmao is constructed from uniquely dark ironstone/sandstone, offering a striking visual aesthetic and a moody, atmospheric setting.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free
21
Explore nearby rock carvings embedded in the surrounding landscape (Trapeang Ang Khnar) that feature ancient Hindu deities, which were historically designed to purify water before it flowed toward the sacred reservoir.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
22
Tucked away within the remote archaeological landscape of Koh Ker, Prasat Damrei Kandoeng (often simply called Prasat Damrei or the "Elephant Temple") is one of the most captivating hidden gems of the 10th-century Khmer Empire. Built during the reign of King Jayavarman IV when Koh Ker served as the brief capital of Cambodia, this sanctuary offers a striking departure from the traditional temple designs found in central Siem Reap.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free
23
Step inside a rare 10th-century temple dedicated to the Hindu creator god Lord Brahma, offering a distinct departure from the more common Shiva- or Vishnu-centric shrines of the Angkor era.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free
24
Nestled deep within the sprawling archaeological landscape of the 10th-century remote capital of Koh Ker, Prasat Thnoeng (also known historically as Prasat Theng or part of the eastern Linga terrace group) offers a fascinating look into the esoteric religious architecture of the Khmer Empire.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free
25
Rising unexpectedly from the remote northern Cambodian forest canopy, the Koh Ker Pyramid Temple (Prasat Thom) stands as one of the most striking and mysterious monuments of the ancient Khmer Empire. Built in the 10th century when King Jayavarman IV briefly relocated the imperial capital away from Angkor (928 AD–944 AD), this monumental structure breaks entirely from traditional flat temple designs. Unlike the horizontal layouts of most Angkor-era shrines, Prasat Thom is a commanding 7-tiered, 36-meter-high step pyramid that bears a striking resemblance to ancient Mesoamerican architecture. Begin your comfortable, air-conditioned return journey southward, reflecting on a day spent far off the typical tourist trail and conclude your full-day adventure with a direct drop-off at your hotel lobby.
2 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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