7-Day Private Tour of Cambodia and Laos

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Welcome to Siem Reap
1 stop
1
Siem Reap
Fly to Siem Reap. Welcome to Cambodia. Upon arrival in Siem Reap Airport, obtain your Cambodia visa, and then clear Immigration and Customs. After collecting your baggage, exit the airport to meet outside a local Guide. He/she will be holding a sign with your names on it. You will be privately transferred between the airport and your hotel by a professional driver and an English-speaking guide for a three-night stay at the Golden Temple Retreat Hotel, the closest hotel to the treasures of the fabled archaeological site at Angkor. Siem Reap is the base for exploring the fabled temples of Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer empire. Settle in and enjoy the afternoon and evening at your leisure.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 2
: The wonders of Angkor
8 stops
2
Angkor Thom South Gate
Spend the early morning visit the ancient capital of Angkor Thom (12th century). This huge walled complex was the centre of the world’s largest city in 1200. Following the occupation of Angkor by the Chams from 1177 to 1181, the King Jayavarman VII decided to build an impregnable fortress at the heart of his empire. The scale is simply staggering and we are immediately overwhelmed by the audacity of Jayavarman on arrival at the city’s gates. The causeway is lined by an intricate bridge depicting the Churning of the Ocean of Milk from Hindu mythology in which the devas (gods) and asuras (devils) play tug of war with a naga (seven-headed serpent) to obtain the elixir of immortality. Its vast walls, some 6m wide, 8m high and 13km in length contain many monuments.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
3
Bayon Temple
Next, visit Bayon temple surrounded by faces on all sides, visitors never forget the enigmatic and enchanting temple of the Bayon. At the exact centre of Angkor Thom, this is an eccentric expression of the creative genius and inflated ego of Cambodia’s most celebrated king. Its 54 towers are each topped off with the four faces of Avalokiteshvara (Buddha of Compassion), which bear more than a passing resemblance to the king himself. These colossal heads stare down from every side, exuding power and control with a hint of compassion, just the mix required to keep a hold on such a vast empire. Unlike his predecessors who had worshipped the Hindu deities of Shiva and Vishnu, Jayavarman VII adopted Mahayana Buddhism as the fount of royal divinity. This sets the Bayon apart from many other Angkorian monuments. The bas-reliefs here depict intricate scenes of ancient battles against the Chams and offer a wonderful snapshot of daily life during the Angkor period.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
4
Baphuon Temple
You’ll then continue to visit Baphuon. It is located in Angkor Thom, northwest of the Bayon. Built in the mid-11th century, it is a three-tiered temple mountain built as the state temple of Udayadityavarman II dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva.
45 minutes • Admission ticket included
5
Terrace of the Elephants
Stroll to the Terrace of the Elephants is part of the walled city of Angkor Thom. The terrace was used by Angkor's king Jayavarman VII as a platform from which to view his victorious returning army. It was attached to the palace of Phimeanakas, of which only a few ruins remain.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
6
Terrace of the Leper King
We also visit, Terrace of the Leper King is located in the northwest corner of the Royal Square of Angkor Thom, Cambodia. It was built in the Bayon style under Jayavarman VII, though its modern name derives from a 15th-century sculpture discovered at the site. The statue depicts the Hindu god Yama, the god of death.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
7
Phimeanakas
Next, visit Phimeanakas or Vimeanakas, is a Hindu temple in the Khleang style, built at the end of the 10th century, during the reign of Rajendravarman, and then completed by Suryavarman I in the shape of a three tier pyramid as a Hindu temple.
45 minutes • Admission ticket included
8
Ta Prohm
Next, you’ll continue to Ta Phrom this temple is perhaps the most atmospheric of all Angkor’s treasures. The temple was a monastery built by Jayavarman VII as a residence for his mother. Ta Prohm has been left to the destructive power of nature by archaeologists to demonstrate the awesome power of nature. It has been largely consumed by the jungle and as you climb through the dilapidated stone structures you see many giant trees growing out of the top of the temple itself. At every turn you expect to see Indiana Jones or Lara Croft step out from behind a fallen pillar. It is one of the most regularly visited temples, with visitors often arriving during the middle of the day to take advantage of the protective forest canopy above the ruined temple. Ta Prohm looks as many of the monuments did when European explorers first laid eyes on them. This was one of the settings for Lara Croft’s adventures in “Tomb Raider”. Afterwards, enjoy your lunch at a delicious local restaurant.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket included
9
Angkor Wat
Take a break for lunch at local restaurant and afterwards, you’ll be dazzled by what you see this afternoon at the vast, 12th-century Angkor Wat temple; the bas-reliefs and many devatas (guardian spirits) that cover its walls inspire awe and admiration. This example of classical Khmer architecture has been a significant religious center for Hindus and then Buddhists through the ages.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 3
Khmer temples & a Tonle Sap Lake cruise
3 stops
10
Banteay Srei
This morning, journey north to visit Banteay Srei. This jewel of Angkor was built by a Brahman in the 10th Century and dedicated to Shiva. The famous pink sandstone structure bears a series of exquisite sculptures, lintels and friezes. These, it is said, must have been carved by women as the detail is too fine for the hands of a man. This gives the origin of the Khmer name, Fortress of the Women. While it may be a small temple complex, the beauty of Banteay Srei is found not in the scale, but the detail. Many believe the intricate carving is the best example of Khmer classical art in existence. Stop at a local village to visit families who are producing palm sugar.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
11
Preah Khan
Next, continue to visit Preah Khan, built in the same style as Ta Prohm, Preah Khan is a much better state of preservation. Meaning The Sacred Sword, this temple was also built by Jayavarman VII and is famous for its immensely long cruciform corridors and delicate carvings, including the spectacular hall of dancers. Look out for the curious two-storey structure that is almost Grecian in inspiration. This is one of the few temples originally dedicated to both Buddhism and Hinduism. The original eastern entrance was for Mahayana Buddhists, while the other cardinal points represented the Hindu trinity of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. Afterwards, enjoy your lunch at a delicious local restaurant in town.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
12
Kompong Phluk
After lunch, you’ll continue for a tour of the surrounding countryside and take an ox-cart ride through the villages and the rice fields. At the end of your ride, have a fresh coconut drink with the family and do not hesitate to talk with the local people to get to know more about their lives. Later, you may wish to join us for drive to the fishing village of Kompong Pluk near Siem Reap and board a private boat. Visit Kompong Pluk village with its houses standing on stilts and board a pirogue to discover the seasonally flooded forest. Visit the floating village and discover the centuries-old lifestyle of the inhabitants of the lake.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 4
Siem Reap – Luang Prabang, LAOS
2 stops
13
Siem Reap
Today enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel. You will be privately transferred between your accommodations and Siem Reap Airport by a professional driver and an English-speaking guide. This afternoon board a flight from Siem Reap with direct service to Luang Prabang. Approximate flight time is one hour and 55 minutes.
6 hours • Admission ticket free
14
Luang Prabang
Fly Siem Reap to Luang Prabang, departing 16:25, arriving 18:20 Welcome to LAOS. Upon arrival in Luang Prabang Airport, obtain your Laos visa, and then clear Immigration and Customs. After collecting your baggage, exit the airport to meet outside a local Guide. He/she will be holding a sign with your names on it. You will be privately transferred between the airport and your hotel by a professional driver and an English-speaking guide. The crown jewel of Laos and former Lanexang, Luang Prabang, is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in South East Asia. Magical and charming, it has preserved its long-standing reputation as a stronghold of Lao culture with its splendid natural scenery and sense of timelessness. In 1995 UNESCO voted Luang Prabang as a World Heritage City. Settle in and enjoy the afternoon and evening at your leisure.
3 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
Discover Luang Prabang & Pak Ou Caves
5 stops
15
Royal Palace Museum
After breakfast, you'll head out with your guide and spend the morning learn about the town’s UNESCO World Heritage status and its history while exploring its beautifully preserved Buddhist temples, as well as Lanna, Thai and French colonial fusion architecture. Meander through charming alleyways draped in flowers, discuss Buddhism with temple monks and soak up the serene ambiance. Visit the former Royal Palace, now the Royal Palace Museum, where the Lao royal family lived until 1975, was built in 1904 for King Sisavang Vong and is now a museum that makes a good starting point on any tour of Luang Prabang. Combining elements of traditional Lao architecture with French influences, the building houses some unique Buddhas, including a large golden Buddha gifted by a Khmer king in the 14th century, and busts of the Lao royal family.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
16
Wat Xiengthong
Next, continue to visit Wat Xieng Thong, considered the most beautiful temple. The sim of the Wat represents the classic Luang Prabang temple architecture with roofs that sweep low to the ground. In the compound stand several small chapels housing bronze Buddha images, which were displayed in Paris in 1911. Near the East gate stands the Royal Funeral Chapel. Inside are an impressive 12-metre high funeral chariot and various funeral urns of the Royal Family. The gilt panel on the exterior of the chapel depicts a semi-erotic episode from Ramayana. Also look out for the “tree of life” montage on the rear temple wall.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
17
Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham
Then, continue to visit Wat Mai, built in 1796 and famous for the five-tiered roof of its wooden sim built in the standard of Luang Prabang style. Stroll through the old quarter to discover the daily lifestyle of townspeople.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
18
Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre
Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre is a museum with permanent and temporary exhibitions about the diverse ethnic groups of Laos. Permanent Exhibitions highlight the Akha, Kmhmu, Tai Dam, and Hmong ethnic minorities. Interactive and immersive, Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre newest special exhibition, "Voices of the Wind: Traditional Instruments in Laos" features wind instruments and their role in communication, ritual, and courtship. Through recreations of a Hmong instrument-maker's workshop, a Tai Dam healing ceremony, and interactive video kiosks, visitors can enter a world rarely seen by the general public. The adjacent Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre Museum Shop features fair trade handicrafts from 12 provinces of Laos supporting over 600 ethnic artisans from all over Laos.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
19
Pak Ou Caves
After lunch this afternoon you will be taken to the local pier to board a private traditional boat for the journey upstream on the Mekong River to visit the sacred Pak Ou Caves. After around an hour cruising up the Mekong, disembark your boat at the village of Ban Muangkeo where you can get a glimpse of daily life in rural Laos. From here set off on foot for the revered religious site of Pak Ou, two caves set in a limestone cliff facing the Mekong River crammed with thousands Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. After your visit to the caves return to Luang Prabang by boat, stopping off at Ban Nongxai artisans village en route. Return to your hotel in Luang Prabang for an evening spent at as you please.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 6
Alms in Luang Prabang & local rural life
3 stops
20
Alms Giving Ceremony
Early risers will have a chance to witness a moving ritual as long lines of barefoot monks walk silently along the streets on their morning alms rounds. The giving of alms represents a symbiotic exchange in which rice sustains the monks’ bodies, and the monks’ prayers nourish the spirit of those giving the rice. In late childhood, nearly all Laotian boys spend time as a monkhood, living in a monastery and studying Buddhism. Please note this is an ancient, sacred ritual to be observed at a respectful distance and in silence. Walking back to the hotel, wander through the colorful vegetable and fruit market before reconvening for breakfast.
45 minutes • Admission ticket included
21
The Living Land Farm
Spend the morning on a community based living rice farm in the countryside, surrounded by mountains and rice paddies. You’ll have an opportunity to experience the life of local rice farmers and try your hand at some of their daily activities, or view them from the comfort of a traditional Lao rice house balcony, surrounded by rice terraces and an organic vegetable farm. There will also be time to visit local handicraft workshops featuring crafts including bamboo weaving, blacksmithing, and sugar cane processing, and a tour of an organic garden offers insights on how natural herbs are used in traditional medicine.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
22
Kuang Si Falls
Return to town for lunch, then visit Kuang Si Waterfalls, stopping at a Hmong and a Khmu Village en route. Most of these villagers are farmers and fishermen and still employ centuries-old methods. Our visit allows insight into the daily life and culture of rural Laos. At the waterfalls, enjoy a walk to the many-tiered natural bathing pools and take a dip, if you like. On the way back to town, stop in at a project focusing on the rehabilitation and conservation of Asian bears. Return to your hotel in Luang Prabang for an evening spent at as you please.
3 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 7
Depart Luang Prabang
1 stop
23
Luang Prabang
Tour ends: Luang Prabang. A transfer from Burasari Heritage Luang Prabang to Luang Prabang International Airport is included. Please allow 3 hours for airport check-in formalities. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.
3 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Tags