Watch sunrise over Angkor Wat, then spend the day exploring Angkor Thom, Bayon, Preah Khan, Ta Nei and Ta Prohm by open-air tuk tuk, with an Angkor pass included.
Few sights match the sun rising behind Angkor Wat's five towers, and this full day tour builds an entire day of temple exploration around that moment.
After sunrise and breakfast, head back into Angkor via the South Gate to Angkor Thom, the walled 10 square kilometre city once more opulent than most European capitals of its era. Continue to the Bayon, its towers carved with more than 200 gently smiling faces, then to Preah Khan, the 'Sacred Sword', a 56 hectare monastic complex built by Jayavarman VII. The quieter Ta Nei and Ta Keo temples near the Eastern Baray follow before finishing at Ta Prohm, built as a shrine to Jayavarman VII's mother and left wrapped in jungle roots.
Your tuk tuk waits at the Eastern Gate for the return journey to Siem Reap.
A full, open-air day covering Angkor's essential sunrise-to-sunset circuit.
We pick up from Siem Reap Hotel
Your guide and tuk tuk drive welcome you in the early morning at your booked hotel in Siem Reap and head to the main gate of the Angkor temples and make your early morning stop to see the sunrise. Arguably the largest religious building in the world, with a volume of stone equalling that of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt, it is unlike all the other Khmer temples in that it faces west. Its symmetrical towers are stylized on the modern Cambodian flag. Conceived by Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat took an estimated 30 years to build.
You return to your hotel for breakfast, and we move back into the Angkor temples to admire some of the other inspirational temple ruins that define Angkor and make it a proud member of the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Via the South Gate, we visit Angkor Thom. The Great City of Angkor Thom is one of the central points within the whole Angkor Complex, which was probably more opulent than most European cities in the late 12th century. This ten square kilometres city is enclosed by an eight-meter high wall and encircled by a hundred-meter long moat said to have been inhabited by fierce crocodiles.
We continue to the Bayon and the Preah Khan Temple before lunch. The Bayon is a 12th-century masterpiece that lies at the very centre of Angkor Thom City and is an archaeological wonder of symmetry and grandeur. The exterior gallery walls have extensive bas-reliefs but the main features are the towers, each with 3 or 4 gently smiling faces, over 200 in total.
Continue to Preah Khan, "The Sacred Sword", an extensive monastic complex covering over 56 hectares built by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a monastery and teaching complex.
Your three-wheeled motorized vehicle takes us to the Ta Nei Temple and the Tao Keo temple near the Eastern Baray. Both are lesser-known, yet as interesting as all the other temple ruins.
Finally, the Ta Prohm was built by Jayavarman VII as a shrine to his mother and is another must-see. While clearing back the forest, it was decided to leave them in place to serve as a reminder of how the original discovers found it and other temples. Your tuk tuk waits at the Eastern Gate and brings you back in comfort back to your overnight address where you will arrive at around 6 pm.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Your guide to the flawless travel experience