This is a suggested itinerary. Dates, stops & activities are all flexible.
14 Days: Siem Reap - Banteay Srei - Kampong Thom - Kampong Cham - Phnom Penh - Takeo - Kep - Koh Rong Sanloem
Activities: 8 days cycling 30-85 km per day, temples, landscapes, rural life, beach time
Day 1: Arrive in Siem Reap, meet your local guide and check in to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax and acclimatise, before your first taste of Khmer cuisine at dinner. (D)
Day 2: This morning you will be fitted with your high-quality mountain bike and begin exploring the world-famous temple sites. Cycle round the Small Circuit including Takeo, Sras Srang, Angkor Thom and the iconic Bayon temple, with its serene carved faces. After lunch, visit Angkor Wat itself and see its intricately carved bas reliefs. The evening is free to sample Siem Reap’s restaurants and nightlife or relax at the hotel. (B/L)
Day 3: Head north through local villages and witness the daily life of Cambodians, stopping for a closer look at traditional stilt houses and trying some of the palm sugar sweets that are made in people’s front gardens along the way. You reach the elaborately decorated temple of Banteay Srei at lunchtime before heading back to Siem Reap. In the evening, enjoy a traditional aspara dance performance with dinner. (B/L/D)
Day 4: Free day to visit some of the other sights of Siem Reap such as the Cultural Village or Landmine Museum, or the floating villages of Tonle Sap lake. Alternatively take it easy and treat yourself to a massage. (B)
Day 5: Today you head out of Siem Reap along the route of an ancient highway constructed during the Khmer empire. It takes you to the little visited Sambor Preikuk to cycle through magnificent UNESCO listed ruins, connected by shady dirt paths, before stopping for a packed lunch at a local village. Rest your legs before cycling to national highway 6, where the support van will pick you up and take you the remaining distance to Kampong Thom. (B/L)
Day 6: A smooth easy today as you ride though tropical farmlands where cassava, sweet potatoes, peanuts and rubber are produced. Foreigners are extremely rare in these parts, so expect a few surprised faces as you cycle past villages, schools, Buddhist pagodas and local people busy with their everyday tasks - an excellent chance to get some great photos. After lunch, follow the course of the Mekong to Kampong Cham, before hopping in the van to Phnom Penh. (B/L/D)
Day 7: It’s someone else’s turn to take the pedals today as you enjoy a tour of the city sights by rickshaw. The morning is dedicated to the National Museum, Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, so named for its 4000 solid silver floor tiles. After lunch continue to the Toul Sleng genocide museum and the Russian Market. The rest of the evening is yours to explore Phnom Penh after dark. (B/L)
Day 8: Cross the river by ferry into another world, the small peaceful island of Koh Dach. On your gentle ride you will meet the islanders, who are renowned for silk weaving on traditional looms underneath their stilted homes. The way back lies on small dirt roads to a ferry, which takes you back into town for a free evening. (B/L)
Day 9: On your bike again for an early ride out to the infamous Killing Fields, now a memorial site in a beautiful tranquil setting. Then continue south to Tonle Bati to explore little-known picturesque temples, before arriving in the small town of Takeo for the night. (B/L/D)
Day 10: Leave Takeo and strike out for the coast along quiet back roads, passing limestone karsts, picturesque villages and endless rice fields to Kep, a sleepy resort town famous for seafood and pepper. Along the way, stop to explore the cave pagoda of Wat Kirisehla and then rest your legs in the evening and watch the sun slip down over the sea. (B/L)
Day 11: After 7 days’ cycling you’ll be in top condition for the last stage along the coast to Sihanoukville. Skirt the mountains of Bokor, past small fishing villages, to reach Ream National Park where you will enjoy a boat trip through the mangrove forest, before driving the final short distance to Sihanoukville to catch a boat to Koh Rong Sanloem. Time to jump in the warm sea and enjoy a fresh seafood dinner to celebrate your success! (B/L/D)
Days 12-13: All yours to reflect on the sights, sounds, smells you experienced and friendly Khmer people you encountered along the way. Take a slice of tropical paradise and you sit back and relax on the sands or perhaps try some cocktails at one of the beachfront bars… (B)
Day 14: Sadly, all good things come to an end. Today you travel back to Phnom Penh in the support vehicle (4-5 hours) to continue your onward journey, taking with you a host of unforgettable memories. (B)
Prices from: £1399 per person
Services included: hotels on shared room basis, meals, transfers and activities as mentioned, all cycle equipment, guides and support vehicle, entry fees, English speaking guide, 24 hour assistance
Services not included: flights, drinks, tips and personal expenses
Note: stops can be extended, added or cut - just ask us!
