Itinerary
Day 1: Depart London
Depart London for Bangkok.
Day 2: Siem Reap.
Arrive Bangkok and transit for flight to Siem Reap. Lunch. Rest of the day to relax and hear about the challenge ahead. Welcome dinner and trek briefing about the challenge ahead.
Day 3: Trek Siem Reap- Pogoda
Distance: Approx 16km; 5-6 hours
After breakfast, we take a short transfer out of town and begin our trek. Heading out south-east across dazzling green rice-paddies and farmland, we pass through several small villages. Cambodia is one of the friendliest countries in South-East Asia and we will get plenty of smiles and waves as we pass! We're never far from a temple or pagoda, and we make time to stop at a couple for a closer look. After a lunch-break in one of the villages, we continue our trek through rice fields and green pastures, now heading north to the pagoda for our evening's campsite.
Day 4: Pagoda - Svay Leu
Distance: Approx 22km; 8-9 hours
After a delicious breakfast at camp, we start our day's trek along small dirt roads before turning off into scrub and brushland, we pass some very remote villages today and our welcomed by everyone we meet. We have a short transfer at the end of today to our evening's campsite at Svay Leu Pagoda. There is often a lively local market near the pagoda which we should have time to explore - a real insight into the way of life in this remote area.
Day 6: Svay Leu - Kulen Mountain
Distance: Approx 19km; 7-8 hrs
After an energising breakfast we set off on a challenging haul to the top of Kulen Mountain (487m), Cambodia's sacred mountain. Deeply revered, the local people make pilgrimages to the pagodas and ruins on the mountain top. The mountain forms a high plateau, from where there are fabulous views across the forests and fields below. We head west across the mountain, taking undulating tracks through the forests and villages. We stop for lunch in Anlong Thom, a small village of stilted thatched houses.
Our trek continues to the 'Big Buddha', which overlooks the central plain; a short distance on is a very picturesque waterfall. We camp overnight near the falls and we will have time to bathe in the 'River of 1000 Lingas' and admire the elaborate carvings in the riverbed itself.
Day 7: Kulen Mountain - School
Distance: Approx 20km; 6-7 hrs
We set off after a hearty breakfast on an old trail, now little-used since the recent construction of a road. We may meet a few local people who still use the path for hunting, cutting lianas and to work on the farms higher in the hills. Our trek continues south-east on a small trail down the mountain. Back on the flat plains, we continue our trek on sandy, sometimes muddy tracks. There is little shade as we pass a few villages, local schools and an abundance of pagodas. We will be hot and tired by the time we reach our evening's campsite, our final goal nearly within reach.
Day 8: School - Angkor Thom - Angkor Wat
Distance: Approx 10 - 12km; 2-3 hrs
We enjoy a final breakfast together in camp before setting off on the final 10km of our trek to Angkor Wat. The first section of our trek is on a tarmac road before we return to cow cart tracks leading towards the Angkor complex. We reach the first of our Angkor temples at Prasat Ta Som, then load up into the local mode of transport and journey in style to Angkor Wat in a colourful procession of tuk tuks. We pass many temples and ruins as we near our goal - the magnificent 12th Century Angkor Wat. It is worth climbing the remarkably steep and narrow steps of the central spire for the unparalleled view over the whole temple.
The afternoon is free to explore the temple complex or the markets of Siem Reap. In the evening we celebrate our huge achievement with a celebration dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.
Distance: Approx 10 - 12km; 2-3 hrs
Day 9: Siem Reap - Out
Depart on our day flight home.