Natural Cambodia - 🐾 a trip that no one has ever taken ⚡ (Angkor temples, capital, jungles and relax at the Island are included!)

Day 1. Arrival in Siem Reap In less than a few hours, your plane is already landing on the airport runway near one of the most popular tourist cities on the planet - Siem Reap. Here, on the street, you are met by a car, unusually humid air and a picturesque road to the hotel, where, in the arms of tropical flowers, traditional music and a magical atmosphere, you will have a rest before a busy route. However, in the evening, a car will pick you up again. This time you will be taken to a restaurant, where there will be dinner and a show in the atmosphere of the union of ancient traditions with modernity: dance numbers, authentic music, a souvenir photo with the demigods' Apsaras, a lot of colourful dishes and, most importantly, a personal acquaintance of all members of the group. (dinner included)

Day 2. Introduction to Cambodia We know how hard it can be to get up after a flight. Also, please remember the difference in time zones. So, we'd like to make this day easy, with the ability to spend it at your own pace. My experience suggests that on this day, it is advisable to go for a massage, take a boat to a Vietnamese village on the water, and also meet the sunset on Phnom Krom with a panoramic view of the rice fields, Tonle Sap Lake and the surroundings of Siem Reap. After that - you probably drink a mango margarita in the centre of the town among the colonial houses, listen to live music, dance on the street and take a bunch of selfies as a souvenir of one of the most popular places on the planet. (All mentioned above activities are included in the cost)

Day 3. Legends of Angkor and arrival in Phnom Penh Good morning! And how do you look at meeting the dawn in the legendary Angkor Wat? Do all agree? Then today's journey to the world of Angkor, once lost in the jungle in the past, the centre of a powerful and prosperous Khmer empire, will begin from this temple - the most significant religious Hindu building in the world and one of the world's wonders. After that, we will go to the ancient capital of Angkor Thom with its legendary Bayon temple, famous for its stone smile towers, climb the stone mountain temple of Bapuon, walk along the territory of the former Royal Palace, and go to the medieval Buddhist monastery Ta Prohm. Heavily destroyed, this temple was once decorated with gold and precious stones, but after the capture of Angkor by the Siamese, Ta Prohm, like all other temples abandoned by people, was absorbed by giant ficus and silk trees. After lunch and a short rest, we say goodbye to Siem Reap and move to the capital of Cambodia. The road to Phnom Penh will take almost 5 hours, and this will be the only transfer. Quite long but not boring. Upon arrival, we are accommodated in a hotel in the city centre, not far from the Royal Palace and the Embankment. (Lunch included)

Day 4. From the bustle of the capital to an oasis of animal rescue And here we are in the capital. For several centuries, Phnom Penh has been growing and changing endlessly. Having passed from bamboo huts to skyscrapers, the city survived the glory of the "pearl of Southeast Asia" in the 60s and the fate of the "city of ghosts" in the 80s. At the same time, it retains its inherent charm and vitality. On this day, we will take you through the main pages of the city's history, with its ups and downs, prosperity and devastation, and times of glory and oblivion. We leave the busy city life at noon and head to the country's southwest. Forward to untouched nature and fresh mountain air! And since our path will pass through the province of Takeo, after about an hour of travel, we will stop at the largest zoo in the country - Phnom Tamao. From this moment begins the primary goal of our tour - to touch the world of saving wild animals, preserving biodiversity and climate on our Planet. Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center is one of the Wildlife Alliance projects. Its goal is to save and preserve the wild animals of Cambodia. More than 1200 animals live on the territory of more than 2000 hectares. By visiting this place, we are already becoming part of this project. Let's find out what the whole process looks like from the inside. And again, on the road! After approximately two hours, we are on the territory of the Kirirom National Park. Being the southernmost point of the Cardamom mountain range, this place spreads over endless rice fields and mango plantations at 675 meters. This place epitomises natural beauty with its mountain lakes, wildflowers, impressive waterfalls, picturesque landscapes and panoramas. Staying at the vKirirom Pine Resort, we still have time to walk, swim in the pool and dine on the outdoor restaurant terrace.

Day 5. Kirirom National Park and transfer to Cardamoms Once, the mountain resort of Kirirom was declared Cambodian Switzerland. Created in the 1950s, it became Cambodia's first protected national park. About 280 sq. km of forests are inhabited by rare species of animals, including the Asian elephant, deer, gaur, banteng, leopard, spotted linsang, gibbon and tiger. In those days, Kirirom and the seaside town of Kep served as vacation spots for the Cambodian elite. Abandoned shell villas still remind us of those glorious times. A little later, the park became one of the bases of the Khmer Rouge. Still, now it is a protected area and part of the “protected areas of the southwestern cluster”, which includes the national parks of Sihanoukville and Kep, as well as Phnom Bokor. The mountain, cleared of mines, offers terrific hiking, descents and cycling. However, we will go to explore the area by car. We will get acquainted with the architectural relics of the old era, updated with rich modern pagodas, a plastic and garbage recycling facility, and at the same time, a rural school and bamboo thickets in the place of forests cut down by poachers. We will also cheer up with a short adventure in the form of a simple zipline. And now, having gained strength in the bliss of a cool forest, we are ready to hit the road. Further south, this time in the heart of the Cardamom Mountains. Covering four million hectares densely covered with lush, unspoilt rainforest, Cardamom is Southeast Asia's most significant resource in terms of natural virginity and wildlife habitats. The road to Andong Teuk will take about 2 hours. Here a motorboat will be waiting for us for a leisurely trip along the picturesque river Prek Tachan to the place of overnight stay - the village of Chi Phat, where we will spend the night - in an authentic Cambodian house. (dinner included)

Day 6. Cardamom mountains Chi Phat village is nestled among stunning mountains, rainforests and rivers, wetlands and mangroves, creating a favourable environment for many unique wildlife species and increasingly attracting curious and observant travellers searching for ecological adventures. However, this was not always the case. Before the arrival of the Wildlife Alliance in 2001, the area around Chi Pat was heavily dependent on illegal logging activities. Therefore, for starters, it was essential to eradicate the main reason for the destruction of forests - the poverty of its inhabitants. This is how a public ecotourism project was born, primarily aimed at promoting programs that generate income. And the results were short in coming. Illegal activities in the forest have been significantly reduced, and there are signs of developing prosperity. Fortunately, the locals have realised they are interested in the area's continued protection and health. The Alliance's efforts, in conjunction with its sustainable projects to save and preserve the environment while providing visitors to the area with an exciting and unique experience, have attracted us. The villagers who once roamed the forest, depleting its ecological heritage, now work as hiking or mountain biking guides, organising campsites and riverboat tours. The village has evolved from a hunting and smuggling area to an example of the protection of the Cambodian forest. We are happy to support a program to help and educate the community to make a living from tourism instead of trading animals. Guides, former poachers, will lead us through the jungle to waterfalls, fields, and mountains they know well but few have seen. Those who agree to start at dawn can watch the birds from a traditional rowing boat amid the river mist. And then, we will go to the caves of bats and ancient burial places; we will swim in waterfalls and go to the wilderness, where we will spend the night in hammocks with a mosquito net and a blanket. (Lunch and dinner included)

Day 7. Tatai River Waking up surrounded by giant dipterocarps and tropical thickets, to the sound of a waterfall, somewhere on the edge of the earth, you will feel the greatness and vulnerability of nature, a certain inner awe and reverence for something big that needs support and gives us so much happiness. Returning to the village, we will go to the river, where a raft is waiting for us to be transported to the other side, to our transport. The road is 2 hours long, and we are on the banks of the picturesque Tatai River - in a place of genuinely untouched nature. You will not see traces of civilisation here, but you can feel the jungle's breath. A warm welcome by the employees of the eco-resort, half an hour on the boat, and we are there. Upon arrival - accommodation in comfortable houses on the water, an independent dinner. But that's not all. You will have a night swim in the brackish river Tatai and admiring the night fireflies - the most romantic adventure before you fall asleep to the sounds of nature and the breath of the night breeze.

Day 8. Mangroves of Cambodia and arrival to King's Island In the morning, the first thing you hear when you wake up on the river is the singing of gibbons. How beautifully they sing! After breakfast in the fresh air, we will go on a motor boat to the beautiful Tatai waterfall. The power of the water, falling in several cascades, is in tune with the greatness of the river itself, which unites the flows of salt and fresh water. Here we will spend several hours swimming, listening to the sound of the water, and taking fabulous photos and videos. After a bit of rest in anticipation of a new adventure, we will have a half-day trip along the river, stopping in the most extensive mangroves in Southeast Asia and getting to know the inhabitants of a fishing village. And who knows, this will become the most vivid impression of your trip. After all, these are places where the triumph of Nature is not disturbed by man, sites, or contact, which allows for refreshing human consciousness and inspiring more creativity. Saying goodbye to the Tatai River, we go to the sea this time. And not just on the sea, but on the Royal Island! Just 2 hours by car and 30 minutes by boat - and we are in cosy bungalows on a sandy beach overlooking the setting sun and sea breeze.

Day 9. King's island King's Island, or Koch Surrender, is a lovely place. Isn't it curious to see how people live on the island, which, if popular among tourists, is only Cambodians from the continent? We will spend the early morning on a short exploratory hike around the island. We will show you what the locals do. This includes fishing, cultivation of coconut trees, ice production, trade, and organisation of recreation in the style familiar to the Khmers. And, of course, the sea nourishes an abundance of fruits and incredible tropical flavours. We will see an abandoned but active pagoda on the island's highest point, and also learn how the locals climb the sugar palm to get its fruits. Time flies quickly, but there are still a few hours of lazy rest ahead in overwater hammocks or on a lounger in your bungalow. And in the evening, we will have a farewell barbecue dinner, dancing under the moon, and a small concert - a gift from the locals. (Dinner included)

Day 10. End of tour Farewell to the island and departure to the capital by car. The journey will take approximately 3 hours. We say goodbye to charming Cambodia and return to our beloved homes. Everyone has a flight at different times, and we can organise an individual transfer for each of you - to a hotel or airport.