9-Day Cambodia Angkor Wat Tour + Kratie + Phnom Penh

Itinerary Overview

 

📍 Phase 1: The Majestic Temples of Siem Reap (4 Days)

 

Your licensed Angkor Wat tour guide with AC SUV/min ivan private driver will meet you in the hotel lobby each morning with your private AC vehicle stocked with cold water and refreshing towels.

 

Day 1: Angkor Wat Sunset Wonders 

 

Morning: Your private Angkor Wat tour guide and driver will pick you up from hotel in Siem Reap  in your comfortable, air-conditioned SUV/minivan going to buy your 3-days Angkor Temple Pass. Head to Angkor Wat, exploring the massive, awe-inspiring Angkor Wat while your guide explains the intricate bas-reliefs and continue to visit Ta Prohm, the iconic "Tomb Raider" temple left largely to the embrace of giant tree roots. 

Lunch: Break at a reputable, air-conditioned restaurant near the archaeological park.

Afternoon: Morning: Enter the ancient walled city of Angkor Thom. Explore the Bayon Temple, famous for its smiling stone faces. Visit the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King and Phnom Bakheng for a panoramic sunset view over the Angkor Wat and Cambodian countryside.

Evening: Enjoy a welcome dinner featuring traditional Khmer cuisine.

 

Day 2: The Legendary Banteay Srei & Grand Circuit Icons

 

Morning: Leavning hotel in the morning after breakfast proceed through to Grand Circuit of Preah Khan, Neak Poan, Tasom, East Mebon and Pre Rup. 

Lunch: Break at a reputable, air-conditioned restaurant near the archaeological park.

Afternoon: Drive through rural villages to Banteay Srei, the "Citadel of the Women," renowned for having the most intricate and deepest pink sandstone carvings in Cambodia and stop by the Cambodia Landmine Museum on the way back. 

Evening: Enjoy a welcome dinner featuring traditional Khmer dishes with Apsara Cultural Dance. 

 

Day 3: Angkor Sunrise Magic & Hidden Gems

 

Early Morning (04:45 AM): Your Angkor Wat tour guide bring you to experience a breathtaking sunrise over Angkor Wat. (Your hotel can pack a breakfast box for you).

Morning: After Angkor Wat sunrise tours and picnic breakfast nearby Angkor Wat, drive through the scenic view of Kulen mountain, explore the wrinkle cliff, holy waterfall, the river of 1000 Lingas and reclinning Buhhda. 

Lunch: Break at a reputable local restaurant near the Kulen foothill. 

Afternoon: Stepping into the Indiana Jones experience to explore the hidden gems of untouched jungle temple of Beng Mealea. 

Evening: Attend a performance of Phare, The Cambodian Circus—a world-class social enterprise showcasing incredible acrobatics and storytelling.

 

Day 4: Floating Culture & Vibrant Markets

 

Morning: Drive south to Tonle Sap Lake. Take a private wooden boat to explore Kompong Phluk or Chong Kneas floating villages to witness life on stilts and floating markets.

Lunch: Break at a reputable, air-conditioned restaurant nearby the city. 

Afternoon: Return to town to visit Artisans Angkor (fine Khmer arts and crafts training center), fine-art gallery, Silk Farm and old market for souvenirs.

 

📍 Phase 2: Kratie (2 Days)

 

Your licensed Cambodia Angkor Wat tour guide with AC SUV/min ivan private driver will meet you in the hotel lobby each morning with your private AC vehicle stocked with cold water and refreshing towels.

 

Day 5: Overland Journey to the Mekong (Siem Reap ➔ Kratie)

 

Morning: A scenic 5 to 6-hour drive in your comfortable AC vehicle heading east.

En Route Stops: Your guide will show you Spean Praptos (a massive Angkorian-era stone arch bridge in Kompong Kdei) and pass through rubber plantations in Kampong Cham.

Lunch: Break at a reputable, air-conditioned restaurant nearby the city. 

Late Afternoon: Arrive in Kratie, a charming, sleepy French colonial town on the banks of the Mekong River. Check into your hotel and enjoy a peaceful sunset over the river.

 

Day 6: Irrawaddy Dolphins & Rural Mekong Life

 

Morning: Drive north to Kampi. Board a local boat to spot the rare, endangered Mekong Irrawaddy Dolphins surfacing in the river deep pools.

Lunch: Break at a reputable, air-conditioned restaurant nearby the city. 

Afternoon: Take a short ferry ride to Koh Trong Island, a peaceful island in the middle of the Mekong. Explore by bicycle or horse-drawn cart, sampling local pomelo fruit and observing traditional rural life.

Evening: Visit Phnom Sambok temple for a panoramic view of the Mekong countryside at dusk.

 

📍 Phase 3: Phnom Penh (3 Days)

 

Your licensed Cambodia tour guide with AC SUV/min ivan private driver will meet you in the hotel lobby each morning with your private AC vehicle stocked with cold water and refreshing towels.

 

Day 7: Southward to the Capital (Kratie ➔ Phnom Penh)

 

Morning: A comfortable 4 to 5-hour drive down to Phnom Penh. 

Lunch: Break at a reputable, air-conditioned restaurant nearby the city. 

Afternoon: Arrive and check into your hotel. Begin exploring the capital with a visit to Wat Phnom, the historic hilltop temple that gave the city its name.

Evening: Take a relaxing private sunset cruise at the confluence of the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers.

 

Day 8: History, Royalty, and Reflection

 

Morning: Visit the stunning Royal Palace and the adjacent Silver Pagoda (featuring a floor tiled with 5,000 silver blocks and a life-sized golden Buddha). Next, view the premier Khmer archaeological collection at the National Museum.

Lunch: Break at a reputable, air-conditioned restaurant nearby the city. 

Afternoon: A somber but essential look into Cambodia’s recent history. Visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center (The Killing Fields). Your guide will provide invaluable historical context and personal stories.

 

Day 9: Oudong Old City and Souvenirs 

 

Morning: Take a hour journey to explore the Oudong Mountain the former capital city at 18 century. 

Lunch: Break at a reputable, air-conditioned restaurant nearby the city. 

Afternoon: Dive into the architecture and shopping at the Art Deco Central Market (Phsar Thmei) or the bustling Russian Market (Phsar Toul Tom Poung) for silk, silver, and souvenirs.

 

🌟 Why This Private Setup is Ideal

🚘 The Private AC Vehicle Advantage: The drives from Siem Reap to Kratie and Kratie to Phnom Penh are long. Having a spacious, private SUV or minivan means you can stop for clean restrooms, fresh local snacks (like Kampong Cham's famous fried spiders or sticky rice in bamboo), and photo opportunities whenever you want.

🗣️ The Professional Guide Advantage: Angkor Wat's history is incredibly complex. A certified guide reads the bas-reliefs like an open book. Furthermore, having the same guide travel with you (or arranging local experts in each hub) bridges the cultural gap perfectly when interacting with local fishermen in Kratie or navigating the markets of Phnom Penh.

 

Starting from: $2500