10km cycling Welcome to Siem Reap, the gem of Cambodia known for its charming small city and the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat. We’ll meet today after lunch at 2:30 pm in our hotel for a quick bike fitting and our inaugural ride through the countryside. Our ride takes us out to the flat, red dirt roads of the Siem Reap countryside, where we’ll cycle past bright green rice paddies and through small villages. You are sure to receive a wave, enthusiastic greetings, and a genuine smile from local children or townspeople. At the end of the ride we’ll enjoy our first traditional Khmer meal together at a village home. This is a foodies dream and always delicious, you will not find more authentic Khmer cuisine and you get to dive right in on your first night!
Meal: Dinner
35km cycling Rise and shine! We’ll make our way in darkness to Angkor National Park for the mystical experience of witnessing the sunrise over Angkor Wat. If we’re lucky, the brilliant pinks and oranges of the sky will illuminate the towers of the main temple spectacularly. Once the sun is in the sky and the crowds of tourists have dispersed, we’ll make our way through the Angkor Wat temple complex by foot and on two wheels, stopping along the way for a private breakfast. We’ll cycle hidden dirt tracks through the jungle of this national park to well-known temples such as Bayon and Ta Phrom, as well as some lesser known structures. After some time to rest from the day’s excursion in the afternoon, we’ll make our way to a show put on by the Phare Circus. This talented troupe of acrobatic performers always put on an entertaining show, complete with impressive stunts and an interesting backstory.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
60km cyclingThis morning we’ll set off on our bikes to the Woman’s Temple, Banteay Srei. This 10th-century place of worship is known for the intricate carvings found in its ruins, and the ride out of town to this remote structure will provide an interesting day of cycling. Once we’ve explored the temple’s grounds, we’ll take a look at Kabal Spean and it’s ancient carvings etched out of the riverbed.
The waterway is referred to as the ‘River of a thousand Lingas’ and the water is said to be made holy as it passes over these sacred artworks.Following our river trek we’ll ride to the nearby ACCB Wildlife Conservation Centre and tour the facility. Here we’ll see enormous birds, cheeky langur monkeys, gibbons and more, and you can often hear hornbills overhead. After a full day of exploring we’ll spare your legs from the long return journey with a transfer back into town.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we’ll hop on a plane for a short ride to Cambodia’s capital: Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh provides an interesting mix, the stains of a tragic history and the effects of fast modern development. We’ll get to take all of this in on a guided tour of the city, including a visit to the Royal Palace and bustling local markets. Once we’ve immersed ourselves in the history of this complex city, we’ll unwind with a food tour that gets us off the tourist path to the local hotspots, small restaurants, and a craft beer and cocktail garden.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
25km cycling This morning we’ll board a private boat to take us and our bikes to the Islands of the Mekong surrounding Phnom Penh. There we’ll pedal around the famous Silk Island, known for its local women who sit under their raised houses and weave silk on wooden looms. In the evening at dinner, a guest speaker from a Khmer/American Community Organisation will join us. This group of US deportees have an incredible story to tell of being deported to Cambodia, a place that their parents fled and one that most of them have never known. They are making the most of a difficult situation, working hard to create jobs for their members and find solid ways of contributing to Cambodian society.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We’ll start off the day with a direct transfer to Kirirom: our point of exploration for the day. Once we’ve checked into our peaceful resort in the pine forest, we’ll spend our afternoon on a hike with our new Khmer American friends who have made it their business to learn about this mountain. They tell a great tale and have some nice walking in store for us. They’ll take us into the Kirirom National Park for a serene hike through the towering pines.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
45km cycling. After a short transfer out of the city to the starting point of our ride, we’ll hop on our bikes and begin the cycling journey to the charming coastal town of Kep. Today’s route takes us to pedal down small trails and backroads, past dramatic limestone karsts to the pepper plantations for which the area is known. This afternoon you have the option to hike through the Kep National Park, trekking through trails over a small mountain range with stunning views of Phu Quoc and the Bokor Ranges to the east and west.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
35km cycling. This morning we’ll ride on small trails then minor roads past ‘Secret Lake’: a manmade reservoir. Along the way, we will also park our bikes for a tour of a pepper plantation to learn more about production and how vital this is to the Cambodian economy, as well as get the chance to sample some of the product! After savoring a local lunch, we’ll cycle on to Kampot, where we’ll taste some locally grown coffee at Rumble Fish Coffee Roastery. With some caffeine pumping through our veins, we’ll transfer back to Kep where our final meal together awaits.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Our tour concludes today with a transfer to the Phnom Penh airport. Take the day to reflect upon the rewarding cycling, beautiful views, and cultural immersion this tour has provided!
Meals: Breakfast