Angkor Temples Experiences 4 days

Warmly welcome at Siem Reap International airport, you are met and transfer direct to hotel for check in.

Visit the ancient Khmer civilization site of Hariharalaya, which flourished in the late 9th and early 10th Centuries. These are the earliest temples in the Angkor area and are referred as the Roluos group. The three Roluos temples are Bakong Temple Mountain with wonderful carvings on the false doors and lintels, the funerary temple of Preah Ko, Lolei Temple with the Roluos group's most exquisite carvings and inscriptions.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation in Siem Reap

Visit to Ta Prohm, one of the area’s most beautiful temples. Ta Prohm has been relatively untouched since it was discovered and retains much of its mystery. Neak Pean, a fountain built in the middle of a pool (representing the paradisiacal Himalayan mountain-lake), Ta Prohm, built in late 12th century C.E. the most distant temple on the grand circuit, small but classic. Preah Khan temple, Built by the King Jayavarman VII. Preah Khan is, like Ta Prohm, a place of towered enclosures and shoulder hugging corridors. Unlike Ta Prohm, however, the temple of Preah Khan is in a reasonable state of preservation and ongoing restoration efforts should maintain and even improve this situation.

Visit to the unique interior brick sculptures of Prasat Kravan, Srah Srang ("The Royal Baths" was once used for ritual bathing), Banteay Kdei (surrounded by 4 concentric walls), Ta Keo, constructed in late 10th early 11th century C.E, the first temple to be constructed wholly of sandstone.

We drive to Visit the antique capital of Angkor Thom (12 century): the South Gate with its huge statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, the Bayon Temple, unique for its 54 towers decorated with over 200 smiling faces of Avolokitesvara, the Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephants Terrace and the Terrace of the Leper King.

It is time to visit the most famous of all the temples on the plain of Angkor: Angkor Wat. The temple complex covers 81 hectares and is comparable in size to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. Its distinctive five towers are emblazoned on the Cambodian flag and the 12th century masterpiece is considered by art historians to be the prime example of classical Khmer art and architecture. Enjoy wonderful sunset from the top of Phnom Bakheng Hills.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation in Siem Reap

Departure for the Northern part of the Angkor Archaeological Park. On your way, you pass through picturesque landscapes with ricefields and sugar palms to another highlight of Angkor: the famous and precious Banteay Srei Temple: "the citadel of the women" and is known because of its incredible sandstone carvings looking like wood. It really deserves the name "diamond of Angkor".

After having studied the different reliefs depicting scenes of Hindu mythology, we go on northwards to a holy place, where in Angkorian times, thousands of Lingams (the phallus symbol of the Lord Shiva) have been carved into the riverbed, in order to fertilize the water going down to the Angkorian plain.

This place is called Kbal Spean or the River of Thousand Lingams. Easy Walking tours (about one hour) through tropical dry forest and see the different places of carvings in the riverbed. Your experienced English speaking tourguide explains you the meaning of the interesting carvings.

Lunch is in a local restaurant in Kobal Spean. On the way bay, discover Banteay Samre; the large, comparatively flat temple displaying distinctively Angkor Wat-style architecture and artistry. The temple underwent extensive restoration this century by archaeologists using the anastylosis method. Banteay Samre was constructed around the same time as Angkor Wat. The style of the towers and balustrades bear strong resemblance to the towers of Angkor Watand even more so to Khmer temple of Phimai in Thailand. Many of the carvings are in excellent condition.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation in Siem Reap

Breakfast at hotel. This morning we will enjoy a boat ride on the Tonle Sap Lake. This is the largest permanent fresh-water lake in South East Asia and flows into Tonle Sap River, joining the Mekong in Phnom Penh. We will see a fishermen's "floating village" with floating schools, floating police station, etc. It is same as a big village floating on the lake, and the "village" move from place to place following water levels and current. Transfer to Siem Reap International airport departure.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A

Sveglia presto al mattino per dirigervi verso il villaggio galleggiante di Kompong Khleang che si trova a circa un’ora di strada da Siem Reap ed è visitato ogni anno da migliaia di turisti. Kompong Khleang è uno dei villaggi più impressionanti per l’altezza e la dimensione delle sue case su palafitta. Giro a piedi nel villaggio per conoscere gli abitanti e ingresso in una casa dove abita una famiglia che alleva coccodrilli. In seguito salirete a bordo di un’imbarcazione locale che passerà attraverso tutti i canali alla volta del grande lago i cui abitanti muovono le proprie case a seconda delle stagioni. Ritornerete al villaggio e pranzo al sacco sul posto. Tempo libero per una visita al vecchio mercato fino all’ora di ritrovo per il trasferimento in aeroporto per il volo di ritorno. Le camere sono a vostra disposizione fino a mezzogiorno. Trasferimento all’aeroporto per il volo di ritorno.

Nota bene:
Da aprile ad ottobre non sarà possibile effettuare le crociere a causa dell'acqua troppo bassa del lago tonle sap. In alternativa si possono visitare il chong kneas sulla riva del lago oppure il complesso pre-angokiano di Roluos con i templi di Bakong, Preah Ko e Lo Lei.