CMB - T 07: Less Traveled, 13 days (L)
Phnom Penh - Kampong Cham - Sen
Monorom (Mondulkiri) - Phoum
Day
1 Phnom
Penh - Kampong Cham
Arrival in Phnom Penh, meeting on arrival at
Phnom Penh airport, direct transfer by vehicle from Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham.
Journey north through the Mekong River basin. If time permits, visit the spider
merchants at Skoun. Sightseeing in Kampong Cham: Kampong Cham is a lively port
on the banks of the Mekong River with some good examples of colonial-era
architecture. Today you will visit Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei Hill, which offer
beautiful views of this central part of Cambodia, The sandstone temple Wat
Nokor, Rubber Plantation, Local Market to see the local produce and to meet the
local people and Wat Nokor Bayon.
Overnight in Kampong Cham
PHNOM PROS and PHNOM SREI:
these two hills, each with a temple, translate as ‘Man hill’ and ‘Woman hill’
respectively. The hills offer beautiful views of this central part of Cambodia.
WAT NOKOR: a Buddhist Mahayana temple, made
from sandstone and laterite that was built in the 11th century.
RUBBER PLANTATION: visit a rubber
plantation at Chhup.
LOCAL MARKET: an interesting
place to see the local produce and to meet the local people.
WAT NOKOR BAYON: located 2 kilometers from the river, this is an 11th century Mahayana Buddhist shrine made of sandstone and laterite with a large reclining Buddha and numerous alcoves containing Buddha images.
Day 2 Kampong
Cham - Sen Monorom
After breakfast at the hotel, by vehicle from Kompong Cham to Sen Monorom (Mondulkiri Province) Travel across the Spien Kizuna, the largest bridge to span the Mekong River, to the eastern province of Mondulkiri. The route to Mondulkiri follows the lightly traveled Sam Leng logging road and gradually rises from the Tonle Sap basin into the hill country.
Overnight in Sen Monorom
CHUPP: visit Chupp rubber plantation enroute,
an industry that provides employment to many in the region and produces natural
rubber for export to world markets.
SNOUL: stop for lunch in Snoul, a sleepy provincial town on the road to the Mondulkir plateau.
Day
3 Sen
Monorom - Phoum 6
After breakfast at the hotel, by vehicle
from Sen Monorom to Phoum 6 (Village no. 6) Travel 37 kilometers on a bumpy
road through two rivers to Phoum 6. Today we will visit Phnong Villages the
unique and distinctive grass huts and visit Bu Sra Waterfall.
Overnight in Phoum 6
PHNONG VILLAGES: pass through
several ethnic Phnong villages on the way to Phoum 6. The Phnong make up 78% of
the province's population and are known for their unique and distinctive grass
huts.
BU SRA WATERFALL: the road to Phoum
6 leads past Bu Sra waterfall, Cambodia's largest.
Day
4 Phoum
6
After breakfast at the hotel, Sightseeing
in the area of Phoum 6 Explore the countryside surrounding Phoum 6. The scenery
is very beautiful with rice fields everywhere. Visit traditional Phnong
villages, a coffee, and a pepper plantation.
Overnight in Phoum 6
Day
5 Phoum
6 - Sen Monorom - Kratie
After breakfast at the hotel, by vehicle from Phoum 6 to Sen Monorom - Travel 37 kilometers on a bumpy road through two rivers to Sen Monorom, the provincial capital.
After lunch by vehicle from Sen Monorom to
Kratie Journey northwest passing through Snoul to Kratie, a riverine provincial
capital with impressive colonial-era architecture, situated on the east bank of
the Mekong River.
Overnight in Kratie
Day 6 Kratie
After breakfast at the hotel, Sightseeing
in Kratie Capital of Kratie Province, Kratie is a pleasant, small riverside
town on the Mekong River. Visit
Wat Phnom Sambok and Dolphin Observation Park, (home of dolphins). If you are
lucky you will have a chance to see Dolphin.
Overnight in Kratie
WAT PHNOM SAMBOK: situated 9 km
north of Kratie, there are two peaks here named Phnom Srey and Phnom Proh.
Phnom Srey has a small pagoda (built in 1938) and a beautiful view of the
Mekong. Local people visit to request better health for their relatives. Phnom
Proh also has a small pagoda with monks and nuns living around the pagoda.
DOLPHIN OBSERVATION PARK: 14 km north of
Kratie town is the Irawaddy dolphin observation park, home to about 50
dolphins.
Day 7 Kratie
- Stung Treng
After breakfast at the hotel, by vehicle from Kratie to Stung Treng Journey along the Mekong River basin through the villages of Sambok, Sre Sbov and Phumi Prek Preah. The Mekong River, which rises in Tibet, flows 315 km through Cambodia before continuing on through Vietnam to the sea
Overnight in Stung Treng
Day
8 Stung
Treng
After breakfast at the hotel, sightseeing
in the surroundings of Stung Treng. Excursion to visit fishing and farming
villages. Boat ride up the Semsak River
Overnight in Stung Treng
Day
9 Stung
Treng - Banlung - Rattanakiri
After breakfast at the hotel, by vehicle from Stung Treng to Banlung - Journey east to Ratanakiri Province, a remote region of densely forested mountains and isolated hill tribes, crossing the Mekong River and the Sre Pok River.
Sightseeing in/around Banlung (full day)
Excursion in the surroundings of Banlung, with visits to Teuk Cha Ong
waterfall, Yeak Laom Lake, a zircon mine, and a pepper plantation.
Overnight in Rattanakiri
TEUK CHA ONG: a spectacular
waterfall in a jungle gorge. The other attractions in this area are the
isolated ethnic minority villages and a zircon mine.
YEAK LAOM: a volcanic lake, which
forms a near perfect circle and is surrounded by tropical forest. Visit the
nearby museum.
Day
10 Banlung
– Rattanakiri
After breakfast at the hotel, visit the
local market at Bar Kaev. Full day sightseeing in/around Banlung - visit a
local market. Excursion by vehicle to several minority villages such as Andoung
Meas. Boat ride to Phoum Dal and another village. On the way visit a rubber
plantation.
Overnight in Rattanakiri
Day
11 Banlung
– Rattanakiri
After Breakfast at the hotel, excursion to
Ta Vaeng
Overnight in Rattanakiri
TA VAENG: Travel by 4WD to Ta Veang and
visit various minority villages in the Ta Vaeng area. The people of these
villages live in the country’s mountainous regions and are known as Khmer Ioeu
(upper Khmer). They number approximately 70,000 and the majorities are located
in the northeastern provinces such as Rattanakiri, Mondulkiri, Stung Treng, and
Kratie. Groups include the Jorai, Tumpoun, Krung, Kra Chok and Kavet.
Day
12 Banlung
- Rattanakiri
Morning: Breakfast at the hotel, Excursion
by vehicle and boat to Vuen Sai Boat trip to visit a Lao village, a Chinese
village, and a village of the ethnic minority Tompoum with an interesting
cemetery. Afterwards visit a zircon mining field and, if time permits, some
more villages.
Overnight in Rattanakiri
Day
13 Rattanakiri
Free time at leisure after breakfast at the
hotel until time to transfer to the airport for flight from Banlung to
Phnom Penh
End
of Services **Note: Itinerary subject to
change due to flight schedules.