Where the Wild Things Roam – Ethical Animal Tour | 11 Days, 10 Nights | CAMBODIA

Explore Cambodia on a journey from the city to the countryside and back with a range of ethical animal experiences around the country!

Learn where the wild things roam in Cambodia when you come on this escorted journey through the Kingdom of Wonder. Join as a single to meet other like-minded animal lovers or come as a group to share the experience with friends and family. With regular departures available, you can choose the time that works best for you to experience the true beauty of Cambodia’s animal world.

Including visits with Sun and Moon Bears, the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins in the Mekong River, the rescued Asian Elephants of Angkor and the incredible, life-saving African Pouch Rats at Apopo Humanitarian Demining, this guided journey will introduce you to the wonders of Cambodian wildlife and show you how important conservation and ethical animal treatment is to the local people.

What’s included?

• Airport pick up in Phnom Penh
• some single and some twin share accommodation
• English-speaking tour guides, English-speaking tour leader
• All touring as specified in the itinerary including private transport around the country
• Angkor Temple Passes, circus tickets, meals as noted in the itinerary and water refills during all tours.

Exclusions

• Personal expenses
• Visas
• International flights
• Meals not noted in the itinerary
• Guide and driver tips

Please note **

• At Adventure Travel Co. we are always doing our best to limit the amount of plastic we use as part of our tours. We  appreciate your efforts to minimize even a little of the 4.6 million plastic bottles going into Cambodia’s landfills every year. Your transport and accommodations will have clean, fresh drinking water for reusable bottle refills throughout your time in Cambodia
• Tipping in Cambodia is not expected but is always appreciated by our local team. Please feel free to tip your divers and guides as you feel is appropriate.

What do I need to bring?

• We highly recommend bringing sturdy footwear. Please note that clothing that covers both your shoulders and knees is required to enter the temples for both men and women when visiting temples and other religious sites.
• Protection from the sun (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen) is highly advised and a rain jacket/waterproof gear is suggested.

Day 1: Arrival Day

• You will be collected from your incoming flight to Phnom Penh International Airport and transferred to your hotel to check in.
• At 6pm, join your group to make your way through the crazy Cambodian traffic in a traditional cyclo to your welcome dinner along the city’s most impressive boulevard where you will have the chance to take in your new surroundings at a leisurely pace.
• Your first meal together will be traditional Cambodian fare in a small local restaurant that is a favorite’s amongst our guides and tour leaders. After dinner, you will be collected by tuk tuk to return to your hotel for the evening.

Meals Included: Dinner

Accommodation: Single or double room

Day 2: Bear Care Tour: Free the Bears

• To kick off your ethical animal experiences in Cambodia, you will become a bear keeper for the day, working with the incredible team at Free the Bears.
• You will be collected by tuk tuk from your hotel this morning and transferred to the meeting point for your group transport to the sanctuary, located within the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Park.
• Today you will enjoy a fun and fascinating behind-the-scenes tour learning more about the Sun and Moon Bears in the Cambodian sanctuary and finding out what it takes to care for them. Hear the moving stories of the rescued bears, meet the bears and help the Bear Care Team prepare food and enrichment treats. You’ll be delighted watching the bears search and gobble down the treats you’ve hidden.
• After this exciting and unique once-in-a-lifetime experience, you will be transported back to Phnom Penh to your hotel for the evening.

Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: Single or Double Room

Day 3: Silk Island Experience & Sunset River Cruise

• Today you will journey across the river by tuk tuk and local ferry with your Cambodian guide who will introduce you to one of Phnom Penh’s most incredible industries.
• The aptly named Silk Island is home to many local silk production farms where visitors can see the entire process of weaving beautiful Cambodian silk from start to finish. Enjoy a relaxing and informative tour around the island, stopping in at local homes and enjoying a traditional Cambodian lunch along the way.
• Returning to your hotel in the early afternoon, you will have some time to relax before rejoining your group for a stunning sunset river cruise on the Tonle River complete with a live commentary on the sights around the central city area of Phnom Penh.
• After the cruise your tour leader will walk with you to the Phnom Penh night market where you can enjoy some dinner, shop for souvenirs or just soak up the ambience along the stunning riverside area.

Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: Single or Double Rooms

Day 4: Sunset Kayaking with Irrawaddy Dolphins

• After an early breakfast, you will set out by private bus from Phnom Penh to Kratie with some stunning countryside scenery along the way.
• Arrive in Kratie at around lunchtime and get yourself settled in your accommodation before joining the group in the adjacent cafe for a tour briefing and safety talk.
• Set out with your professional kayaking guide to the river and paddle along while the dolphins come to find you!

Meals Included: Breakfast & snacks before kayaking

Accommodation: Single, Twin and Triple Rooms

Day 5: Koh Trong Ox Cart Tour

• Walk together with your group from the hotel after breakfast to the local ferry where you will cross the river to Koh Trong Island.
• Here you will be greeted by your local host and his ox carts which will be used to provide a slow journey around the local area. Sit atop a traditional ox-lead cart to explore Koh Trong Island, at the heart of the Mekong River. A tour takes three hours and allows you a chance to view local villages, fruit orchards, rice fields and pagodas, stopping for lunch in a local home along the way.
• Today’s tour also includes sponsoring 1 tree per person which you will plant on the island as part of the island’s conservation project.
• After your tour, return to your hotel for a free afternoon.

Meals Included: Lunch

Accommodation: Single, Twin and Triple Rooms

Day 6: Kampong Cham Homestay

• After breakfast make the journey to Kampong Cham, the third-largest city in Cambodia, located along the banks of the Mekong River. Make a quick stop at the iconic bamboo bridge, which is rebuilt each year after the rainy season along your way to Cheung Kok village.
• Arrive in the morning and stroll through the village and learn about rice production, silk krama weaving, and the history of the area on your village tour. Next, sit down for lunch with a local family to sample Khmer cuisine; rice served with delicious produce fresh from the market.
• Afterwards, try your hand at krama weaving, bamboo carving or rice cultivation (dependent on the season) with local villagers. If you wish, bicycles are available to cycle (10 minutes) to nearby Phnom Pros/Phnom Srey mountain for a view over Kampong Cham.
• In the evening, relax with your homestay hosts. You will have the chance to practice your Khmer over an evening meal of traditional Khmer food. Sleep soundly in a traditional wooden house with basic bedding and mosquito net.

Meals Included: Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation: Wooden house single mattress

Day 7: Siem Reap City Walking Tour

• Enjoy an early-morning home-cooked traditional breakfast before grabbing some snacks from the market and hitting the road, making the 4.5 hour journey to Siem Reap through some of the country’s most beautiful countryside.
• On arrival, check into your accommodation and relax for a while before joining your group on a 1.5 hour walking tour of Siem Reap. Stroll along the picturesque riverside to visit the  Made in Cambodia market for some sustainable souvenir shopping.
• Continue on to Wat Preah Prom Rat, the city’s largest pagoda and reclining Buddha, where your guide will give you an introduction to how pagodas and Buddhism factor into daily Cambodian life. Then move on to Psar Chas (Old Market) which serves as a hub for everything from clothing and souvenirs to fresh produce and food stalls.
• This tour is a wonderful way to explore Siem Reap and gain insights about the town.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Accommodation: Twin Rooms

Day 8: Kulen Elephant Sanctuary & Apopo Hero Rats

• After breakfast, you will be collected by tuk tuk and taken to the departure point for your morning with the elephants. Enjoy a leisurely 1 hour drive to the Kulen Elephant Forest where you will be greeted with tea and coffee on arrival before meeting the elephants and heading into the forest together for your half-day experience.
• The Kulen Elephant Forest is a haven where these retired elephants can interact freely, and are treated with the greatest care and attention. At the reserve, there are no tricks, no riding, and the elephants are free to roam and socialize as they please.
• You will help the team with the morning feeding before a leisurely walk through the jungle, letting the elephants lead you where they want to go. Return to the main house for lunch while the elephants frolic and bathe themselves in the purpose-built pool.
• When you return from the forest, your driver will meet you again to take you to the Apopo Visitor Centre for a 1-hour demonstration of how these incredible African Pouch Rats are utilised as the fastest method of clearing landmines from the Cambodian countryside.
• Return to your accommodation for a free evening.

Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: Twin share rooms

Day 9: Angkor Wat Sunrise Temple Experience

• An early start this morning, you will be collected at 4:30am to make your way to the world-famous Angkor Wat to witness a spectacular sunrise over this ancient wonder. Arrive here in time to get yourself into position for the sunrise, your guide knows all the best locations. Watch as the sun ascends from behind the spires of this magical site and continue with a tour inside the temple. After your first temple of the day, you will find a nice spot outside the temple to relax on the lawn and enjoy your packed breakfast together.
• After breakfast, you will move on to the Hollywood portion of your tour with a visit to Ta Prohm, the temple featured in Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider movies. Wander through these spectacular grounds before the crowds arrive for the day, our guide will not only tell you the history of this impressive structure but will present you with some mystery when you visit the famed dinosaur carving.
• From here it is an easy graduation onto the next UNESCO World Heritage Listed temple, called Bayon. This temple is famous for its many carved faces looking out over the ancient city of Angkor Thom.
• After your tour is complete, return to your hotel for a relaxing afternoon to enjoy some time in the swimming pool or take a nap before your evening activities.
• This evening you will be collected from your hotel at 6:15pm to make your way to Phare Circus where you can enjoy a leisurely dinner of Cambodian street food options (own expense). After dinner, make your way into the big top for the show.
• The circus in Siem Reap is a social enterprise supporting Phare Ponleu Selapak, an art school in nearby Battambang that educates over 1200 children in the arts every year, for free! Your night out will not only provide you with a thrilling display of Cambodian artistry, but you will also be supporting an organization created by Cambodians to educate Cambodians.
• At the conclusion of the show, your transport will be waiting to take you back to your hotel for the evening or to drop you in town to explore a little more of Siem Reap’s nightlife.

Meals Included: Packed Breakfast

Accommodation: Twin Rooms

Day 10: Sambour Prei Kuk

• After breakfast, you will depart from your accommodation, bound for Phnom Penh. About halfway through this 6-hour journey, you will stop at a small local temple called Sambour Prei Kuk where you will enjoy a picnic lunch and some free time to explore the ruins at your leisure.
• Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, check into your accommodation to freshen up before joining the group for a farewell dinner at Kravanh Restaurant.

Meals Included: Breakfast & Picnic Lunch

Accommodation: Single or Double Rooms

Day 11: Departure Day

• Today is the end of our tour. Your tour leader can help you to arrange onward travel or to book transfers to the airport as required.

Meals Included: Breakfast