Trek the trails of the remote Ratanakiri jungle and Phnom Kulen National Park, discovering lost shrines, hidden waterfalls and indigenous villages
Kayak the Mekong River - eyes open for rare Irrawaddy dolphins - and cycle around sleepy Koh Trong Island
Pedal among the enigmatic Angkor Thom temples, explore the ancient city of Angkor Wat and paddle Tonlé Sap, Southeast Asia’s biggest lake
Day 1
Your host will meet you on arrival at Phnom Penh Airport, and transfer you to your hotel in the city. If you have time, wander a while amid the sights and hubbub of the capital. Meet up with the rest of the group in the early evening for a welcome dinner in a local restaurant and chat through the adventure to come.
Day 2
Jump in the van and hit the road - National Road 8 to be exact, heading east. Roll past lush countryside which unfurls into a green patchwork of paddy fields, to the Mekong riverside town of Kratie. Here, you'll hop on a small ferry bound for sleepy Koh Trong Island. Stretch your legs with a pedal around this rustic island, fringed by fine sandy beaches. Spend the evening with your host family in a traditional stilted house, and enjoy the simple pleasures of conversation and a delicious home-cooked meal.
Day 3
Fuelled by a healthy breakfast, hop into a kayak to paddle down the mighty Mekong River, past sandbar islands - eyes open for the rare and elusive Irrawaddy dolphin. There’s time for a dip and some local snacks before coming ashore for lunch at a local restaurant. Back in the van, you'll continue onwards to Ban Lung, known as the ‘Red City’ thanks to the iron-rich dirt roads in remote Ratanakiri province. This region boasts a wide range of biodiversity - as well as the odd forest genie, according to legend - and is home to many communities of minority ethnic Cambodians.
Day 4
Lace up your boots for an adventure in the forested eastern province. You will take a van, a small ferry, an even smaller boat, and a ‘koyoun’ (motorised tractor) to the start point of your hike. Trek through the lush greenery until you reach a local indigenous community, where you'll share a dram of ‘srah thnam’ rice wine with lunch. Hit the trail again and learn about edible plants and jungle survival techniques, and soak up a stunning panoramic vista. Step aboard a traditional river raft to be transported downstream with time for a dip, before the return journey to the hotel.
Day 5
Head north out of Ratanakiri, passing through the small town of Stung Treng - a remote place with charming wooden houses and an interesting history. Stop for lunch en route and continue onwards to the archaeological site of Koh Ker, recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, found close to the borders of Thailand and Laos. Spend the afternoon hiking around the compact, atmospheric and peaceful temples. The complex is nestled in forest, with the jungle slowly reclaiming its ancient structures.
Day 6
Drive past the foot of Kulen Mountain, into Phnom Kulen National Park. After a briefing from the park ranger, head into the jungle to discover the enigmatic River of a Thousand Lingas - a holy site deep in the jungle with carvings (lingas) dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. You'll also visit the reclining Buddha statue at Preah Ang Thom, and take a refreshing dip at a waterfall. Keep your eyes open for wildlife as you hike through the thick forest, before you push on to your homestay. Meet your hosts and kick back for the evening.
Day 7
Rise early to soak up the tranquil forest village amidst palm and coconut trees, and fuel up on breakfast. Head out to the Phnom Kulen plateau loop, where you'll wind your way through the forest and past tumbledown 10th century temples, to the Sra Damre holy elephant shrine. Enjoy lunch under a shady pagoda before moving on to the impressive Hindu stone carving of Phnom Tbal and the Prasat Rong Chen pyramid temple. Back in the van, your next stop is Siem Reap.
Day 8
This morning you'll head out on two wheels, pedalling towards the captivating south gate of the Angkor Thom complex - the entrance to the great Khmer capital. Take in the Bayon’s 54 intricately carved faces of Buddha and the famous ruined temple of Ta Phrom, a tangled living mosaic of trees and stone. In the afternoon, enter the iconic temple of Angkor Wat via the central avenue, a symphony of stylised stone.
In the evening, roll up to Phare, The Cambodian Circus - an authentic and unique acrobatic journey through Khmer history and culture. The performers here are trained by Phare Ponleu Selpak, an NGO supporting disadvantaged young Cambodians.
Day 9
Jump into a kayak on the largest lake in South East Asia, Tonlé Sap. Paddle gently across the calm water where you'll pass floating villages, meet the locals who live in them and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the mangrove-fringed shores. In the afternoon, enjoy some downtime or explore vibrant Siem Reap town.
Day 10
After breakfast, you can explore more of Siem Reap or just relax. You will be transferred to Siem Reap airport in time for your onward flight.
Barbara H. April 2026
Paul H. April 2026
Al K. December 2024
Tom R. February 2024
Michele g. April 2026
“Cambodia is full of gentle people and this trip went beyond the tourist trails to the heart of the country . The real Cambodia . Trekking . tractor trailers. Kayaking. Rafting and biking . Staying in home stays was the highlight for many of us on our tour. Our guide Mr Young our knowledgeable guide and our driver Mr SIm went out of their way to accommodate the group. We had a trip of a lifetime. Thank you much better adventure s.”
Katie H. April 2026
“Had an amazing time in Cambodia with Much Better Adventures - was jam packed and a really varied, authentic trip where we got the full experience of Cambodia. A big part of this was down to our tour guide, Mr Young, who was AMAZING - he went above and beyond, was full of knowledge, and looked after us so well. Would highly recommend!”
PHILIPPA G. April 2026
“I loved the trip around Cambodia. We had an amazing guide with us all the way, who was attentive, kind and felt like part of the family by the end of the trip. There was an amazing itinerary of daily wow moments. We really felt like we were off the beaten track into unknown Cambodia. I loved the Kayaking with Mekong dolphins, the home stays gave us a real insight into local life and the jungle/forest treks were an amazing experience. I love the way MBA uses local tours so that money can go back into the local economy. The bus journeys between destinations were enhanced by having a very comfortable air-conditioned bus. Thank you MBA”
Benjamin S. February 2025
“An adventure from start to finish with 'wow' moments every day, this trip provided a unique and enchanting insight into the wonderful kingdom of Cambodia. Truly 'off the beaten track', the itinerary showcased beautiful scenery, remarkable cultural sights and delicious Khmer food. This was my first MBA trip and I joined as a solo traveller - the group dynamic was fantastic and we just had so much fun every day! Highlights included: homestay cuisine (delicious, plentiful meals), bamboo river rafting (see video), kayaking with Irrawaddy dolphins and mystical jungle entwined Khmer temples, culminating in a magical visit to Angkor Wat. Previous reviews have mentioned extended road travel - that's true but it was not excessive given the ground covered to visit large swathes of the country. Our excellent guide always accurately managed expectations on journey times and to be honest, taking in the views of the countryside was often mesmerizing. And the logistics and organisation were impeccable. If you can - go! Cambodia will not disappoint, nor will this trip!”
Katya M. February 2025
“A fantastic way to see Cambodia! I'd never have been able to put this itinerary together for myself, with its homestays, delicious local food, adventurous experiences and completely deserted thousand year old temples. I like to be active so I was a bit nervous about some other reviews about the amount of driving but that was absolutely fine. We were active every day and the one longer drive was well worth it to get to see more of the country. Massive thanks to Vanna, our guide, who was brilliant. And, as always with MBA tours, the other participants were up for the adventure and so much fun to hang out with!”
Get instant answers about this adventure
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To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
Yes, a visa is compulsory for travellers entering Cambodia and not included into the price of trip. Visas can be obtained either in advance or on arrival, with both methods being quick and easy.
If you opt for a visa in advance (an e-visa), please visit the website of the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more information and pricing.
If you opt for a visa on arrival, you will need two recent passport photographs, an arrival form (provided by your airline) and cash in US Dollars, in order to be granted your visa. Please visit the Cambodian Embassy website in your country of origin for more information and pricing.
From 1 September 2024, Cambodia will implement an electronic Arrival Card. If you are entering Cambodia by air at either Phnom Penh, Siem Reap or Sihanoukville international airports, you must complete and submit an electronic e-Arrival Card within 7 days prior to your arrival. There is no charge for this.
Tap water in Cambodia is not safe to drink. Clean drinking water will be provided from a 20-litre refill container in the vehicle. There will also be water bottle refill stations available in the hotels and homestays, in order to reduce plastic consumption. Please pack your own reusable bottle, it will be well used.
Water bottles with in-built filters are becoming increasingly popular for travellers to use in countries without clean tap water. Please see our guide for advice on the best water filters for adventurers if you wish to bring your own filtration bottle on this trip.
Tips for the local staff are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. We suggest the below as a guideline per person, per day which will be shared between guides, support team and driver:
£9 (GBP)/$10 (USD)
Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Due to the point to point nature of this trip, your luggage will be transported with you in the vehicle throughout the journey.
The kayaks across the itinerary will be Loma 1 fibreglass single or double sit-on-top kayaks. Sit-on-top kayaks are very stable and easy to paddle for everyone, from new paddlers through to experienced paddlers, and can be used on the sea, estuaries, rivers, lakes and canals.
The single kayaks are 2.7m / 8.8’ in length and 74cm / 2’ wide approx. Single kayaks can take a maximum load up to 100kg / 220lbs.
The double kayaks are 3.7m / 12’ in length and 83cm / 2’ wide approx. Double kayaks can take a maximum load up to 190kg / 418lbs.
For the leisurely cycling on Koh Trong island, simple city bikes are used, which are comfortable and easy to ride on the flat terrain.
The bikes used in the Siem Reap region are mountain bikes of a higher specification. The mountain bikes available will be one of the following makes and models, in various sizes: Cannondale Trail 4 2017, Trek Marlin 5 2022 or Giant Rincon 29 2022.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Cambodia is a hot and tropical country, at its hottest in April and coolest in January, and reliably warm for much of the year. The dry months are between late October through to the end of May, with more rain expected between June and early October.
Although rainfall is at its maximum in September, the central region, east and Siem Reap receive very little rain compared to the coastal areas, and when it does rain it tends to be in the form of sporadic mid-afternoon downpours. There is no 'best time' to go, as each time of year benefits the varied trip activities in turn: drier months mean easy cycling or hiking, but wetter months mean higher water levels for kayaking with green lush jungle.
In the drier season, the daytime temperatures range between 31°C / 88°F and 39°C / 102°F, and go down to around 23°C / 74°F at night. In the rainy season, the daytime temperatures range between 30°C / 86°F and 35°C / 95°F, and go down to around 24°C / 75°F at night.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 540kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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