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1st Nov 2025 - 11th Nov 2025
11 days/Cambodia /Moderate to Challenging
This spectacular 5-day trek to Angkor Wat is a wonderful way to experience Cambodia. Spend two days supporting a rural community project before trekking through rice paddies, jungles and traditional villages, encountering local people, ancient temples and monasteries along the way. With mountains, rivers, Buddhist sites, waterfalls and farmland, this jungle adventure offers a unique glimpse into Cambodian life and culminates in an arrival at the magnificent temple complex at Angkor.
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This trek is graded as moderate to challenging for someone of a good level of fitness. You will trek along established routes through villages, farmland and jungle with some short sections of road, some steep sections and a few hills. You can expect rocky and uneven terrain underfoot and possibly slippery and muddy ground, especially after the rain. Regular breaks are taken but long days are inevitable. It is essential that you are fit enough to trek for at least 8 hours at a time for consecutive days; don’t expect it to be easy.
The trek is accompanied by local professional English-speaking guides who have excellent knowledge of the region. You will also be supported by a team of local support staff and drivers and a UK Different Travel Company tour manager.
You will trek along established routes through villages, farmland and jungle with some short sections of road, some steep sections and a few hills. You can expect rocky and uneven terrain underfoot and possibly slippery and muddy ground, especially after the rain. Regular breaks are taken but long days are inevitable. It is essential that you are fit enough to trek for at least 8 hours at a time for consecutive days; don’t expect it to be easy.
You are required and expected to train in preparation for this and your training should include hill walking and trekking up and down gradients. The Different Travel Company has the right to refuse anyone who they feel is not fit enough for the challenge for the health and safety of the individual, and the group.
You can expect highs of 33°C during the day and lows of around 21°C at night. Weather conditions will vary but in general you will experience hot but cloudy days with occasional short rain downpours and high humidity. It’s important to be prepared for all weather conditions and temperatures.
Please note: the temperatures and conditions above are historically accurate however, climate change impacts the seasons so you may experience uncharacteristic conditions which are out of our control. Should this happen the guide will assess the situation and make decisions to ensure the best enjoyment and ultimate safety of the group.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner, is provided throughout the trek as specified on the itinerary. Tables, chairs, plates, mugs and cutlery are all provided, and you may be able to purchase drinks at the homestay depending on availability (payable locally).
You will stay in a hotel in Siem Reap for a night at the start of the trip and two nights at the end. During the trek there will be a mixture of camping and staying in traditional stilt house homestays with the local community.
You must be aged 18 or above to join this trip. It may be possible for you to participate if you are 16 or 17 years old but you must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. There is no upper age limit.
An ideal candidate for the trek would be someone who enjoys being out of their comfort zone and trying something new. Adventure travel involves an element of the unexpected so do not expect standards to be the same as you are used to at home. Remote areas are sometimes unpredictable (be it because of group pace, weather conditions, local bureaucracy, or other factors) and itineraries may be altered to allow for this. For you to get the most out of your challenge it is important that you are flexible, positive, and eager to take on all the challenges that arise. Suitable fitness preparation before departure forms part of this.
You should have a good level of fitness to ensure fast recovery from each day of trekking.
You must engage in training (including plenty of walking up and down hills) before departure to ensure your best chance of enjoyment on the trip. This could include hill walking, running, cycling, gym workouts, boot camps, etc. You can download a number of free apps to help you train and track your progress, e.g. MapMyWalk, C25K, MyFitnessPal, etc. Attempting to complete the trek without training will make it more challenging than necessary and will be detrimental to your experience, and the experience of your teammates.
London to Siem Reap
Depart London on an indirect overnight flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival in Siem Reap we transfer to our hotel to check in and freshen up before a group dinner and a briefing on the week ahead.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: DinnerÂ
Trei Nhoar Community Project
Today we will head out of town to the Trei Nhoar Community, about an hour drive from Siem Reap, where we will spend two days assisting on a local community project. The tasks will be determined closer to the time depending on the needs of the community but could involve helping to repair or decorate a community building, school or clinic, helping with the construction of a road or dam, or creating a garden. We will stay overnight in local homestays.
Overnight: Homestays
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Trei Nhaor – Tapang – Knapor
After a hearty breakfast we commence our trek from the edge of Siem Reap, passing through local villages and rice paddies. Around half-way we stop to visit Prasat Banteay Ampil, a hidden Angkorian temple which has largely been reclaimed by the jungle. After a picnic lunch we continue by a lake to reach our village homestay accommodation.
Overnight: Homestay
Trek:Â 25 kms/8hrs (mainly flat and gentle)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Knapor – Kulen Mountain – Phum Sangke Lake
First of all we drive approx. 35 kms to Svay Leu, from where we start our trek up Phnom Kulen (Kulen Mountain), one of the most sacred mountains in Cambodia, and one which played a significant role in the history of the Khmer Empire. It was originally called Mahendraparvata and was where Jayavarman II (a 9th Century king) declared himself King of Kings, making Phnom Kulen the birthplace of the Khmer Empire, unifying local overlords after many years of fighting.
Stops today include Wat Chas Buddhist Temple and Sangke Lake, where we stop for lunch.
Overnight: Camping
Trek: 13kms/6hrs (steep uphill in sections)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Sangke Lake – Ankong Choeung Chab
Today we continue trekking through dense jungle, passing by a couple of interesting and little-visited sites, Srah Damrei (Elephant Pond), and Wat Preah Krai. We take a short transfer to our campsite at Anlong Choeung Chab later this afternoon.
Overnight: Camping
Trek: 15kms/7hrs (mixed terrain)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Anlong Choeung Chab – Camp Tbeng
Setting off this morning, our trek takes us through the forest to the River of 1000 Lingas. After marvelling at this ancient site we then head to the 16th century Preah Ang Thon Monastery, renowned for its giant reclining Buddha. We stop for lunch at a stunning waterfall where there is a chance for a dip before continuing our trek to reach Camp Tbeng.
Overnight: Homestay
Trek: 18kms/ 6 hrs (Slightly downhill, undulating mixed terrain)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Camp Tbeng – Angkor Wat
Our final day of trekking takes us through small villages and paddy fields to reach Phnom Bok. From here it is a short transfer by vehicle to pick up our entrance tickets to the Angkor Archeological Complex, from where we continue our hike through the jungle to reach magnificent Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument! There is ample time to explore and enjoy this amazing spectacle before leaving the complex and heading to our hotel in Siem Reap.
Overnight: Hotel
Trek: 12kms/4 hours + time spent visiting Angkor Wat
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Angkor Temples
Today our adventure takes a twist, as we take to mountain bikes and spend the day off the beaten track, exploring the lesser-visited temples of Angkor.
Overnight: Hotel
Cycle: approx 35 kms/ 7 hours including temple visits
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Siem Reap to London
Depending on flight times there may be time for some further sightseeing in Siem Reap.
Transfer to the airport for the return flight to London, which may arrive on Wednesday, depending on flight schedules.
Meals: Breakfast
N.B. While we do not anticipate changes, this itinerary may be subject to alteration due to flight schedules, hotel availability and other factors outside our control. During the trip itself the itinerary will depend on the group ability, weather and the daily circumstances. Any changes in the itinerary will be made in the interest of group safety and enjoyment. In-country, your guide and tour manager will have the final say in the interest of the health and safety of the group.
Registration fee: £350
and then either…
Self-funded: £2,350
or
Sponsorship: £4,700
or
Flexi: £2,350 trip costs and £2,350 sponsorship for a charity of your choice
This option is for those who choose to pay the trip costs (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) themselves. There is no sponsorship required although if you wish to raise sponsorship for a charity you are welcome to do so.
This option is for those who wish to raise sponsorship to cover both the costs of the trip (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) and a donation to their chosen charity. There is a minimum sponsorship amount for each tour that you are required to raise in order to participate.
This option is for those who choose to pay the trip costs (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) themselves while still raising some funds for the charity.
*If your chosen charity is not on this list, please seek permission to fundraise for them by taking part in this challenge before making your booking.
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