2-Day Sunrise Angkor Wat Tour: Temples, Waterfall & Jungle Ruins
Beng Mealea sits half-swallowed by jungle, its galleries still collapsed and unrestored after centuries.
A 2-day guided tour from Siem Reap covering five major temples and Kulen Waterfall, with hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide. Day one starts before dawn at Angkor Wat for sunrise, then moves through Ta Prohm, Bayon, and the Terrace of the Elephants inside Angkor Thom. Day two heads north to Banteay Srei's red sandstone carvings, the Reclining Buddha on Kulen Mountain, and Beng Mealea's vine-covered ruins deep in the forest.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Angkor Wat sunrise and temple tour
- Depart hotel early for Angkor Wat sunrise
- Explore Angkor Wat temple complex
- Enjoy meal at local restaurant
- View Srah Srang from restaurant
- Visit Ta Prohm temple
- Drive through Angkor Thom City
- Stop at eastern gates of Angkor Thom
- Visit Terrace of the Elephants
- Explore Bayon Temple
- Visit Banteay Kdei temple
Day 2: Kulen Waterfall, Banteay Srei, Beng Mealea
- Pickup from hotel in Siem Reap
- Travel to Kulen Mountain area
- Visit Banteay Srei temple
- See Reclining Buddha at Preah Ang Thom
- Explore River of a Thousand Lingas carvings
- Visit Kulen Waterfalls
- Lunch at local restaurant near Beng Mealea or Banteay Srei
- Explore Beng Mealea temple
- Return to Siem Reap hotel
What’s included
- Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle on both days.
- professional English-speaking tour guide.
- free hotel pickup and drop-off in Siem Reap.
- bottled water and small fresh cold towels.
- seasonal fruit and local palm cake tasting.
- Every day 04:40 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30
Information
2-day Siem Reap tour from hotel pickup covering Angkor Wat sunrise, Ta Prohm, Bayon, Banteay Srei.
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The experience
The tour departs from your hotel between 4:00 and 4:30 in the morning on day one so you reach Angkor Wat before sunrise. The early light turns the temple complex into silhouettes and clears the crowds. By the time other visitors arrive, you've already spent three and a half hours exploring the galleries and outer walls. After breakfast at a local restaurant with views of Srah Srang, a 5-minute drive takes you to Ta Prohm, where 300- to 400-year-old root trees have grown through the stone walls. This is the temple Angelina Jolie filmed in. The guide walks you through the maze of corridors at Bayon Temple next, pointing out the 54 stone faces carved into the towers, then across the Terrace of the Elephants, a platform carved with processions of elephants and horses that once stood inside the royal palace of Angkor Thom.
Day two picks you up between 7:30 and 8:00 in the morning for a two-hour drive north through the Cambodian countryside to Kulen Mountain. You'll see Banteay Srei first, a 10th-century temple built entirely from red sandstone that lets artisans carve scenes from Hindu mythology in detail no other temple in the region matches. The guide then takes you to the Reclining Buddha, an 8-meter statue carved into a natural boulder on the mountainside, and to the River of a Thousand Lingas: a 500-meter stretch of riverbed carved with lingams and yonis. The waterfall here runs 4 to 5 meters tall in the dry season and up to 15 to 20 meters during the rains. Lunch happens at a local restaurant near one of the temples depending on the day's timing.
The final stop is Beng Mealea, 40 kilometers east of Angkor Wat, a 12th-century temple that has never been restored. Trees and roots grow through its collapsed galleries and vine-covered walls, and the jungle around it is thick enough that wandering the ruins feels like discovery rather than sightseeing. You'll be back at your hotel by 5:00 or 5:30 in the evening after the drive back from the mountain.
Top questions
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What time do I need to wake up on the first morning?
Hotel pickup happens between 4:00 and 4:30 in the morning so you arrive at Angkor Wat before sunrise. If your hotel includes breakfast, you can ask for a breakfast pack to take with you and eat it after watching the sunrise.
What is Ta Prohm and why is it called the Angelina Jolie temple?
Ta Prohm is a 12th-century Buddhist temple built by King Jayavarman VII in honor of his mother. The temple is famous for the massive root trees, some 300 to 400 years old, that have grown through and around the stone walls and towers. It was used as a filming location for the Tomb Raider movies, which is why visitors often call it by that name.
How far is Beng Mealea from Angkor Wat and what makes it different?
Beng Mealea sits about 40 kilometers east of Angkor Wat. Unlike the other temples on the tour, it has never been restored, so its galleries remain collapsed and its walls are covered in vines and tree roots. The jungle around it is thick, giving the ruins an atmosphere of mystery and discovery rather than a manicured historical site.
Are the temple entrance fees included in the tour price?
Temple entrance fees are not included. The combined ticket for all temples in the itinerary costs USD 62 per person and can be purchased on the morning of the tour just before sunrise. Kulen Mountain has a separate entrance fee. You can pay with a visa card or cash at the gate.
What should I wear and bring for the two days?
Respectful dress is required at the temples: cover your shoulders and knees. Wear comfortable walking shoes for navigating temple ruins and uneven ground. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and a camera. The tour includes bottled water and small fresh cold towels, and you'll taste seasonal fruit and local palm cake during the day.
Operated by Angkor Buddy Tour. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 3 days ago
2-Day Sunrise Angkor Wat Tour: Temples, Waterfall & Jungle Ruins
2d · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 76 per person
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