Angkor Wat Private Tour from Siem Reap: Sunset at the temples

Walk through Ta Prohm's jungle-wrapped stones, then watch the sun drop over Angkor Wat

A private full-day tour of Angkor's main temples from Siem Reap, led by an English-speaking guide, with hotel pickup and sunset viewing at Phnom Bakheng. You choose between a luxury air-conditioned vehicle or a tuk-tuk, and the Angkor Pass (required entry to all temples) is purchased on arrival with your guide's help. Lunch at local restaurants is at your own expense. Dress code requires knees and shoulders covered.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each8 stops

1. Bayon1h
2. Angkor Thom30m
3. Baphuon30m
4. Royal Enclosure30m
5. Terrace of the Elephants45m
6. Terrace of the Leper King30m
7. Angkor Wat2h
8. Phnom Bakheng1h

Explore Angkor Temples and Sunset

• Pick up at hotel in Siem Reap
• Visit south gate of Angkor Thom
• Explore Bayon temple
• Tour Angkor Thom complex
• Visit Baphuon temple
• See Phimeanakas temple
• Walk Terrace of the Elephants
• Visit Terrace of the Leper King
• Explore Ta Nei temple
• Tour Ta Prohm temple
• Visit Angkor Wat temple
• Climb Phnom Bakheng for sunset

The experience

The day starts at your hotel in Siem Reap, where your guide and driver meet you in the morning. From there, you travel to the Angkor Archaeological Park and enter through the south gate of Angkor Thom, the restored entrance most visitors use. The gate leads straight into the walled city, where you'll walk the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King: both carved with dramatic bas-reliefs that line the royal pathways. Your guide explains the history as you move through these spaces: the terraces once hosted royal processions, and the stone faces and elephant carvings still carry the grandeur of Jayavarman VII's reign.

The Bayon temple sits at the center of Angkor Thom, famous for its 54 towers carved with over 200 enormous stone faces: the "Smiling Faces of Bayon" that give the temple its haunting character. From there you move to Baphuon, a five-level temple mountain built of sandstone blocks with galleries wrapping its lower levels, and the Royal Enclosure, where Phimeanakas once stood crowned with gold. The guide walks you through the architectural choices that shaped each temple: how the galleries, courtyards and towers were arranged to represent Buddhist cosmology, turning stone into a three-dimensional map of the universe.

Ta Prohm comes next: the temple left untouched by archaeologists, where fig, banyan and kapok trees have spread their roots over the stones for centuries. The massive trunks twist around pillars, and branches form a canopy overhead. It's the one place in Angkor where you can stand among the ruins as early explorers found them, surrounded by jungle. From there, you continue to Angkor Wat itself, the largest and best-preserved monument in the complex. Built as a funerary temple for King Suryavarman II, its composition and proportions are considered one of the finest in the world: the bas-reliefs alone cover vast walls with scenes designed to be read in the order of Hindu funeral ritual.

As the afternoon light shifts, your guide takes you to Phnom Bakheng, the highest temple in the park, for sunset. From the top, the whole Angkor complex spreads below you: the towers of Angkor Wat, the walls of Angkor Thom, and the forest beyond. The sun drops over the temples, and the stone turns gold. Your driver brings you back to your hotel as the day ends. Water and cool towels are provided throughout. The Angkor Pass and lunch are arranged separately at your own cost.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Siem Reap.
• full-day private tour with a professional English-speaking guide.
• all private transfers by your choice of luxury air-conditioned vehicle or tuk-tuk.
• water and cool towels throughout the day.
• services charge and government VAT tax.

Options for this experience

5 options

Big Group TourGuide in English · 09:30Group tour by bus: visit Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm and Phnom Bakeng, with pickup and drop-off at your hotel lobby, pickup included

Private tour by tuk-tukGuide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:00Tour by tuk-tuk of all sights: full-day private tour of all the highlight temples of Angkor Wat with an English-speaking tour guide, pickup included

Luxury vehicle private tourGuide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:00Private tour by luxury air-conditioned vehicle: full-day tour of all the highlight temples of Angkor Wat with an English-speaking tour guide, pickup included

See 2 more options

Small group tour, jointGuide in English · 08:30Tour by luxury minivan: joint small group tour with pickup and drop-off at your hotel in Siem Reap, pickup included

Includes sunrise at Angkor WatGuide in English · 04:30Private tour including sunrise at Angkor Wat: full-day tour of all the highlight temples of Angkor Wat with an English-speaking tour guide, pickup included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 7h–9h, runs every day, 8 start times, from US$ 61.75 per person, with live guides in 7 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: 04:30, 07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30 and 10:00

GroupPrivate1 group tour ›

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese and RussianOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

AgesAdult (5 to 85 years) · Infant (under 5): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by About Cambodia Travel & Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the private vehicle option if you want air conditioning and comfort between temples during a full day of walking. Choose the tuk-tuk if you prefer an open-air ride and a more local feel. Either way, you move at your own pace with one guide instead of waiting for a group to gather, and the sunset at Phnom Bakheng is built into the day's end rather than an add-on you have to arrange.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 5): free.

What is the Bayon temple famous for?

The Bayon is known for its 54 towers carved with over 200 large stone faces, the "Smiling Faces of Bayon", that give the temple its distinctive character. Built nearly 100 years after Angkor Wat at the center of the royal city, the temple's scale and composition create a sense of grandeur in every aspect.

Can I see Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm on the same tour?

Yes. The tour includes both Angkor Wat, the largest and best-preserved monument in the complex, and Ta Prohm, the jungle temple left untouched by archaeologists where massive tree roots have wound themselves around the stone structures for centuries.

What should I wear to visit these temples?

A dress code is required: knees and shoulders must be covered for both men and women. No shorts or sleeveless tops are allowed. You risk refused entry if you don't comply with these requirements.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Lunch is not included. During the tour, your guide can stop at local restaurants with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, but meals are at your own expense.

Do I need to buy the Angkor Pass separately?

The Angkor Pass, which covers entry to all temples in the itinerary, is purchased at the entrance to Angkor Park. Your guide will assist you in buying it before the tour begins.

What's the difference between the private vehicle and tuk-tuk options?

You can choose between a private luxury air-conditioned vehicle or a tuk-tuk. Both include your own guide and driver. The vehicle choice affects comfort and air conditioning during travel between temples.