Angkor Wat sunrise tour from Siem Reap: Private guide

Climb Angkor Wat at sunrise, then explore four temples with a guide who knows the ruins

A private, full-day tour from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat and the surrounding temple complex, with an English-speaking guide and air-conditioned vehicle. You start before dawn to watch the sunrise from the main entrance, then move through Bayon (with its 54 towers and 216 carved faces), Ta Prohm (wrapped in enormous fig tree roots), and Banteay Kdei. The guide handles the route and the history. You move at a pace that lets you absorb each site.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each3 stops

1. Angkor Wat3h
2. Bayon2h
3. Banteay Kdei1h

Explore Angkor Wat and Surroundings

• Climb main entrance at sunrise
• Admire sunrise over Angkor Wat
• Visit central Angkor Thom and Bayon
• See Terrace of Elephant and Leper King
• Explore ancient Royal Palace Phimeanakas
• Visit Ta Prohm temple with fig trees
• Afternoon visit to Banteay Kdei temple

The experience

The tour begins in darkness. Your driver picks you up from your hotel in Siem Reap and takes you to Angkor Wat's main entrance, where you climb to watch the sunrise spread across the temple and the surrounding ruins. This is the moment most visitors come for: the light, the quiet before the crowds, the scale of what you're standing in front of. After sunrise, you have time to explore Angkor Wat itself before moving on.

The day then follows the highlights of the complex. Bayon, built by King Jayavarman VII at the end of the 12th century, is the centerpiece: 54 towers and 216 faces of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara carved into the stone. Your guide walks you through the Terrace of Elephants (used for royal ceremonies) and the Terrace of the Leper King, one of Angkor's unsolved mysteries. You'll also see Baphoun and the ancient Royal Palace, Phimeanakas. Ta Prohm comes next, the jungle temple where enormous fig trees have grown through and around the ruins, leaving it in much the same condition as when it was discovered. Banteay Kdei, built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, is a sprawling monastic complex in a similar style, largely unrestored.

The vehicle is air-conditioned, and you get cold towels and cold water throughout the day. The guide speaks English and knows the sites well enough to answer questions and point out details you'd miss alone. Entrance tickets are separate and paid on arrival. Meals are not included, so you'll want to plan lunch (your guide can suggest stops). The full day is eight hours from pickup to return.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide for the full day.
• air-conditioned vehicle with pickup from your Siem Reap hotel.
• cold towels and cold water throughout the tour.

Information

Lasts 8h, runs every day at 04:30, from US$ 52 per person, with a live guide in English, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 04:30Another time? ›

GroupPrivate1 group tour ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (2 to 12 years): 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 effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Angkor Wat Travel Tour

Is this one for you?If you're staying in Siem Reap without a car, the pickup from your hotel means you don't need to arrange separate transport to Angkor Wat. The private guide works at your pace and answers questions as you move through the temples, which matters more when you're seeing four major sites in one day and want to understand what you're looking at.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 12 years): free.

What time do I need to wake up for the sunrise at Angkor Wat?

You'll be picked up from your hotel in Siem Reap while it's still dark so you can reach Angkor Wat's main entrance before dawn. The exact pickup time depends on your hotel location and the sunrise time that day, but expect to leave around 4:30 to 5:00 am.

What is Ta Prohm and why is it so famous?

Ta Prohm is a 12th-century temple that has been left largely as it was found, with enormous fig trees growing through and around the stone structures. The massive roots have embraced the ruins and merged with the jungle, making it one of Angkor's most recognizable temples and one of the most photographed sites in the complex.

Does the tour include meals or snacks?

Meals are not included, but you'll have cold water and cold towels throughout the day. Your guide can recommend lunch stops near the temples, and you can plan a break during the afternoon portion of the tour.

Are entrance tickets to the temples included in the price?

No, entrance tickets to Angkor Wat and the other temples are paid separately when you arrive. Your guide will help you with the ticket process, but the cost is not part of the tour price.