Cambodia: Royal Palace, Angkor Wat & Killing Fields 6-Day

Six Days Tracing Cambodia's Kingdoms, from Palace Gold to Temple Roots

You move through Cambodia's major sites over six days without arranging transport, tickets, or a guide. The itinerary handles all three. You see the Royal Palace and museums in Phnom Penh, then spend three days among the Angkor temples, including Angkor Wat at sunrise, Ta Prohm, Bayon, Banteay Srei, and Kulen Mountain's waterfall. You stay in 4-star hotels with breakfast included, travel by private minivan, and have a local guide for each temple. The pace leaves mornings and one full day free.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and leisure in Phnom Penh

• Arrive in Phnom Penh
• Check into hotel
• Relax and acclimate
• Stroll along riverside

Day 2: Royal Palace and National Museum

• Visit Royal Palace
• See Silver Pagoda and Emerald Buddha
• Explore National Museum

Day 3: Killing Fields and S-21 Museum

• Tour S-21 Museum
• Visit Choeung Ek Genocidal Center

Day 4: Travel to Siem Reap

• Check out from Phnom Penh hotel
• Drive to Siem Reap by private minivan
• Stop for lunch (not included)
• Check into Siem Reap hotel
• Free evening

Day 5: Angkor Wat and Temples Tour

• Watch sunrise at Angkor Wat
• Guided tour of Angkor Wat
• Visit Ta Prohm temple
• Explore Bayon temple

Day 6: Banteay Srei and Kulen Mountain

• Visit Banteay Srei temple
• Travel to Kulen Mountain
• See reclining Big Buddha
• Explore River of a Thousand Lingas
• Swim at Kulen waterfall

Day 7: Departure from Siem Reap

• Free morning at leisure
• Transfer to Siem Reap Airport

The experience

"You'll want to be at the temple before the light hits the water," your guide says as the minivan pulls up to collect you at 4:45 in the morning. That's how the Angkor Wat sunrise tour begins, not with poetry, but with a time and a reason. The 6-day tour moves you through Cambodia in a shape that makes sense: three days in Phnom Penh absorbing the weight of the Royal Palace, the National Museum, and the Killing Fields, then a 5-to-6-hour drive north to Siem Reap, where the temples take over. The itinerary doesn't rush. You stay in 4-star hotels each night, eat breakfast included, and travel in an air-conditioned minivan with a local English-speaking guide who knows which temple opens earliest and which one clears by noon.

The Phnom Penh section sits with history in a way that's hard to rush through. The Royal Palace, built in 1866, has golden spires and the Silver Pagoda with its 5,000 solid silver floor tiles: the kind of detail that stops you mid-step. The National Museum holds centuries of Khmer sculpture and ceramics in a traditional building that feels like the history itself chose where to live. Then comes the harder part: Tuol Sleng, the former high school turned Security Prison 21, and the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek. These aren't attractions in the usual sense. They're places where you stand and try to hold what happened. The tour includes entry to both, and a guide who can answer the questions that come up.

Once you reach Siem Reap, the temples start. Angkor Wat at sunrise is the centerpiece: the 12th-century temple with carvings that tell old myths, and yes, the light does hit the water the way people say. But the tour doesn't stop there. Ta Prohm, the jungle temple with tree roots wrapped around stone like the forest is slowly taking it back, gets its own morning. Bayon, in Angkor Thom, has those carved stone faces (dozens of them, each with that same serene expression), and the galleries wind through in a way that makes you lose track of time. Banteay Srei, the 10th-century "Citadel of Women," is carved from pink sandstone with bas-reliefs so detailed they feel almost impossible. On the final full day, you climb Kulen Mountain to see the reclining Big Buddha at the pagoda, walk the "River of a Thousand Lingas" (an ancient riverbed covered in carved stone), and swim under a waterfall.

The drive between cities is built into the schedule, not hidden. You leave Phnom Penh after breakfast, stop for lunch (not included, so you choose where), and arrive in Siem Reap in the afternoon with time to settle. Your last morning is free: the tour doesn't pack it. You can walk the markets in Siem Reap town, swim at the hotel, or sit still. Then a transfer takes you to the airport. All entrance fees are covered. The guide is included. Breakfast comes with the hotel each day. What you arrange is lunch and dinner, and whether you want to hire a driver for an evening out.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned minivan for all transfers and temple visits.
• local English-speaking guide for all days.
• 4-star hotel accommodation with daily breakfast (6 nights total).
• all temple and attraction entrance fees including Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Bayon, Banteay Srei, Kulen Mountain, Royal Palace, National Museum, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and Choeung Ek Genocidal Center.
• drinking water throughout the tour.
• airport transfer on departure day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day16 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 22:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Travel to Inspire

Is this one for you?This tour suits travelers who want Cambodia's main historical and cultural sites in one journey without arranging transport, guides, or tickets separately: the fixed itinerary and included guide mean you move through Phnom Penh's palaces and museums, then the Angkor temples, without logistics getting in the way.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

What time does the Angkor Wat sunrise tour start?

The tour departs early in the morning, typically around 4:45 a.m., to reach Angkor Wat before sunrise.

How long is the drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap?

The drive takes 5 to 6 hours by private minivan. A lunch stop is included in the route, though lunch itself is not included in the tour price.

Are entrance fees to the temples included?

Yes, all temple and attraction entrance tickets are included in the tour price.

What is included in the accommodation?

The tour includes 4-star hotel stays with daily breakfast. Hotels are similar to Sun & Moon Urban Hotel in Phnom Penh and Kulen Central Hotel in Siem Reap.

Is a guide provided for the temple tours?

Yes, a local English-speaking guide is included throughout the tour and leads all temple visits.

What is the Silver Pagoda?

The Silver Pagoda is part of the Royal Palace complex in Phnom Penh. Its floor is made of 5,000 solid silver tiles, and it houses the Emerald Buddha.

Which temples are visited in Siem Reap?

The tour includes Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Bayon, Banteay Srei, and Kulen Mountain with its pagoda and waterfall.

Is transportation between sites included?

Yes, all transportation is by private air-conditioned minivan, and the driver is included throughout the tour.

What meals are included?

Daily breakfast at your hotel is included. Lunch and dinner are not included, giving you the choice of where and what to eat.

Is there free time during the tour?

Yes. The evening of arrival in Phnom Penh is free, the evening in Siem Reap is free, and the final morning before departure is free for leisure or exploring on your own.