Angkor Wat sunrise tour: Private guide, four temples

Angkor Wat sunrise tour: temples, stone faces, and tree-wrapped sanctuaries before dawn

A private guided sunrise tour of Angkor Wat and three neighboring temples (Angkor Thom, Bayon and Ta Prohm) with hotel pickup, transport, a professional English-speaking guide, water and a cold towel included. The day starts at 4:30 AM to catch the light breaking over the main temple, then moves through the other sites before a lunch break at a local restaurant. Seven to eight hours total.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Angkor Wat2h
2. Angkor Thom2h

Sunrise and temples tour in Angkor

• Hotel pickup at 4:30 AM
• Sunrise at Angkor Wat
• Explore Angkor Wat temple
• Visit south gate of Angkor Thom
• See Bayon temple and terraces
• Visit Ta Prohm temple
• Lunch at local restaurant

The experience

Hotel pickup happens at 4:30 AM so you arrive at Angkor Wat before the sun clears the horizon. The main temple (the most balanced and harmonious of the Khmer structures, built in the 12th century at the height of Khmer art) fills with light as you walk the galleries and courtyards. A professional local guide narrates the history and the architecture as you move through, and the early hour means fewer crowds at the most photographed moment of the day.

After Angkor Wat, the tour moves to Angkor Thom through the south gate, where two rows of enormous stone demons and gods line a bridge depicting the churning of the ocean of milk. Inside the walled city, you visit Bayon (a late-12th-century Buddhist temple built by King Jayavarman VII, famous for its forest of carved stone heads), and the Terrace of Elephants, which once served as the base for the king's grand audience hall. The Terrace of the Leper King and Baphuon temple are also on the route.

Ta Prohm comes last, the temple deliberately left as archaeologists found it, with massive kapok trees clasping the sanctuaries in their roots. The guide points out how the structure has been overtaken by the forest rather than cleared of it. A lunch break at a nearby local restaurant marks the end of the active touring before the return to your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup at 4:30 AM and private transport between all four temples.
• a professional local guide speaking English throughout the day.
• cold drinking water and a cold towel provided.
• lunch break at a local restaurant (meal not included).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

Book up toStart time

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 37

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Siem Reap Private Tours

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English, so you follow the history and the architecture without a language barrier. This works for anyone who wants to see the temples at their best light and pace without managing the logistics of timing, transport or navigation yourself.

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Top questions

What time does the Angkor Wat sunrise tour start and finish?

Pickup is at 4:30 AM so you reach Angkor Wat before sunrise. The full tour runs seven to eight hours, including a lunch break at a local restaurant near the temples.

What are the four temples visited on this private tour?

Angkor Wat is the first stop at sunrise; then Angkor Thom, where you see the south gate and visit Bayon temple with its carved stone heads, the Terrace of Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King and Baphuon; finally Ta Prohm, where trees grow through the ancient structures.

Is lunch included in the Angkor Wat sunrise tour?

A lunch break at a local restaurant nearby is built into the itinerary, though the meal itself is not included in the tour price.

What is included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup and transport, a professional English-speaking guide, cold drinking water and a cold towel are included. The Angkor archaeological park pass is purchased separately.

Do I need to be very fit to do this tour?

A moderate level of physical fitness is recommended, as the day involves walking through temple grounds and climbing stairs inside the structures over seven to eight hours.

Can I bring an infant on this private tour?

Yes. Specialized infant seats are available if you need them for the vehicle transport between temples.