Udong Old Capital Tour from Phnom Penh: Royal Tombs & Temples

Walk among the royal stupas where Cambodia's kings were buried.

This tour visits Udong, Cambodia's former capital (1618–1866), to explore royal tombs and temples scattered across Phnom Udong hill. You'll see the Elephant Stupa built in 1623, Preah Ang Duong Stupa from 1891, and the four-faced Preah Sisovath Stupa, each with its own burial history. The route includes Preah Vihear Adthaross, rebuilt after damage in the Khmer Rouge era, and Vipassana Dhurak monastery on the hillside, ending with sculptures at Preah Sakyamuni Chedi that depict Buddha's life.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Udong Old Capital sites

• Visit Elephant Samporn stupas
• See Preah Ang Duong stupas
• Visit Preah Sisovath stupa
• Tour Preah Vihea Adthaross temple
• Visit Vipassana Dhurak Buddhist monastery
• Explore Preah Sakyamuni chedi sculptures
• Walk down and visit Khmer food store

The experience

Udong sits about an hour from Phnom Penh and served as Cambodia's royal seat for two and a half centuries. The hill holds a cluster of stupas built by different kings: each one marks a specific reign and a specific burial. The Elephant Stupa (1623) honors a king's father; Preah Ang Duong (1891) was built by Preah Norodom for a king who ruled 1848–1860; Preah Sisovath (1927) holds another king's remains. Walking between them, you move through layers of Cambodian history compressed into one hillside.

Preah Vihear Adthaross carries a more recent past. Rebuilt by Preah Norodom and reopened in 1911, it was seized as a military base during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975–1979) and bombed in 1973. The temple stands as a physical record of Cambodia's twentieth-century upheaval. Vipassana Dhurak monastery, perched on the slopes below, offers a quieter counterpoint: a place where Buddhist practice continues on the same hill where power once shifted between rulers.

The tour ends at Preah Sakyamuni Chedi, where four sets of sculptures tell Buddha's story in stone: his birth in 623 BCE (east side), his teaching of dharma (south), his death at eighty (west). A walk down the hill brings you to a local Khmer food shop, grounding the morning in the present. The full outing runs five to six hours with travel time included, and you'll have a guide, admission to all sites, and water and soda throughout.

What’s included

Your tour includes a live guide in English (on the guided option), admission to all temples and stupas, cool water and soda throughout the morning, and hotel pickup from Phnom Penh.

Options for this experience

2 options

Udong, without a tour guideGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 14:00Udong, without a tour guide: all travelers can enjoy the tour with only a minivan and an English-speaking driver, no tour guide. Includes pickup

Tour of the Old Capital, UdongGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 14:00Includes pickup

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 14:00

Book up toStart time

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 9 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by cambodia tour minivan

Is this one for you?Choose the guided option if you want the history and significance of each stupa explained as you walk. Pick the self-guided version if you prefer to set your own pace and explore the hill without a schedule.

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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 are the royal stupas at Udong, and why is each one significant?

Each stupa is a burial monument built by a different king for a family member or predecessor. The Elephant Stupa (1623) was built for a king's father; Preah Ang Duong (1891) honors a king who reigned 1848–1860; Preah Sisovath (1927) holds another king's remains. Together they form a timeline of royal burials across Cambodia's capital period.

What happened to Preah Vihear Adthaross during the Khmer Rouge era?

Preah Vihear Adthaross was seized and used as a military base by Khmer Rouge soldiers between 1975 and 1979. It was also bombed in 1973 before that occupation. The temple was later rebuilt and stands today as a record of that conflict.

Is there a guide on this tour, or do I explore on my own?

One option includes a live English-speaking guide who leads you through the sites and explains their history. The other option is self-guided, so you can choose based on whether you want interpretation or prefer to explore at your own pace.

How long does the tour take, and what's included?

The tour runs five to six hours including travel time from Phnom Penh. Admission to all sites, a guide (on the guided option), cool water, soda, and hotel pickup are included. Food is not included, though you'll pass a Khmer food shop at the end of the route.