Wilds of the North Adventure

8 days: Phnom Penh - Ratanakiri - Stung Treng - Flooded Forests - Dolphins Trail - Silk Islands - Phnom Penh

Note: Departure from Siem Reap also possible for an extra fee.

Trek through the jungles of Ratanakiri, swim at a waterfall and crater lake, kayak and cycle along the Mekong River through extraordinary scenery including the flooded forests of the Mekong Wetlands. See the rare Mekong River Dolphins and visit the Silk Islands and cruise into Phnom Penh on a 2-deck boat as you follow the Mekong from the Laos border to Phnom Penh.

Highlights: Mekong River Islands, Dolphins, Flooded Forests, River Scenery, Silk Islands

Activities: Ratanakiri Trekking, Flooded Forests Kayaking, Dolphins Trail Kayaking, Silk Islands Cruise

Trip Itinerary

Day 1 Get to Banlung on your own. Overnight at a lakeside hotel.

Day 2 Depart by car from Banlung north to the Se San River where we will board a boat and head upriver for 40 minutes until we reach a small tribal village. From here the trek begins, passing first through tribal farming areas and bamboo forests until reaching primary jungle and a hill with a beautiful view over the jungle canopy and the Se San and mountains in the distance. In the afternoon, we reach a remote waterfall where we set up camp.

Day 3 Continue trekking uphill through primary jungle in the borderlands of remote Virachey National Park until reaching a quiet tribal village where we will have a chance to interact with the people and observe village life.

Day 4 We will continue trekking back to Koh Piek on the Se San River where we will be able to explore the village and view the traditional Kacha cemetery before returning to Banlung.

Day 5 Visit Yak Lom Crater Lake in the late morning for a swim and a picnic lunch, then depart to Stung Treng, the town at the confluence of the Mekong and Sekong Rivers, by car.

Day 6 Travel north by car and then by boat to a remote site on the Mekong where we will disembark and begin hiking through thick jungle to a wide rocky expanse where the Mekong drops in a spectacular waterfall over a rocky ledge. After listening to the roar of the powerful river and exploring the numerous drops, we will have lunch and then begin trekking through pristine old growth forests as we ascend a mountain with a great view over the river valley. After the hike, we will board a boat and continue to a small island where we will set up camp on a sandy beach and enjoy dinner around a campfire.

Day 7 Awake to the sounds of birds and rare freshwater dolphins surfacing around the island. Begin a full-day kayaking trip down river through remote flooded forests of Cambodia's amazing Ramsar Wetlands. A boat will provide backup. Many varieties of birds live in these forests. Picnic lunch en route provided. Overnight in Stung Treng.

Day 8 Transfer by car to the Mekong River near the Silk Islands and from there board a comfortable 2-deck cruise boat. Enjoy a picnic and swim at a sandy beach on the tip of the northern-most island and make numerous excursions on the islands including visits to an island pagoda, local silk weaving communities, farms, villages and schools before continuing the journey to Phnom Penh, enjoying great views of river life, fishing practices, a floating village, the four rivers region and the city. Watch the sunset over the river while enjoying a BBQ dinner and drinks on board before arriving at Phnom Penh.

Price: $765

Price Includes:
-Accommodation.
-Guides.
-All transportation, luggage transfer.
-All equipment.
-All fees.
-Most Meals.

Price does not include:
-Insurance.

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