After breakfast, your tour guide and driver will pick you up at 8:00 a.m. and take you to King Jayavaraman IV’s ancient capital, which he transferred north from Angkor Wat to Koh Ker. The road, which was once a dirt path prone to flooding during the rainy season, is now paved, offering a comfortable three-hour trip through magnificent landscape.

Upon arrival at the Koh Ker complex, you will see the lesser temples of Prasat Thom, Prasat Neag Kmao, and Prasat Pram before moving on to the main temple, Koh Ker. This temple, which served as the Angkorian Empire’s royal capital from 928 to 944 AD, is now abandoned yet preserves the grandeur and might of the ancient civilization.

Despite damage and missing statues, Koh Ker remains a stunning tribute to the Khmer Empire. If you have the energy and are not frightened of heights, you can climb to the temple’s pinnacle and enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding landscape.

Your guide will propose a local eatery near the temple for lunch before moving on to more temples.

On the way back to Siem Reap, you will stop at Beng Mealea, a temple that was controlled by the Khmer Rouge during the civil war in the 1980s and was only recently opened to the public. With much of the temple in ruins and others reclaimed by the jungle, it’s an intriguing place to explore and a peaceful alternative to the more frequented monuments. You’ll then head back to your accommodation, stopping along the way to try the famous bamboo sticky rice.

After your guided explorations in the late afternoon, you will be dropped off at your hotel around 17:00-17:30.