Cambo Challenge Route Information - 2012

* Route is subject to change - we reserve the right to modify the itinerary as necessary. For further details please refer to our Terms & Conditions.

Beng Mealea

Beng Mealea is a sprawling jungle temple covering over one square kilometer. Constructed in a distinctly Angkor Wat style, Beng Mealea preceded and may have served as a prototype of sorts for Angkor Wat. The temple is largely un-restored and overrun by vegetation with trees and thick brush thriving amidst its towers and courtyards and many of its stones lying in great heaps.

Sambor Prei Kuk

Hidden amongst the forest and scattered across a 30 km area, Sambor Prei Kuk is the largest pre-Angkorean settlement in Cambodia and was once the bustling epicenter of a mighty empire. Nowadays, however, the lush green forest provides a pleasant, relaxing and peaceful setting to explore the ruins.

Chambok Eco-Tourism Community

The Chambok eco-tourism project was established by Mlup Baitong, a local Cambodian NGO. The main goal of the project was to provide the community with alternative sources of income in order to prevent deforestation and avoid damaging the local environment through harmful farming practices. As a result the community, which is made up of 9 villages / 700 families / over 2,500 people, shifted from their traditional income generators and farming practices and embraced eco-tourism.

Chambok now has a community center which includes a common restaurant and a classroom, where English is taught twice a week. Many villagers are now certified tourist guides and organize nature walks and other outdoor activities in the area. Chambok is one of the few destinations in Cambodia where tourists support the conservation of a natural area by visiting the site. All proceedings from tourism services stay within the local community and are equally shared.

* Note – we will be staying in traditional Cambodian homes with rural Cambodian families. As you can imagine the facilities will be very basic and there will be no electricity. Traditional squatting toilets and bucket showers will be available.

We can assure that this will be an eye-opening experience, especially if you have not done this before. The community will prepare dinner and breakfast in the community center and will also entertain us with typical Khmer dancing and singing.