Phnom Penh-Kratie-Ratanakiri province

Lake Yeak Laom - From Phnom Penh to Banlung, we will arrange for you to join a public bus or VIP Van, with the cost included in the tour. Please ensure you arrive on time for the tour departure. On the first day you arrive in Banlung, at 4pm, we will take you to visit the volcanic lake, or we will visit it on the last day of the tour.

Banlung to Veunsai district

Virachey National Park - 4-hour jungle discovery trek & camping
8:30am departure from Banlung to Vuernsai by car. In Kachon village (Tampoun indigenous village), you will board a small boat and head upstream on the mighty Sesan River. During this trip, you can enjoy some beautiful scenery – when the weather is clear, you can see the mountains of Virachey National Park. After 45 minutes, you’ll arrive in Koah Piek – a village of the indigenous Kachah people. In Koah Piek, you’ll meet our indigenous ranger who will lead you on the trek.

The first part of the trek takes you through agricultural fields dotted with farmhouses. Soon after, you enter the outskirts of the primary jungle. Around midday, you’ll stop for lunch. You then continue north where the terrain becomes a bit hilly. On one of the hill slopes, you can enjoy beautiful panoramic views.

You can see the Sesan River as a greenish-silver ribbon flowing through the landscape. You trek through the primary jungle until you reach the campsite at the waterfall around 4:00pm. Here you will set up camp. You can swim and cool off under the waterfall. After swimming, you can join the guide and ranger in preparing and cooking dinner using bamboo tubes. After a pleasant dinner with a campfire and candlelight, you will stay overnight at this wonderful waterfall. “Optional” if you would like to go for a short night trek to experience the jungle and search for wildlife, you can let our guide and ranger know as they are always ready for that. The night walk is more impressive and exciting, and it’s like your own hunting experience, even though we aim just to look for nocturnal species and enjoy the atmosphere at night.

Banlung-Jungle hiking and follow elephant family

Virachey National Park - Between 5:30am and 7:00am, you might hear the call of wild gibbons. After a nice sleep and breakfast at a jungle waterfall, you start with a steep but extremely rewarding climb, as the summit of the mountain offers a spectacular view. Hike and trek through lush old jungle, with a chance to see wildlife and birds. Our knowledgeable guide and ranger will explain the natural resources. After approximately 2 hours of trekking, you will change direction southward in a loop to Koah Piek. The primary jungle gradually changes into secondary jungle. By early noon, you’ll reach the outskirts of Koah Piek village. Small farmhouses dot the farm fields. You can choose one of the farmhouses to have lunch at. After lunch, you continue further south until you reach the Sesan River. Here you will leave your backpacks and visit the sacred cemetery of the indigenous Kachah people. The sacred cemetery has remarkable wooden statues, most of which resemble the deceased. Your guide can tell you all about the animist beliefs of the indigenous people. After visiting the sacred cemetery, you’ll continue by boat back to Kachon. We will return to Banlung at about 2:30pm, then continue to the beautiful volcanic lake surrounded by forest. We will hang out, swim, and then visit the elephant conservation habitat. We will stay with the most friendly Khmer family (the old man, 72 years old, has life experiences through many different regimes and loves to share with others; he can speak French, English, and native Khmer). The mother is a good cook, known for her Curry and Amok traditional Khmer food. We will have time for sunset and dinner together and stay overnight there.

• Lunch
• Dinner
• Breakfast

• Personal expense, alcoholic drinks, travel insurance