Cambodia beyond Angkor in 14 days
A 14-day Cambodia itinerary that keeps Angkor and adds Kratie’s dolphins, gibbons and elephants in Mondulkiri, and the Cardamom Mountains.
Angkor Wat at sunrise
Illustrative itinerary: researched, not a trip we have run
In short
Two weeks is enough for Angkor and two nature chapters: three nights in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, a night with the Mekong dolphins at Kratie, four nights in Mondulkiri for gibbons and elephants, and two nights at Chi Phat in the Cardamoms. Expect four long road days; they are spread out so none comes twice in a row.
The route, stage by stage
This is a researched planning example, not a fixed package and not a trip we have operated. Road times come from published sources and vary with weather and traffic; provider days, availability and prices are confirmed for your dates before anything is booked.
- Days 1 to 3
Siem Reap and Angkor
Arrive at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, about 45 km from town. Two full days for the temples at a sensible pace.
- Day 4
Siem Reap to Phnom Penh
About 316 km by road. Afternoon and evening in the capital.
- Day 5
Phnom Penh to Kratie
About 253 km. Afternoon boat to see the Irrawaddy dolphins at Kampi.
- Day 6
Kratie to Sen Monorom
About 207 km via Snuol into the hills. Evening in Sen Monorom.
- Days 7 and 8
Gibbons and elephants
A dawn gibbon trek in Keo Seima with Jahoo, then a day at the Elephant Valley Project (not on a Saturday).
- Day 9
Bou Sra or rest
Half-day trip to Bou Sra waterfall, or a free day as a weather buffer.
- Day 10
Sen Monorom to Phnom Penh
Direct drive, about 359 km.
- Day 11
Phnom Penh to Chi Phat
About 195 km to Andoung Teuk, then the community boat upriver.
- Days 12 and 13
Chi Phat
Trekking, cycling or kayaking with village guides.
- Day 14
Chi Phat to Phnom Penh
Morning boat back to Andoung Teuk and the drive to Phnom Penh for your last night.
- Moving on
Onward travel
Fly out of Techo International Airport the morning after day 14. Alternatively, end in Kampot (about 141 km from Andoung Teuk) and travel to the airport from there.
Arrange well ahead
- Jahoo trek and Elephant Valley Project (fixed days, payment ahead)
- Private car for the long road days
- Chi Phat accommodation in high season
The idea
Angkor deserves its fame, but Cambodia is much more than its temples. This route keeps three nights for Angkor and then gives real time to two very different landscapes: the hill forests of the east and the rainforest rivers of the south-west, with Phnom Penh as the hinge between them.
Pacing
The route has four long road days. They are separated by stays of at least one night, and the longest single stretch (Sen Monorom to Phnom Penh) comes after three nights in one place. Because the elephant day must not fall on a Saturday, avoid starting on a Saturday. If road days are the thing you most want to avoid, shorten the route rather than compress it: drop the Cardamoms and finish on day 11.
Where you might change it
- Comfort: use Cardamom Tented Camp instead of Chi Phat for the south-west chapter.
- Families: with children under 10, replace the gibbon day with a half-day elephant visit and a waterfall afternoon.
- The coast: finish in Kampot and add a beach day before flying home.
What the providers publish
These are the facts each provider states on its own website, with the date we read them. Naming a provider here describes it; it is not an endorsement or a partnership.
Questions travelers ask
Can I add Ratanakiri?
Not comfortably in 14 days on top of this. Swap Mondulkiri for Ratanakiri if lakes and remoteness matter more than wildlife days, or extend to three weeks.
Could I fly between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh?
If a convenient flight runs on your date, it can replace the road on day 4. Check current schedules, and remember both airports are some distance from their cities.
Sources and checks
Time-sensitive details on this page (prices, schedules, travel times, access) were last checked against the sources below on 11 October 2026. They change, so any proposal reconfirms them with the provider first.
Tell us what you want from eastern Cambodia
Share your dates, what you hope to see and how you like to travel. We reply with a first view of the route and, when you are ready, a written proposal with the price, what it includes and who provides each part of the trip.
