Private Five-Hour Phnom Kulen Tour to the Reclining Buddha, 1000 Lingas and Waterfall

This private tour gives one group a guide and an air-conditioned vehicle for the five-hour trip to Phnom Kulen, 50 km from Siem Reap and Cambodia's most sacred mountain. Hindus and Buddhists both make pilgrimages there, and the three sites on the route show why: the temple of the Reclining Buddha, the River of 1000 Lingas and the Phnom Kulen waterfalls. The guide meets guests at their hotel at 8 am. The drive north takes about two hours through local villages and tropical forest. The Reclining Buddha, carved in sandstone, sits in a hilltop temple reached by a flight of steps. The sacred river has a riverbed carved with many lingas, symbols of the Hindu god Shiva, and rock carvings of Hindu deities along its banks. At the waterfalls, water tumbles down the rocks and there is time to wade in the basin or swim in the pool. The guide explains the history and culture of each landmark. Lunch is paid separately at a local restaurant on the way back. Cold bottled water, hotel pickup and drop-off are included. Meals and drinks, gratuities, travel insurance and the Kulen ticket office fee are not. Children must be at least 3 years old, and moderate fitness is expected. The tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers, or people with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.