2days Explore Angkor wat Small Tour & Big Tour + Banteay Srei (Private tour)

Angkor is far more than Angkor Wat. This two-day private tour takes you through Angkor Thom’s smiling faces, jungle-wrapped Ta Prohm, quiet Banteay Kdei, and the finely carved pink sandstone of Banteay Srei. You get the famous names, but also smaller temples where the pace is calmer.

I like the private vehicle and flexible timing, since you can linger at Bayon or keep a shorter stop at a temple that does not grab you. I also like the practical care built into the day: hotel pickup, air conditioning, parking, cold mineral water, towels, and an English-speaking driver.

The main point to plan for is cost. The $159 tour price does not include temple admission, so you will need to budget separately for the entrance ticket. The itinerary is also full, with many stops packed into each day, so this suits you best if you want broad coverage rather than a slow, single-temple visit.

Key points to know before booking

• Angkor Thom gets a full morning-style circuit: Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas, the Royal Enclosure, and both terraces are included.
• Ta Prohm is paired with quieter ruins: Banteay Kdei follows the famous jungle temple, giving you a calmer finish to Day 1.
• Day 2 covers the Grand Circuit: Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, Eastern Mebon, and Pre Rup come before Banteay Srei.
• The driver is central to the experience: English-speaking drivers named Heng, Kim Sun, and Frank are associated with bookings, though your assigned driver may vary.
• The price covers transport, not entry: Pickup, drop-off, parking, water, towels, and an air-conditioned private vehicle are included, but temple admission is extra.
• The tour is private: Only your own group participates, and you can set the pace within the day’s planned route.

Why this two-day route works well

Siem Reap’s temple zone is spread across a wide area, and seeing it independently means arranging transport between ruins that are not close together. This tour gives you a dedicated vehicle for two days, with pickup and drop-off at your hotel and no need to find a new driver at each stop.

The route also has a sensible shape. Day 1 focuses on Angkor Thom and the temples east of the ancient city, including Ta Prohm. Day 2 follows the Grand Circuit and then travels farther out to Banteay Srei.

You are not joining a large group, so the day feels more adjustable. If Bayon holds your attention, you can use more of your one-hour stop there. If a smaller ruin feels less important, you can keep moving. The listed times are useful guides, not a promise that every minute will be enforced.

The tradeoff is density. Day 1 has eleven stops, and Day 2 has six. You will cover a lot, but this is not a tour built around long rests, extensive meals, or repeated quiet time at one temple. It is a strong choice for a first visit when you want to understand the scale and variety of Angkor in a short stay.

Day 1: Angkor Thom’s faces and the jungle at Ta Prohm

The first stop is Angkor Thom South Gate, where the approach introduces the Churning of the Ocean of Milk story through the figures lining the gate area. The stop is brief, about 20 minutes, but it sets up the larger city beyond.

Bayon is the main attraction inside Angkor Thom. Its towers carry the famous four-sided smiling faces, and the one-hour visit gives you time to walk around the central structure and take in the changing views. The temple can feel confusing at first because towers, galleries, and passageways overlap. A private driver who helps you time the visit is useful here, even though the driver is not presented as a formal temple guide.

Next comes Baphuon, a Hindu temple built before Angkor Wat in the 11th century. Its raised form gives it a different character from Bayon’s dense towers. Behind it is the large reclining Buddha, built in the 16th century, followed by the Royal Enclosure Wall.

Phimeanakas is a pyramid temple from the 10th century, located in the former Royal Palace area. The stop lasts about 20 minutes, and it fits naturally with the nearby Royal Enclosure. This is a place where you should pay attention to the setting as much as the structure: the temple’s location helps explain how Angkor Thom functioned as a royal city, not simply a collection of shrines.

The Terrace of the Elephants takes only about 15 minutes. It was used by kings to watch victorious armies return, and elephant carvings line the platform. The nearby Terrace of the Leper King gets another 15 minutes. These are short stops, but they break up the larger temple visits and give you a better sense of ceremonial Angkor Thom.

Smaller eastern temples before the main afternoon stop

After Angkor Thom, the route turns toward Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon. Both are Brahmanical temples linked with the late 11th and early 12th centuries, and both are listed at about 20 minutes.

You should treat these as compact architectural stops rather than major half-day visits. They are useful comparisons, especially because they are close together and help you see how similar temple forms can differ in condition, scale, and detail.

Takeo is a pyramid temple with five levels and a total height of about 40 meters. The first two levels form the base and courtyards, while the upper levels rise toward the central temple. The planned visit is short, just 15 minutes, and no admission fee is listed for this stop. It is a quick look at a more severe, geometric style.

Then comes Ta Prohm, with about an hour devoted to the temple. This is the stop many people anticipate most after Angkor Wat. Trees grow through and around the ruins, and the temple is associated with the movie Tomb Raider. The film connection helps explain its popularity, but the real appeal is the meeting of architecture and vegetation. Bring patience here: the setting is more powerful when you take time to notice the galleries, collapsed sections, and tree roots rather than rushing only to the best-known photo point.

Banteay Kdei closes Day 1. Its name means Citadel of Chambers, and the maze-like layout makes it a fitting final stop. At about 30 minutes, it is shorter and quieter in feel than Ta Prohm. I like this pairing because you get the famous jungle temple first, then a less showy ruin where the day can wind down without another major climb in expectations.

Day 2: The Grand Circuit and Banteay Srei

Day 2 starts at Preah Khan, a large monastic complex built by King Jayavarman VII and dedicated to his father. It served as a Buddhist monastery and school and once involved more than 1,000 monks. The planned one-hour visit gives you enough time to appreciate its long corridors, layered courtyards, and broad scale.

Preah Khan is one of the day’s key stops because it feels less like a single monument and more like a working religious complex. You will want comfortable clothing and practical footwear for the amount of ground covered. The itinerary does not state a formal walking requirement, but these temple visits naturally involve moving through uneven ruins and open courtyards.

Neak Pean is a small island temple in the middle of the last baray, or reservoir, in the Angkor area. The approach and setting make it different from the mountain temples. Its horse statue, Balaha, is tied to the story of saving drowning sailors, and the temple was originally dedicated to Buddha.

The visit lasts about 40 minutes. This stop is less about monumental size and more about water, symbolism, and location. It also gives the day a visual change after the long corridors of Preah Khan.

Ta Som is a small classic temple, planned for about 45 minutes. A large tree grows from the top of the eastern gopura, giving the site a strong visual focus. Ta Som can be a good place to slow down briefly because its scale is more manageable than Preah Khan or Angkor Thom.

Eastern Mebon follows. This three-level temple-mountain ruin is crowned by five towers. The 45-minute stop gives you time to look at the layout and the raised central design without needing the same amount of time as the larger complexes.

Pre Rup is scheduled for one hour. Built in the late 10th century and dedicated to Hindu gods, it is another temple-mountain with a strong vertical form. Its name is often translated as turn the body, connected with the belief that funerals were held at the temple farthest along the Grand Circuit road.

The last stop is Banteay Srei, about one hour from the main temple zone. Built from pink sandstone in the 10th century, it was dedicated mainly to Shiva by the Hindu king Rajendravarman II. The delicate carving is the reason this temple is so widely valued. Compared with the larger monuments, Banteay Srei feels smaller and more finely worked, with decoration that rewards close attention.

Because Banteay Srei is placed at the end of Day 2, the schedule gives you a clear final highlight. It also means the day includes travel beyond the central temple circuit, so the private vehicle matters. You are not piecing together separate rides or negotiating transport after each stop.

What the $159 price really covers

At $159 for two days, the value comes mainly from private transport and the amount of ground covered. You receive an air-conditioned private vehicle, hotel pickup and drop-off, parking fees, cold mineral water, towels, and an English-speaking driver.

That package is especially useful for a family or small group. One driver, Kim Sun, is specifically associated with careful driving for a family with a toddler. Other driver names connected with the service include Heng and Frank. Driver assignments can vary, but these accounts point to an important feature of the experience: the driver is not just moving you between temples, but helping with timing, entrances, comfort, and roadside waiting.

Frank is noted for having strong English, waiting patiently, and keeping cold drinks ready after temple visits. Those small details matter in Cambodia’s heat. A vehicle that is ready when you return can make a packed two-day schedule much easier.

Still, compare the inclusions carefully. Temple entrance fees are not included, and the price does not state that meals or a separate licensed temple guide are included. The itinerary calls the driver English-speaking and includes tour information, but you should not book this expecting a dedicated scholar-guide at every ruin.

Comfort, pace, and practical planning

Pickup is offered from your hotel, and drop-off is included. The activity is private, so your group alone participates. Confirmation is provided at booking, and the area is near public transportation, though the included private vehicle is the more practical way to handle this route.

The schedule is full enough that you should think of each stop as part of a larger day. Day 1 moves from major royal and religious sites to Ta Prohm and Banteay Kdei. Day 2 includes several smaller temples before ending at Banteay Srei. You will have flexibility, but the number of listed stops limits how much extra time you can add.

The included water and towels are not glamorous extras. They are useful after walking through large temple grounds, particularly on the longer one-hour visits. Air conditioning also gives you a proper break between sites, which is one of the clearest advantages of a private car over trying to arrange transport stop by stop.

The tour is described as suitable for most participants. Since the itinerary includes temple structures, courtyards, and pyramid-style monuments, you should consider your own comfort with walking and uneven historic sites. The provided information does not specify wheelchair arrangements or a detailed accessibility plan, so ask the provider directly if that is important for your group.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Who should book this private Angkor tour?

I would choose this tour if you have two days in Siem Reap and want to see both the headline temples and a strong selection of smaller ruins. It is particularly suited to families, couples, and small groups who value their own vehicle and do not want to follow a large coach timetable.

It also works for first-time visitors who want structure without giving up all control. You get a clear route, but you can still tell the driver if you need more time, a shorter stop, or a break.

I would look elsewhere if your main goal is detailed archaeological interpretation from a specialist guide, or if you prefer visiting only two or three temples at a very slow pace. The included driver and tour information may be enough for practical sightseeing, but the description does not promise a dedicated licensed guide.

Should you book it?

Book this two-day private tour if coverage, comfort, and flexibility matter most. For $159, you get a substantial route, private air-conditioned transport, hotel service, parking, water, towels, and a driver who can help keep the days orderly.

Before paying, remember to add the separate temple admission cost and confirm your pickup details. If possible, ask which driver is assigned, since Heng, Kim Sun, and Frank are names linked with strong service on different bookings. With that expectation set, this is a practical way to see Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, the Grand Circuit, and Banteay Srei without arranging every ride yourself.

FAQ

Is temple admission included in the $159 price?

No. Temple entrance fees are not included in the tour price and must be paid separately.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your own group participates in the activity, and the tour uses a private vehicle.

What is included in the tour?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, an air-conditioned private vehicle, an English-speaking driver, tour information, parking fees, cold mineral water, and towels.

Does the tour include an English-speaking guide?

The package includes an English-speaking driver and tour information. The provided details do not state that a separate licensed temple guide is included.

Which temples are visited?

The route includes Angkor Thom South Gate, Bayon, Baphuon, Phimeanakas, the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King, Chau Say Tevoda, Thommanon, Takeo, Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, Eastern Mebon, Pre Rup, and Banteay Srei.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.