Ancient Angkor Wat — Self-Launched Independent Adventure
3 days · Siem Reap, Cambodia
G Adventures charges £555
No-markup version: ~£190 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 3-day Ancient Angkor Wat Independent Adventure. You'll base yourself in Siem Reap, explore the Angkor Archaeological Park with a locally hired tuk-tuk driver and a certified guide (or a small-group day tour booked via GetYourGuide/Klook), catch the Phare Cambodian Circus, wander the night markets, and eat at social-enterprise restaurants. Everything the tour includes — hotel, Angkor passes, guided temple days, circus ticket, transport — can be booked independently for roughly a third of the packaged price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Siem Reap — Night Market & Old Market orientation
Siem Reap
Land or arrive by bus at Siem Reap and check into a guesthouse/pool hostel a short walk from Pub Street and the Old Market. Grab a SIM card at the airport or a local shop (~£3-5 for a week of data). In the late afternoon, take yourself on the same free-form night market walk the tour guides you on: start at Psar Chas (Old Market) for snacks and souvenirs, cross to the Night Market on Sivatha Blvd, and finish with a cold drink at the Night Market food stalls. Book your Angkor guide and tuk-tuk for tomorrow (your guesthouse can arrange this, or pre-book a small-group sunrise tour via GetYourGuide/Klook, ~£20-30). Grab dinner at a social-enterprise restaurant such as Haven or Marum (~£5-8).
🚌Tuk-tuk from airport ~£5 (or shared shuttle £2); walking around town
🛏Guesthouse or pool hostel in central Siem Reap (e.g. dorm £5-8, private twin £14-20)
- →Old Market (Psar Chas) wander
- →Night Market food stalls
- →Book Angkor guide & tuk-tuk for Day 2
- →Dinner at a vocational-training restaurant
Angkor Wat sunrise + Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Prohm and Phare Circus
Angkor Archaeological Park
Leave at 4:45am by tuk-tuk for Angkor Wat to catch sunrise over the west moat — the temples open at 5am and the 3-day pass (£40) or 1-day pass (£24) can be bought at the ticket office or online in advance. Spend the morning inside Angkor Wat, then head north to Angkor Thom: enter via the South Gate, see the Bayon's face towers, the Terrace of the Elephants and Preah Khan. Break for lunch at a local roadside restaurant (~£4). In the afternoon visit Ta Prohm, the jungle-strangled temple, then return to town for a rest. In the evening buy a Phare Cambodian Circus ticket directly from pharecircus.org (~£12-18, cheaper than agency rates) for a 8pm show — arrive 30 minutes early for the courtyard bar.
🚌Private tuk-tuk for the full day ~£15-18 (split between 2-3 travellers); walking inside the park
🛏Guesthouse or pool hostel in central Siem Reap
- →Angkor Wat sunrise (1-day pass ~£24)
- →Angkor Thom & Bayon
- →Preah Khan
- →Ta Prohm
- →Phare Cambodian Circus ~£15
Second temple loop & New Hope community lunch, depart
Siem Reap
Use your 3-day pass (£40 total, worth it if you have two temple days) or buy a fresh 1-day pass and head out early to quieter temples the group tour doesn't cover well: Banteay Kdei, Pre Rup or a longer tuk-tuk run to Banteay Srei (~£20-25 round trip). Alternatively, visit the Angkor National Museum (£10) or the Landmine Museum. For lunch, book a table at New Hope Vocational Training Restaurant — the same G Adventures-supported community project — where trainees cook Khmer classics for ~£4-6. In the afternoon, take an optional floating-village trip to Kompong Khleang (~£18) or simply relax by the pool before your onward bus. Evening bus or flight onward from Siem Reap.
🚌Tuk-tuk half-day ~£10; onward bus Siem Reap–Phnom Penh ~£10 or airport transfer ~£5
🛏None (checkout by noon; day-use room £8 if needed)
- →Banteay Srei or quieter outer temples
- →Lunch at New Hope Vocational Training Restaurant
- →Optional Kompong Khleang floating village
- →Angkor National Museum (optional)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£190 | £555 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £365 per person (66%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£190
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Ancient Angkor Wat — Self-Launched Independent Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £190 per person for 3 days in Siem Reap, Cambodia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £555 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £190 — a saving of roughly £365 (66%) per person.
How long is the Siem Reap, Cambodia trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 day-by-day stops through Siem Reap, Cambodia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, budget trip through Siem Reap, Cambodia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
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