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

Angkor is best seen in stages, and this two-day private tour gives you time for both the famous temples and quieter corners of the complex. You move from the smiling towers of Bayon and jungle-wrapped Ta Prohm to the fine pink carvings of Banteay Srei, with a private vehicle waiting between each stop.

I like the freedom to set your own pace, especially at large sites such as Preah Khan and Angkor Thom. I also like the practical care built into the day: an air-conditioned vehicle, cold mineral water, towels, hotel pickup, and a driver who can bring you to a convenient temple entrance.

The main drawback is that temple admission is not included, so you must budget for that separately. The schedule is also full, with many stops packed into two days, so you will see a lot but may need to keep moving at several smaller temples.

Key points at a glance

• Private transport for two full temple days: You travel with only your own group in an air-conditioned vehicle, rather than following a large coach.
• A strong mix of major and lesser-known sites: Bayon, Ta Prohm, Preah Khan, Banteay Srei, and several smaller temples are all included.
• Flexible pacing: The private format lets you spend more time where you are most interested, within the day’s broad schedule.
• Helpful named drivers: Heng, Kimsun, and Frank are associated with the service, with particular praise for safe driving, clear English, patience, and cold drinks.
• Banteay Srei adds something different: Its pink sandstone carvings and smaller scale provide a fine contrast to Angkor Wat’s grand size.
• Plan for the entrance fee: Every temple stop lists admission separately, except Takeo, which is shown as free.

Why two private days work well at Angkor

The Angkor area is not one compact ruin. It is a broad collection of temples and former city sites spread around Siem Reap, so a private vehicle saves time and energy between stops. You are not tied to a fixed group walking pace, and you can return to the car for air conditioning, water, and a towel after a hot temple visit.

This plan also divides the experience sensibly. Day one focuses on Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm, and nearby temples. Day two follows the Grand Circuit toward Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, and the eastern temples before heading farther out to Banteay Srei.

The schedule is ambitious. Day one includes 11 stops, while day two has six. That is useful if you have limited time in Siem Reap, but it is not a slow archaeological study. I would treat the listed visit lengths as a guide rather than a promise. Your driver can help you decide where to linger and where a shorter look will do.

The private format matters most if your group has mixed interests or a young child. Kimsun, one of the named drivers, was specifically praised for careful driving and looking after a family with a toddler. That does not change the heat or the walking, but it can make the two days feel less tiring and more manageable.

Angkor Thom begins with stone faces and royal power

Your first stop is the South Gate of Angkor Thom, where the bridge and gate relate to the story of the Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Allow about 20 minutes here. It is a brief stop, but a good introduction to the symbols and scale of the ancient city.

From the gate, you continue to Bayon, the temple famous for its towers carved with large, calm faces. The plan allows an hour, which is enough to see the main levels and appreciate how the faces appear from different angles. Bayon can feel confusing at first, with galleries, stairways, and towers packed close together, so a little orientation from your driver is useful.

Baphuon follows, with about 30 minutes. This Hindu temple predates Angkor Wat and rises on a long elevated approach. Behind it is a large reclining Buddha assembled in the 16th century. The area also connects with the old Royal Enclosure Wall, giving you a sense of how religious and royal spaces once sat together.

Phimeanakas is a smaller pyramid temple in the center of the former royal palace area. You have about 20 minutes here, along with the Royal Enclosure Wall. Do not expect the same visual impact as Bayon, but the stop helps explain the layout of Angkor Thom.

The Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King are short visits, 15 minutes each. The Elephant Terrace is a long platform decorated with elephant carvings, once used by kings to watch returning armies and public events. The nearby Terrace of the Leper King has carved surfaces and enclosed passages that reward a closer look.

These short stops work well as part of a private route. In a fixed group, you might feel rushed or stuck waiting. Here, you can make a quick inspection, take photographs, and move on before the heat builds.

The smaller eastern temples lead to Ta Prohm

After Angkor Thom, the route turns toward Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon. Each gets about 20 minutes. Both are Hindu temples connected with the late 11th and early 12th centuries and the reign of King Suryavarman II.

They are modest compared with Angkor Wat, but that is part of their appeal. You can look closely at doorways, lintels, and carved details without trying to absorb an enormous complex all at once. The short timing means you will get an overview rather than a full study.

Takeo is a pyramid temple with five levels and a total height of about 40 meters. The plan allows 15 minutes, and admission is listed as free. Its plain, strong geometry gives you a different view of Khmer temple design, with the structure rising in clear stages rather than relying mainly on elaborate surface decoration.

Ta Prohm is the day’s major stop, with an hour scheduled. It is known as the jungle temple and was used as a location for Tomb Raider. The appeal is not only the film connection. Trees grow into and around the stonework, creating the feeling of a ruin being slowly claimed by the forest.

The setting can make Ta Prohm feel more atmospheric than larger temples, but it can also be crowded and slow to move through. A private driver cannot control the flow inside the monument, yet he can choose a convenient entrance and wait while you explore. Frank, another named driver, was praised for doing exactly this and for having cold drinks ready after temple visits.

The day ends at Banteay Kdei, a quieter complex whose name means Citadel of Chambers. Give yourself the full 30 minutes if you enjoy wandering through connected rooms and narrow passages. It is a good final stop because its quieter character offers a change after the famous Ta Prohm.

Day two follows the Grand Circuit

Preah Khan opens the second day with 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 one-hour visit is justified, since the site has long galleries, courtyards, and many changes in scale.

I would start with a simple plan here: follow the main route first, then pause for details that catch your eye. Preah Khan is large enough that trying to see every corner can leave you tired before the rest of the day begins.

Neak Pean is smaller and reached by a walk toward an island temple in the middle of the last baray, or reservoir. The visit lasts about 40 minutes. Its central setting and the statue of the horse Balaha, linked with the rescue of drowning sailors, make it unlike the other temples on this route.

Ta Som follows with 45 minutes. It is a small classic temple, known especially for the large tree growing from the top of the eastern gopura. This is another place where the private format helps. You can spend enough time examining the tree and stonework without losing half a day.

Eastern Mebon and Pre Rup show temple design in a bolder form

Eastern Mebon is a three-level temple-mountain crowned by five towers. The scheduled 45 minutes gives you time to walk around the structure and see how it rises in stages. Compared with Ta Som, it feels more open and formal.

Pre Rup is given an hour. Built in the late 10th century for Hindu worship, it is another temple-mountain with a strong upward climb and broad views across the surrounding area. Its name is often translated as turn the body, linked with beliefs about funerals and cremation at a temple far along the Grand Circuit road.

You should expect steps and uneven stone at several sites on both days. The supplied information says most people can participate, but it does not promise step-free access or a route designed for limited mobility. If climbing or extended walking is a concern, discuss your preferred pace with the driver before setting out.

Banteay Srei is the artistic finale

Banteay Srei is the farthest and most distinctive stop on day two. Built in pink sandstone in the 10th century for Hindu worship, it was dedicated mainly to Shiva. Its smaller scale and unusually fine carvings make it a very different experience from Bayon, Preah Khan, or Pre Rup.

The route allows an hour here. Use it to look closely at the door frames, lintels, and figures rather than simply circling the outside. The pink stone can give the temple a warmer appearance than the gray sandstone used at many of the larger Angkor sites.

The distance makes Banteay Srei a valuable inclusion in a private tour. You are not trying to arrange a separate car or negotiate another half-day plan. The tradeoff is time: the journey out to Banteay Srei makes day two feel long, especially after the early stops.

Still, I would keep it on the route if you have two days. It supplies the kind of detail-focused visit that balances Angkor Thom’s scale and Ta Prohm’s dramatic trees.

What the $159 price really covers

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

The price does not include temple entrance fees. That is the most important extra cost to remember, and every listed temple stop except Takeo shows admission as not included. The tour price therefore is not the complete cost of your temple visit.

You are paying for convenience more than for a formal specialist-led lecture at every monument. The supplied service describes an English-speaking driver, not a separate licensed temple guide. If you want detailed architectural or religious interpretation at each site, confirm exactly what guiding is included before booking.

For many people, the arrangement is a practical middle ground. You get private door-to-door transport, help with entrances and timing, and the ability to shape the pace, without paying for a larger private package with extra services that may not matter to you.

The drivers and the small details matter

Three driver names appear with the service: Heng, Kimsun, and Frank. Heng handled airport pickup as well as the two temple circuits for one family, along with a circus visit and night market plans. That suggests the service may be useful if you want help arranging other local outings, though those additions are not part of this temple package.

Kimsun was praised for safe, proactive driving and careful attention to a family with a toddler. Safety and patience matter here because you spend a fair amount of time on the road between temple groups.

Frank was noted for strong English, a positive attitude, patient waiting, cold drinks, and bringing passengers to convenient entrances. Those are simple services, but they have real value after walking across hot stone courtyards.

Your experience depends partly on which driver is assigned. The listed inclusion is an English-speaking driver, so treat the driver’s role as transport, practical advice, and basic site information unless you confirm that a full temple guide is included.

Who should book this private temple circuit

I would recommend this tour if you want to see a broad selection of Angkor sites in two days and prefer private transport. It suits couples, families, and small groups who want control over their stops and do not want to match the pace of strangers.

It also works well for a first visit because the route covers the major names along with less famous temples. Bayon gives you the famous faces, Ta Prohm supplies the tree-covered drama, and Banteay Srei adds fine carved detail.

You may want a different plan if you prefer long, quiet study at only a few monuments. Eleven stops on day one is a lot, and several visits last only 15 or 20 minutes. You should also reconsider if your main goal is a formal, detailed explanation of Khmer art and religion at every stop.

Pickup is offered, and the service is described as near public transportation. Confirmation is received at booking, and the activity is private for your group. Free cancellation is available when you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that period are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if your priority is efficient private transport, flexible timing, and a wide Angkor sampler. The inclusion of Banteay Srei, the smaller eastern temples, and quieter sites such as Banteay Kdei gives the route more range than a basic Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm outing.

Before paying, confirm the temple ticket cost, the exact driver assignment, and whether you want a separate specialist guide. If you are happy with an English-speaking driver who provides transport and practical site advice, the $159 package offers solid convenience for two busy days.

FAQ

Is Angkor temple admission included in the $159 price?

No. Temple entrance fees are not included. Takeo is listed as having free admission, while the other stops show admission as not included.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your own group participates, and transport is provided by private vehicle.

Is hotel pickup and drop-off included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off at your hotel are included.

What type of vehicle is provided?

The tour includes a private, air-conditioned vehicle.

Is an English-speaking guide included?

An English-speaking driver is included. The provided details do not specify a separate licensed temple guide.

Which temples are visited on the first day?

Day one 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, and Banteay Kdei.

Which temples are visited on the second day?

Day two includes 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.