3-Day Trek to
Kachok Commune
The added day allows us to venture deeper into the forest than most other tourists go. On top of more opportunities to see rare wildlife, night two is spent sleeping at the base of a waterfall.
↓ Scroll to experience the trek ↓
(or see full itinerary here)
First Stop: Banlung Market
Every journey begins with a stop at the morning market. Here, we will get supplies and experience the bustle of local economy.
Journey to the Jungle
To reach the entrance of such a remote place, a multi-leg trip by tuk-tuk and riverboat is required. This will take roughly two hours.
The Trek Begins!
Departing the Tonlé San River, known locally as Se San, we will spend the next five hours trekking into the wilds, stopping only briefly for lunch.
Riverside Campsite
We will reach the first campsite in the late afternoon. Feel free to help your guides set up camp, or relax in a hammock like royalty—your choice! This is also a great place for swimming, as the river slows into a lazy lake just next to the site.
Food, Glorious Food!
After our guides are finished constructing their makeshift kitchen, they will prepare a multi-course meal for you. One guest told us it was better than a fancy restaurant in Phnom Penh!
Rest & Relaxation
To accompany the delicious dinner, local rice wine will be provided. Sip away and hear stories from your guides as the sun fades around you.
Optional: Night Trek
You can spend the rest of the evening relaxing, reading, skinny dipping, whatever! But you should know: after dark is optimal for spotting some of the rarest, most elusive critters inhabiting the area. And don’t fret—the night trek isn’t strenuous.
Sleep Beneath The Stars
When you’re ready, climb into your sleeping hammock, and rest easy beneath the mosquito net that will keep your bitefree all night long.
Day Two Begins!
We will rise early, as morning preparations must be done. This includes boiling the day’s drinking water, cooking (and eating) breakfast, as well as double checking equipment before heading off.
Lace Up Those Boots!
Today is all about trekking. We will walk for roughly five hours straight, breaking only for lunch. Most visitors opt for only two days, which means you’re going deeper into the wild jungle than most ever do. Today, we walk with our chins held high.
Creepy Crawlies!
This is the day that differs the most from the 2-Day trek. Since we are taking the time to venture further into the jungle, we will have many more opportunities for spotting the rare birds, reptiles, and insects of the Virachey National Park.
Hidden Waterfall
This is the other major benefit of the added day: getting to set up camp at the base of a waterfall.
Let’s Make Camp!
We will follow the same routine as yesterday, where the guides will make camp then prepare dinner. The main difference is that tonight’s dinner will have been freshly caught earlier that day. Also, you won’t want to skip the night trek, as we are more likely to see the rarer specimen out here, away from all the tourists.
Day Three Begins!
We will rise early, as morning preparations must be done. This includes boiling the day’s drinking water, cooking (and eating) breakfast, as well as double checking equipment before heading off.
A Ferry to Another World…
After walking all morning, we will take a boat across the river, dropping us off in Koh Peak Village, a remote community of Animists with their own ancient traditions passed down through the ages.
The Kachok People
Their language is only spoken by clusters of tribes here and in Vietnam, but their culture predates the Khmer Empire itself. Devout Animists, their approach to death, mourning, and the celebration of a spirit’s passing gained international attention after preservation efforts by UNESCO shared their culture with the world.
Eat Like A Local
Before getting the tour of the town, we will be invited to experience an everyday lunch as guests in one of the family’s homes.
A Reluctant Return Home
Saying goodbye to the Kachok of Ko Peak Village, we will take a boat back up the river, and return to the homestay by tuk-tuk.
Does this sound like the trek for you?
Don’t Leave Just Yet!
Having spent the past three days trudging through a remote jungle, we’d understand the desire to postpone your departure by a day or two, spend a whole twenty-four hours doing absolutely nothing. Lucky for you, our homestay is the only one in Ratanakiri that provides guests with a private bungalow, your own shower, and a porch (complete with hammock!) that stays shady and cool all day. You can easily extend your stay by a day—or a week!
Full Itinerary
Day 1/3
- Start Time: 8:30AM
- Head to the Minority market in Banlung to experience the local economy and stock up on supplies.
- Head out from town, drive for an hour.
- Arrive at Se-San River and board the boat that takes us into the jungle. Boat ride lasts roughly thirty minutes.
- Begin morning trek, walk for one hour.
- Stop for lunch, rest for twenty minutes.
- Continue trek, walk for four hours.
- Arrive at campsite for first night, a beautiful patch of stone next to the river (not the same one as from the 2-day trek!).
- We will spend the next hour setting up camp. Feel free to help, or relax in a hammock like royalty—your choice! This is also a great place for swimming, as the river slows into a lazy lake just next to the campsite.
- We will then prepare a multi-course meal that rivals the fanciest of kitchens.
- Enjoy dinner with us, enjoying the sounds of nature and sipping on local rice wine as the sun fades around us.
- Spend the rest of the evening relaxing, or join us for a casual evening trek searching for rare wildlife.
- When you’re ready, climb into your sleeping hammock, and rest easy beneath the mosquito net that will keep your bitefree all night long.
Day 2/3
- Wake up: 6:30AM
- Go through morning preparations, which includes boiling the day’s drinking water, preparing (and eating) breakfast, and double checking equipment.
- Start time: 9AM
- Begin morning trek, walk for three hours.
- Stop for lunch, rest for twenty minutes.
- Continue trek, walk for two hours.
- Arrive at campsite for second night, a waterfall deep in the jungle! Note: This is not the same waterfall as from the 2-Day Tour. This one is better 😉
- Same rules and schedule as the first night: help us set up camp, or relax as we do all the work!
- We will prepare a delicious meal.
- Enjoy dinner with us, enjoying the sounds of nature and sipping on local rice wine as the sun fades around us.
- Tonight’s casual evening trek should not be skipped! As we are deeper in, our chances of seeing rare beauties is greatly increased.
- When you’re ready, climb into your sleeping hammock, and rest easy beneath the mosquito net that will keep your bitefree all night long.
Day 3/3
- Wake up: 6:30AM
- Go through morning preparations, which includes boiling the day’s drinking water, preparing (and eating) breakfast, and double checking equipment.
- Start time: 9AM
- Begin morning trek, walk for four hours, arriving at a boat that will take us to the Koh Peak Village.
- We arrive in Koh Peak Village, where we are greeted by the locals.
- We will be guests for lunch in a family home, experiencing an everyday meal, just as if we lived there.
- After lunch, we will walk about the village, seeing the many unique aspects of this remote community while learning about the local culture. From the ornate cemetery to locals going about their daily lives, there is much to see that you have never seen before—and can only see here!
- Return to the boat, which will take us back to our tuktuk.
- Return home by Tuktuk, and take a much needed shower in your own private bathroom!