An enduro rider on a dirt bike on a forest trail
Expedition 01 - 9 days - 950 km

The Cardamom & Wild West Trail

Cambodia's wild west is forested mountains, remote frontier towns and some of the finest dirt riding in the country. Leave the capital through pottery villages and rice plains, climb into the Cardamom foothills, follow old red-earth tracks to the gem town of Pailin, then drop into colonial Battambang before finishing among the temples of Angkor.

9Days 950km 6Riding days CRF250L
Get a tailored quote See the day by day
In short

What this trip is

The Cardamom & Wild West Trail is a 9 day, 8 night guided dirt bike expedition on the Honda CRF250L from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, covering about 950 km. It runs through Kampong Chhnang and Pursat into the Cardamom foothills, with a homestay night at Pramaoy, a signature day of mountain tracks and river crossings through Samlout to Pailin, two nights in Battambang and a guided day off the bike at Angkor. It is graded intermediate to advanced and needs previous off-road experience.

  • 1

    The most remote riding in the west

    Pramaoy in Veal Veng is one of the most isolated settlements in western Cambodia, and the tracks through Samlout to Pailin are the kind the highway will never replace.

  • 2

    Frontier history on the way

    Samlout was a Khmer Rouge stronghold and Pailin is a gem-mining town on the Thai border - places most visitors never reach and your guide knows well.

  • 3

    Finishes in comfort

    Two nights in Battambang and a guided day at Angkor off the bike, so the end of the trip is a reward rather than a transfer.

Highlights

What you will actually do

01 - The mountains A rider on a jungle trail in Cambodia

Into the Cardamoms

Red-dirt forest tracks, small streams and hill villages to Pramaoy, with a night in a local homestay.

130 kmHomestay nightStream crossings
02 - The signature day A dirt bike rider on a narrow trail

Pramaoy to Pailin via Samlout

Remote mountain tracks, river crossings and forest trails through Samlout to the frontier gem-mining town of Pailin near the Thai border.

150 kmRiver crossingsFrontier town
03 - The finish Angkor Wat reflected in water at sunrise, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Battambang & Angkor

Phnom Yat, Kamping Puoy reservoir, the bats of Phnom Sampov, the bamboo train, then a guided day at Angkor Wat, the Bayon and Ta Prohm.

Bamboo trainBat cavesAngkor day
Day by day

9 days / 8 nights, hour by hour

Every timing below is a starting point, not a rule. Tell us your flights and we rebuild the shape of the trip around them.

Day 1

Arrival in Phnom Penh

Bike fitting and briefing, no riding.

Boats on the Mekong at sunset, Cambodia
No riding

Arrival in Phnom Penh

Airport transfer, then meet the team for a bike fitting, gear check and route briefing. Welcome dinner overlooking the riverfront in the evening.

Overnight

Phnom Penh

Meals: dinner.

Day 2

Phnom Penh to Pursat

About 200 km in the saddle.

Farmers with an ox cart in the countryside, Cambodia
~ 200 km

Phnom Penh to Pursat

North past the former royal capital of Oudong into Kampong Chhnang, where the pottery villages of Andong Russei keep an ancient craft alive. The afternoon follows rice-paddy tracks and village lanes to Pursat.

Overnight

Pursat

Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Day 3

Into the Cardamom Mountains

About 130 km in the saddle.

Two riders on dirt bikes on a sandy trail, Cambodia
~ 130 km

Into the Cardamom Mountains

The trail climbs into the Cardamom foothills on red-dirt forest tracks, past small streams and hill villages, to Pramaoy in Veal Veng district - one of the most remote settlements in western Cambodia.

Overnight

Pramaoy homestay

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Day 4

Pramaoy to Pailin via Samlout

About 150 km in the saddle.

A dirt bike rider through a muddy forest, Cambodia
~ 150 km

Pramaoy to Pailin via Samlout

The signature day. Remote mountain tracks, river crossings and forest trails through Samlout, once a Khmer Rouge stronghold, to the frontier gem-mining town of Pailin near the Thai border.

Overnight

Pailin

Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Day 5

Pailin to Battambang

About 90 km in the saddle.

Limestone cliffs above the forest, Cambodia
~ 90 km

Pailin to Battambang

Phnom Yat hill above Pailin, then via the Kamping Puoy reservoir to Battambang. End the day at Phnom Sampov to watch millions of bats stream from the caves at dusk.

Overnight

Battambang

Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Day 6

Battambang discovery loop

About 80 km in the saddle.

A rail line running through the countryside, Cambodia
~ 80 km

Battambang discovery loop

A lighter day around Cambodia's second city: the bamboo train, the hilltop temple of Wat Banan, the ruins of Wat Ek Phnom and village workshops making rice paper and fish paste.

Overnight

Battambang

Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Day 7

Battambang to Siem Reap

About 180 km in the saddle.

A path through green rice fields, Cambodia
~ 180 km

Battambang to Siem Reap

Back roads along the edge of the Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, past stilt houses and fishing communities to Siem Reap.

Overnight

Siem Reap

Meals: breakfast, lunch.

Day 8

The temples of Angkor

A day off the bike.

Angkor Wat reflected in water at sunrise, Cambodia
Off the bike

The temples of Angkor

With a specialist guide: Angkor Wat, the faces of the Bayon and the tree-wrapped ruins of Ta Prohm. Farewell dinner in the evening.

Overnight

Siem Reap

Meals: breakfast, dinner.

Day 9

Departure

No riding today.

Terraced rice paddy with a rustic hut, Cambodia
No riding

Departure

Transfer to Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport for your onward journey.

Onward

Departure

Meals: breakfast.

No surprises

What is included, and what is not

Included

  • Honda CRF250L fuel-injected motorcycle for the full expedition
  • All fuel on riding days
  • English-speaking lead guide riding with the group
  • Sweep rider and mechanic, with spare parts and tools
  • Support vehicle for luggage, water, fuel and non-riding days
  • Hotels, guesthouses and homestays as listed
  • Meals as shown in the itinerary
  • Temple and site entrance fees, boat trips and listed activities
  • Airport arrival and departure transfers
  • First-aid kit and trained first-aid responders

Not included

  • International flights and Cambodian visa
  • Travel insurance - mandatory, and it must cover off-road motorcycling and medical evacuation
  • Meals not listed and all drinks
  • Riding gear - available to rent
  • Tips for guides and crew
  • Single room supplement
  • Personal expenses and optional activities
  • Damage to the motorcycle caused by rider negligence
Answers

Cardamom & Wild West questions, answered

Can I ride this in the rainy season?
Sections of the Cardamom trail can become impassable from May to October. Wet-season departures use alternative routes with support-vehicle bypasses, so the trip still runs but some of the remote track is swapped out.
What licence do I need?
A valid full motorcycle licence from your home country together with an International Driving Permit. We check both before the first riding day, and every rider signs a participation waiver.
What is the Honda CRF250L like?
A light, forgiving, fuel-injected dual-sport bike that is equally at home on jungle single-track, sandy river trails and paved highway. Bikes are serviced before every departure and checked daily by our mechanic. Range is roughly 200-250 km on mixed terrain, so fuel stops are planned and the support vehicle carries extra fuel on remote stages.
What if a section is beyond me?
Groups ride at the pace of the least experienced rider and the sweep rider makes sure nobody is left behind. Where a section is beyond your comfort level, the support vehicle carries both you and the bike.
How much does it cost?
Prices are on request and depend on group size, dates and accommodation level. A deposit secures your place, with the balance due before departure. Private departures on your own dates can be arranged for any group size.
Go deeper

Experiences inside this trip

All experiences
Adventure experiences in Cambodia Trek, zip & climb

Adventure

Jungle treks, ziplining at Angkor, rock climbing and more. Village experiences in Cambodia Homestays

Village

Homestays, rice-field cycling and the Bamboo Train. Heritage experiences in Cambodia Temples & Angkor

Heritage

Sunrise at Angkor Wat and the temples of the Khmer Empire.
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Ready when you are

Send your dates and group size. We come back with a costed version of this trip, reshaped around you.

Plan Cardamom & Wild West
Cardamom & Wild West 9 days / 8 nights · Private Enquire