Member Since Feb 2024
A once-in-a-lifetime adventure in Cambodia awaits you. The echoes of the successful Lotos Rally 2024 still reverberate, and we're excited to announce our return to Cambodia's captivating north-east! Embark on an unforgettable odyssey unlike any other - a self-drive vintage jeep tour reserved for a select few.
Unrivalled exclusivity: Experience Cambodia like privileged explorers and venture where few tourists dare to go. Ride in a vintage MUTT 151 A1/A1 jeep and drive off the beaten track. Discover hidden gems: Experience floating villages, endangered Irrawaddy dolphins, majestic elephants, the architectural masterpiece Angkor Wat, cross the mighty Mekong River, learn about gemstone mining and climb the pyramid temple of Koh Ker. Timeless elegance: immerse yourself in history and stay in a colonial customs house dating back to 1916. Since 2013, the Lotos Rally has redefined extraordinary travel experiences in Cambodia time and time again. For 2025 we have
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Welcome to the magical land of Cambodia - the kingdom of wonders. Our team will pick you up at the airport and take you directly to your hotel. Here you can check in and use the facilities to familiarise yourself with your new surroundings before embarking on an unforgettable journey. In the late afternoon you will receive an orientation briefing (traffic rules, introduction of staff, road book, jeep briefing, etc.) briefing, etc. In the evening you will visit Phare, the Cambodian circus, which tells unique Cambodian stories with modern circus arts and energetic music. Phare tells Cambodian stories rooted in the traditions, ethos and spirit of Cambodia. The performances are a blend of theatre, music, dance, acrobatics, juggling, aerial acrobatics, fire and contortion with an explosion of virtuosity and sensitivity. During the hour-long shows, the Phare performers share their emotions and enthusiasm, captivating the audience with their integrity and power.
This morning you'll travel by jeep to the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ancient temples of Angkor Wat. We've scouted out some back roads to the temples that still exist so you can get away from the tuk-tuks and buses and have a much nicer and more relaxed drive to the temples. With a little imagination, you can visualise the lost temples as they have been for thousands of years on today's trip. An English-speaking guide will lead you through the historical park, where you can see the majestic structures and admire the splendour of the ancient kingdom. Most of the temples date back to the 12th century and are home to some of the most remarkable bas-reliefs and beautiful sculptures such as garudas and apsara dancers. First visit the temple of Angkor Wat, the largest of all temples, which has survived the sands of time and is in excellent condition. Here you can admire its dominating towers and sheer presence as you take the time to walk around inside. After lunch and a short break, visit the Ta Phrom temple. Made famous by the hit film ‘Tomb Raider’ starring Angelina Jolie, the temple's trees, with their huge roots nestling around the walls, have slowly taken over, creating a stunning and unique backdrop that makes a breathtaking finale to your ‘templing’ day.
Today we leave Siem Reap and travel to the city of Kampong Thom. Our first stop is in Kampong Kleang, the largest floating village in Cambodia. In the dry season, we drive our jeep between the stilts on which the houses are built, which are up to 10 metres high. In the rainy season, the water level reaches its peak and can rise up to 1 or 2 metres above the houses. We offer a boat trip through the village and have the opportunity to meet the locals. We then continue our journey and make a short stop in Kampong Kdei. Here you will see one of the most beautiful and best preserved bridges, the one built by the Khmer kings. This bridge dates back to the 10th century. We arrive at our hotel in the late afternoon.
After a tasty breakfast, we drive our jeeps through the beautiful Cambodian countryside to our first stop of the day. We will stop to see some really impressive carvings. From huge blocks of stone, sometimes up to 8 metres high, the stonemason chisels and carves some extremely impressive sculptures. Not far from the main road, we take a break at the Santuk Silk Farm. This small project provides work for women and you will learn all about silk and how they make the silk products. We continue our scenic drive to our third stop of the day and visit a local rubber plantation. Here you will learn more about how the latex is collected, cleaned and dried before being transported to a rubber factory outside the country. factory.
After this excursion, we take a ferry north of Stung Trong and cross the mighty Mekong River. It is the twelfth longest river in the world and flows from the heights of the Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea, some 4,500 kilometres from its source. It is the elixir of life for many people and its impressive size and power can only be experienced first-hand. On the east side of the Mekong lies the old French colonial town of Chloung. In this peaceful and traditional town, we spend the night in the former governor's palace from 1916, where we can experience Cambodia's colonial past at first hand.
We drive along the banks of the Mekong in our jeeps and pass some Muslim Cham villages. These were created when the Cham fled the Vietnamese conquest and stayed in their new homeland, adding a new dimension to the area. In Kampi, 12 kilometres north of Kratie, we board the boat to watch the Irrawaddy dolphins. These rare, endangered freshwater dolphins live in a beautiful stretch of the Mekong River near a small rapids. The chance of seeing them playing in the rapids is very high, so have your camera ready. After Kampi, we head back to Kratie, where we take a ferry to the island of Koh Trong. You will explore this island paradise by bike with a local and receive explanations about the way of life of the inhabitants and the products that are grown there. Back on the mainland, we return to Chloung in our jeeps.
After Chloung, we continue our journey to the breathtaking province of Mondulkiri. The landscape changes from the plains of the Mekong to the highlands. We drive through forest and hilly landscapes and reach our destination for the next few days in the afternoon. Sen Monorom, the provincial capital of Mondulkiri, is actually an overgrown village, a charming community at the point where the hills that give the province its name meet. The village is inhabited by the indigenous Bunong people, whose tribesmen are often found in the town. There are many minority villages and picturesque waterfalls in the area around Sen Monorom. Many Bunong from the surrounding villages come here to trade: they are easily recognisable from the immigrant Bunong by the characteristic baskets they carry on their backs. Sen Monorom lies at an altitude of 800 metres, and when the wind blows, it is much cooler here than in the rest of Cambodia. After getting used to the city and the new surroundings, we take a rest to recharge our batteries for tomorrow's adventure.
We drive through small villages and over a mountain pass before we have the opportunity to see how the beautiful Asian elephant lives in its natural environment. There are many elephant projects in Mondulkiri, but the Elephant Community Programme is one of the smaller ones working towards a sustainable future for the local community. A large portion of the tour price stays in this community so that the mahouts can make a living for their families and not keep the elephants away from the hard labour in the forest. You will learn how the elephants live, what they eat and how they have integrated into the local community. As the focus of the programme is on caring for the elephants, riding the elephants is not allowed. However, you will have the opportunity to feed them bananas or bamboo before you say goodbye to these magnificent animals.
In the afternoon we drive through minority villages and discover more of the Mondulkiri outback. On the way back to Sen Monorom, you will be accompanied by the memories of a unique and unforgettable journey.
In the morning we drive north, 30 kilometres outside Sen Monorom and stop at the largest waterfall in Cambodia. Bou Sra Waterfall is a magnificent sight, cascading through a gorge in the jungle near the Bunong town of Bou Sra. The three-tiered The three-tiered waterfall has an upper stage of 12 metres and a breathtaking lower stage with a massive drop of 20 metres, before a final drop of 4 metres makes for a beautiful sight and a rushing sound. We then continue our journey into the beautiful Ratanakiri province with its rugged, breathtaking landscape. Until recently this was a tough, gruelling drive, but now there is a good new road that makes driving through this beautiful place much more enjoyable. About 20 kilometres after Lumphat, we leave the tarmac road and turn onto a small, windy gravel road that takes us to Banlung, the capital of Ratanakiri. This town has a bustling market teeming with produce from local ethnic villages. Yeak Laom Lake outside the city is home to some of the rarest and most exotic birds in the region. It is one of the few crater lakes in Cambodia and dates back to around 4000 years ago. The lake is almost 50 metres deep and ensures that the water is very clean and clear. You can cool off on one of the wooden platforms and swim with the locals or just sit back and enjoy the peaceful and natural surroundings.
The word ‘Ratanakiri’ itself is a derivation of two Cambodian words that together mean the place of gemstones and mountains. These are the two characteristics for which the Cambodian province of Ratanakiri is best known. After a week of exploring, take a relaxing day to discover the hidden treasures of Ratanakiri. In the morning, we take you to a traditional gemstone mining site where you can experience the process up close. Look down into a 10 to 20 metre deep pit as a local miner carefully sifts through the sand for gemstones such as sapphires and zircons. Feel the thrill of discovery as they pull up the shovel and reveal the day's haul. And who knows, you might even find your own gemstone to buy straight from the source!
Get ready for the exciting highlight of the tour: a jeep expedition through the wild heart of Cambodia. Three rivers are ours two of them we cross by ferry, but one requires a daring crossing of the water. Google Maps won't help us here; our path is a whisper in the wind, a ribbon of earth winding through vast, silent landscapes.brace yourself for bone-crunching dirt tracks, rickety wooden bridges that cling to existence (fingers crossed!), and unforeseen challenges that you overcome with inventive improvisation. This is not just a ride, but a baptism by dust and determination, a test of your a test of your spirit that will be rewarded with an unrivalled adventure.
Our accommodation for tonight is located on the high banks of the Mekong.
After yesterday's exciting jeep adventure, we shift down a gear and get cosy. In the morning, we'll take you on a relaxing boat trip to a small island in the middle of the Mekong. Umbrellas and tables will be set up on the beach for your special breakfast. There are some wonderful birds in the area that may fascinate you as you enjoy your breakfast. The dust settles on our jeeps as we get back in, our bodies pleasantly sore from yesterday's adventure on the dirt roads. Today a welcome change awaits us: tarmac. We reach our hotel in the afternoon - a good opportunity to relax or take a refreshing dip in the pool. An exciting discovery awaits us tomorrow: the Preah Vihear Temple, a hidden gem that is only visited by a few.
We will drive the first 25 km in our jeeps and at the foot of the mountain we will swap our jeep for another means of transport. A local pick-up will take you up the steep mountain. You will reach the Preah Vihear temple. This breathtaking spectacle is a sight that not many get to see. Combine the most beautifully situated temple in Cambodia with an unforgettable view and you will experience something you will remember for the rest of your life. Together with our tour guide we will explore the temple. The temple is a great place for beautiful photos. Then we will descend and return to the hotel. At the hotel you can freshen up and have lunch before we drive to Koh Ker. We will make a few more stops on the way before checking into the hotel for the night.
After breakfast, you will travel to Koh Ker. It is a stunning and unique pyramid-shaped temple that was built in 931 AD. When you enter it, you almost feel like you're approaching a Central American Mayan site like Chichen Itza. Koh Ker also has a unique political history, as it was founded by Jayavarman IV as a ‘new’ capital outside the Angkor area. Its importance was short-lived; after the king's death, power reverted back to the Angkor region around 944 AD. We continue on our way and have a short drive to another amazing destination. We leave the familiar comfort of the tarmac road and embark on an exciting detour into the unexplored. Our destination? Peung Kom Nou, a secret treasure trove of rock carvings from the 11th century
A day off where you can do as much or as little as you like - a day of shopping in the city, a massage or a short excursion into the surrounding area. But we end this unforgettable self-drive jeep tour with a big bouncer. At 4 pm, we take the jeeps to the outskirts of Siem Reap to experience a breathtaking sunset. Explore and experience the colours, smells and magnificent views of Cambodia at its best. We will also drive through vast rice paddies and as the sun sets, we will drive by jeep to a beautiful spot in the middle of the rice paddies. Here we open a bottle of champagne and toast to a beautiful sunset. Later in the evening we have a farewell dinner in beautiful surroundings.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and this year's Lotos Rallye is no exception. Today it's time to say goodbye to Cambodia. Enjoy the journey to the airport and take one last look at the wonderful country you have been able to enjoy over the last 14 days. We are sure that you have had a fantastic adventure here that you will remember for a long time to come. We hope you come back soon and that we can show you even more of Cambodia. Have a good trip!
If you would like to relax for a few days on a beautiful white sandy beach with turquoise-coloured sea after this exciting jeep adventure, we can make you a package deal. Ask about the possibilities.
Der Reiseveranstalter OVERCROSS® ist seit über zwei Jahrzehnten mit der Insolvenzabsicherung nach §651r und §651w für den Reisenden abgesichert!
Der Reiseveranstalter OVERCROSS® ist seit über zwei Jahrzehnten mit der Insolvenzabsicherung nach §651r und §651w für den Reisenden abgesichert!
