air-conditioned-car-suv.webpClean air-conditioned SUV outside a hotel, doors open. 800×450.Air-conditioned car/SUV
Couples and small families
- With English-speaking guide
- $110 per group, up to 3 people
- Without a guide
- $70 per group, up to 4 people
Private Phnom Kulen waterfall tour from Siem Reap
Climb to the reclining Buddha, walk the River of a Thousand Lingas and swim under Kulen waterfall, on the sacred mountain where the Khmer Empire began in 802 AD.
From $110 per group with an English-speaking guide and air-conditioned car, or $70 without a guide
- Private tour, just your group
- With or without a local guide
- Hotel pickup at 7:30 am
- No deposit, pay on the day
phnom-kulen-waterfall-hero.webpHero: lower Kulen waterfall in full flow, people swimming small in the pool for scale. 1600×1100, portrait-friendly crop.Phnom Kulen at a glance
Phnom Kulen is a sacred sandstone mountain and national park about 50 km northeast of Siem Reap, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car. A day trip covers the 16th-century reclining Buddha at Preah Ang Thom, the riverbed carvings of the River of a Thousand Lingas and the upper and lower waterfalls, where you can swim. Entry is $20 per foreign visitor, paid in cash at the checkpoint; the Angkor Pass is not valid here.
- Distance
- About 50 km, 1 h 30 each way
- Entrance fee
- $20 per foreign visitor, cash
- Angkor Pass
- Not valid and not needed
- Road up the mountain
- Open uphill about 7:00 to 11:00 am only
- Swimming
- Yes, in the pool below the lower fall
- Strongest waterfall
- August to November
Tour prices
One price per group, not per person. Every trip is private, with hotel pickup and drop-off, fuel, parking and bottled water. Take a guide for the stories and help on the mountain, or go without one for a lower price and an extra seat.
kulen-tour-minivan.webpMinivan with side door open, seats visible. 800×450.Minivan
Families and small groups
- With English-speaking guide
- $120 per group, up to 6 people
- Without a guide
- $80 per group, up to 7 people
kulen-tour-van.webpLarger passenger van outside a hotel. 800×450.Van
Larger groups
- With English-speaking guide
- $130 per group, up to 10 people
- Without a guide
- $90 per group, up to 11 people
Not in the tour price: the national park entrance fee of $20 per foreign visitor, paid in cash at the checkpoint. Children pay the same; infants and Cambodian citizens enter free.
Payment: all prices are in US dollars. Pay in cash on the day in US dollars or Khmer riel; we accept both.
More than 10 people with a guide, or 11 without? We send two vehicles and quote on WhatsApp.
Work out your total
Choose your group, guide and vehicle. We add the entrance fees so you know how much cash to bring, then send it all to us on WhatsApp in one message.
Each pays the $20 park entrance fee.
Free entry, but they need a seat in the vehicle.
Your Phnom Kulen tour
| Private tour with guide, air-conditioned car/SUV | $110 |
| Park entrance, 2 × $20 (paid at the checkpoint) | $40 |
| Total for your group | $150 |
Pay in cash on the day, in US dollars or Khmer riel.
Send this to WhatsAppYour day on the mountain
The road up Phnom Kulen is one-way: cars go up in the morning and come down after midday. We leave early so you reach the plateau before the tour buses. Without a guide, your driver follows the same route and waits at each stop.
Hotel pickup in Siem Reap
Your guide or driver meets you in the lobby. The drive north passes rice fields and village stalls selling palm sugar.
National park checkpoint
Pay the $20 entrance fee per person in cash, then climb the forested road onto the plateau.
Reclining Buddha at Preah Ang Thom
About 200 steps up to the 8-metre Buddha carved into a boulder at the top of the mountain. Shoes off, shoulders and knees covered.
River of a Thousand Lingas
Look down through clear water at lingas and Hindu gods carved into the riverbed a thousand years ago.
Upper waterfall
A wide, shallow cascade over sandstone ledges, good for photos and paddling.
Lower waterfall and swim
A steep stairway leads to the 20-metre fall and its pool. Swim, or sit on the rocks in the spray.
Lunch by the falls
Family stalls grill chicken and river fish. Lunch is not included; most people spend $5 to $8.
Drive down the mountain
The downhill road is open by now. Doze in the car or stop for Kulen lychees in season.
Back at your hotel
Or around 4:00 pm if you add Banteay Srei on the way.
What you'll see on Phnom Kulen
Kulen is where the Angkor story starts. The stone for Angkor Wat was cut from its slopes, and its river still flows through Siem Reap.
preah-ang-thom-reclining-buddha.webpReclining Buddha, full length, with a visitor or monk for scale. 1200×900.Reclining Buddha at Preah Ang Thom
In the 16th century, monks carved a Buddha about 8 metres long into the top of a giant sandstone boulder. A small working monastery has grown around it, and Cambodian families still come on pilgrimage, especially at Khmer New Year.
A guide can explain the offerings and how to make a blessing. It is a working temple, so dress covering shoulders and knees.
river-of-thousand-lingas.webpClose view through clear shallow water showing rows of carved lingas. 1200×900.River of a Thousand Lingas
Khmer stonecutters carved hundreds of lingas, the symbol of Shiva, into the bed of the stream that becomes the Siem Reap River. The water passing over them was believed to be blessed before it reached Angkor and its rice fields.
In the dry months the water is low and clear and the carvings are easy to see. In the wet season a guide knows where to look.
kulen-lower-waterfall-swimming.webpLower fall from the pool, swimmers in the foreground. 1200×900.Upper and lower waterfalls
The upper fall is a broad, shallow cascade over sandstone shelves. A stairway then drops into the gorge to the lower fall, about 20 metres high, with a pool where you can swim and stand behind the curtain of water.
There are simple changing huts. Cambodians swim in shorts and T-shirts, so modest swimwear fits in best.
kulen-plateau-jungle-view.webpForest on the plateau or the view across the plains from the edge. 1200×900.Birthplace of the Khmer Empire
On this mountain, then called Mahendraparvata, King Jayavarman II declared himself universal ruler in 802 AD, the date historians use for the start of the Khmer Empire. Laser surveys in 2012 found the outline of a whole city hidden under the forest.
A guide connects what you see on Kulen with the temples you visit in Angkor.
Best time to visit Phnom Kulen waterfall
The waterfall follows the rains. This is how strong it usually is in each month, from the guides who visit every week.
- JanGood
- FebFair
- MarLow
- AprLow
- MayLow
- JunFair
- JulGood
- AugStrong
- SepStrong
- OctStrong
- NovStrong
- DecGood
- Low
- Fair
- Good
- Strong
August to November
The fall is at its fullest and the forest is green. Expect a shower some afternoons; we're down the mountain by then.
December to February
Dry, sunny and cooler, with good flow until January. The most comfortable months for the steps.
March to May
Hot, and the fall is a thin stream. Fewer visitors and the clearest view of the riverbed carvings.
What's included
Included
- Private air-conditioned car/SUV, minivan or van
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Siem Reap
- English-speaking guide for the whole day, on the guided tour
- Fuel, parking and road fees
- Cold bottled water
Not included
- National park entrance, $20 per foreign visitor
- Lunch, about $5 to $8 per person
- Angkor Pass, only if you add Banteay Srei
- Tips, optional
What to wear and bring
For the temple
Clothes that cover shoulders and knees, or a sarong to wrap over swimwear. Shoes come off at the reclining Buddha.
For the waterfall
Swimwear, a towel, a dry change of clothes and sandals that grip on wet rock. A dry bag helps for phones.
For the day
Cash in dollars or riel for the entrance fee and lunch, as there are no ATMs on the mountain. Sunscreen and insect repellent.
banteay-srei-add-on.webpBanteay Srei's pink sandstone carvings in afternoon light. 900×600.Add Banteay Srei on the way back
Banteay Srei, the small pink-sandstone temple famous for the finest carving in Angkor, sits right on the road home. Adding it takes about an hour and you're back at your hotel around 4:00 pm.
You need a valid Angkor Pass for Banteay Srei, bought online at angkorenterprise.gov.kh or at the official ticket office. Ask us for the add-on price.
Ask about Banteay SreiPhnom Kulen tour questions
How much is a private Phnom Kulen tour from Siem Reap?
With an English-speaking guide: $110 per group by air-conditioned car/SUV (up to 3 people), $120 by minivan (up to 6) or $130 by van (up to 10). Without a guide: $70 by car/SUV (up to 4), $80 by minivan (up to 7) or $90 by van (up to 11). Prices are per group, not per person. The $20 national park entrance fee per foreign visitor is extra.
Can I book the Phnom Kulen trip without a guide?
Yes. Without a guide you get the same private air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup and route, and your driver waits at each stop. It costs $40 less and fits one more person in each vehicle. Choose the guided tour if you want the history explained and help at the temple, ticket booth and lunch stalls.
How far is Phnom Kulen from Siem Reap?
Phnom Kulen is about 50 km northeast of Siem Reap. The drive takes about 1 hour 30 minutes each way, including the climb up the mountain road.
How much is the Phnom Kulen entrance fee?
The national park entrance fee is $20 per foreign visitor, children included; infants are free and Cambodian citizens enter free. It is paid in cash, in US dollars or Khmer riel, at the checkpoint at the foot of the mountain. It is not included in our tour price.
Is Phnom Kulen included in the Angkor Pass?
No. Phnom Kulen National Park has its own $20 ticket. The Angkor Pass is not accepted there, and you do not need an Angkor Pass for this tour.
What time do I need to leave Siem Reap for Phnom Kulen?
The mountain road is one-way: cars can drive up only in the morning, roughly 7:00 to 11:00 am, and come down from about midday. We pick you up at your hotel at 7:30 am so you reach the plateau before the crowds.
Can you swim at Phnom Kulen waterfall?
Yes. You can swim in the pool below the lower waterfall. There are simple changing huts. Cambodians usually swim in shorts and a T-shirt, so modest swimwear fits in best. In high water from September to November, stay near the edge where it is calm.
When is the best time to visit Phnom Kulen waterfall?
The waterfall is strongest from August to November, after the rains. December and January still have good flow with dry, sunny days. From March to May the flow is low, though the river carvings are easiest to see.
Can I go to Phnom Kulen by tuk-tuk?
We don't use tuk-tuks for Phnom Kulen. The mountain road is steep and the round trip is about 100 km, so every tour uses a private air-conditioned car/SUV, minivan or van.
How long is the Phnom Kulen tour?
About 7 to 8 hours. Pickup is at 7:30 am and you are back at your hotel around 3:00 pm.
What is included in the tour price?
A private air-conditioned car/SUV, minivan or van with hotel pickup and drop-off in Siem Reap, fuel, parking and bottled water, plus a private English-speaking guide if you choose the guided tour. The $20 entrance fee, lunch and tips are not included.
Is lunch included on the Phnom Kulen tour?
Lunch is not included. Family-run stalls beside the waterfall serve grilled chicken, fish, rice and fresh fruit for about $5 to $8 per person.
What should I wear and bring to Phnom Kulen?
Wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees for the reclining Buddha temple, and sandals or shoes that grip on wet rock. Bring swimwear, a towel, a change of clothes, sunscreen, insect repellent and cash. There are no ATMs on the mountain.
Can we add Banteay Srei temple to the Phnom Kulen tour?
Yes. Banteay Srei is on the way back to Siem Reap and adds about an hour. You will need a valid Angkor Pass for it. Ask us on WhatsApp for the price.
Is Phnom Kulen suitable for children and older travellers?
Yes, with some care. There are about 200 steps up to the reclining Buddha and a steep stairway down to the lower waterfall, both with handrails. Take your time, and skip the lower fall if the stairs are too much.
How do I book and pay?
Send your date, number of people, hotel and whether you want a guide on WhatsApp to +855 90 486 770. No deposit is needed. You pay in cash on the day, in US dollars or Khmer riel; we accept both.
How to book
Choose guide and vehicle
With or without a guide, then a car/SUV, minivan or van for your group size.
Message us on WhatsApp
Send your date, number of people, hotel and guide choice.
Get your confirmation
We reply with your pickup time and total price.
Pay on the day
Cash in US dollars or Khmer riel. Bring cash for the park fee too.
Ready for the waterfall?
Tell us your date and whether you'd like a guide, and we'll confirm within a few hours, usually much sooner. No deposit, no card details.
Chat on WhatsAppWhatsApp +855 90 486 770 or email info@phnomkulenwaterfalltours.com