D1 FULL DAY TOURITINERARY: Group site 2-15
Occasionally, this schedule may change in case of extreme weather conditions, emergency or other unusual circumstance.
8.20am – 9.00am – Introduction & Transport
Meet & pick up from your guesthouse in Senmonorom for an introduction talk.We will soon head south to the Mondulkiri sanctuary (12km, about 20 minutes from Sen Monorom). The drive offers lovely views over the community forests our project is helping protect.
9.00– 12.00pm – Morning hike through the Sanctuary Rainforest & Elephant Discovery Walk.
We begin the day with a short scenic hike into the valley. Our guide, will explain the project goals & the importance of protecting Mondulkiri’s wildlife & habitats.
Next, we’ll find and follow the elephants & their indigenous care takers.As they freely feed in the jungle. We will follow to watch the elephants interact & eat bamboo, grasses and different plant roots as natural medicine. We can take photos of the elephants enjoying life in their natural environment & carefully feed them bananas.
12.00 – 2.00pm – Lunch at the visitor hut:
Time to hike for a local specialtylunch at the sanctuary visitor hut, following lunch, you can enjoy relaxing hammock time, while enjoying thewild jungle views. There is a fair chance to spot birds & otherwildlife in this area.
2:00 – 3:30 Elephant bath & water fun:
In the afternoon, we hike back into the forest &make our way to the Sanctuary’s natural river pool.
The mahouts will slowly walk the elephants into the water, for a daily shower & mud bath.
The elephants love grooming each other, scratching against trees and playing in the mud – Swimming with the elephants is super fun and messy!
Mud coating is important in order to keep an elephant’s skin moist, protected and healthy.
3:30 – 4.30pm After saying goodbye to the elephants & their mahouts (elephants care takers). You walk back through the farm land to Putang village for the overnight stat with Bunong family.
5:00 Onwards
When arriving at the village you will get introduced to the family, refresh, walk around the village and take a drink at the local store. Enjoy your dinner time with a meal of Bunong traditional vegetable soup, BBQ pork or chicken, vegetable and rice wine and then time to sleep in hammocks.
Day 2, 6:30 – 7.30am: Group site 2-5
Wake up & be ready to head to the Seima Forest(35km, about 40 mins from Senmonorom).
7.30– 11:30 am
Morning hike through the Seima Protected Forest & animal discovery walk.
Walk through forest and around cashew nut clearings to Phnom Ronoung, a steep hill with towering Sra Lao trees festooned with strangler vines, possibility of seeing Black-shanked Douc though more likely early morning and late afternoon. Spectacular Great Hornbill and Giant Squirrels present though no guarantee. Note it’s quite a scramble up and down the hill.
11.30 – 1.30pm
Lunch at the waterfall:
Carry onto Leng Pot waterfall. Time to eat lunch, relax and swim at the waterfall, while enjoying the wild jungle views. There is a fair chance to spot birds & other wildlife in this area.
1:30 – 4:00
Afternoon trek through the jungle:
After lunch, in the afternoon you will trek through the jungle to explore more animals, your local guide will show you bats living inside the tree hole and bear print climbed up on tree. Trek through bamboo forest and head back to the drop out point. You will be met, picked-up and head back to Senmonorom.
What you need to bring with you in preparation for day hikes and visits:
All entry fees, transportation, guiding, lunch and drinking water are all included.
- Comfortable footwear for hiking (shoes might get wet during river crossings).
- Binocular
- Swimming clothes and towel or sarong.
- Light, long sleeved cloths to wear during the day (clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty).
- A hat and sun protection.
- Insect repellent.
- Rain coat or poncho.
- Camera
- Meal are included, you may bring additional snack foods