CDT10: Cambodia Culture Discovery - 12 Days / 11 Nights

12 days
Phnom Penh - Siem Reap

You will have a chance to discover Cambodia and its culture in just only 12 days by visiting its famous temple such as : Wat Phnom, Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, Kompong Thom... and learn about Buddhism and see its central role in life of Cambodia people. Have time to explore Tonle Sap Lake by taking a boat ride and see the life of people who lives based on the river.

Highlights of this tour

• Visit the Pagoda of the Wat Phnom and the national museum
• Visit the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, visit of the sites of Tonle Bati, Ta Phrom and Yeay Peau, Phnom Chisor
• Visit of the city of Angkor Borei-ancient capital of the Fou Nan
• Move to Kompong Cham (temple of Vat Nokor) and Kompong Thom
• Discovery Sambor Prei Kuk's temples, go to Phnom Bakhend temple to watch the sunset on Angkor Wat and others temples
• Explore the "Great City" of Angkor Thom include the famous Bayon Temple, Phimeanakas Temple within the Royal Palace enclosure...
• Visit Angkor Vat temple and Visit the enchanting Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre, a local village, Baray Oriental sites
• Enjoy a boat ride on the Tonle Sap lake, visit Siem Reap central market and the Silk Farm in Puok

Cambodia Culture Discovery tour in brief: 

Day 1: Phnom Penh Arrival
Day 2: Phnom Penh - City tour
Day 3: Phnom Penh - Ta Keo - Phnom Da - Phnom Penh
Day 4: Phnom Penh - Kompong Cham - Kompong Thom
Day 5: Kompong Thom - Siem Reap
Day 6: Siem Reap - Angkor
Day 7: Angkor
Day 8: Angkor
Day 9: Banteay Srei - Kobal Spien
Day 10: Beng Lealea - Koh Ker
Day 11: Tonle Sap Lake
Day 12: Siem Reap - Deaprture


  • Tour Class

  • 3 Star Hotel
  • 4 Star Hotel
  • 5 Star Hotel

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    High Season

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    (Jan 1 - Apr 30 & Oct 1 - Dec 31)

  • 3 Star HotelFrom 
  • 4 Star HotelFrom 
  • 5 Star HotelFrom 

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    Low season

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    (May 1 - Sep 9)

  • 3 Star HotelFrom 
  • 4 Star HotelFrom 
  • 5 Star HotelFrom
Day 01

Arrive in Phnom Penh (D) (G)

This is your first day in Phnom Penh and you will receive the warmest greeting from your guide before explore the beautiful capital of Cambodia. After check-in the hotel, we will take a short tour in the capital and the first place will be the Wat Phnom and the National Museum. Wat Phnom is a 27-metre-high Buddhist temple, built in the 70s of the 14th century with special spiral architecture style. The National Museum is the place that its importance and famousness have been recognized by thousands of visitors each year. Welcome dinner in an excellent local restaurant.

Overnight in hotel.

Accommodation at:

Day 02

Phnom Penh – Continue of City tour (B) (G)

After breakfast, we will visit the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. The Royal Palace is the residence of the Khmer Kings with unique design and structure. Like Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda is also the must-visit place in the complex with 5000 silver tiles on its floor.

Accommodation at:

Day 03

Phnom Penh - Ta Keo – Phnom Da – Phnom Penh (B) (G)

Get up and have breakfast, we will head to the city of Angkor Borei. The area surrounding Angkor Borei boasts many valuable artifacts. The nearby Museum is a huge collection of historical evidences that you haven’t seen before. Then visit the sites of Tonle Bati, Ta Phrom and Yeay Peau, Phnom Chisor. At night, back to your hotel in Phnom Penh and have a nice dream.

Accommodation at:

Day 04

Phnom Penh – Kompong Cham – Kompong Thom (B) (G)

Our destination today will be Kompong Cham and Kompong Thom in the central lowland of the Mekong River. These two province share borders with each other and have same things. Here you can enjoy the fresh air and cool wind of the lowland province and try to walk on the bamboo bridges.

Overnight in Kompong Thom in comfortable hotel.

Accommodation at:

Day 05

Kompong Thom – Siem Reap (B) (G)

Today we will spend half day in Kompong Thom to visit Sambor Prei Kuk temples, the rest of the time we will discover Siem Reap. After breakfast, we will head to the temples of Sambor Prei Kuk, a pre-Angkorian temple. With the simple structure – three parts with wall surrounding, this place will be easy to enjoy and also the great chance for any visitors to take photos and get much information about the pre-Angkorian architecture and history. Say good bye to Sambor Prei Kuk as well as Kompong Thom, we will move to Siem Reap. When arrive, we will have a short visit of Siem Reap. In middle of afternoon, we will peek into Angkor Wat from outside and then head to Phnom Bakhend temple to enjoy the sunset there.

Accommodation at:

Day 06

Siem Reap - Angkor (B) (G)

After breakfast, we will continue our Angkor tour by discovering inside it. This Great City, Angkor Thom offers many solemn temples, building, pagodas and its special is appearance from the entrance with five unique gateways. Walk through the gates, at the center of the city; we will see many giants’ faces that mean you reach Bayon, one of the must-visit places in the Angkor Thom. Besides, there are many others interesting place that you should visit in this huge ancient city like the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King.

Accommodation at:

Day 07

Angkor (B) (G)

Yesterday we discovered the great ancient city Angkor Thom and today we will visit its neighbor, the Angkor Wat temples. Angkor Wat, is regarded as the largest Hindu temple in the world and also is one of Seven Wonder of the World recognized by UNESCO. The features, structures and anything of this place have proved a simple and undoubtable thing, Angkor Wat is deserved to be the symbol of Cambodian, an attractive tourist hub in the world and proudly to be emblazoned in the national flag. You can know anything from here, from history, religion to art, architecture and all of them carving on the wall, appear in the lotus-shaped temple and anywhere inside the complex.

Accommodation at:

Day 08

Angkor (B) (G)

Today we will have a series of temple visit including the Royal City of Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, East Mebon and Preah Rup. The first place is Preah Khan. Preah Khan is one of the seven temples of the Grand Circuit. It’s seemed to be undiscovered because it’s located quite far away from the center. Like Ta Phrom, this place is covered by ancient tree and many parts are in ruin. Next, we will move to Neak Pean, a tiny pagoda standing on a small island with a pond surrounding. Neak Pean is considered as the temple of snake because its structure – its base looks like a snake turning around. Then, we will end our morning by visiting the three temples of Ta Som, East Mebon and Preah Rup. Ta Som was built for the King Jayavarman VII‘s father in the 12th century and unpreserved. About East Mebon, this 10th century Pre Rup style temple was dedicated to the god Shiva and parents of the King. The last temple in the morning, Preah Rup, built in the middle of the 10th century, is a combination of nature and human with the mountain – temple structure and major materials (bricks, laterites and sandstone).

In the afternoon, we will head to Thommanon temple. This 12th century temple was erected in the King Suryavarman II regime and located the east of the Victory Gate. With its sophisticated bas-relief and stone carving, the visitors will have a great chance to take many photos of the temple and get much information about a part of the Cambodian history, the King Suryavarman II regime. Afterward, we will visit Ta Prohm. Ta Prohm, a 12th century Bayon style temple, once was called Rajavihara and used for Buddhist activities. With the special in structure (many parts of the temple was covered by trees and jungle), it has become one of the most attractive tourist hub in Cambodia. Our last place today is Les Chantie Ecole. This is the top market in Siem Reap and you can find and buy anything you want here with acceptable cost. Especially, this place nears a silk farm so you can get real silk product with good quality here beside many cheap traditional products.

Accommodation at:

Day 09

Banteay Srei – Kobal Spien (B) (G)

Today we will continue to explore the Angkor area with a visit to Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre. You can say that these two temples is a pair because of their name (Banteay Srei means “Temple of The Woman” and Banteay Samre is considered as “Temple of The Man”). Moreover, the materials which were used for building these two temples are same, red sandstones and they are dedicated Visnu (initially dedicated Shiva). These two temples are regarded as the jewel of the Cambodian art and architecture. We will begin our second part of our tour today by heading to the Baray Oriental sites with many temples such as Banteay Kdei, Pre Rup, Preasat Khleang and Mebon Oriental.

Accommodation at:

Day 10

Beng Lealea – Koh Ker (B) (G)

After breakfast we will continue our tour by visiting to temples, Beng Mealea and Koh Ker. Beng Mealea temple stands 40 kilometers east of the main group of Angkor area and was built in Angkor style by sandstones. The name Beng Mealea means “Lotus pond” and this partly tells us the beauty of this temple. Here, you can see many stone carving about Buddhism. However, almost all parts of the temples were seemed unrestored and undiscovered; most of them are covered by trees. After visiting Beng Mealea, we will move to Koh Ker. Koh Ker once was the capital of the Khmer Empire under the reign of King Jayavarman IV. We will return to Siem Reap in late afternoon and you can do anything you want till evening.

Accommodation at:

Day 11

Tonle Sap Lake (B) (G)

Today will be our last day on tour and the first destination is the Tonle Sap Lake. Tonle Sap Lake, this name is so well-known that only hearing it, we can image how majestic of the lake. This lake is not only the largest freshwater lake in the South East Asia but also the main fish and alluvial supplier in Cambodia and joining the Mekong River in Phnom Penh. Floating village is commonly seen here and it’s one of the scenes that you can miss when visiting here. In the afternoon, we will reach Siem Reap central market and the Silk Farm in Puok. In the Siem Reap central market, you can buy anything you want with acceptable prices but be careful with fake goods. The Silk Farm will be the most interesting place today, you can directly see the whole step in the silk making process and have a talks with the locals to understand more about their daily life.

Accommodation at:

Day 12

Siem Reap - Depart (B) (G)

Free day at leisure until we transfer you to the airport for your departure flight. Indochinavalue thanks you so much for traveling with us. We hope you had a beautiful Cambodia holiday. All the best, goodbye and see you again!

END OF SERVICE

Accommodation at:

Inclusion:

• Accommodation with breakfast based Double/Twin room shared.
• Private transportation with a/c for whole program.
• All admission fees for the indicated.
• Meals as mentioned in the program (2 lunches + 1 dinner).
• Englishspeaking guide.
• Drinking water during tours.

Exclusion:

• Personal expenses, such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry, mini-bar in hotel, etc.
• Other tours & meals not mentioned.
• Early check-in and late check-out at the hotel.
• International air tickets.
• Airport’s departure tax.

Tour guide

Tour guides who wor with usk are well-paid, experienced with a university background, eager to exchange our cultures and lifestyles ... with travelers, and have a great passion for their country and understand the personal touch. In some parts such as Sapa, we may use local tour guides who come from the ethnic hilltribes like H'Mong or Red Dao as they know about their land much better than anyone else and this is also the way that Indochinavalue helps the local people a better life.

Vietnam tour guide

Tour guide is one of the most inportant factors to a successful holiday. Indochinavalue understands that a good tour guide needs not only good knowledge on history, culture, good English, French... but also needs to have general requirements and follow our guidelines as below:

1 - Licensed at least for 4 years with work experience.

2 - Guiding does require more than just hanging out in the sun. Guides must be friendly and good with people, organized enough to keep groups or people on schedule, quick on their feet and ready for the inevitable snafus that arises.

3 - Must be an honest broker of their services and able to take criticism.

4 - Should be qualified at some level in health, health care or first aid.

5 - Able to relate to people from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds.

6 - Clear speech and good hearing.

7 - Must not be a alcoholic or No-alcohol during working time or anytime when on tour.

8 - Tour guide is a nurse to take care of visitors, a boss to keep the right itinerary, a teacher to give information, an ambassador to introduce our country, an entertainer because Indochinavalue's clients want to be entertained in extend, a friend...

9 - Must be on time every time. Being late or delay is unacceptable.

10 - Check flight tickets, train tickets, meals, weather... to make sure things are in order and inform local office if any changes that might effect the tour.

11 - Solve problems with care when there is dissatisfy. Argument should be averted by courtesy.

Transport

Kind of vehicle (offered on tour) depends on the size of your group size or your requirements.To ensure your comfort, all cars feature air conditioning and enough room inside. Drivers are local, with years of experience, taking you to your destination quickly and safely.

1 - Our drivers are professional and reliable with at least 5 years of experience, driving safely.

2 - Our drivers are not allowed to hear cell-phone or smoke, chat, drink when driving.

3 - Our drivers must be friendly, helpful with good behavior and attitude.

4 - Our drivers are not allowed to take you to shops unless you ask for.

Vietnam hotel

2 Stars from: US$35 -> US$40

The 2 star hotels are good for budget travelers and sometimes, we have no choice but stay in a guesthouse, mini hotel, 2 star hotel in the remote and mountainous areas. Basically, 2 star hotels will offer good size and clean guest rooms with AC, TV, hot water, shower and private bathrooms

3 Stars from: US$40 -> US$80

The 3 star hotels are good for many travelers because they offer basic needs for a comfortable stay, good size and clean guest rooms with Free access high speed Internet, Welcome baskets and drinking water, Telephone with international dialing, Electronic safe box in room, Hairdryer, Coffee and Tea, Wake-up service, AC, TV, hot water, shower and private bathrooms. On-site restaurants with breakfast included and lunch or dinner at your own pick up. A small fitness center, spa and swimming pool can be expected.

4 Stars from: US$80 -> US$130

Offering a wide range of comfortable boutique hotels are available with shopping, dining andentertainment facilities nearby. Featuring quality service, fully furnished rooms, restaurants, fitness center with spa (and swimming pool in most cases), the hotels are expected to offer an above-average accommodation experience.

5 Stars from: US$130 -> US$200 –> US$ 300

Offering an extensive range of facilities for an excellent experience. Multiple restaurants on siteand a wide range of choice for buffet breakfast, good size of swimming pool, fitness center and concierge service round out the experience.

The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.

Note: If you have any special dietary needs, just let your travel consultant know when booking.

Breakfast:

Breakfast is included at all hotels and is buffet breakfast with Asian and Western food.

Lunch:

Lunches (if included) are usually set menu at handpicked local restaurant with comfortable dining environment where you can rest assure to taste the local flavor. All restaurants are carefully selected and highly recommended.

Vietnam restaurant

Dinner:

Dinners are only included if you stay overnight in a homestay with a local family, on cruise inHalong Bay, Mekong Delta or at some special occasions such as welcome dinner, farewell dinner or on requested. So dinners are at your own choice and arrangement, but our tour guides will always give you good suggestions based on your preferences.

If allergic to some food

We suggest you to list any food or ingredients that you are allergic to and let our travel consultant know. Then your travel consultant will mark them in the guide’s itinerary, so that our guides in different cities can make some preparations and arrangements in advance.

Do our guide and driver join the meal with us?

The tour guides and driver will be at the same restaurants with you, but they will only join themeal when you invite. Sometimes the drivers are shy to join as they usually eat fast and could not understand English talk around the table, so the guide will be with you more often.

Street food tour:

Street foods in Vietnam are very delicious and should you want to taste the specialities of each Vietnam holiday destination, we can arrange a street food tour for you. Please contact us at info@indochinavalue.com for a detailed tour itinerary and quotation.

How to request a tour package?

To request for a free tour itinerary and quotation, you can just fill out the tour inquiry form at www.indochinavalue.com or send us an email at info@indochinavalue.com then give us as much information as possible. One of our experienced travel consultants will get back to you shortly. All changes will be made (free of charge) until the your tour package meets your needs and personal interests.

How to book a tour package?

As soon as you agree on our proposal, please send us your full name, international flightinformation (if you have) and your special requirements. We will make reservations and arrange everything then confirm back to you when all done.

Payment

- Deposit is a "must". We request 30% of the tour cost. You can pay by wire transfer, creditcards, western union, onepay (online)

- Balance can be made before your arrival or on arrival in cash or by credit cards.

Changes

Changes are possible at the last minutes. However, if changes caused extra costs, you willhave to pay for. (For examples, hotels, flights, cruises...)

Cancellation

In case of cancellation, we will not apply any charge if we are not charged by the third partiessuch as hotels, cruises, flights, trains...We will recalculate the costs and resend you the money as soon as possible.

Tipping

Thanks you Tipping is not mandatory but it is expected inThanks youTipping is not mandatory but it is expected in many circumstances for service. You can tip your driver/tour guide more or less or nothing. All depends on the services you receive.

Suggested tips:

- US$10 – US$ 15 per day for tour guide

- US$7 – US$ 10 per day for driver

- US$1 – US$ 3 per meal for waiter or waitress

- US$2 – US$ 5 for short boat trips/ cyclo/ tuktuk (1 – 2) hours

Note: Please check with your travel consultant before coming and your tour guide if you are to tip someone on tour.

What you get when booking a private tour with Indochinavalue?

1. Private guide, driver and vehicle are for your exclusive use; no matter you are individually,or in a family or friends group. The tour is run exclusively for you without strangers.

2. Every itinerary can be customized to meet your specific interests/ wishes, that is, you can choose your favored hotels, sightseeing spots, the tour length, means of transportation, budget, etc. All are free of charge.

3. Start the tour on any date you want.

4. Escort you from start to finish. All private transfers during the tour are offered, including airport/ train station transfer, hotel-attractions round trip transfer.

5. The sightseeing during the tour could be based on your own timetable and pace. Flexible to change at your short notice.

6. Considerate care and assistance, such as the old, the disabled or families with small kids and children.

7. You can save time and money when traveling with us or your wants meet you budget.

How do I get a visa?

Vietnam Visa On Arrival is available for help. It is legitimated and supported by the VietnameseImmigration Department. We recommend that you choose visa upon arrival, as picking up visa at the Vietnam int'l airport/ border is quite simple, easy, no additional charges and no fail.

Please provide the following information for us to apply for your visa:

apply vietnam visa1) Full name on passport

2) Passport number

3) Date of birth

4) Nationality

5) Date of arrival

6) Date of issue

7) Date of expire

8) Please make sure that your passport is still valid for 6 months.

Can I use credit cards in Vietnam?

Major credit cards such as Master Card, Visa, Diner's Card, American Express and JCB can beused to purchase goods in large shopping malls and stores in the big and medium cities, to pay for hotel rooms and for meals in some of the fancier restaurants, and to buy plane tickets with them.

Note:

- You can use US dollar, Euro in all big cities or at major tourist sites, airports.

- If you are to travel to those small cities or even remote rural areas, only cash in Dong can be used.

Do I need to bring my medical record with me?

Yes, we suggest you take your medical record with you in case that you need it in the event ofan emergency, and please also take with you your doctor's name, address and phone number, emergency contact name and phone number, and your insurance company's name, address and phone number.

Note: You can buy medicines everywhere in Vietnam so do not need to bring medicines from home.Money exchange in Vietnam

When I finish my tour in Vietnam, if I still have some local money, what can I do?

Upon leaving Vietnam, if you still have some local money, you can change them back to foreign currency with your passport and the exchange memos given by the banks or money exchange counters. So please keep those exchange memos well whenever you change money.

What should we bring along on our trip to Vietnam?

It is best to travel light in Vietnam. Onemedium sized bag and a day pack will provide more than enough room to carry everything you'll need, and enough space for the things you'll buy in Vietnam.

There are lots of consumer goods in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, so do not worry about running out of something. If you do forget something you can easily find it here. Before you leave home complete the following checklist:

- Lightweight and quick dry clothing is most appropriate for the summer months, and warmer  clothing for the winter months. As well, sun hat, swim suit, ultra lightweight rain jacket.

- Travel Documents: Passport, Visa, Travel Insurance, Air Tickets (you should scan them and email them to yourself in case you loose them).

- Health requirements, medications, and travel insurance arranged.

- Flashlight, alarm clock, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, small personal first aid kit, personal toiletries.

- Money: US dollars or travelers cheques and/ or credit card(s).

- Raincoat or umbrella, good hiking shoes are needed for all Footprint trekking trips.

- Camera with charger, extra batteries, and memory cards.

Are there any restrictions on the type of luggage that we bring? Domestic airlines have their weight restrictions. On most domestic and low-cost airlines You may only have one suitcase or backpack, with a maximum weight of 20kg, and one piece of hand luggage, with a maximum weight of (5 – 7)kg. An extra charge for overweight is applied.

There is no actual limit on our trips, but we would suggest you travel light with one suitcase or backpack and one small daypack or small bag which you can access during the day and carry items like your camera, drinking water, toilet paper, hat, sunscreen, etc.

It is essential that you have a lock for each piece of luggage. Without one, railway and airline staff and some hotels may refuse to handle it.

What is the best type of clothing we should bring?

Here is a short checklist of best type of clothing you should bring:

- Shorts and comfortable pants;

- Shirts, t-shirts and maybe some long sleeves shirts (for regions with mosquitos like the Mekong delta);

- Swim suits (for the beaches and Halong Bay);

- Good sandles as well as good shoes if trekking.

Nevertheless, it will really depend on where you travel to, when you plan on travelling, and what you plan on doing. Please note that the weather can be very cold during the winter in the Northern Vietnam (Nov to Mar) and quite cool in the central highlands (Dalat). You will need to bring a good jacket along for this time of the year, the avarage temperature is about 15 oC, but can get as cold as 3 oC.

Tip: Do not worry if you do not pack enough clothes or forget something because you can buy in Vietnam.

Shopping in Vietnam

Shopping in VietnamMany tourists can’t help but throw themselvesShopping in Vietnam head-first into shopping while in Vietnam. Why? Probably the variety of quality goods and the tempting prices have a lot to do with it. Many low-budget travelers considered Vietnam a heavenly place because in many shopping situations they can bargain the prices down to as much as a third of the original cost.

The list of Vietnamese bargains is seemingly endless and features bespoke tailoring and the national dress, the 'ao dai' from high-quality silk and many other types of material and textiles while many shoppers cannot get enough of the local handicraft, art and jewelry.

How to bargain?

Bargain is not common in some countries, but in Vietnam it really is. In Vietnam, bargaining isalways worthwhile. Yet, it is not always due to the fact that the local have a great deal of time and very little money. Bargaining is part of Vietnamese culture as through bargaining people communicate with others, create and build up their relationship, not to mention a form of entertainment.

Rule - 1: It's like the monster ride at the amusement park. If you're not having fun, get off.

Rule - 2: Don't bargain with the first person who approaches you (i.e., when looking for a taxi at the airport.) In general the further you go from the center of action, the cheaper the price.

Rule - 3: Don't be afraid to use walking away as a bargaining tool. You can always come back.

Rule - 4: Don't let pride get in the way of coming back (or Rule #3 is useless).

Rule - 5: If you really want something and the price isn't coming down, give in gracefully. (It's that pride thing again.)

Rule - 6: Don't always assume you're getting ripped off just because you're in a third-world country. Sometimes the price they're asking is the real one.

Rule - 7: Bargaining is a time/ money tradeoff. If you're in a hurry, be prepared to pay for it.

Rule - 8: Ask (Vietnamese) fellow shoppers the price of an item before you begin bargaining.

Rule - 9: Always carry small bills. Otherwise all that work is likely to be for nothing.

Rule - 10: Always bargain in native currency. Conventional wisdom says anyone who has dollars can afford to spend them.

Rule - 11: If possible, keep going back to the same person until you've gotten to know him/ her. Most third world countries have a name for this kind of relationship. The deal is that you offer your business on a regular basis and the seller responds by saving you their best tomatoes

Rule - 12: No matter what your parents told you, when you're bargaining it's perfectly okay to lie

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Activities:

This tour is sample tour and can always be customized to meet your personal needs and budget.

This is private tour with a flexible schedule. There is no other traveler on the tour. You will have a private English speaking tour guide and a private air-conditioned vehicle in each destination.

Planning the tour:
Prompt response in 0.5-10 hours
Supported by private travel consultant
Unlimited changes, no charge

Our guarantee:
Fair Price with added value
Use of excellent local guides
Use of well-selected Hotels
Use of comfortable vehicles
Worry-free & one-stop Service
Focus on customer care

Methods of payment:
Deposit 30% in advance after the tour is confirmed
Balance paid on arrival
Online and secure payment by ban transfer or credit cards

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