OPTION 1: Trek inside Virachey National Park 3 DAYS/ 2 NIGHTS
 |
| lush, semi-evergreen dry forest |
Highlights
- Beautiful panoramic views
- Submerge in the semi-evergreen dry forest
- Amazing boat trip on SeSan and O’Lalai rivers
- Waterfalls, Creeks and small streams. Enjoy a swim.
- Jungle camping, lush old and dense forest
- Engaging indigenous communities
Short description
Close to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia triangle, a beautiful forest awaits your discovery. It’s named, The Virachey Forest.
In this forest we conduct an interesting and adventurous trek, from 3 days up to 5 days trek. A boat trip on the Sesan and O’Lalai rivers take you to Kolark community forest. Trek through pristine forest, follow the tracks of local hunters, crossing some rivers and engaging indigenous community .
Introduction
 |
| Tracking Wild Giant Gaur |
In this unique adventurous trek, a lot of highlights will pass along your way . Starting at the bank of Ton Le San river, visit small settlements, engage with indigenous communities, learn about local farming, fishing and hunting techniques. Stay overnight in the jungle, submerge in a very beautiful forest where you can meet ‘The Giants of the Virachey forest ”You will follow tracks that varies from small tracks leading from one small settlement to another, hunting tracks, wildlife tracks and off beaten tracks. Different sceneries will be presented to you like beautiful panoramic views, mixed forest, secondary and primary forest. Numerous small creeks, streams and a river meander through this beautiful region. This trek has a high expedition experience. We go into the forest, have a great adventure and educational time. No fixed itinerary and off beaten tracks, a real discovery!
The track through the primary forest is really off beaten. In some areas, the wildlife tracks are the only paths available. Your foot print mix with the foot print of Giant Gaur ‘a wild buffalo’. The Kavet people are very friendly and will often invite you into their homes. Depending on the season, you can watch their daily activities. We spend two nights camping during this trek, one night by a stream and one night next to a wonderful waterfall.
Day 1:
 |
| Scenic Trip up O'La Lai River |
- Morning: You assemble at the office (Lucky Tours) at 8:00 am Departure time is at 8:30 which gives you half an hour to arrange your backpack.
- At 8:30 we leave by car, minivan or truck. Northern direction to Veunsai district (It takes 90 minutes to drive there).
- At Veunsai, a small local boat will take us a short distance upstream Sesan river. Before long we reach the mouth of O’Lalai river. The O’Lalai has its spring further to the north inside the Virachey NP. It’s clean and unpolluted water. This very beautiful natural river with its both banks flanked with all kinds of vegetation. This river will be used for boat transport to bring you to Kok Lark Kavet indigenous community which is 7 km upstream (approximately 40 minutes).
- Once you arrive at Track village, we need to register at the village chief’s house to show respect to the village.
- After that we continue a little further north by boat until we get to the shore at the east of O’Lalai river.
** Please note that during the dry season from 1st February until the mid of June the route Veunsai Track village will be on a motorbike due to a too shallow river.
 |
| Patches of jungle |
- We start walking through various landscapes. Patches of forest alternate with rice paddy fields. Some giant trees dot the small patches of forest.
- Lunch: Around noon, we’ll have lunch at a small farm house .
- Afternoon: The further north you get the denser forest. Soon we’ll enter the primary forest. It goes a little up and down hill. During the trek we take a regular breaks to enjoy the surrounding and to rest a little bit.
- We’ll arrive at the campsite next to a very nice river around 4:00pm. Your guide and ranger will start boiling water for coffee or tea, while you can refresh in a nearby stream.
- The hammock and mosquito-net will be set up and the campsite prepared for the night. You can enjoy a nice dinner at the campfire.
Day 2
 |
| Invigorating Shower |
- Morning: An early rise, you enjoy a hot coffee or tea. Breakfast will be prepared on a wood fire.
- After breakfast, you organize your backpack while the team untie hammocks and prepare for the day. This part of track is mainly off beaten track so you can expect dense, lush and old jungle where a path is often cut by a machete.
- You will be delighted with sight of many ‘Giant Trees of the Virachey Forest’. Beautiful forest with lush vegetation. At some points (this can vary by the season because of the tree canopy) there are some panoramic views to enjoy.
- Lunch: At noon you’ll get to a nice spot and take an hour break for lunch. If the small stream has enough water, you can enjoy a refreshing swim. After lunch you change direction and loop in southwest direction. Again wonderful nature await for you. At some point, you might see the evidence of the Asian black bear trying to get some insects out of a big tree. It’s always nice to discover new detailed things that is part of the whole.
 |
| Lucky you might spot the Asian Black Bear |
- Around afternoon you get to the campsite close to a wonderful waterfall. You can cool off your body in this water. Your guide will hang hammocks, put up mosquito nets, make fire to boil water for coffee or tea.
- Dinner will be cooked on a wood fire while you can take it easy. After you enjoy your dinner. We start to go on a gently night trek.
The Night Trek
 |
| Pygmy Loris |
- Armed with head torch, we spend one hour to trek around our campsite. What can we see during our night trek? We are looking for the native nocturnal species. The quieter we can walk the higher the chance we can see wildlife. You get the chance to spot some Lories Pigmy (a very small primate), some jungle cats, wild boar, deer and night birds. Sometimes you see birds sleeping on tree branch. Though the chance to see wildlife during the trek during the day is fairly small, the chance increase during the night trek as many of the animals are nocturnal. The jungle literally comes alive during the night. The atmosphere on a night trek is really much more impressive, exciting, scary. When you flash around with your torch, hundreds of eyes of insects like grasshoppers, spiders, worms and others appear glowing. Really Creepy!
- After 1 hour of night walk we return to our campsite and you can make yourself comfortable by sitting near the campfire, enjoy the jungle sounds and starry sky if it is a cloudless night before going to bed.
Day 3
 |
| Cutting Through Dense Jungle |
- Morning: You will also rise early today and enjoying witnessing how the crickets and other insects become silent and birds taking over the orchestra.
- After breakfast we cut through the jungle for three hours. We then reach the village from the first day.
- Lunch: We lunch at the village and we observe the daily lives and activity of the local people there.
- Afternoon: We take a boat back to Vuernsai.
- Our transport will bring you back to Banlung. You are estimated to be back in town around 4 pm.
***Important note:
This itinerary is written based on our research expeditions. It should be read in order to get a good impression and NOT as a detailed hour by hour itinerary.
Lucky Tours Adventure Trekking Ratanakiri, Cambodia has the right to change parts, or divert the route of the trek due to extreme weather and terrain conditions for your safety and /or in order to follow guidelines of the indigenous rangers without any prior notice.
Things to bring for trekking:
- Clothes: Long trousers, T-shirts, Bathing suit, a set of clothes for the night.
- Footware: Sturdy boots, socks, flip flops
- Toiletries: Insect repellent, Suncream, Towel
- Sun Hat or Cap
- Head-torch
- First Aid Kit
- Purified Water pills if you have, optional
- Backpack
Note : We can use a porter if you have a lot of stuff with you. How we sleep? For Camping, we make a shelter and we use hammock attached mosquito-net and blanket for sleeping.
The price includes:
- Professional, Good English speaking guide
- Indigenous ranger expert tracker
- All necessary Transportation (Car, Moto, Tuk-Tuk, Boat, etc)
- All Meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
- Beverages (Water, Coffee and Tea)
- All sleeping Equipment: Hammock, Mosquito-net, Blanket and Tent
- All Entrance Fees
The price excludes:
- Personal Expense
- Insurance
- Tips
- Extra Snacks
Close to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia triangle, a beautiful forest awaits your discovery. It’s named, The Virachey Forest.
The track through the primary forest is really off beaten. In some areas, the wildlife tracks are the only paths available. Your foot print mix with the foot print of Giant Gaur ‘a wild buffalo’. The Kavet people are very friendly and will often invite you into their homes. Depending on the season, you can watch their daily activities. We spend two nights camping during this trek, one night by a stream and one night next to a wonderful waterfall.
