ABOUT US
Our Story
Kulen Revealed was envisioned in 2017 to provide community-based ecotours of Phnom Kulen, a national park and nature reserve that was the original home of what would become the Khmer Empire. The idea was conceived by Paren - the manager of a non-profit working in the area. The goal was to create a tour that promoted travel to Phnom Kulen National Park in a socially responsible way. In 2018 we began providing tours that showcase Kulen’s ecology, wildlife, religious and historical purpose, and stunning natural features.
What Makes Us Special
Our tours are unique because we are the only community-based ecotour operator solely focused on Phnom Kulen National Park. We are also the only tour company to feature English speaking guides who actually come from the community. We are also unique in our focus on both Kulen's history and ecology - we won’t go swimming until you fully understand Kulen from an ecological, spiritual and historical context. Lastly, we are the only not-for-profit tour company that donates its profits to Kulen-based NGOs, helping residents through free educational programming and endangered wildlife through conservation efforts.
The Tour Itself
Our comprehensive tour begins with a visit to a conservation reserve to learn about the greater ecosystem and its significance to the Kulen Region. Guests then make their way to Phnom Kulen but first stop at their tour guide’s respective home in villages near Phnom Kulen. You will meet the guide's family, learn about life in the countryside, and enjoy a light snack. We then travel onwards to ascend Mahendraparvata (the mountain itself) where Jayavarman II was proclaimed God-King. We stop at a 16th-century Buddhist temple which features the largest reclining Buddha in Cambodia. A private tour highlight is a visit to Sras Damrei, a large elephant statue in excellent condition as well as other ruins dating to the 9th-century. Afterwards, we will head over to the waterfalls to enjoy lunch. Guests will then have a chance to swim in the waterfalls and do some optional, light-trekking in the jungle before heading home.