Challenge and change your perspective. Between its Khmer heritage and more recent Khmer Rouge scars, Cambodia has a deep history to explore. Our seven days/six nights in Phnom Penh and Kampot will be led by dynamic young leaders in business, education and the arts more focused on creating their country's future than reliving its past. Scroll to see the sample itinerary.

Jodi Morris leads this unique Global Leadership Trip  to connect us to the economic and cultural beat of Cambodia. We meet entrepreneurs and leaders who illustrate their country’s economic and social trajectory. Specialized experiences help us better understand culture and history. We dive into the educational landscape with Room to Read, visiting schools and meeting with teachers, mentors, and students, as well as Room to Read’s in-country staff. We do all this as a small, curious-minded community. 

Cambodia's at an interesting inflection point (article), making now the perfect time to visit.

If this is your first time visiting Cambodia, we recommend exploring pre and post-trip. Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) is easily accessible from many Southeast Asian airports. We recommend arriving in Phnom Penh 1-2 days early to explore key Cambodian tourist destinations like the , the , and the , Our trip ends in Kampot, and Sihanoukville is the perfect jumping off point to ferry to Cambodia's incredible islands.

Don't try to do too much. The weather in Cambodia is hot, and you'll inevitably be fighting jet lag. Take your time, and appreciate Cambodia's history prior to our launch into its present and future. 

- Ideal Participants are men, women & mature teenagers (with an adult) seeking a unique, interactive global learning experience. 

- Group size is limited to 10 to create a community-building experience. 

- Per Person Trip Cost for 7 days/6 nights lodging, transportation, meals and beverages, excursions and tips: $2250 (double occupancy) / $2700 (single occupancy). 

- Additional Tax-Deductible Donation of $1000 USD (per person) to required as part of trip registration.

- Pre and Post-Trip Travel Planning Services can be provided by Travel Struck (Courtney Regan, courtney@travelstruck.com, +1.415.706.5327)

- To Learn More, contact trip leader, ()

To reserve your spot:

1)  Make a $1000 USD non-refundable trip deposit. You'll receive a confirmation upon receipt of payment.

2) Make a $1000 USD donation to Room to Read (DONATE). You'll receive a receipt from Room to Read directly.

Full payment is due 60 days prior to the start of the trip.

CANCELLATION POLICY

We understand that unforeseen circumstances can occur. For cancellations made more than 60 days prior to the trip, we will gladly reimburse you, less your non-refundable initial trip deposit.  Any cancellations made less than 60 days prior to the trip will incur the full 100% cancellation fee.  We always recommend the purchase of travel insurance, which typically covers trip cancellation fees.

In order to enter Cambodia, you will need a valid passport with at least two blank pages and six months validity remaining at time of entry. Most travelers will be required to obtain a single-entry tourist visa, valid for one month from the date of entry into Cambodia. Tourists can obtain the Cambodian visa at the airports in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and at all major border crossings. To save time, we recommend applying online for a Cambodia e-visa prior to travel. The visa fee is $36 USD. Please review Cambodia's visa requirements.

We highly encourage U.S. travelers to register with the U.S. Government Smart Traveler Enrollment Program by visiting the STEP website and to review the U.S. Department of State Cambodia Overview.

All trip participants should visit their doctor at least 4-6 weeks in advance of their departure date. Participants should ask their doctor for recommendations about travel medications and immunizations. For more information on immunizations either recommended or needed for travel to Cambodia, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website.

We recommend that participants purchase travel insurance, or ensure their regular insurance plans cover travel-related illnesses and injuries. Insurance must cover personal injury, medical expenses, repatriation expenses, and evacuation expenses. All participants are requested to provide insurance information prior to travel. We strongly recommended you also obtain coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, curtailment, and for personal property. 

International SOS offers membership to a complete network of travel assistance including travel advice, medical assistance overseas, and a global ‘911’ service including emergency medical evacuation. Sign up at least one day in advance of your trip. Membership is generally under $15 USD/day. Other recommended providers include World Nomads, Redpoint Resolutions and AIG Travel Guard®.

, a new boutique hotel which opened in 2017, will serve as our luxurious yet convenient base for our time in Phnom Penh. Housed in a restored French colonial villa adjacent to the Royal Palace, the hotel offers views of the Tonle Sap River and is conveniently situated in the heart of Cambodia’s lively capital city.

Settle in during the afternoon, and meet fellow trip participants over a sunset drink at 5:00pm at the Hotel’s , overlooking the Royal Palace. 

We’ll transport via (Uber of SE Asia) to our welcome dinner at , an outdoor restaurant in the city's nearby BKK1 district.  The restaurant prides itself as a community builder, highlighting healthy dishes and locally-sourced and sustainably-produced ingredients.

Complimentary breakfast on own at the hotel. The day will have us diving into the economic and cultural trajectory of Phnom Penh and Cambodia. Our theme will be “Balancing Phnom Penh’s Future.”

Like any developing city, Phnom Penh is beautifying and modernizing, but there’s also an ongoing struggle for segments of the population to protect their rights and resources. After briefly previewing the day, we’ll depart early for a cultural bike tour led by . A business run by some of Cambodia's top secondary school students, they'll educate us on the Cambodian economy and its future. provides a preview.

We'll enjoy lunch with the students of before returning to our hotel to rest.

At 5:00pm, we'll watch the sunset from sky bar at recently opened . 

Rosewood occupies the top 14 floors of the Vattanac Capital Tower, a 39 story high-rise said to take the shape of a dragon’s back that towers over the capital city. Over wine and Japanese snacks, we'll be joined by members of the Rosewood team and hear more about the hotel, urban development, and why Rosewood selected .

Complimentary breakfast on own at the hotel. We dive into how education, technology and innovation intersect in Cambodia’s future. The day’s theme will be “Maximizing Cambodia’s Potential.”

We will kick-off our day meeting , Country Director for the and , both of which promote female leadership through university education. Learn more about Samneang's incredible story in this recent .

Afterwards, we will meet with the team and even some entrepreneurs funded by , which invests in and helps scale the most impactful female-led businesses in the small-medium enterprise (SME) sector. We’ll begin to see the lines between governments, non-profits, and investing increasingly cross and look for the linkages across people and organizations. 

After enjoying lunch, we’ll seek a taste of the city's burgeoning art scene at nearby .

Finally, we'll meet and the team at , Phnom Penh's artisan distillery, crafting premium spirits from local ingredients, that celebrate Cambodia's unique culture.

We'll return to our hotel for a short rest before heading to dinner at . The restaurant was created through a unique partnership between and the . We will be joined by a special dinner guest, , Kounila Keo, who leads her own media companies (including ) and is a vocal speaker on women in tech, social media, innovation and entrepreneurship ().

We will leave very early (5:45am), driving for several hours with Sim Srin and Room to Read staff to the remote Kampong Cham province for a full day of site visits with . We will enjoy a light breakfast on the ride while Srin overviews Room to Read’s and programs in the context of Cambodia's educational landscape. 

Our morning will be spent at Katek Prith Bandith Bun Rany Hun Sen Samki Meanchey High School. Expect inspiring and emotional moments as we meet with students, staff, community members and participate ourselves in Girls’ Education life skills activities. Kampong Cham is one of several provinces in Cambodia where the Girls’ Education life skills component is integrated in the standard government school curriculum. 

We’ll enjoy lunch with Room to Read Cambodia’s Country Director, Vantha Chea. In the afternoon, we’ll meet with Girls’ Education program alumnae and even accompany scholars for home visits to meet their families. 

To be further inspired for this truly special day, view Michelle Obama’s visit with Room to Read Cambodia scholars during a 2015 visit (). 

We will transport back to Phnom Penh with Room to Read staff, enjoying our last dinner in Cambodia’s capital city at our hotel’s .

Complimentary breakfast on own at the hotel. Via private transport, we’ll drive several hours to Kampot, a sleepy riverside town a world away from the frantic chaos of bustling Phnom Penh. Along with nearby beach town Kep, Kampot is popular with locals and expats seeking to relax and unwind. Given its history in French colonial times and in the Cambodia war, it’s a fascinating place to continue our exploration of Cambodia’s future. 

We'll check in at , Kampot's original and favorite riverfront resort. Individuals can choose to relax at the resort or take a 5 minute tuk-tuk into Kampot town to walk and shop. If seeking lunch or a snack, visit social enterprise () or look for vendors selling Kampot pepper-flavored ice cream.

At 3:00pm, we’ll meet at 's production studio (). Dorsu is a conscious clothing company co-founded by Australian entrepreneur Hanna Guy and Cambodian Kunthear Mov (). Dorsu’s Kampot-based production is all under one roof; the company prides itself on its for workers, the local community and global consumers.  Kunthear and retail manager Rany Sann will host us. Read more about the growth of ethical fashion in Cambodia ().

We'll enjoy an early dinner at gourmet bistro , where we’ll learn more about the recent restoration of a historical riverside building created to pay homage to the terroir of the world's best pepper.

Complimentary breakfast on own at the hotel. It's said that Champagne is to France as is to Cambodia. With production severely curtailed during Cambodia’s civil war, a renewed focus on the premium spice began in the early 2000s. In the morning, we’ll venture out to , one of a handful of internationally acclaimed pepper farms. Our host Graham Osborne will lead us in a personalized pepper tasting and farm tour. Afterwards, we'll share dishes with harvested pepper and other spices at the Bo Tree’s small farm restaurant. We’ll return to town and stop in at the Bo Tree shop to see how they sort & pack pepper.

We’ll return to relax at , enjoying our private outdoor riverside location. Choose to kayak, paddle board, or swim river or poolside.

Prior to sunset, we’ll head for dinner at , which seeks to highlight local products, like the internationally acclaimed Kampot Pepper. This relaxing final evening will offer us the time to reflect as a group on our time in Cambodia.

Complimentary breakfast on own at hotel and check-out. Our Trip officially ends in Kampot. From here, participants may choose to continue their stay in Kampot, Cambodia or neighboring counties, connecting via air, train, bus or private transport. 

The closest airport to Kampot is Sihanoukville International airport (KOS), about 90 km (1 hour, about $60 USD) away. Phnom Penh International (PNH) airport is about 140 km (2 hours, about $120 USD) away. Buses or private transportation for either can be arranged through during our visit.

Given the unique nature of this trip, the above itinerary is subject to change.