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Published: September 21st 2015
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I wrote up this blog entry in order to create some photographic inspiration for people to trek in
Virachey National Park . First, treks to the Phnom Veal Thom Grasslands (formerly a 7-day adventure) can now be done in 6 days and for cheaper. Furthermore,
Habitat ID'songoing camera-trapping survey has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Virachey is still home to abundant wildlife (see the pics below), including clouded leopards, elephants, two species of bears, gaur, rare primates, wild cats, and so, so much more. Virachey has the best preserved core area of any "protected area" in Cambodia, and your trekking fees go directly into the pockets of local porters and to the VNP office so that operations can be maintained.
I want to make one thing crystal clear: PRIVATE TOUR OPERATORS CANNOT TAKE YOU INTO VIRACHEY NATIONAL PARK. No matter what they write on their web sites, they
cannot bring you into Virachey.
Only Virachey National Park staff can take you on a trek inside of the Park...!!! And now for some more info.
Here's a link to my latest article , titled "Twilight of the Haunted Headwaters of Virachey National Park?", published on Khmer440.com, and
here's a link to an Op-Ed piece that I wrote for the Cambodia
Daily.
You should also check out this video from one of our camera traps way, way deep inside the Park. And if you'd like to know what it sounds like to wake up in the morning in Virachey to gibbons singing in the jungle canopy,
you must check out this audio recording made by Dr. Andreas Neunert. He recorded it at the base of the sacred Haling-Halang massif near the Laos border. Also, don't forget to check out the awesome
Save Virachey National Park page on Facebook where you can find daily updates featuring videos, photos, and other information; you can ask questions there as well.
What is the best way to arrange your trek in VNP? You should "friend" Leam Sou (call him "Sou") on Facebook at set up the trek with him.
Here is a link to Sou's Facebook page You can also call Sou (he has 2 numbers) at: 0973334774 or 0963334774 . Virachey also has a
good-looking new web site that you can check out here. Overall, I recommend trekking in VNP very highly. Your first and last nights will be spent in the animist villages along the beautiful Sesan River, and if you have the time to go up to the grasslands the sights up there will simply blow you away.
...by the way, even though this one is not connected to Virachey, I
Mysterious carving
We found this 5 days deep in Virachey near the Lao border. think you should know about
Betreed Adventures in Preah Vihear province.
Travelfish just reviewed them and this zip-lining, jungle trekking, tree house-living thing looks really, really exciting.
UPDATE: There is now a new trek on offer in Virachey: you can hike up to the little-visited Mera Mountain-Yak Yeuk Grasslands area of the Park with Ranger Sou. I have just
made a new blog here to provide information on this exciting new trek. Best of all, if you do this trek, you can check on our camera traps and contribute to conservation in VNP...! The Mera Mountain-Yak Yeuk Grasslands area is brimming with wildlife. Strongly recommend it.
Check out the new blog for this trek !
If you really want to dig deep into Virachey, you can check out my book,
Called Away by a Mountain Spirit: Journeys to the Green Corridor ; check out the
Taipei Times review of the book here . And you've just got to
listen to this audio recording of a Kavet highlander in Voen Sai district in Virachey's buffer zone talking about his harrowing encounter with a "Tek Tek" -aka the Indochinese Sasquatch- back in 2005. Even if you don't understand the Kavet language I think you will appreciate his effort to imitate the creepy call of this mythical, mysterious creature.
And remember, no matter what anyone tells you, only VNP staff can bring you into the Park. And
Terra incognita
We were the first barang to enter this area of the park for those who would like to blatantly lie to you and tell you that the Park is "trashed" and that it's not worth trekking in,
scroll down and have a look at the photos below...!!!
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