Go wild in the jungle in style with a stay at luxurious Bensley Collection – Shinta Mani Wild. The exclusive tented camp is nestled deep in the Cardamom Mountains’ jungle in a 350-hectare wildlife corridor home to a wealth of flora and fauna. As the brainchild of world-renowned designer Bill Bensley, the resort combines world-class design, hospitality and conservation. It partners with Wildlife Alliance to fund rangers to protect the jungle from illegal loggers and poachers. From Phnom Penh, we enjoy a luxury transfer to the resort. Upon arrival at the main gates, we can decide to transfer to the Landing Zone bar by jeep, or adrenaline junkies can zipline in. We then have the rest of the day to settle into our serene surroundings or embark on an optional activity. These include kayaking, jungle-trekking with rangers, foraging for local ingredients and fishing.

Meals and beverages are included.

Overnight at Shinta Mani Wild.

Go Tarzan and spend the day exploring the jungle on a range of private adventures led by English-speaking guides. The active can go deep into the jungle on mountain biking along rugged trails that snake through tropical flora and fauna. Alternatively, we can be driven up the valley to open meadows by Jeep or motorbike and can walk back soaking up our serene surroundings, or take a bouldering hike up the river. Kayaking adventures can also be arranged to explore the rainforest by boat. Another water-based activity is boarding the resort’s home-made Cambodian “yacht” to explore the backwaters of a vast estuary of Nipa palms, mangroves and kingfishers. The vessel has a picnic bar and top deck with sun loungers. New models include daybeds and sofas. We then return to the resort to relax before a delicious dinner using ingredients foraged from the forest.

Overnight at Shinta Mani Wild.

Soak up more of the rainforest’s bounty of natural beauty with another day of exciting excursions to choose from. Nature lovers will be in their element in the Cardamoms, which are teeming with nature. The Cardamom Mountains – South-East Asia’s largest remaining intact stretch of rainforest – is being pillaged by illegal logging and wildlife trafficking. Shinta Mani Wild works closely with NGO Wildlife Alliance, whose rangers patrol swathes of the jungle. We can join rangers on their patrol as they protect the forest. Alternatively, we can join resident naturalists, who are Royal University of Phnom Penh graduates, as they check their camera traps to monitor local wildlife. And findings are then recorded at the research centre at Wildlife Alliance’s ranger station. Twitchers can enjoy searching for the more than 450 bird species that call the Cardamoms home, and we can join wildlife experts to identify the butterflies floating in the air. Dinner is at the lodge.

Overnight at Shinta Mani Wild.

The early bird catches the worm and we recommend rising ahead of dawn to catch nature springing to life as the sun pushes through the horizon on our last day. After a leisurely breakfast, we have free time until our departure to Phnom Penh to make the most of jungle life. Spend the morning indulging in some pampering at The Khmer Tonics. The spa’s two treatment rooms are nestled amid giant natural rocks, with the river taking centre stage. Enjoy a river-stone foot massage while soaking in a waterfall pool. All treatments are complementary. Take a refreshing dip in the impressive 33-m long pool, or forage for food in the jungle and learn how to prepare them into a feast with a cooking class. When it is time, we check-out and set off for Phnom Penh, bringing our jungle adventure to a close.