Trip Facts
Bangladesh is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Discover Bangladesh to explore hidden tourism treasures and the land of stories. Besides, she is on the list of most renowned travel guides because of her natural beauty, lush green hills, mangrove forest, swamps, water bodies, and the long sandy beach of the world. Many travel guides like Lonely Planet or BRADT have a specific positive rating for this country. Besides, there are lots of scenic places in Bangladesh which will blow your mind at first sight.
If you are on board with this particular trip, you will have the chance of exploring Bangladesh from a close distance. You will visit the places which are missing in the ordinary guidebooks or in maps. The destinations are charming and will provide some additional knowledge of your existing ones. The trip package has some relaxing days as well to provide you with a sense of relief after hefty travels. You can have the option to relax on the white sandy beaches for a couple of days to recharge your energy. The trip solely aims to provide the essence of Bangladesh where you will feel how the country and its people are. This is the right package to introduce Bangladesh both in a formal and informal tone to you.
The beginning of the trip starts from Dhaka. The visitors will have the scopes of experiencing the Ganges Delta in Barishal city. Riding on the Rocket Paddle Steamer – a century-old water transport mode, visiting inside the mangrove forest Sundarbans, peeping inside the amazing mosque city of Bagerhat – all will amaze you. Besides, the package plans to spend a few of the days in the enriched archaeological sites of Rangpur and Rajshahi which will provide immense pleasure to your curious mind. The architecturally precious and historic mosques belonging to the medieval age, Hindu temples, palaces of Jaminders (landlords), and ancient Buddhist monasteries all are lovely.
Returning to the capital after visiting the sites, we have planned to visit some of the other beauties of Sylhet and Srimangal. The mind-blowing tea gardens, tribal villages, boat rides on rivers and canals, national parks – everything will offer a lifetime experience. We will move towards the Chittagong Hill Tracts (also known as CHT) in the next phase. The journey will begin from the Ship Breaking Yards of Chattogram district followed by boat rides to Kaptai Lake and the River Sangu. Moreover, the lush green hills of Bandarban will help you get the essence of heaven. Besides, you can also meet with some of the tribal people living in the region. It will broaden your outlook and inject some new ideas as well.
In the last part of this month-long tour package, you will be taken to the longest sea beach in the world in Cox’s Bazar. Here, you will stay a couple of days and relax to get back the lost energy before you move to your native destination. You will have the chance of exploring the beautiful places to visit in Bangladesh through the Discover Bangladesh tour package.
Overview
- It includes all three UNESCO World Heritage sites located in Bangladesh.
- Experience of life and culture in the Ganges Delta and other regions of the country.
- Visiting the floating markets, bazaars, schools, and brick factories, and exploring numerous rivers and canals by boat in the Barishal region.
- Exploring the largest mangrove forest on earth – Sundarbans, you will stay there for 3 complete days!
- Rocket- a century-old paddlewheel steamer that will provide an excellent experience.
- Visiting Bagerhat – a UNESCO world heritage city from the 15th century, visiting the historical 60 Dome Mosque.
- Exploring the silk industry of Rajshahi that produces the finest quality silk products.
- Visiting Sompur Mahabihara, a UNESCO World Heritage site and an 8th-century Buddhist monastery.
- Visiting beautiful mosques of the rich historic city Gaur. It was the ancient capital of Bengal during the medieval age.
- Visiting beautiful temples, palaces, and historic mosques of Rajshahi and Rangpur.
- Visiting a Santal tribal village. The visit will include experiencing their life and living.
- Visiting Kantaji Temple – another gem in Bangladesh and decorated with terracotta plaques.
- A three-day trip to Srimangal (the tea capital of Bangladesh).
- Trekking inside Lawachhara National Park and visiting tribal villages.
- Walking through the trails of tea gardens.
- Bird watching on Baikka Beal, a sanctuary for migratory birds and bird lovers’ heaven.
- Experience the photogenic stone collection activities in Jaflong.
- Full-day tour of Old Dhaka including rickshaw and boat ride in Buriganga river.
- Experience the islands of Meghna and Jamuna rivers and the life and living of farmers on the islands.
- Riding two Bangladeshi trains would be a unique experience.
- Visiting Chattogram Ship Breaking Yard by boat from the river and capturing ship-breaking activities.
- Visiting beautiful hills and tribal villages in CHT areas.
- Boat riding on Kaptai Lake in Rangamati.
- Visit the fishing port, fish market, fishing village, and dry fishing yards of Cox’s Bazar to experience the massive fishing industry of the district.
- Leisure on the longest unbroken sandy beach in the world.
Itinerary
One of our guides will receive you inside the airport after your arrival, and transfer you to your designated hotel.
Overnight at Dhaka (Omni Residency)
Check-out from the hotel and start at 08.00hrs. You will visit the key tourist attractions in New and Old Dhaka for an entire day. The spots include Dhakeshwari Temple, Lalbagh Fort, Khan Mohammad Mridha Mosque, Armenian Church, Star Mosque, Ahsan Manjil, and Sadarghat River Station.
Rickshaw ride on the narrow streets of Old Dhaka. Interestingly motorized vehicles cannot reach there. You will cross through interesting Bazaar areas.
Enjoy a short boat ride on the Buriganga River in the evening to feel the rhythm of the life and vibrant river and enjoy the sunset scene.
Embarking a traditional ferry at Sadarghat River Station at 18.00hrs for an overnight journey to Barishal.
Overnight at Passenger Ferry (VIP Sleeping Cabin).
Disembarking at Barishal in the early morning around 5.30hrs and moving to your hotel.
After the check-in and necessary activities, we will move to a remote place in Barishal on a Tuk-Tuk (1-hour journey).
Upon arrival, you will embark at our waiting motorized country boat, and start cruising immediately toward a floating market or any other interesting place depending on the day of the week. Since the floating markets start in the early part of the day (start around 7.00hrs and finish at 8.30hrs), we shall start early too.
Bought from the local market, traditional breakfast will be served on the boat. Being a very remote place where no decent restaurant is available, the breakfast menu may contain bread and some fruits.
You will cruise the entire day in the rivers and small canals in Barishal and visit a floating market which is full of activities and perfect for photography. Goods on these markets are mainly sold wholesale from farmers to vendors.
We will buy some seasonal local fruits from a local market for lunch e.g. jack-fruit, watermelon, lychee, mango, coconut, and continue the cruise.
You will also visit bazaars on land, take a break in villages and have tea while meeting its people, and exchange culture with them. We also have a plan to visit a factory yard where locals make fiber from coconut which is used as a raw material to make carpet and rope.
Returning to our starting place at around 15.00hrs, you will be transferred back to Barishal by Tuk-Tuk, and retire for the day. In the evening, we will take you to a decent restaurant at Barishal for dinner.
Overnight stay in Barisal (Grand Park)
After having breakfast at a restaurant in Barisal at 7.00hrs, we shall move to a remote place in Barisal by Tuk-Tuk (1-hour journey). Embarking on our waiting boat upon arrival, we shall start cruising immediately.
On this fourth day, we will take you to some other places to visit through the narrow canals and rivers of the district. You will float through the backyards of people’s houses and see their lifestyle while they welcome you and greet you from the land, visit numerous guava gardens where 80% of Bangladesh’s guavas are produced. You can also experience a floating guava market, visit kids and teachers in a school where you can talk with them and exchange culture.
The lunch menu will contain local fruits on the boat like the previous day.
Then, we shall continue cruising through the narrow canals and rivers. The next attraction for this day would be visiting a timber market which is the largest market of this type in the southern part of the country. You will see logs dumped beside the river spreading in miles, carried away on the river very slowly with the help of a boat, manual loading, and unloading of those with the help of tide. Also, we will take you ashore to visit numerous saw-mills where they slice the logs according to customers’ needs.
Returning to our starting place at around 15.00hrs, we shall move to Barisal by Tuk-Tuk (1-hour trip).
Overnight stay in Barisal (Grand Park)
Driving towards Bagerhat (2 -hours journey) in an air-conditioned car and visiting the Mosque City, a 15th-century Muslim city once called Khalifatabad, which is presently Bagerhat and is a UNESCO protected world heritage site.
You will visit most of the remaining mosques from the 15th-century city Khalifatabad during the entire day, including the 60 Dome Mosque, 9 Dome Mosque, Rono Bijoypur Mosque, and Singair Mosque. Also, we will take you to visit the shrine of Khan Jahan Ali, the saint general of Turkish origin who came to spread Islam in this region and founded this great city. Later, we will move to Kodla Moth – a very beautiful Hindu temple from the 17th century. Drive back to Mongla
Overnight stay at Mongla (City Inn).
The journey will begin at 6.00hrs and we shall drive towards Mongla (1.5-hour journey). You will be shifted to our waiting boat upon arrival and will head toward Sundarbans immediately. You will have your breakfast on the boat. Within the next 15 minutes, you will discover yourself inside the forest after starting the journey. We will have a stop at a forest station to complete formalities, and continue towards Kochikhali.
We will go through many tiny canals and rivers with our small boat as larger boats cannot go because of their size while the canals are shallow too. During this private tour on a small boat, if you are lucky enough, you can spot a tiger and a lot of wildlife.
Stoppage at Harbaria Eco Park and walk on its 30-minute trail for the first experience of Sundarbans. People on day tours at Sundarbans end up visiting up to this point, but we never recommend it.
Before the sunset, we will explore a small canal on a noiseless wooden rowboat in search of wildlife. They come to drink water in the evening and morning on the creeks and canals. You will seat on the boat quietly and float by in a breathtaking environment. Pay attention to birds chirping, and the sounds of many other animals. We will reach Kochikhali in the evening and stop for the night there.
Stay overnight on the boat in a sleeping cabin, anchoring in the middle of the river in front of Kochikhali forest station. Surely, it would be a thrilling night for you.
Overnight stay at Houseboat (Private Sleeping Cabin).
It’s the busiest day in your trip calendar in Sundarbans.
Ride a noiseless wooden rowboat on a canal in the morning in search of wildlife.
Back to the main ship, and have to breakfast at 07.30hrs. Then, we shall start walking towards Jamtola beach, which is the quietest, nicest, and cleanest beach in Bangladesh. We will stay there for an hour and enjoy beach activities. Later, we will walk toward the Jamtola tourist spot. The entire walking trail is around 10 kilometers. Later, we will move towards our mother ship which will arrive there from Kochikhali through an inside canal.
We will have lunch on the boat and take a rest for the next hour.
Visiting Kotka Wildlife Sanctuary, and if there is high tide, we will have a rewarding boat ride on a canal near the sanctuary.
Visiting the watch-tower at Kotka before the sunset and seat quietly for half an hour. This is a feeding ground for animals. Lots of deer and other wild animals come here in the evening to eat grass and drink water. You will get surprises here!
After the sunset, start the boat for our onward location to another suitable forest station for the night hold, based on the tide.
Stay overnight on the boat in a sleeping cabin, anchoring in the middle of the river in front of the forest station.
Overnight stay at Houseboat (Private Sleeping Cabin).
Will have a noiseless boat ride on a wooden rowboat at 06.00hrs. Exploring a canal near the forest station. Returning to the mother ship at 07.30hrs and have breakfast. Then, we will start our return journey toward Mongla through other small rivers and canals.
Visiting a fishing village and Koromjal Crocodile Breeding Center on the way, and will reach Mongla in the late afternoon, and drive to Khulna (1.5-hour journey).
We will have an evening walk on some busy points of the city (if you are interested).
Overnight stay at Khulna (Hotel City Inn)
Shifting to Khulna Railway Station, and depart for Rajshahi at 06.30hrs on 715 Kapotaksha Express. Will arrive in Rajshahi around 12.20hrs, shifting to the hotel.
After the check-in, and necessary activities alongside the lunch, we will visit the Varendra Research Museum – the oldest museum in the country enriched with archaeological artifacts.
Visiting a silk factory in Rajshahi afterward to learn about the entire production of famous Rajshahi Silk. Approximately 100,000 people are directly or indirectly employed in this industry. We will also take you to visit a showroom of Silk products, from where you can buy some of the finest quality silk saree, salwar-kameez, panjabi, handkerchief, etc.
Overnight stay in Rajshahi (Royal Raj/River View).
We will drive towards Sona Masjid (90 km, 3-hour journey) and visit some of the remaining archaeological sites of Gauda, the ancient capital of greater Bengal in the medieval period. The region has an enriched history. Once a rich city, now the remaining are located on the Bangladesh-India border and split between two countries. You can explore the beautiful mosques, palaces, and shrines on the Bangladesh side during the daytime. Then we shall return to Rajshahi in the evening.
Overnight stay in Rajshahi (Royal Raj/River View)
After breakfast, we shall drive towards Bagha (42 km away and 1.5-hour journey) to visit Bagha Mosque. It was built in 1523 A.D. by the then Sultan of Bengal Nasiruddin Nasrat Shah. Ornamented with beautiful terracotta, Bagha Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques in Bangladesh.
From there, we shall move to Puthia (21 kilometers away and a 45-minute ride) and visit its beautiful temples and palaces. The largest number of historical temples of Bangladesh is located in Puthia most of which were built in the 19th century.
Then, we shall drive towards Natore (20 kilometers away and a 30-minutes journey) to visit the palace of Rani Bhabani. The palace was built during the colonial period. The entire Rajshahi division and part of the present-day West Bengal were once ruled from this palace. And the queen was called ‘the lady of half of the entire greater Bengal’.
Driving back to Rajshahi (43 kilometers and one-hour journey) in the evening.
Overnight stay at Rajshahi (Royal Raj/River View).
After breakfast, drive towards Kusumba (50 km away and 1.5-hour journey). Visiting the Kusumba Mosque- a lovely stone-built mosque from the medieval is. This is one of the six remaining stone-built mosques from the Sultanate period in Bengal.
Driving to Paharpur (60 km away, 1.5-hour journey) to visit Somapura Mahavihara. This is an impressive Buddhist monastery from the 8th century and a UNESCO world heritage site.
Then we shall drive to Bogra (70 km away and a two-hour journey) to visit a Santal tribal village en route to experience their lifestyle; also visit a local bazaar.
Overnight stay at Bogra (Hotel Naz Garden)
After breakfast, we shall drive towards Sariakandi (42 km away and 1-hour journey) to visit some chars (river islands) of River Jamuna. It will also expose how people live on those small islands struggling with natural disasters. If you need some free time, you can skip visiting this Char, as you will visit another Char on Day-20.
Drive to Rangpur (124 km, 4-hour journey) and Visit the Tajhat Palace, the most beautiful palace in the Northern part of Bangladesh built in the colonial period. We will also visit a nearby Hindu temple.
Overnight stay at Lalmonirhat (Homestay)
Today, we will start late, at around 10.00hrs, and will drive to Dinajpur (72 km away and two-hour journey) to visit Kantajew Temple. This is the most beautiful Hindu temple in Bangladesh and every inch of the temple is decorated with beautiful terracotta plaques describing epic Hindu stories.
We also will visit Nayabad Mosque built by the Muslim workers who came to build the temple.
Then, we shall drive to Saidpur Airport (32 km away and an hour’s journey), and later we will fly back to Dhaka on a 17.10hrs flight. We shall arrive in Dhaka around 18.10hrs, and drop at the hotel.
Overnight stay at Dhaka (Omni Residency)
Pick up from the hotel at 6.30hrs and reach to Airport Railway Station. We will start for Srimangal at 07.00hrs on 709 Parabat Express. We are expected to arrive at Srimangal around 11.00hrs, and shift to the resort.
In the afternoon, we will have a walk through the trails inside tea gardens, visit some pineapple gardens and lemon orchards. Also, we will visit the tea deposit activities on a tea garden before sunset (based on availability) when female workers gather to deposit their tea leaves those they collected throughout the entire day. This is also a photogenic event.
We will visit a colony of tea workers if time permits.
After dinner, we will take you to the Nilkontho Tea cabin to taste the famous 7-layer tea of Srimangal.
Overnight stay at Srimangal (Paragon Hotel & Resort)
In the early morning, we shall go for a rewarding wildlife trekking through Lawachara National Park. We will take a 3-hour trail for the maximum opportunity to see the wildlife and wilderness, especially the Hollock Gibbons which this forest is famous for.
The afternoon and evening are free to do anything you like on your own. You can also have some relaxing moments.
Overnight stay at Srimangal (Paragon Hotel & Resort)
In the early morning, we will visit Baikka Beal, a wetland sanctuary for migratory birds and also a paradise for bird lovers.
After returning to the resort in the late morning, we will check out and we will drive to Sylhet after lunch (a 2-hour journey).
After check-in completing necessary activities and having lunch, we will set for a walking tour of Sylhet city. We shall take you to visit the century-old Kin Bridge, built in the colonial period, and one of the main entrances to the city, the Surma river, and the shrine of Shah Jalal.
Overnight stay at Sylhet (Grand Sylhet).
The journey on this day will begin from 9.00hrs from the hotel, and a scenic drive towards Jaflong (58 km away and a two-hour journey). Here you will pass your time idly enjoying the beauty of Jaflong. Moreover, you will get an opportunity to photograph the stone collection activities on the river. We will take you to the river on a local boat to capture the stone collecting activities.
Lunch on a decent restaurant run by Nazimgarh Resort facing the river.
Visit the village of the Khashia tribe and experience their lifestyle. You can visit their gardens and see how they grow betel leaves. Later, we will return to Sylhet in the evening.
Overnight stay at Sylhet (Grand Sylhet)
Check-out from the hotel and start at 8.00hrs and drive to Sarighat (37 km away and one-hour journey). Upon arrival, we shall move to the boat.
Enjoy a boat ride on the blue-water canal of Lalakhal. The boat will reach the end of the canal close to the Indian border and will return. The ride would be about a 2.5-hour ride in total. We will use a motorized local wooden boat for the journey.
We will be back to Sylhet, have lunch, and move to the airport.
Start for Dhaka on a 14.00hrs flight. Arrive at Dhaka Airport around 14.40hrs, and drop you at your hotel.
Overnight stay at Dhaka (Omni Residency)
After breakfast the next day, we will drive to Sonargon (37 km away and a two-hour journey), the old capital of the then Bengal region.
Visiting Folk-arts and Crafts Museum, medieval period Goaldi Mosque, a school fully made of bamboo for disadvantaged children of the neglected Hindu society, and abandoned merchant city, Panam Nagar. You also will visit a char (small river island) of river Meghna, to experience the traditional lifestyle of the fishermen and farmers.
Overnight stay at a Dhaka (Omni Residency)
Moving towards the airport, and fly to Chittagong at 7.15hrs. The estimated arrival time in Chittagong is 8.10hrs.
Visit Chittagong Fishing Port, the main harbor for all the seagoing fishing vessels of Chittagong and the largest fish market in the area. This place is also filled with photogenic features.
Driving to Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard (30-minutes journey) after a late breakfast at a local restaurant. Visiting ship-breaking activities with a boat from the river for a couple of hours. This is the graveyard of giant commercial scrap vessels brought from across the world, which are converted to pieces of steel. You will also visit scrap material shops and a good place to collect souvenirs.
Driving to Chittagong city check into the hotel and then visit the Commonwealth World War – II Cemetery en route.
Overnight stay at Chittagong (Hotel Grand Park/The Peninsula)
After having breakfast, we shall drive to Rangamati (102 km, and a 3.5-hour journey).
After the check-in, doing necessary activities, and lunch, we will enjoy a boat ride at Kaptai Lake for the rest of the day. Visiting a Buddhist temple before sunset would be the other task.
Overnight stay at Rangamati (Parjatan Holiday Complex).
Visit the tribal markets in Rangamati as per market-day. Stroll into the village to visit Chakma and Tripura aboriginal village to explore their lifestyle and culture!
Visiting some tribal handicraft markets in the evening is also on the card.
Overnight at Rangamati (Parjatan Holiday Complex)
Driving to Bandarban after breakfast (82 km, 3.5-hour journey). Visiting a small tribal museum en route.
Visiting Golden Temple, Nilachal, and other popular tourist sites in Bandarban rest of the day. To reach Golden Temple, you need to climb a 60m/ 200ft hill through paved stairs.
Overnight stay in Bandarban (Hotel D’more/Six View Hill Resort)
Visiting villages of different tribes in the morning to see their lifestyle. You can see the hand-made clothes that they use for them, and also can buy some from tiny outlets directly run by the tribal people, which will be big support for them.
Boat ride at beautiful Sangu River in the evening. To note, Sangu is the most naturally beautiful river in Bangladesh.
Overnight stay in Bandarban (Hotel D’more/Six View Hill Resort)
Morning is free to enjoy nature from the resort. Then, we shall move to Cox’s Bazar (121 km, a three-hour journey) around 10.00hrs. Hotel check-in.
Leisure on the longest unbroken sandy beach in the world rest of the day.
Optionally we can take you to visit the Rohingya camps in Teknaf (1.5-hour drive) if you like. Please also note there would be some extra charges for this activity and you can book us in advance for this.
Overnight stay in Cox’s Bazaar (Long Beach Hotel)
Visiting places to get an overview of Cox’s Bazar fishing industry.
We will start by visiting the fishing port in the late morning, which is the main harbor for all the seagoing fishing vessels of this region. An exclusive place full of activities and very photogenic.
After lunch, we will visit a fishing village and experience the lifestyle of Cox’s Bazar fishing community. Approximately 30,000 families are directly involved with fishing in Cox’s Bazar.
Also, we will visit the endless dry fishing yards where they make and sell dry fish on a large scale and supply it across the country. These yards have been built on 200 acres of land. Around 2,000 traders have invested here and several hundred have set up more than 50 wholesale shops.
After returning to the hotel in the evening, your guide will take leave from here.
Overnight stay in Cox’s Bazar (Long Beach Hotel)
You can plan for the morning activities on your own
Moving to the airport, and fly to Dhaka on 11.30hrs flight. Arrival in Dhaka at around 12.35hrs. Moving to the hotel. If you like, you can take an early flight and book an extra day’s activities with us for this day, and in this case, we will pick you up from the airport and directly take you on the tour. Book with us in advance for such plans.
Overnight stay in Dhaka (Omni Residency)
Moving to the airport in the morning or afternoon according to your flight schedule.
End of the discover Bangladesh tour
Number of Travelers | Cost Per Traveler ($) | Total Cost ($) |
---|---|---|
1 Person | 11,490 | 11,490 |
2 Persons | 6,930 | 13,860 |
3 Persons | 5,820 | 17,460 |
4 Persons | 5,094 | 20,376 |
* We are specialized for a private tour
* 4+ People or a bigger group – please ask for a price quote!
Includes
- All airport movements in Dhaka, Saidpur, Sylhet, Chattogram, and Cox’s Bazar.
- 28 nights accommodation in hotels and boat cabins as mentioned in the itinerary with complimentary breakfast on a twin sharing basis.
- Lunch with locally purchased fruits on the boat at Barishal on Day-3 and Day-4.
- All meals, drinking water, tea, and coffee while on the boat at Sundarbans for three days on Day-6, 7, and 8.
- 1st class cabin on the passenger ferry to Barishal on a twin-sharing basis.
- Sylhet-Dhaka, Saidpur-Dhaka, Dhaka-Chattogram, and Cox’s Bazar-Dhaka flight tickets.
- All train and boat rides.
- All site entrance tickets.
- Air-conditioned car, driver, and English-speaking guide.
- BDT 6,000/ person for forest permission fee for Sundarbans.
- All tips except our guide, driver, and boat crew.
Excludes
- Any food or drinks are other than mentioned above.
- 4,000 BDT (around $45) fee for a video camera in Sundarbans (if any).
- Extra activities are mentioned on Day-25 & Day-27.
- Any personal item.
Covid 19 Safety
All of our staff are vaccinated including booster dose!
We maintain COVID-19 protective measures to ensure a safer touring environment for everyone
Availability
This tour is available to start on any Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday outside the schedule –around the year.
It is advised to book this tour at least 6 weeks in advance.
Private and Group Tour Price
The price of the tour mentioned in the price chart above is the starting price for the group tours, assuming you want to join with other people on the tour and reduce your cost. The price for an exclusive private tour will be different than mentioned in the chart above.
We will try to include other people on the tour once you book a group tour. If we find anyone to join the tour later, the entire price will be reduced accordingly. We will take a maximum of five people on this tour including you.
We will not include anyone else on the tour in case of booking a private tour. Contact us for the price of a private tour if you do not want to join anyone else on the tour.
Early-Booking and Off-Season Discounts
An early booking discount is available for the first two travelers to join any scheduled tour six months in advance. Discount will not be applicable for any tour outside the schedule.
Use code “EARLY BOOKING” on the booking form to get the early booking discount.
An off-season discount is available for everyone to book this tour anytime from April to September of the year.
Use code “OFFSEASON” on the booking form to get the off-season discount.
None of the discounts will be available for booking a private tour.
Airport Pick-up
On Day 1 Upon arriving at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, after finishing with the immigration and collecting luggage when you come outside using the Green Channel Exit, you will find hotel staff and visitors waiting. You can find your guide by searching around as the guide will be waiting with a sign in your name, or with a placard with the Bangladesh Scenic Tours logo.
Sometimes, the authority restricts visitors inside the airport temporarily. In that case, the guide will be waiting outside Terminal-2 (come using Exit-2).
For the domestic flights, our guide/ driver will be waiting at the domestic terminal exit.
Hotels and Resorts
Hotels used on this tour are tourist standard hotels of mostly 4-star and 3-star standard, with customary facilities for foreigners e.g. clean rooms, air-conditioning, hot water, western-style toilet, and complimentary breakfast.
State-run Parjatan Hotels have all the standard facilities, but the hotels are poorly maintained. These are the best hotels in those areas, so we are sticking with them until better hotels develop there.
Cottages at Nisorgo Eco Resort in Srimangal are very basic without air-conditioning. They have fans in the rooms. They also have 2 rooms in the brick cottages with air-conditioning. Let us know in advance if you want to stay in one of these rooms. We’ll book them for you if available. You can also book Grand Sultan Tea Resort at Srimangal on your own, which is 5-star rated accommodation and close to Nisorgo. We will deduct the price of Nisorgo in that case. You need to confirm this with us during the booking.
Cottages at Hillside Resort in Bandarban are also very basic, and they are located in a hilly area. You need to climb up some stairs to reach your room. Most of the cottages here have air-conditioning facilities. There is no alternative hotel here to book though.
Bangladesh is full of mosquitoes. You may find some of your hotels too. Hotels will normally spray insecticide in your room to keep them away. But if they don’t, give a call to the reception instead of spending a sleepless night. They will come and spray as many times as you need. You can also bring a mosquito spray or buy one upon arrival at the beginning of your trip, which will cost less than USD 5 and will cover your whole trip.
Hotels in Bangladesh try to provide their best services to foreigners. If there are any sort of issues, please share your problems during the stay. They will provide the best possible solution to resolve the issue.
You can book your hotels in Dhaka online for more upscale ones if you like. In that case, you need to arrange the shifting to and from the airport and railway station with your hotel. We will deduct the price for that case from the tour price. If you opt-in for this option, please inform us during the booking.
Bangladesh Scenic Tours reserves the right to change any hotel listed in the itinerary to a similar standard one if the actual hotel is not available to book.
Hotel Check-in and Check-out Hours
On Day 1, the check-in time at Civic Inn is 14.00hrs. If you have an early morning flight, we can arrange an early check-in for an additional half-day charge depending on availability.
We have set aside Day 1 of the itinerary as an ‘arrival day.’ For this reason and because tour participants are likely to be arriving at different times, and often from different countries, guided sightseeing or other activities are not included. If you are arriving early or before the start date of the tour and would like to organize some extra arrangements privately, please feel free to contact us.
Check-out time on the last day at Civic Inn is 12.00hrs. If you have a late flight, we can arrange a late check-out for an additional half-day charge within 18.00 hours based on availability.
Barisal
The itinerary for Barisal is a general outline and not fixed. The activities will vary depending on the season and day of the week.
The place we will explore in Barisal is very remote, and there will be no decent restaurant there. We will arrange breakfast and lunch on our boat with bread, egg, jam, tea and coffee, and locally purchased seasonal fruits. You will find decent restaurants for dinner upon returning to Barisal city in the evening.
Rocket Paddle Steamer
Rocket journey is not guaranteed due to several reasons. The chances of riding a Rocket are very slim as the regular schedule is not always followed for the engine and other issues. We do not encourage anyone to book this tour for the Rocket journey as the main interest.
We will use traditional ferries up to Barisal most of the time instead of the Rocket and drive to Bagerhat from there. If Rocket is running and we can manage the tickets for them, it would be great.
The first-class ticket of Rocket depends on availability. You might have to travel to the 2nd class if the 1st class is unavailable. The only difference between the 1st and 2nd class on the Rocket is the 2nd class is located on the backside and has no air-conditioning. Other facilities are almost the same. Passengers of the 2nd class can use all the facilities of the 1st class, e.g. dining area, toilets, and the sitting area on the front side.
On Monday and Thursday, a traditional ferry comes in service instead of the paddle steamers. If you book for these days, you have to travel on the traditional ferry instead of a paddle-wheel steamer.
Even in the first-class cabins of Rocket, sometimes air-conditioning might be broken. We will try to move you to a cabin with working air-conditioning if available. If that is not possible, Bangladesh Scenic Tours will not have any responsibility regarding this, as this boat is not under our authority.
Please also be informed that there is no shower in the Rocket paddle steamers.
Traveling on Trains
First-class train tickets will be served depending on availability. Sometimes they mysteriously disappear even before arriving at the selling counter. We will try our best to get first-class for you. But if that is not possible, second-class tickets will be provided, which is without air-conditioning. Creating ‘situations’ or blaming us saying taking all of your money and not providing first-class tickets will not resolve the issue.
In the case of traveling on the 2nd class of a train, you will have a reserved seat.
While traveling from Khulna to Rajshahi and Dhaka to Srimangal on the train, it will be very early for your hotel to provide breakfast that morning. We will buy breakfast for you on the train, which is a package of bread slices and jam, a piece of fried chicken, a couple of pieces of cutlet, a bottle of water, and tea.
It is common for the trains in Bangladesh to be 1-2 hours late. But no matter when they arrive, our drivers will always be waiting for you at the station to take you to your hotel.
Traveling on Car and Tuk-Tuk
We use a car only when it is not possible to avoid, e.g. no train, boat, or flight. Roads in Bangladesh are not always up to the mark and at times there is heavy traffic. So, we advise you to be patient while traveling in the car.
The distance mentioned in the itinerary is taken from Google Maps.
The travel time mentioned in the itinerary is our best judgment. It could be delayed or earlier depending on traffic and road conditions.
While traveling in the hilly areas in the CHT region, we may need to stop air-conditioning features temporarily to minimize the load on the car engine. Your patience would be appreciated.
Local transportation for Barisal, Srimangal, Chittagong Hill-Tracts area, and Cox’s Bazar will be by Tuk-Tuk. Trips in the Srimangal and Chittagong Hill tracts area are a short distance. Trips in Barisal would be one hour each, two trips a day.
Sundarbans
The itinerary of the Sundarbans Tour is just a general outline and is not fixed. It could be changed depending on the season, moon phase, tide, daylight hours, and fog. But we will try to include all the activities mentioned in the itinerary as much as possible.
The boat for Sundarbans is a very basic boat without air-conditioning, electricity, and running hot water (we will supply them in a bucket). It has accommodation facilities for 8 people maximum and one western-style toilet. But we have the provision of larger boats too to arrange the tour for a bigger group.
The cabins in the boat at Sundarbans are lit by small lights running on battery. We will run the generator in the evening for a couple of hours every day to charge your devices and gadgets.
You will get the mobile phone signal of Grameen Phone in the first half of day 6. In Kotka, a new mobile phone tower of Teletalk opened recently, so you will get full network coverage of the only Teletalk in Kotka with 2G internet facilities which are very slow. No other SIM card will work inside other parts of the forest.
For trekking in the forest on day 7, the land is flat and we will not go through a very dense forest, so it will be easy for most of the people, as long as you can walk about 10 km. The trail is dry, not muddy. Bring covered shoes that are suitable for trekking and can protect you from small grass and trees with spikes.
If you do not want to walk, you can remain on the boat which will be still enjoyable, as it will go from Kochikhali to Kotka through small canals, which will be a ride of about 3 hours.
No binoculars will be provided at Sundarbans. So, if you need any, please bring your own.
Seeing a Tiger in Sundarbans
Although we’ve seen tigers in Sundarbans a few times on our tours, chances of seeing a tiger in Sundarbans are very low because there are only about one hundred tigers available in Bangladesh part of the forest (one tiger in about 60 sq km) and they are nocturnal animals who hardly come outside from their den during the daytime.
Being a mangrove swamp, there is no way to track tigers in the Sundarbans. We will go through the narrow canals during our journey to the forest with our small vessel, and also will take you to the creeks and canals inside the forest early morning on a noiseless rowboat, which will maximize your chance of seeing a tiger. Other than that, there is nothing much the guide can do to show you a tiger there.
The main attraction of the forest is not seeing a tiger, but rather enjoying its tranquility outside the human settlements. Please read the experiences of the previous travelers with us to understand what you can expect in Sundarbans. If seeing a tiger is your main purpose, please do not book this tour, because you might get disappointed in the end.
Rohingya Camp Visit
A special permit is required for visiting the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar which is not possible to arrange in advance. Visitors need to be present in the office of the authority in Cox’s Bazar physically to take the permit on the day of the visit. On day 25, we will go directly to the office in Cox’s Bazar and get the permit. For any unexpected reason, if they refuse to provide the permit, we will refund you the money you paid for visiting the Rohingya camps.
Single Supplement
The single supplement applies to the hotels only. You might not be provided separate cabins on Rocket and the boat at Sundarbans, even if you pay for the single supplement, based on the availability.
Visa on Arrival
Citizens of the EU, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Russia, Japan, Singapore, and some other Asian countries can get a Visa on Arrival in Bangladesh, which is a pretty straightforward process. Although there is a rule to take the visa beforehand if you have a Bangladesh mission in the country where you are coming from, this rule is completely overlooked. They never check where you are coming from. They only check if you are a national of a country that is eligible for VOA, and directly issue the visa.
Unless there is a long Queue for VOA, it will take just 10 minutes of your time to get VOA. The fee for most of the countries is $51. You will not require any previous application or anything else to get the visa. We will provide you with a reservation confirmation letter for the hotel in Dhaka and a letter of invitation before your arrival. Present these on the immigration along with our trip document. They will be happy enough to provide you with a VOA of a maximum of 30 days.
Once you have collected your visa, do not go back to the Que again, rather proceed to the exit directly.
Check here for more information on the visa on arrival for Bangladesh.
Foreign Exchange
ATM Availability: Although Bangladesh has many ATMs, some of these do not accept foreign cards – your guide can give advice on which ATMs to use but we do not advise relying on ATMs alone for money.
Credit and Debit Card Acceptance: Cards are generally only accepted in the more expensive shops and restaurants.
- Local Currency: Taka (BDT).
- Recommended Currency for Exchange: US Dollar.
- Where to Exchange: There are several exchange houses in larger towns and cities. You can also exchange at Dhaka airport upon arrival, which provides good rates.
Foods and beverages
All the breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 2 dinners are included on the trip. You need to pay for the rest of the lunches and dinners during your trip. A meal at a decent local restaurant will cost about USD 2-5.
Options for vegetarian food in the local restaurants are very limited. You need to go to a more expensive Western restaurant to find good vegetarian food.
Options for food on the trains are very limited. Vegetarian food is non-existent. Bring your food for the train if you are vegetarian.
Vegetarian food will not be an issue on our boat at Sundarbans.
Tea and soft drinks are very cheap. Mineral water is widely available.
While traveling in the Rajshahi region, there will be no decent restaurants for lunch on the way. So, we advise you to get some dry food on the previous day to bring with you for lunch.
Bangladesh is a secular Muslim country, and whilst the people are very liberal and friendly, alcohol is not widely available. There are only a couple of hotels on the trip that have bars, and even at these establishments, you cannot usually drink in the restaurant. Local beer, when available, costs approximately USD 3 for a 300ml can, and a measure of spirits is similarly priced. Wine is not available. It may sometimes be possible to purchase alcohol outside the hotels, but it is prohibited to consume in public places.
The easiest way to get alcohol in Bangladesh is by purchasing from the duty-free shop at the airport. You are allowed to buy 2 bottles per person from there.
In Dhaka, there are some warehouses from where you can buy alcohol showing your foreign passport. But they only sell entire cartons containing 24 bottles/ cans.
Luggage on Tour
Your luggage should not exceed 20 kg (44lbs). One large suitcase/ rucksack and one small hand luggage/rucksack are acceptable.
Clothing and Toilet
You should bear in mind that Bangladesh tends to have a conservative attitude towards dress. Women, and also to a certain extent men, will find that the way they dress will often determine the degree of respect they receive from both men and women.
Mosques, temples, churches, and synagogues are places of worship and visitors should be modestly dressed. Admission might be denied to men and women wearing short pants/ skirts, sleeveless t-shirts/blouses. Bare shoulders and midriffs are not permitted and should be covered with shawls. You also need to remove shoes while entering one of these places.
It will not be appropriate in Bangladesh for women to hide behind bushes to attend to the call of nature. Any time you need to use a toilet, ask your guide. He will arrange a nearby toilet for you in someone’s house or a public place.
Electric Supply and Plugs
Generally, the electrical supply is 230V/50 Hz and plugs have two round prongs. Many places also have English 3-pin sockets. Our advice is to travel with an adapter and to check the voltage locally.
Wi-Fi and Mobile Internet
Wi-Fi Internet is widely available in Bangladesh. You will find free Wi-Fi in most of the hotels on this tour. Upscale restaurants will also have free Wi-Fi.
Mobile phone operators have 4G coverage in most of the places across the country. The 4G Service started in February 2018 and is supposed to be available in all the large cities shortly. Mobile internet speed is not satisfactory however on any of them.
Buying a Local SIM Card
The ONLY place to buy a local SIM card for foreigners would be at the arrival lounge inside the airport (International Arrivals) where you will meet your guide. You will find booths of all the mobile phone operators there. From them, you can buy a SIM card with talk time and data. GrameenPhone has the widest network coverage in the country. If you need a local SIM card, remember to buy from there during your arrival. It will not be possible to buy a local SIM card afterward.
Tipping (Bakshis)
Tipping is a common practice in Asia. In Bangladesh, most workers will expect a small tip, anything from BDT 500 and upwards depending on the service provided. At the end of the tour, if your principal guide, together with the driver and the boat crew, has been helpful then you could think about tipping them. The amount can be left to you.
Miscellaneous
Bangladesh is a developing country with less standard infrastructure. Everything works here with trouble. Organizing such a long tour in Bangladesh may result in some occasional inconvenience. So, we would advise you to be patient and flexible while traveling in Bangladesh.
While traveling in a group, be cooperative and tolerant of the interests and difficulties of your co-travelers.
Your guide is not your enemy. He is with you to protect you and assist you in every way possible. In case of any issue with anything, simply inform the guide about the issue and wait for the solution. The guide will do its best in association with the entire Bangladesh Scenic Tours team to resolve the issue.
Bangladesh is not for every regular tourist. Do enough research about Bangladesh, the tour, hotels on the tour, and everything else possible before booking this tour, so that you do not have unrealistic expectations and end up disappointed after the tour.
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BANG UP TOUR OF BANGLADESHMr. Bjj319 (Iowa City, Iowa) October 14, 2019I just booked a 35+ day tour with Muhammad Obaidul Haque for an extensive tour of Bangladesh. Although I wont be travelling until next year, I wanted to document what a pleasure the whole trip planning process has been (I will definitely be writing another review post tour!) Obaidul has been the consummate professional. Not only did he seamlessly weave all of my requests into our agenda, but he surprised me with many, many highlights that I would have otherwise missed. His knowledge of Bangladesh is extensive, and his command of the English language is very impressive. The entire planning process has been an absolute joy. Having travelled to more than 21 countries, and having used many tour companies and guides, I can honestly say that Obaidul rates right up at the top. I would not hesitate to recommend him to family and friends and anyone who asks for a suggestion of someone to plan a trip for them. I only wish he did more countries! I am so impressed with the amount of work and planning that he has put into the trip already. I cannot wait to start my journey!
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