Dhaka and Sundarbans trip

$1357 tour starting at

Dhaka and Sundarbans trip is a very nice combination of heritage sites and culture blended with Sundarbans nature. The backstreet walks through Old Dhaka and a day trip to Sonargaon would be unforgettable, and the Sundarban experience will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You will be exploring the inner courtyards of Old Dhaka and her fascinating culture. Pink Palace, Armenian Church, Star Mosque, Lalbagh Fort, Sadarghat River Port, colonial buildings, and bazaars are on the list too. Panam Nagar, Jamdani Sari weaving, the Folk Art and Craft Museum, boating on the Meghna River, and a Char village visit would be on the second day. We are flexible to accommodate your wishes and happy to make any changes to the travel plan.

Hotels in Dhaka and Khulna will be three- four-star category. you are more than welcome to share your opinion to customize and upgrade your comfort.

Walks through the mysterious heritage and the streets that are not yet mentioned in any travel guide, and an individual will not find those secrets by themselves. Puran Dhaka (Old Dhaka) is dirty, messy, and crowded, but that is part of its charm. Colorful rickshaws abound at every corner, and kids play cricket wherever they can. Mosques call for prayer, and shingara merchants often offer tourists free shingara or puri.

We will travel to Khulna to start our adventurous Sundarbans trip for three days. During the Sundarban trip, your accommodation and all meals will always be on our houseboat. The main vessel will carry along a wooden row boat for birdwatching and deeper creek exploration in the early morning and late afternoon while the wildlife is more active. Accommodation is on a twin-sharing basis in bunk-bedded cabins with enough common western-style bathrooms and showering facilities.

Before entering the deeper forest, we must stop at a forest ranger’s office for some paperwork and pick up some armed forest guards to accompany us throughout the trip. The armed guards will escort us during our early morning raw boat trip, jungle walks, beach walks, and all other activities inside the forest. They will ensure our safety and also make sure that we do no harm to the forest or wildlife.

All meals are freshly cooked on board, with the materials brought along from nearby Khulna. Nothing can be purchased or extracted inside the Sundarban forest during the trip. We always have to carry our survival materials and store them carefully. Menus are carefully selected with a fusion of local and Western cuisine with Bangla influences. Travelers with dietary restrictions—vegetarians or even vegans—will have no problem on this trip. We just need to be informed.

You will also walk along the fishing villages at the fringes of the Sundarbans forest. Vulnerable coastal villages have gone through a lot of ups and downs, interesting to learn the effects of climate change on the people of the Sundarbans. They have been guarding the Sundarbans and witnessing the changes in the forest, climate, and many other things. Maybe we will learn a lesson from their untold stories.

After the Sundarban trip on the way to Jeshore airport, we will visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site at Bagerhat. The sixty-domed mosque is a marvelous example of Islamic architecture near Sundarban from the 15th century, founded by Khan Jahan Ali. This area has the highest number of Mosques after Dhaka city.

See you soon…

Tour Price
^$ 1357
price starts from

Group Size	Per-person price in USD	Or in BDT
1 PAX	$3,178.00	317,800.00
2 PAX	$2,160.00	216,000.00
4 PAX	$1,551.00	155,100.00
6 PAX	$1,357.00	135,700.00
S.S	$150.00	15,000.00
1.2% to 2.5% charges will be applicable while paying by credit card.

Please contact us for your customized tour plan and costs

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8 Days

Backwater and floating market tour

Bagerhat

Barishal

Destination

Sundarbans Mangrove forest
Departure

Dhaka
Departure Time

Approximately 8:30 AM or according to your arrival flight time.
Dress Code

Casual. Comfortable athletic clothing, hiking shoes, hat and warm jacket.
Included

AC vehicle with experienced chauffeur for sightseeing and transfers

Accommodation in twin sharing basis as per itinerary

All air, bus, train and launch tickets as per itinerary

All entrance fees and local permits

All Museum Tickets

All rickshaw/ cycle / boat / local transports

Bottled water, soft drinks and seasonal fruits during the sightseeing

Dinner

Expert English-Speaking Guide

Local guide/ escort/ experts/ academics

Lunch

Trip as per itinerary

Typical Souvenir
Not Included

Any activity not mentioned in the itinerary.

Gratuities

Personal expenses

From Our Gallery

Some relevant Images of this trip

Last but not least! Impressions are much more, some pictures may help you to have a rough idea of what you will be expecting to experience and see.

stunning eyes of Bangladeshi Muslim women wearing hijab

Riding a Rickshaw in Old Dhaka is an experience

a foreigner takes hair cut in old dhaka saloon

Exploring the kawran bazar vegetable market in Dhaka

Chaotic new market in Dhaka should not be missed by any tourists

beautiful campus of the university of Dhaka

Fuchka is the most famous and delecious street food in dhaka

Handcrafted beautiful cons shell Bangles made in Old Dhaka

Must try the unique Bagorkhani during your trip to old dhaka

nice portrait of a bearded old man in Bangladesh

See how a rickshaw can be fully loaded with human and goods

Traditional kite shop in sakhari bazar Hindu street

Walking through the Hindu streets of old dhaka

trying old dhaka traditional delecious food

Walking through the Kawran bazar in the morning is unique experience

Visiting a mish market in Kawran Bazar during old dhaka trip

traditional colorful glass bangels in Bangladesh

Fishermen are fixing their fishing boats on Kuakata sea beach

floating market visit and backwater cruise in Bangladesh

UNESCO world heritage site sixty domed mosque in Bagerhat khulna

Bangladeshi women in famous Jamdani Saree

Beautiful mughal architecture of lalbagh fort

Beautiful aerial view of Lalbagh fort in Old Dhaka

Precious decoration on the front gate of sonargaon bara sadarbari

first cortyard of bara sadar bari in sonargaon

Refreshing boat cruise on meghna river near sonargoan

goaldi mosque is a single domed brick architecture

Otter fishing is a thousand years old technic

once a otter can catch a fish fisherman has no chance

pink palace is a historical landmark and one of old Dhaka

View of Bangladesh Parliament Building through the crescent lake

lovely spotted deer in Bangladesh Sundarbans forest

Long tailed shrike in Bangladesh sundarban forest

Large group of spotted Deers in sundarban

big Stork billed kingfisher in sundarban forest

Black capped kingfisher in Bangladesh Sundarbans

be careful from king cobra during sundarban jungle walk

early morning Bird watching boat trip in sundarbans

beautiful Common kingfisher in sundarban forest

morning rowboat trip through the creeks of sundarban forest

most beautiful landscape of Sundarban wildlife and bird sanctuary

Brown fish owl is a nocturnal bird in Sundarbans forest

Exploring the creeks of Sundarban by a rowboat is a lifetime experience

Reddish brown spotted Deers in sundarban mangrove forest bangladesh

Late afternoon cruising through a creek in sundarban

sundarban forest is full of jellyfish in summer

Swimming in the virgin kotka sea beach in sundarban forest

walking through the deep of sundarban fores with armed guards

dangerous pit viper snakes in the Sundarban forest

wild boar in Bangladesh sundarban forest

European architects had an adventurous jungle walk in sundarban

Wild offer family hunting food inside of the sundarban forest

rare Black crowned night hero in Sundarbans forest

huge Water Monitor Lizards are everywhere in sundarban forest

Indo pacific crocodile is the largest and deadliest Reptile in sundarban

Ganges River dolphin in sundarban bangladesh

Happy tourists after a jungle hike in sundarban forest

Common Redshank bird in sundarban forest

Common tiger butterfly in sundarban forest

climate change effects on the people around sundarban forest

Day 1: Dhaka arrival and an orientation to the city’s charming life

Upon arrival at Dhaka airport (Hazrat Shah Zalal International Airport), you will be greeted by our MGA agent and lead you through the visa and immigration process, after luggage collection bring you to your guide and driver. Drive to your hotel for a bit of rest and enjoy the hotel amenities for the rest of the day. If you would like to go out for dinner at a nice local restaurant, please ask for your guide’s suggestions. Or just relax and enjoy the hotel amenities. Goodnight in Dhaka at the hotel.

Day 2: Weaving village, first capital of Bengal & Panam Nagar

Your guide and driver will come to pick you up from your hotel at 8:30 AM and immediately drive towards Sonargaon. Our first stop will be in Nawapara Jamdani sari weaving village. Here in this Jamdani Saree weaving village, the scholar artist weaves their dreams on sarees. With Muslin as its root, the Jamdani Saree is a very old tradition known as Dhakai Jamdani Saree. Jamdani started its journey from the Mughal era as Muslin. This saree represents one of the finest and most ancient forms of weaving that originated in Bengal. Narayangonj is the central place for Jamdani sari in this sub-continent. Outstanding beautiful artworks of handmade sari by the magic fingers. Recently this unique technique has got a UNESCO award for its ultra-fine fabric, transparency and design. It is always a dream for Bengali women to have one pure cotton & silk hand-loomed Jamdani saree in their collection. Continue driving (25 Munites) towards the first capital of Bengal – Sonargaon; Panam Nagar, beautiful Sadarbari, and the well-maintained Folk-Art Museum are well worth visiting. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. Continue to Buiddyer Bazar for a refreshing country boat cruise on the Meghna (One of the major rivers in Bangladesh) River for a couple of hours. This river trip will include an interesting walk to explore the primitive Char village life. Char is a temporary sandy shifting island formed by river erosion and sedimentation. There are thousands of chars in Bangladesh up from the northern part to the south coast. This char can disappear by flooding, high tide, strong river current,s or by any natural disaster or so. Life on the char is very limited; access to the medical care center and education is very tough, impossible in some areas. You will return to your hotel by late in the afternoon.

Day 3: Life and culture of Old and New Dhaka and the sights

Your guide and driver will come to pick you up from your hotel at 8:30 AM and drive to Kawran Bazar [please check out and take your belongings along]. This is one of the largest marketplaces for vegetables, fruits, fish, meats, and many other products. About an hour's walk through this chaotic market is fascinating. Continue drive to Dhaka Art School and the lively campus of the University of Dhaka. Here we start our old Dhaka Street walk through Kazi Alauddin Road, Bongshal cycle street and residential area, Carpenter Street, Koshaituli Old Mosque, and the only Armenian church of Dhaka. Drive to Ahsan Manzil, also known as the Pink Palace, is a historical landmark of old Dhaka. Sadarghat Riverfront is just next door, you may overlook the busiest harbor of Dhaka. Embarking on a public launch from Sadarghat River fo a beautiful river trip over the Ganges river to Barisal. Overlooking the Burigonga River’s evening activities are endless, you can just keep looking.

Launch departure and arrival information: Rocket/paddle Steamer is no longer in operation, no idea of its return ever. The only river journeys a tourist may experience would be by a privately owned public launch routing between Dhaka – Barisal route, which leaves between 8 PM to 9:30 PM from Sadarghat. It is a recommended trip to experience the beautiful & calm cruise and travel life on board. You are welcome to walk around your ship, meet people, make friends and take pictures. In normal situations (of weather, tide and fog) the launch arrives between 3 AM to 8 AM at Barisal.
Cabins in the Launch: There are various cabins in a launch; Single, double, family and VIP AC / and non-AC cabins. Regular single and double cabins are the simplest and cheapest, with few common bathrooms shared by 20-25 cabins. A sensitive person may find difficulties in using a common bathroom being used by a big traveling crowd. Even the cabins near the common bathroom would feel the strong bathroom smells. VIP cabins always offer the best facilities, including a big bed for two adults, a European bathroom attached, a private balcony and some seating spaces. All VIP cabins are located in an isolated zone of the ship. The bed in the VIP cabins varies from queen/king to twins from ship to ship. Of course, this is the most expensive class on the ship. This trip includes VIP cabins for our guests' comfortable journey, good sleep, privacy and hygiene are important. Our guests always deserve more, no compromise on comfort on the journey also for the safety and privacy of our guests. A budget traveler should express their opinion regarding their cabin preference.
Launch and Cabin for you: The name of your launch is [TBA], will reserve a nice VIP double cabin for you. And the boat will leave Sadarghat around 8:30 PM.
Dinner onboard: They serve Bangla food (Plain rice, mixed vegetables, chicken & Fish Curries and daal) according to your order, in the dining area of the ship, located inside the VIP Zone. They require pre-orders to get the food on time. Better to settle the bill at night to avoid a rush in the morning.
Restaurant in Sadarghat: There is a nice restaurant on the terrace of the Sadarghat River terminal building, overlooking the busy river ‘Buriganga’. The food is nice, and the view is charming. The menu has a selection of local and European-style food with Bangla influences. The spice level is mild.
Disembarking/ arriving in Barisal: Barisal is the last stop of the boat (launch) you are riding on, so it doesn’t matter how early the boat arrives in Barisal. We can wait inside the launch until the daylight is up and then we can disembark. It is best to leave the launch by 6 AM otherwise floating markets will be gone by we will reach. Your guide will advise you on the exact meeting and departure time after consulting with your captain.

Day 4: Backwater tour and Bagerhat UNESCO World heritage site– the city of past glory

Leave the launch 6 AM (or later, according to your arrival) for Banaripara by reserved vehicle. It will be a 40km (1 hour) drive. Embark on your awaiting trawler for a backwater cruise and floating market visits. Soon after the boat starts its cruise, your guide will offer you a little breakfast (Ruti/ Parat and Egg sandwich), and snacks with tea. Enjoy the panorama of endless greenery. Exploring life, people and their daily activities are charming. We will get off in some interesting village marketplaces and Schools in rural areas. There are some weekly floating vegetables, fruits, and timber markets on our route. Spectacular to see how the manual laborers load and unload all the giants’ logs just by hand. The cruise is for 5/6 hours but the impression is endless. Your boat will have some fresh fruits (seasonal) and dry food items, plenty of bottled water, and tea. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant in Bagerhat. Disembark from the boat at Banaripara and drive towards Bagerhat by reserved vehicle (1.5 hours). The Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat is an ancient city, formerly known as Khalifatabad, founded by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan in the 15th century. The town contains some of the most significant structures of the initial period of the development of the Muslim architecture of Bengal. This city has the highest number of mosques after Dhaka city. Your first visit will be at Kodla Moth - a beautiful ancient brick architecture in the Hindu Temple. This is one of the remarkable examples of xikhara type of temple in Bangladesh, dating back to the 15th century. Continue visiting a series of mosques, Including nine domed mosques, Jinda Peer Mosque, Sixty Domed Mosque (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and site museum, Shingair Mosque and Ronobijoypur Mosque. Drive 10 minutes to the mausoleum of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali by a holy water tank, where you may see some Marsh crocodiles. Continue a scenic drive to Mongla for an overnight stay at a hotel or on board (subject to availability). The hotel in Mongla is very basic but clean and secure.

Day 5: Sundarbans – Forest between Land and Sea

Shortly after sunrise, the ship will resume its cruise through the danced forest. After cruising for a few hours, the ship will anchor at a forest station to complete some necessary forest permission formalities and pick up some forest-armed guards to accompany us in the forest throughout the trip. The boat shall resume its cruise towards the southern direction through the maze of the forest and reach Kotka/ Kochikhali forest station by late in the afternoon or early evening, depending on the weather and tide situation. Your guide will offer you some forest activities according to the available daylight, either a leisurely walk through the forest and enjoy the sunset or a wonderful country boat trip through the narrow creek. A silent evening rowboat ride will allow you to get a closer look at some of the wildlife inhabiting the biologically most diverse mangrove forest in the world. All meals and overnight on board.

Day 6: Sundarbans – The Beautiful Forest

After an early morning excursion on the small boat, you are invited to join an easy hike along the sea-facing beach. With the Bay of Bengal on one side and the jungle on the other, it becomes apparent how this ever-changing forest is shaped by seasonal and climate-induced changes. The boat will meet you on the other end of the walk near the Kotka Forest Station. This is the ranger station in the Eastern Sanctuary, one of the three Sundarbans sanctuaries with UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition. All meals and overnight on board.

Day 7: Living with Tides and Tigers – People of the Sundarbans Forest and unique otter fishing

After the early morning exploratory boat trip, the ship will start cruising north through the mangrove forest. You will have the opportunity to observe fisherfolk at work in the channels, using a variety of fish, crab, and shrimp-catching gear. If time permits, we will take a chance to visit one of the communities along the forest fringes highly dependent on the Sundarbans' resources and learn about the effects of climate change on their life. Disembark at Mongla after an Early Lunch, Drive towards Nararil by reserved vehicle to experience unique otter fishing. Some Hindu communities in these areas have been using trained otters for fishing at night in the Sundarban area for several thousands of years.

We invite you to meet some of the last remaining generations involved in this traditional way of fishing. Drive to Jessore airport to avail the afternoon flight to Dhaka. Upon arrival in Dhaka, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Dhaka and Sundarbans trip