Bangladesh Travel Forum

Hello Fellow VTers,

I need your help here. I have been in contact with a couple of tour operators in Bangladesh to arrange a 19-day trip with a private guide and driver around Bangladesh. I am posting my itinerary to get your opinion of whether it is achievable, will I be driving a lot, am I missing anything, should anything in the plan be omitted. I plan to come from December to December 20th.

Thanks for all your help, suggestions nad critique. Here it is:

Day 1
Arrive Dhaka Airport. Reception and transfer to Sheraton Hotel. Overnight at
Sheraton Hotel.

Day2
After breakfast drive to Sonargaon by A/C Micro. Visit the historical Panam city
and Sonargaon Folk-art Museum and complex. Lunch on the boat and cruise in the
river Buriganga or ***alakhaya. Overnight at Sheraton Hotel.

Day 3
Full day city sightseeing covering SadarghataTerminal, Pink palace, Dhakeshawari
Hindu Temple, Lalbag Mughol Fort, Curzon Hall, Central Shahid Minar and the
distinctive Notational Parliament Building. Lunch at local restaurant. After
lunch drive to Savar to visit National Memorial and the Brass Metal works at
Dhanmarai (If time permits). Overnight at Sheraton hotel.

Day 4
After breakfast drive to Bogra by A/C micro passing through the panoramic Jamuna
Bridge (the 11th longest in the world) via Shirajgonj. Lunch at Naz garden
restaurant. After lunch visit Mohasthangar archaeological sites and the museum.
You can also visit the Vashu Vihara near th Mohasthangarh. Drive Paharpur and
visit the Monastery and the museum. Overnight and dinner at Naz garden hotel.

Day 5
After breakfast drive to Rangpur. Visit the Tajhat Zaminder Palace. Drive to
Dimla Kalibarri via Gangachura and Domar. You can also visit the attractive
Tista Barrage. Drive to Kantajir Mondir and visit the ornamented terracotta
temple. On your way back to Bogra you can visit Rajbari and the beautiful
Ramsagar vast lake where migratory birds can be seen. Dinner and overnight at
Naz Garden hotel at Bogra.



Day 6
After breakfast drive to Rajshahi by A/C microbus. En-route visit the most
spectacular temple city Puthia. Lunch at Chez Razzak hotel. Visit the
spectacular Varendra research museum and the fine silk industry.Evening walk
through the bank of Padma river to enjoy the sunset. Dinner and overnight at
Hotel Razzak/Parjatan.

Day 7
After breakfast drive to Bagerhat via the great Lalon Bridge. En-route you can
visit the wonderful Bagha Mosque. Lunch at wayside restaurant at Kushtia. Reach
Bagerhat afternoon and visit the holy shrine of Khan Jahan Ali and 60 dome
mosque at Bagerhat which is the world heritage site. Reach Mongla and overnight
at Parjatan hotel Passur at Mongla.

Day 8
After breakfast fullday safari tour to Sundarbans forest. Lunch on the boat.
Return Mongla by evening and overnight stay with dinner at Passur hotel.

Day 9
Early in the morning avail the paddle wheel Rocket steamer (if available as
usual weekly routine). Overnight on the 1st class cabin.

Day 10
Early morning reach Dhaka Shadarghat Terminal. After breakfast transfer and
drive to Srimongol by A/C microbus. Reach Srimongol and transfer to hilltop tea
resort. After lunch drive to Baralekha to visit the attractive Madhabkunda
waterfall and some tribal villages. Dinner and Overnight stay at tea resort,
Srimongol.

Day 11
Full day excursion at Srimongol. Visit the tea processing centre. Explore
Lawachara rain forest and the attractive Baikka Beel where thousands of
migratory birds can be seen. Overnight at tea resort at Srimongol.

Day 12
After early breakfast drive to Chittagong via Comilla. Lunch at wayside
restaurant. Transfer to hotel Agrabad. If time permits visit Patenga sea beach.
Dinner and Overnight at hotel Agrabad.



Day 13
After breakfast visit the Chatteshwari Temple, Ethnological Musuem, Foy’s lake.
Lunch at local restaurant and drive to Cox’s Bazar. Transfer to hotel Seagull.
Evening free time to beach and enjoy sunset. After sunset visit the Burmese
conch shell market. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel Sea gull.

Day 14
Early morning you can walk through the beach. After breakfast drive to Teknaf
and avail the cruising vessel Keari Sinbad to reach the attractive Saint Martin
Coral Island which will take 2-3 hours to cross the 29 km water way of Bay of
Bengal. Transfer to Prashad Paradise Abakash. After lunch enjoy the spectacular
sun set in the coral (beach). Dinner (B-B-Q) with sea fish. Overnight at hotel.

Day 15
Early morning explore the adjacent cheredeep which is the most virgin new coral
island and wonderful location for observing living coral, colorful fish, marine
lives, Crabs etc. Return to main land at Saint Martin and after lunch avail the
return cruise vessel to reach Teknaf and onward to Cox’s Bazar by A/C micro.
Overnight at hotel Seagull, Cox’s Bazar.

Day 16
After breakfast drive to Bandarban in the morning. Transfer to hilltop Parjatan
hotel. After lunch jeep drive to Chimbuk hilltop and en-route visit the Murong
tribal villages and attractive Shailopropat and Tripura tribal wayside market.
Overnight at Parjatan hilltop hotel.

Day 17
After breakfast drive to Rangamati, the hill capital city. Reach Rangamati and
avail the cruising boat to have the wonderful lake cruise through the expanses
of Kaptai lake and you can have lunch with tribal food at the lake side hill
top restaurant. Overnight at Parjaton hotel.

Day 18
Drive back to Dhaka via Chittagong by starting late morning. Lunch at wayside
restaurant. Reach Dhaka by evening. Overnight at Sheraton hotel.


Day 19
Transfer to Dhaka Airport and depart Dhaka.


Thanks for your help.

Nathan

Nathan,

you will get to see most of the country and yes that is a fair amount of driving. What are the objectives of your visit? If you are mainly after wildlife and forests etc you could cut the archaeological and historic sites and get longer in fewer places. Alternatively if you are focused on historic sites you could also simplify.

good luck
Paul

PS chanced upon your request when googling something, nice to see the reference to our wetland sanctuary in Hail Haor (Baikka Beel) in your itinerary.

Yes, your itineray seems very nice. I think you will enjoy the trip. BTW, if you can manage, please take 3 days trip inside Sundarbans. Because only 1 day is nothing for Sundarbans.

Other hand, have you already hired a icro or will arrange after coming DB?

mahmud