Historic Bengal Tour

On arrival at Dhaka’s airport, be greeted by your local guide and then escorted to the hotel for check-in. Arrange the next hours of today by yourself.

If you arrive in Dhaka early today and can’t wait to hang around, we recommend you to enjoy a ride via cycle rickshaw, which, together with the vibrant painting art on its body, have been honored as a UNESCO cultural heritage. In a city so populous as to accommodate nearly 65 thousand people per square km, the average traffic speed here can be as slow as 4.8km/h, not much faster than your walking speed. Traffic jams happen all the time, with all the 60 traffic lights in Dhaka functioning only as a decoration. That’s why rickshaws are so popular, as they are much cheaper and can go anywhere no buses or cars can reach, addressing 40% of Dhaka people’s daily transportation! For them, Dhaka has been crowned “Rickshaw Capital of the World”.

► Insider Tip on Internet Access:
You can use a local SIM card to easily access localinternet in Bangladesh. We recommend you purchase one from the mobile networkoperator Grameenphone, which has a kiosk selling their services at theairport’s arrival hall. It’s true that Banglalink has the fastest networkspeed, but Grameenphone has the most extensive coverage, which is also highlyrecommended by local people. It requires some patience to fill in many formsand perhaps go through intricate formalities, but the personnel will guarantee thatyou can connect to the network. The total cost for a SIM card would be about 5USD (basic data package is 349 BDT and the card fee 200 BDT); with it you willhave 25 GB’s data valid for 15 days. Using a local cell number will grant youaccess to free wi-fi, at both airports and hot spots across Bangladesh.

Accommodation: Sky City Hotel Dhaka (4 stars) / FARS Hotel & Resorts (4 stars)

Dhaka, the bustling capital, is the starting point of your 10 days Bangladesh historic tour. Our first stop after breakfast is Kawranbazar Vegetable Market, where some 1,200 stalls adjoins each other selling fruits, vegetables, fish and other meat, rice, among other daily necessities. You guide will lead you through crowds as if navigating a life-sizzling labyrinth. The market is open 24/7 and would more lively on weekends and holidays. If you want to buy anything here, perhaps now it’s time to hone your bargaining skills. Next, stop by National Assembly (Parliament Building) to take pictures of its modernist architecture. We will then go to Dhaka University and spend a while learning about a little of history at Curzon Hall, the cradle of the country’s freedom. Afterwards, head for Lalbagh Fort, a palace built by a Mughal prince yet unfinished and considered haunted for the death of Pari Bibi, the daughter of Dhaka’s then governor, in 1684.In a city as historic as Dhaka, of course we will also visit these sites: Dhakaswari Temple, the 800-year-old center of Hindu religion, Star Mosque, famous for the star patterns covering its domes, Armenian Church, the only relic left by the extinct Armenian community, and Ahsan Manzil, a boldly pink palace telling the country’s colonial history.

We will end today’s tour with a boat ride by Sadarghat River, where countless commutes and river trades take place. The ride will give us a different perspective to feel the exhilarating vibrancy onshore. Then, get back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Sky City Hotel Dhaka (4 stars) / FARS Hotel & Resorts (4 stars)

After breakfast, we will drive for an hour to visit Panam Nagar city in Sonargaon. Although its prosperity was powered by the Hindu community and the textile industry has lost in a fire, remains of the past buildings, some aged 500 years old, still stand dignified for us to visualize its past glory.

Out of the city, head for Folk Art and Craft Museum. As the name implies, you get to learn local folk culture and customs through hand-crafted cultural heritages - there are also some interactive experiences to enjoy. Some other intriguing objects on display include the glassed toothbrush of Zainul Abedin, a national Bangladeshi artist. The museum is only part of the premises, with many stalls on site vending souvenirs and street food, like “vaja pora (fried food)”, which Bangladesh is famous for. If you want to have a taste of vaja pora, we have to remind you that it may get you diarrhea, whether it’s because of the greasy food itself or the water pollution due to the poor hygiene of street food - this is why we have daily three western or local-style meals included in our package, which shows our meticulous care for your health. Later, check out Bara Sardar Bari, the latter a grand residential complex and a representative restored heritage site.

In the afternoon, drive again for around 1.5 hours to explore all the important Buddhist ruins at Mainamati of Comilla district. We will visit Shalbon Vihara, the greatest of all, and other distinctive ones like Kotila Mura, Itakhola Mura & Rupban Mura. The Vihara was constructed in the 8th century and a popular place of worship until 12th century. Now, you can see a ground plan of 115 cells and a temple in the center, with fascinating sculptural art on terracotta walls to appreciate. Most excavated relics are now stored in a museum nearby. We will drive back to Dhaka after visiting the World War II Cemetery in Comilla. Overnight in Dhaka.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Sky City Hotel Dhaka (4 stars) / FARS Hotel & Resorts (4 stars)

Today, we are going to visit some historical sites on the way to Bogra. First, after about 2 hours’ driving, we will arrive in Manikganj to visit the Baliati Zaminder Palace, a monumental white palace complex founded by a wealthy salt merchant during the 19th century. Later, continue to drive for around 1.5 hours to Tangail for Mohera Zamindar Bari, a magnificent palace once housing local landlords and now the Police Training Center, as well as the 400-year-old Atiya Mosque.

After crossing the longest bridge Jamuna Bridge in Bangladesh, we will arrive in Sirajganj. Head for Navaratna Temple. Though its nine minarets were destroyed in history, its famous ornately-carved terracotta walls are still a feast for your eyes. Followed will be a visit to Kherua Mosque, a three-domed Mughal construction of the 16th century. Then, keep moving forward to Bogra and stay one night there.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Naz Garden Bogra (4 stars)

After breakfast, go for a 30-minute drive to Mahasthangarh, the capital of the ancient Pundra kingdom with a history dating back 2,300 years. Before going back in time, we will first spend some time enjoying the present by experiencing local life in a vegetable market. Then, go on to explore the historical ruins left by Pundra ancestors and wildly imagine the past glory they suggest. The citadel is about 2.1 square kilometers (0.8 square miles) big. If you are a solo or casual traveler and haven’t prepared yourself with some knowledge in advance, you might think this area, if not for the wall ruins, is but another ordinary garden. That’s how a guide comes to matter - your guide will take you to delve behind the surface, investigating such spots as remains of Govinda Bhita and stories behind little dunes.

Next, drive for about 4 hours and visit the Kantajew Temple. Built in the early 1700s by the local royal family, it once had nine spires on the top and exhibits sophisticated terracotta art, just as the Navaratna Temple you’ve visited. After that, continue with a 1.5-hour drive to Rangpur for the night stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Grand Palace Rangpur (4 stars)

Head to Tajhat Palace after breakfast. White, structurally similar to the pink palace you’ve witnessed, it was constructed in the 19th century by a Hindu jeweler who later became the local landlord. We will then drive for 3-plus hours to Sompura Mahavihara or Paharpur Buddhist Vihara. The Vihara, or the Buddhist monastery, was once the largest of its genre to the south of the Himalayas, serving as a Buddhist center for followers from neighboring countries, China and even Indonesia included, from the 9th to 12th century. No wonder it’s so important an archaeological site that was honored as a UNSECO World Heritage site.

Next, we will drive for 1.5 hours to Rajshahi with stops by Kushumba Mosque, a rare stone type and which you might’ve seen on a five taka note, and a “paan” (betel leaf) garden, from which farmers contribute to the emerging market of the cash crop. Overnight in Rajshahi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Royal Raj Hotel (4 stars) / Hotel X Rajshahi (4 stars)

Today will see us spending most of our time visiting mosques in the Rajshahi area. First, we will drive for around 1.5 hours to Chapai Nawabganj to visit some of the old mosques scattering across the district. Then drive for one hour to Choto Sona Masjid, a representative Sultanate mosque in the city of Gaur. It’s a pity 500 years of weathering has reduced the gold cover of the exterior to a copper appearance. Next, we are going to visit Darasbari Mosque and Khania Dighi Mosque, both of a same age as the Choto Sona.

After lunch, we will head downtown and take a stroll at some markets to appreciate locally-made silk goods. We should keep in mind that Rajshahi, the “City of Silk”, played a central role in the country’s silk industry. After dinner, take a relaxing walk around Bank of Padma riverside area. Sleep in Rajshahi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Royal Raj Hotel (4 stars) / Hotel X Rajshahi (4 stars)

After breakfast, we will drive to Puthia and arrive in 50 minutes. Puthia, the Temple City, owns the biggest group of Hindu temples in Bengal. These buildings as a whole can give you a glimpse into the religious life of Puthia Raj family in the early 17th century, with each having its own features. Two exemplars are Shiva Temple, the largest of its kind in the country, and Govinda Temple, which has breathtakingly carved on its terracotta walls the romance between milkmaid Radha and Hindu god Krishna. Varendra Research Museum, the oldest in Bangladesh, is our next stop; exquisite Buddhist sculptures and statues are featured here.After lunch, your guide will escort you to take a 6-hour train ride for Khulna. If you come during Bishwa Ijtema (the Islamic global congregation, held in Jan. or Feb.) or Eid ul-Fitr (festival of breaking the fast, held in Mar. or Apr.). You are likely to see the scene in which people insanely cram on train roof for a free ride. Although there are already policies put in place to ban the train surfing, it still exits. Of course, you are not going to mimic any of this and be pushed or shoved - we will book a ticket for you and seat you comfortably in the newest train Bangladesh has to offer. On arrival, check into the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: City Inn Hotel Khulna (4 stars) / Tiger Garden International Hotel (4 Stars)

This morning, reach Bagerhat after a 1.5-hour drive. The first stop of our today’s agenda is Sixty Dome Mosque. As Bangladesh’s grandest mosque since the Sultanate era (1204-1576), its stunning sixty-domed brick architecture and cultural connotations have made it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Curiously, unlike what its name suggests, the mosque actually has 77 domes and the number “sixty” refers to its 60 pillars, which are carved with intricate beautiful patterns. We will also pay a visit to Shrine of Khan Jahan Ali and the adjoining Nine Dome Mosque, both frequently visited in memory of the great Muslim preacher of Khan Jahan Ali (1380-1459).

After lunch, drive to Jessore to visit Chachra Shiva Temple and Collectorate Building, all landmarks of the city. Then, catch a flight from Jessore to Dhaka. Tonight you will overnight close to Dhaka’s international airport. If you want to see more famous spots of Dhaka tomorrow, we are glad to change your hotel to one in the downtown area.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Marino Royal Hotel Dhaka (4 stars)

Today, your driver will pick you up from the hotel at the appointed time and transfer you to the airport for your flight home. Hope you’ve had a great time with us. Bon voyage!

► Recommended Activities for Your Free Time:
If your flight time is enough late today, you can leave your luggage at the hotel’s front desk and explore for more of Dhaka to get the most of your free time. You might visit National Museum and National Art Gallery to research Bangladesh’s history, culture and art; or visit Shadeed Minar, the memorial built for martyrs who died during the Bengali Language Movement in 1952 - all these three spots are near or not much less than 20km to the south of the airport. If you are more interested in the Liberation War, the National Martyrs' Monument (26km to the northwest of the airport) is your choice.

Special note: Major attractions of Dhaka are almost all far from the airport; therefore, since you might have glimpsed how congested Dhaka’s traffic is, you have to keep in mind that you should leave enough time for your return to the hotel and going through pre-boarding procedures for your flight - it’s officially suggested that you arrive at the airport 4 hours before departure. Besides, remember to prepare some small bills to tip the airport staff. Don’t mistake those initiating to help you with the luggage for the official staff to avoid any scams.
Meals: Breakfast