Waypoint Journeys Presents
Tea Gardens, Floating Markets & the Soul of the Bengal Delta
7 Days
Seven Days Through Old Dhaka, the Sreemangal Tea Country & the Backwaters
We reply within 24 hours
Bangladesh is the world's eighth-most-populous nation and one of its most chronically overlooked. It receives a tiny fraction of the foreign tourists of any of its South Asian neighbours, despite holding three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the densest river network on the planet, the largest mangrove forest on Earth (the Sundarbans), and one of the most distinctive cuisines in the region. The country that emerges over seven days is gentler, greener, and friendlier than almost anywhere we operate.
At the heart of the journey is Old Dhaka: a chaotic, life-overflowing medieval medina where rickshaw bells, Lalbagh Fort, the Pink Palace, and the boat-traffic of the Buriganga River layer century on top of century. Early in the trip we ride the train east through emerald rice paddies to Sreemangal, the country's tea capital, where we walk in plantations of seven shades of green and meet the indigenous Khasia communities. The next day, the Lawachara rainforest reveals hoolock gibbons: the only ape in the Indian subcontinent.
Back in Dhaka, we board a classic overnight launch heading south through the inland delta, one of the great journeys on Earth, and one almost no traveller experiences. We wake in Barisal at dawn for the floating produce markets, then on to Bagerhat, the UNESCO-listed 15th-century ruined city whose Sixty Dome Mosque is a national symbol. The final day takes in Sonargaon, the medieval capital, and the abandoned colonial mansions of Panam Nagar, closing with a sunset boat ride on the Meghna river.
"You wake on the boat at dawn somewhere in the southern delta. The river is flat as glass and the floating market is already in motion. That is the moment you understand Bangladesh."
One of the most life-saturated medieval cities on Earth: Lalbagh Fort, Dhakeshwari Temple, the Pink Palace, the Hindu Street, the rickshaw-clogged alleys, and a small wooden boat across the Buriganga River through the chaos of the working shipyards.
A three-hour train east from Dhaka into the country's tea capital, rolling plantations in seven shades of green, the seven-layer tea unique to this region, pineapple orchards, rubber estates, and walks with the families who have picked these hillsides for generations.
A semi-evergreen rainforest in the hills outside Sreemangal, home to the only ape native to the Indian subcontinent, the western hoolock gibbon. Add the indigenous Khasia tribe's village, and the great trees of the Sylhet region.
A classic Bangladeshi overnight river journey from Dhaka south to Barisal in a private cabin, and the dawn arrival in the floating markets of the southern backwaters, where every transaction still happens boat to boat.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site: the 15th-century ruined city of Khan Jahan Ali, with the Sixty Dome Mosque (Shat Gombuj Masjid) at its heart, moss-covered minarets, and the medieval mausoleum complex around it.
The medieval capital of Bengal, with the Goaldi Mosque, the Sardar Bari Palace, and the abandoned colonial mansions of Panam Nagar, a perfectly preserved 19th-century Bengali main street, slowly reclaimed by jungle. Closed with a sunset boat ride on the Meghna.
Seven days from Old Dhaka through the tea country of Sreemangal, an overnight river launch to Barisal's floating markets, and the UNESCO ruins of Bagerhat.
Dhaka, Sreemangal and the Delta
Seven days out of Dhaka: the train east to the tea gardens of Sreemangal, the overnight launch south to Barisal and the mosques of Bagerhat, and a day trip to Sonargaon on the Meghna.
Met on arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to recover from the flight: an easy first evening, with welcome dinner at one of the city's best Bengali restaurants. Overnight in central Dhaka.
A morning train east from Dhaka through Bengal's emerald rice country to Sreemangal, Bangladesh's tea capital and the heart of the Sylhet region. The afternoon walks through rolling tea gardens and pineapple orchards, with a stop at Madhabpur Lake, the rubber plantations, and tea tasting at the home of a local family. Overnight in Sreemangal.
An early morning in the Lawachara Rainforest: a semi-evergreen forest reserve famed for the western hoolock gibbon, the only ape in the Indian subcontinent. Continue to an indigenous Khasia tribe village to learn how betel-leaf cultivation has shaped life in these hills, and a quiet walk through a working tea estate. Afternoon train back to Dhaka. Overnight in Dhaka.
A full day in Dhaka. Start with the Kawran Bazar (Bengal's wholesale market at full tilt), then drive past the National Parliament Building (Louis Kahn's masterpiece), Lalbagh Fort, and the Dhakeshwari Temple. A small wooden boat across the Buriganga River through the working shipyards is one of the most photographed scenes in Bangladesh. In the evening, board the overnight launch heading south through the inland delta to Barisal. Overnight in a private cabin on the boat.
Wake at dawn in Barisal. The morning is on the water: the floating produce markets of the southern backwaters, where wooden trading boats meet to exchange guavas, betel, and rice the way they have for centuries. Continue overland to Bagerhat, the UNESCO-listed 15th-century ruined city. Walk among the moss-covered tombs and minarets, and stand inside the Sixty Dome Mosque (Shat Gombuj Masjid), a national symbol. Evening return to Dhaka. Overnight in Dhaka.
Day trip east to Sonargaon, the medieval Bengali capital. The 15th-century Goaldi Mosque, the colonial Sardar Bari Palace (now the Folk Arts & Crafts Museum), and a traditional Bengali lunch. Then the abandoned colonial main street of Panam Nagar: a perfectly preserved row of 19th-century Hindu merchant mansions, slowly being reclaimed by the jungle. Close the day with a sunset boat ride on the Meghna river. Overnight in Dhaka.
Breakfast and a private transfer to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for your onward flight. Seven days that will redraw the map of South Asia in your head.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Expedition Investment
per person · 7-day expedition · max 5 guests
Fully inclusive of all accommodation (including a private cabin on the overnight launch to Barisal), air-conditioned train tickets, private vehicle and small-boat charters, all entrance fees, and a licensed English-speaking guide. Daily breakfast included.
International airfare to Dhaka, Bangladesh tourist visa (~$50 USD), lunches and dinners, and travel insurance not included
Reserve Your SpotBangladesh is one of the most welcoming countries in South Asia and the safest in the region for foreign visitors. Violent crime against tourists is virtually unheard of. Dhaka is busy and the traffic is intense, but as a traveller you'll be moving with a guide and driver throughout. Our in-country partner has been running professional expedition logistics for years and handles every train ticket, hotel, and boat reservation directly. We'll brief you on the standard precautions for a dense South Asian city (mosquito-borne illness during the monsoon; we operate outside it; safe-water practices; dress code at religious sites). Happy to address any specific question about safety, health, or vaccinations directly.
