– Travel the rivers of Bangladesh with a steamer
– Floating Markets and Sundarban: the world’s largest mangrove 
– Authentic fishing with otters 
– Possibility to undertake unique meet-a-local activities

View Bangladesh from the water! After all, that’s how most residents of the country see it. Bangladesh is actually one big river delta, where the great rivers of Asia flow into the ocean. Boats come in all shapes and sizes. People live on and by the water.During this trip you will of course visit the bustling city of Dhaka. A short flight takes you to Jessore. You are then in a completely different world. On the way to Khulna you will visit a village where otters catch fish. Next, take a 2-day cruise through the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world and the main attraction of Bangladesh. You’ll board a nostalgic radar boat to Barissal, where you visit the floating markets in the backwaters, one of the surprising highlights of a trip to Bangladesh.

Day 1 Arrival Dhaka
Day 2 Dhaka
Day 3 Khulna
Day 4 Sundarbans
Day 5 Sundarbans – Mongla
Day 6 Steam boat to Barisal
Day 7 Barisal
Day 8 Barisal 
Day 9 departure Dhaka

Day 1 Dhaka

The experience of visiting Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is overwhelming. What a city, love it and hate it, and that at the same time. You stand in traffic for hours, but once in the old town, you are amazed. Welcome to the “Rickshaw Capital of the World”,  the old-fashioned, nostalgic bicycle rickshaw. Four hundred thousand of them are in Dhaka alone. We’ll make a trip by rickshaw through the old town, there is no better way to explore the city. It’s like being in a movie, so much happening, so much street life, so many street vendors, so many shops and above all, a lot of people walking through the narrow alleys of this overwhelming city.

In the afternoon we will take a city excursion where you will be driven through the old town by rickshaw. We’ll also visit Lalbagh Fort,  the university and the Dhakeshwari Temple.

Day 2 Dhaka

Today we’ll take a boat trip on the river. Bangladesh is water after all, and Dhaka is no different. The craziness and bustle just moved on here, but then over water. Hundreds of boats in as many shapes and sizes are swarming together, right past each other on the water. Small boats to take passengers across, passenger boats that sail throughout the country, cargo boats loaded with bananas and coconuts, huge tankers, sailboats and yes, there you will also see some old steam boats. The Sadarghat wharf is where these radar boats still depart, as they have for over a hundred years.

Day 3 Khulna

A short flight takes us to Jessore and then we drive to Narail. Fish have been caught in this village for centuries using otters. After our otter-experience we’ll head to Bagerhat. Along the way we may be able to stop at a local market (usually held weekly or biweekly in various villages). These are often very colorful markets that are known in this region for the betel nuts that are sold there. Another attraction is trying out sugar cane.

You will explore the villages around Bagerhat by rickshaw, in search of an ancient Hindu temple, the Khodla Math Temple. An imposing temple, made of finely worked bricks, but the journey there is an experience in itself and offers a wonderful insight into rural life in Bangladesh. Next you will visit some of the many mosques of Bagerhat, one of the holiest cities in Bangladesh and then on your way to Khulna.

Day 4 Sundarbans

In the morning we’ll go to Mongla. Here we will board the boat to begin our cruise through the Sundarbans. Enjoy the beautiful surroundings and a first lunch on board. The cook will serve you a delicious meal with fresh fish and shrimps and we’ll spend the night on board tonight. In the afternoon we will also take a walk through the forests of Kotka in search of wild animals.

Day 5 Mongla

The Sundarbans is the world’s largest mangrove forest. You will find an exotic animal world here, including the Bengal tiger. The Sundarbans even has the highest tiger density of any national park in the world. Nearly 10% of the tigers living in the wild live in the Sundarbans, where they are notorious for regularly devouring people who live here! In addition to tigers, there are more than 300 bird species, otters, monkeys, crocodiles, deer, boars and river dolphins. Along the way during the boat trip we get off the boat several times to take a walk through a village or transfer to a small boat to reach the side channels. This trip on such a small boat is breathtakingly beautiful, especially early in the morning. Enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the park. Spot the many bird species and deer and if you are lucky we might see a tiger. In the afternoon the boat sails back to Mongla, where we’ll stay for the night.

Day 6 Barisal by rocket steamer

Early in the morning we will board the radar boat that sails back and forth to and from Dhaka daily. All day long you can enjoy the rustic life around the river, while you imagine yourself a century back on this nostalgic boat.

What a peace and quiet, the boat slides slowly through the water, the landscape is green and tropical, in the distance people work the rice fields, here and there you see men carrying stones at the many brick factories, egrets fly over. Who knows, you might even spot freshwater dolphins. You can also explore the boat itself. There’s just as much to see on board, with its many passengers and vendors, as there is in the surrounding landscape. In the afternoon we will have lunch in the ‘dining room’, a long dining table that invites you to be included in a film about life in the roaring twenties.

Day 7 Barisal

After breakfast we will board a boat to explore the backwaters, a labyrinth of canals, rivers and streams. There are many villages, floating markets and the whole area is full of life. It is somewhat similar to the Kerala backwaters in South India, but without tourists! In the afternoon we will return to Barisal.

Day 8 Barisal

In the morning we’ll visit Barisal and then it’s overland on the way to Dhaka. Along the way we’ll pass the Padma River, better known to us as the Ganges.

Before returning to Dhaka, we will first visit the ancient capital of the Bengal Empire (13th-17th century): Sonargaon, the ‘Golden City’. The city still has some fantastic and monumental buildings from this time. We’ll explore the former royal palace and walk through the old main street. It is not difficult to see the ancient wealth of this city through the dilapidated buildings.

Day 9 Departure

Today we’ll bring you to the airport for your flight.