Archaeological Trip to Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a country considerably rich in archaeological wealth, particularly of the primitive period both during the Muslim and pre-Muslim rules.   Though most of it is still unexplored and unknown. Many travelers express their impressions glorifying these places. At present, there are several sites in Bangladesh where you can still see some of those relics. Largest Buddhist monastery in Paharpur, Mosque city Gaur & Puthia in Rajshahi, Kantajee temple in Dinajpur, Mohasthangarh in Bogra, Sixty Dome Mosque in Bagerhat and Mainamati in Comilla, Sonargaon and the historical Mughal monuments in Dhaka city are most prominent places living with the history.

In this tour, we’ll cover all the historical sites of Bangladesh through a platonic journey. At last, spend 3 days inside the deep forest of the largest mangrove forest Sundarbans and make your trip a living memory.

Duration :
13 Days
Locations :
Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur & Khulna
Attractions :

Dhaka & Around

⊕ New & Old Dhaka ⊕ Old capital Sonargaon & Panam Nagar ⊕ Mainamati Comilla ⊕ Baliati Palace Manikganj & Pottery-Brass village ⊕ Overnight Ship Journey.

North Bengal-Rajshahi, Rangpur & Bogra

⊕ Paharpur Buddhist Bihar ⊕ Mahasthangarh ⊕ Kantajee Temple ⊕ Puthia temple city ⊕ Natore Rajbari ⊕ Choto Sona Mosque ⊕ Tahkhana Complex ⊕ Darasbari Mosque ⊕ Khania Dighi Mosque ⊕ Kusumba Mosque ⊕ Tajhat Palace ⊕ Rangpur sugar mill ⊕ Navaratna Temple Hatikumrul

Bagerhat

⊕ Sixty Dome Mosque ⊕ Shrine of Khan Jahan Ali ⊕ Nine Dome Mosque ⊕  Singair Mosque ⊕ Kodla Math

Sundarbans

⊕ Kochikhlai wildlife sanctuary ⊕ Kotka wildlife sanctuary ⊕ Harberia Eco-tourism center ⊕ Jamtola Sea-beach ⊕ Karmajal Crocodile Breeding Centre ⊕ Fishing village & firms.

Tour Available :
Round the year.
Best time to go:
October to March

Tour Highlights:

  • Visit all 3 UNESCO world heritage sites and all archaeological sites in Bangladesh.
  • Enjoy an overnight ship journey and experience riverain Bangladesh.
  • Visit UNESCO world heritage Sixty Dome Mosque in Bagerhat including 2 other places.
  • Visit the famous Kantajee Temple in Dinajpur, Rangpur.
  • Visit UNESCO world heritage Sompura Mohavihara (Paharpur Buddhist Bihar) and Mahasthangarh in Bogra.
  • Visit temple city Puthia, Mosque city Chapai Nawabgonj (Gaur), and all the historic-archaeological places in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Bogra & Sirajganj districts.
  • Visit the largest mangrove forest in the world & UNESCO world heritage Sundarbans with an3 days of exploration.
  • Visit all the historical and popular places in New and Old Dhaka. Experience the color of the city.
  • Visit the old capital Sonargaon, Museum, Panam city, and archeological Mainamati. A place covered by World War 2 cemetery, Shalban Vihara,  Lamai Hill range, and other Buddhist ruins.
  • Visit Pottery & Brass villages and Baliati Zamindar palace in Manikganj.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 : Arrival at Dhaka.
  • Arrive at Dhaka Airport, our guide will meet you and transfer you to the hotel for the night's stay. Have rest for the day. Or let's make an introduction with Dhaka city by a Rickshaw ride.
Day 2 : Dhaka City Tour.
  • Around 8:00 am-8:30 am, start the tour from your hotel or residence. Our responsible guide will pick you up in the car.  Start with Kawranbazar Vegetable Market, the biggest bazaar in Dhaka. Visit the outside view of the National Assembly (Parliament Building), the largest legislative complex in the world designed by famous American architect Louis Kahn.
  • Visit Curzon hall,   Dhakeswari Temple, the national Hindu temple of Bangladesh built by Ballal Sen in the 12th century.
  • Head to Lalbagh Fort, a key attraction for tourists. It’s an incomplete construction of the Mughal period in the 17th century started by Subahdar Muhammad Azam Shah. Visit Star Mosque,  Armenian Church at Armanitola, and have your lunch.
  • After, we will visit the famous Ahsan Manzil also known as Pink Palace in Sadarghat. It was the official residential palace of Nawab in Dacca in the 19th century.  We will go to Sadarghat River Port by walking for 5 min (or by car) on a busy street. Experience the floating people and trading boats in the iconic Buriganga River.
  • Overnight in Dhaka.
Day 3 : Tangail, Navaratna temple and ruins of ancient city of Mahasthangarh.
  • In the morning, we will start our journey toward Bogra. Visit Pakutia Zamindar Palace in Tangail.
  • After a wonderful Jamuna Bridge crossing, we will visit the beautiful Navratna Temple in Sirajganj. This is one of the finest Navratna-style temples in this country.
  • After lunch, visit the oldest known city in Bangladesh Mahasthangarh, dating back to at least the 3rd century BC.  Today, the archaeological site consists mainly of foundations and hillocks hinting at past glory. In the Mahasthangarh site museum, an interesting collection of recovered pieces is on display. The Behula Bashor Ghor is a key site to visit in Mahasthangarh.
  • We will spend the evening at Vasua Vihara Buddhist ruins. The sunset from this place will refill you with the beauty of the rural landscape.
  • Overnight in Bogra.
Day 4 : Kantajew Temple & Noyabad Mosque in Dinajpur.
  • Today, we will drive for 4 hrs toward Dinajpur. Upon arrival, we will visit the Dinajpur Rajbari, a Hindu zamindar house built in the 18th century, one of the most striking historic buildings in North Bengal.
  • After, we will go to Kantanagar to visit the famous Kantajew Temple. It's the most spectacular Hindu temple and one of the most beautiful monuments in Bangladesh. The infinite panels of intricately sculptured terra cotta plaques tell history.
  • We will visit Noyabad Mosque near the temple.
  • In the evening, we will drive back to Rangpur for the night's stay.
Day 5 : Tajhat Palace, Sompura Mahavihara at Paharpur and Kusumba Mosque.
  • Today, after visiting Tajhat Palace in Rangpur, we will drive to Paharpur. The green vegetable-fruit fields are amazing to stop. Especially the betel leaf gardens are interesting to have photographed.
  • After 3 hours of driving, we will visit Paharpur Buddhist Bihar from the 8th century AD. It's also known as  Sompura Mohavihara which is the most impressive archaeological site in Bangladesh also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was once the largest Buddhist monastery in the south of the Himalayas.
  • After lunch, we will continue driving to visit the famous Kusumba Mosque, built during the Afgan rule in Bengal.
  • Overnight in Rajshahi.
Day 6 : The lost city of Gaud in Chapai Nawabganj and Varendra research museum in Rajshahi.
  • After having breakfast, we will drive to Chapai Nawabganj to visit historical mosques. On the way find all the places covered by mango gardens, especially the Khirsa mango that got GI recognition by UNESCO in 2019.
  • First, we will walk through the history of the lost city Gaud. Visit Choto Sona Masjid (Gaur), a remarkably fine architectural specimen of the Sultanate Period. the Tahkhana Complex (Persian), literally means a cold building or palace. A structure was built on the west bank of a large tank situated in the Firozpur quarters of the city of Gaur-Lakhnauti.
  • We will go to Darasbari Mosque, the largest mosque in the Bangladesh part of Gaur-Lakhnauti, now in ruins. The name Darasbari is derived from its being located within a Darasbari (place of lesson or learning).
  • Visit Khania Dighi Mosque, one of those precious edifices of Bangladesh. The mosque was built during the 15th century. The four domes mosque is also known as Chamachika Masjid, Rajbibi Masjid, etc.
  • After, we will drive to Rajshahi city to visit the Varendra Research Museum. This is the first and most resourceful museum in the country. Find all exclusive statues and historical signs there. We will spend the sunset on the banks of the Ganger river.
  • Night stay at the hotel in Rajshahi.
Day 7 : Natore Rajbari, Puthia Temple City & Train Journey to Khulna.
  • Today, we will visit Natore Rajbari, the oldest and largest among the two biggest Rajbari in the region.
  • After, visit the temple city Puthia. It is renowned for the largest number of historically important Hindu structures in Bangladesh. The Shiva Temple in Puthia is the largest such Hindu temple in this region. The Govinda Temple, decorated with intricate terracotta designs is in one of the country’s finest old Rajbari courtyards.
  • After having early lunch, we will arrive at Rajshahi train station at 2:00 pm. Enjoy a train journey to Khulna.
  • Our train journey will finish at around 8:30 pm. Dinner and overnight stay in Khulna.
Day 8 : Sundarbans National Forest.
  • Early in the morning, we will drive towards Mongla to start our Sundarbans cruise. Get your accommodation and breakfast on the boat.
  • Our journey begins and after a couple of hours, the boat will stop at the Chadpai forest office. We will complete the formalities and pick up an armed forest guard for the security of our entire Sundarbans trip.
  • We’ll cruise to visit Harbaria eco-center, a popular spot for Sundarbans.  It 30 minutes of walking through the sanctuary.
  • We will cruise again through the deep forest. Experience the silence of the largest mangrove. In the evening, we’ll anchor our boat near the Kochikhali Forest office.  If time permits, we will make a small boat cruise through the canals.
  • Overnight stay in Kochikhali.
Day 9 : Kochikhali & Kotka Wildlife Sanctuaries, Sea Beach and deep forest walking.
  • Today is our biggest day on the Sundarbans. Very early in the morning, we will start with a boat trip through the small creeks. The best time for making a boat trip is very early morning.  At a point, we’ll get off the small boat for a long walk into the forest office area.
  • We will cruise for Kotka. It takes 2 hours to reach Kotka station. On this journey, you’ll see wildlife including deers, crocodiles, birds, otters, and Bengal monitors.
  • We need an hour of walking to visit Jamtola Sea beach. This is an adventurous journey through the deep forest.  It's the Bay of Bengal where is our destination.
  • After lunch, visit the Kotka wildlife sanctuary area. This is the major point to see the group of deers. We will take enough time to explore the sanctuary and enjoy the sunset on the beach.
  • Then, we’ll start the journey back. We will anchor the boat at the middle point of Sundarban in Chadpai/Jaimoni. Enjoy B-B-Q Dinner on the boat and make the day fulfilled.
Day 10 : Fishing Village, Historic Mosque city of Bagerhat and Overnight ship journey from Barishal.
  • Early in the morning, we will make a small boat trip through the small creeks.
  • We will visit a fishing village today.  The village also produces a lot of Shimp firms. Meet people to know their lifestyle. Spend an enjoyable moment with happy children.
  • After lunch, make yourself ready to depart from the boat. We will start the car journey to Bagerhat.
  • Visit the historical Sixty Dome Mosque which is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites in Bangladesh. Visit the Shrine of Khan Jahan Ali, who built more than a dozen mosques in Bagerhat including the Sixty Dome Mosque. Nine Dome Mosque, Singair Mosque, and Kodla Mauth are also on our bucket list.
  • We will drive towards Barishal to catch the ship at 8:30 pm.  Experience an overnight ship journey to Dhaka.
Day 11 : Baliati Palace in Manikganj and Pottery Village.
  • Arrive at Dhaka Sadarghat terminal in the morning. We will drive towards Manikganj directly.
  • After a couple of hours, visit Baliati Zamindar Palace. This is one of the finest specimens of 19th-century Renaissance colonial-style monuments in Bangladesh. It contains over 200 rooms of various shapes and dimensions.
  • After we will visit a brass metal workshop and a pottery village in Dhamrai.
  • The National Memorial (Martyrs Monuments) in Savar is also an interesting site to visit.
  • we will stop at the hotel in Dhaka.
Day 12 : Old capital Sonargaon and Mainamati-Lalmai Monuments.
  • Today, we will drive an hour to visit the abandoned city Panam Nagar in Sonargaon. Visit the Folklore Museum, a reserved place of craft arts along with Sardar Bari.
  • After, we’ll visit the War Cemetery of World War 2 in Mainamati. This is the graveyard of soldiers who died on the Myanmar front.
  • We will visit the Archaeological camp of Salban Vihara and the museum. Kotila Mura,  Ananda vihara, Charapatra Mura, Itakhola Mura in Lalmai Hill range are Buddhist remains of the 8th/9th Century.
  • In the afternoon, we will drive towards Dhaka.
  • Our archaeological journey has been finished today. Check into the hotel and halt for the night's stay.
Day 13 : Departure
  • Your Bangladesh trip will be over today. We will drop you at the Dhaka Airport. Fly with wonderful experiences and memories of a historical joruney.

Price for the tour (Per Person)

Contact for Price

Includes:

  • Airport pickup and drops.
  • All Accommodation in 3 stars hotels. (Upgrades of accommodations and single supplements are available)
  • All transportation like air-conditioned cars, Tuk-tuk, Ship, air, and small boats as per itinerary.
  • All meals in a local restaurant with quality food and mineral water for drinking.
  • Train ticket for Khulna to Rajshahi.
  • 24X7 Tea or coffee for the Sundarbans trip.
  • 10,500 TK forest revenue & Forest Gaurd for the Sundarban trip.
  • All permissions, Entry fee and tax for the entire trip.
  • English-speaking guide for the entire trip.

Excludes:

  • Personal expenses.
  • Food not mentioned above.
  • Tips.
  • Insurance.

Notes:

  • Timing and assembling for the places are flexible; we could change them because of traffic or timing during the tour. But we will cover all the places mentioned in the itinerary.
  • Bengali local food is spicy. Plain rice, vegetables, fish & meat are available in restaurants. Biriyani & Khichuri made of Rice, lentils, meat, and special spices are the famous food of old Dhaka also available in other cities. (Non-spicy food is possible to order at most of the restaurants if you like.)
  • It requires modest clothes to visit any mosque. It does not allow shorts for the purpose, and especially, women have to cover their hair and arms with clothes.
  • The dress of shorts is not a problem in the Sundarbans area.
  • Ahsan Manzil is closed on Thursday and opens Fridays after 3:00 pm. Lalbagh Fort is closed on Sundays and open on Mondays after 2:00 pm. Ahsan Manzil and Lalbagh Fort are also closed on government holidays. But you can have an outside view of these places.
  • Old Rocket Steamer is out of service but modern rocket ships are available on the same route.

Sundarbans:

  • The itinerary could be changed because of tides, daylight hours, moon phase, and weather. But we always try to cover all the mentioned places.
  • Rocket Steamer is not available on Friday.
  • The small boats are best for the Sundarban cruise. We organize a private basis tour with the accommodation of 4-10 people by these boats. The room size is quite smaller, no running hot water, electricity is supplied by the battery, and a small generator to charge up the electrical devices. But it’s comfortable to spend days with the facilities.
  • We make the food on the boat by the experienced chef during the trip.
  • The quantity of mosquitoes is more sometimes. You must carry the mosquito repellent for the trip.
  • No phone signal works inside the deeper forest, but at some point, you will get a phone signal to call an emergency. If you use Bangladeshi TeleTalk SIM, we’ll get better coverage in a remote area like Kotka.
  • The chance of seeing tigers is very rare in the Sundarbans. The lucky one gets the chance of it.
  • Make yourself silent for the boat trip or walking into the forest. The best way to explore Sundarban is to keep silent and look.

Answer:

The best time to visit Bangladesh depends on your preferences and the type of experience you’re seeking. Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. October to March is generally considered the best time to visit Bangladesh.  The weather is cool and dry, making it comfortable for travel and outdoor activities. It’s an excellent time to explore cultural and historical sites, as well as natural attractions.

Answer:

We are very sincere in making each of your trips special. Sundarbans is a place where you should be very careful to get it’s best.  Get the idea by following the information.

     Forest friendly Itinerary:

  • Our itinerary is made by experiences of 30 years. There are many things you should follow like tide, time, wildlife timing & silence.

     Off-the-Beaten-Path Exploration:

  • Explore lesser-known areas of the Sundarbans to have a more unique and less crowded experience.
  • There are many tourist boats & ships in the forest. We seek an empty spot in our activities.

     Specialized Activities:

  • Participate in specialized activities such as bird watching, canal cruises, or guided nature walks to enhance your experience.
  • Consider exploring the Sundarbans from a different perspective, such as a silent boat trip through the creeks.

     Responsible Tourism:

  • Our boats are eco-friendly and silent at night. We follow responsible tourism options to minimize your impact on the environment and support sustainable practices.

     Small Private Group:

  • Our group is private and smaller to experience the best of Sundarbans.

Answer: 

The experience of decades in inbound travel with honesty is our capital. Apart from that, our hospitality and care are priceless you get. We always believe that you are on holiday and it’s our job to make your days memorable. Our realistic and comfortable travel plan is prior to serving you at a reasonable price.

Answer:

Yes. VOA is available at international airports. The citizens of All European Countries, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait & Oman can get Visa on Arrival (VOA) for the official duty, business, investment and tourism regardless of the Bangladeshi mission status.  Check eligibility, requirements, fees, duration & all other information from our website link.

Link:  https://pathfriend-bd.com/bangladesh-visa-on-arrival/

Answer:

You must get permission to visit Chittagong Hill Tracts and it’s included in our package. Separate permission is required for Rangamati and Bandarban. We are an authorized company and you must not worry about that.

Answer:

Our Package includes complimentary breakfast at the hotels and lunch-dinner at good-quality restaurants. Bengali local food is spicy. Plain rice, vegetables, fish & meat are available in restaurants. Biriyani & Khichuri made of Rice, lentils, meat, and special spices are the famous food of old Dhaka also available in other cities. Non-spicy food is possible to order at most of the restaurants if you like. In Sundarbans, we have a special chef to make your food. We offer food for vegetarians. But there are limitations of items at some restaurants in remote areas.

If you want to exclude food, that’s fine. We will take you to the best restaurants.