off-beaten Photography Trip to Bangladesh

An Expedition to Explore Bangladesh

Street photography, Off beaten routes,& tribal life

Bangladesh is one of the less known and most unexplored foreign travelers. This is called one of the best photography destinations which have not been exposed yet. This is a tour we have designed with our little experience and as per your suggestion to offer an off-beaten route to your travelers. It will not feel like them a touristic journey as we have tried to offer things out of the box.

Bangladesh is also a land of festivals, almost every month especially April, October, November we have some very special tribal, local, Hindu festivals. We have designed this tour itinerary keeping the space to include the festivals as per your travel time. 

Day 01: Dhaka arrival & A Photo walk to Old Town

Meet with our guide at the airport and upon arrival, after completing the immigration formalities, we will be transferring you to the hotel. Check-in and relax free time in the hotel. Afternoon we will explore the Old part of the town. It’s the busiest time of the day to see the people’s activities. The following things are the most attractive to the clients –

• Walk into the tiny lanes of the old town, the city was once considering 52 markets and 53 lanes, from the mogul period the old part of the city is center of commerce, very nice colorful markets sits in the tiny streets. Walk into the chawk bazar market.
• The rickshaw rides in the old town and sees the rickshaw painting in a rickshaw is very special. We will organize a rickshaw painting and also visit a rickshaw garage to meet with the rickshaw pullers, hear their incredible sacrificing stories may inspire us
• Evening transfer to the hotel and overnight in Dhaka

Note: Normally most of the European flight arrives early in the morning and considering that we are designing the day plan –

Day 02: Ferry Ride & photography, Otter fishing & Land of rivers Barisal

The morning after breakfast, we will towards the land of rivers Barisal via crossing the Padma river and our activities include –

• Photo walk through the train track – morning on the way to Barisal near the exits point of Dhaka, there is morning interesting market sits near the train track, unlike Thailand or Myanmar, it’s not touristic, its everyday market sits and people living near the track, we will walk through the track and explore the life around this area
• We will be taking a four-stored ferry boat with our car with many other trucks and buses. The unload and offload activities of the ferry are very interesting with people and transport rushes through everywhere.
• We will be stopping at different places on the way, especially depending on the season there will be a lot of cultivation or harvesting activities will be happening near the roadside.
• One of the oldest ways of fishing techniques is using wild otters to chase for fish underneath. This hundred years old technique is almost getting lost except for a few fishermen’s doing in some villages of Bangladesh. On the way, we will be stopping at any of these villages to see the fishing technique and photography of the fishing, fisherman’s lifestyles, etc.
• Upon arrival to the Barisal, transfer to the hotel and overnight

Day 03: A day in floating markets & Exploring River life Barisal

Today early morning we will start towards the boat station banoripara, here our engine boat will be ready for the departure and the plan of the day includes - 

• This region is called swarupkati surrounded by water bodies and the boat is the main transportation. Early morning while the boat will take narrow canals, you will be amazed to see the everyday life of the people, bring a vegetable to the market by boat, washing, bathing, cleaning, kids running around so many things.
• The Floating markets are more than 200 years old and people still trade their vegetables, rice, fruits even small tea stalls in the markets, all the markets are located in different places and sit different days a week. as per the travel schedule, we will organize the visit
• Traditional Brick factory is very big in Bangladesh, especially near the riverside clay is very important for the factory production, so here we will also have a stop to see the traditional manual way of making bricks by more than 100 workers working in the field
• Floating gardens are a very new cultivation technique innovated in implemental by a group of villagers that help the locals to grow their vegetables on a floating platform.
• Back to the land and we will drive back to the city. Early evening, we will go to the river port to see the day's last active activities and all the boats will leave between 7:00 pm to 08:30 pm. enjoy the liveliness and capture in your frame. Overnight in Barisal city

Day 04: Water Lily village, gypsy floating home & River trip to Chittagong

Early in the morning before sunrise we will check out and drive to the water lily village, we will have local breakfast and then we will drive to the business capital Chittagong via crossing by several ferry boats. The day plan includes -

• Today also we will start very early in the morning during the sunrise because we have a schedule to visit the photogenic Water lily village in Barisal. The best time till 8:00 am when all the pink water lilies are flowering and kids bring boats to bring it home. This even you can only enjoy from September to Mid November.
• On the way to Chittagong, This area you will see Gypsy fisherman families living on boat generation by generation, move from place to place and living on boat and fishing, the whole family life is very hard but also it can give you a better understating of their tradition and culture.
• We will cross one of the biggest river channels of Bangladesh via ferry boat or local boat depends on the tide and weather. This part of the country has a very beautiful landscape of rivers, depress lands, cattle, etc. you can enjoy it from the boat.
• Upon arrival, transfer to feni and overnight in Feni.

Day 05: Shipbreaking yard & Rangamti Hill Tracts

The morning after breakfast, we will drive to Rangamati Hill tracts via crossing the Chittagong city and the tour itinerary includes -

• The massive & controversial shitakunda Shipbreaking yard is one of the biggest in the world. All the old ships all around the world were brought here to break into pieces manually. Environmentally hazardous and this risky labor was always questioned but still it’s going on its flow. Now no tourists or foreigners are allowed to visit from inside but taking a boat ride in the river you will have the idea of this massive work!
• We will drive and stops near the roadside for visiting local markets. Today we need to stop at the military check port to show our permission and signature in the entry form for the visit of each hill tract.
• Afternoon check in to the hotel and we will stroll to a Chakma village to spend the afternoon and enjoy the sunset and overnight in Rangamati hill tracts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Day 06: Day out in manmade Lake Kaptai & Tribal weekly market

The Rangamti city is situated in the Kaptai Lake, built in 1960 before the librations for creating hydro electrical power which causes thousands of people to displace from their home which created the anger bring them to 20 years long conflicts ended up 1997. We will explore the area including

• The morning after breakfast, we will drive to banarupa market, in the weekly market days; this market became the biggest market in rangamti and people travel 4 -6 hours by boat with their crops to do their buy and sell. The boat station becomes so busy with tribal people loading and offload their crops, the main market selling different wild and uncommon things makes it the most interesting market to visit.
• Then we will take a boat for the market area for a day-long boat trip to visit the remote parts lake, explore the way locals living and meeting up with the tribal families. We will stop at the local fishing places to take pictures.
• Chakma tribal group is the main tribe in rangamti and the king belongs to their community. We will cruise around two houses to go to a remote village of Chakma tribe on an island, visit the village spend time with them, we will also arrange a few villagers for photo sessions, their handloom weaving work, enjoy locally made snacks.
• On the way back, we will stop at a tipra tribal village, a stroll in the village, on the way back enjoy the sunset and overnight in Rangamti

Day 07: Explore the Remote Bandarbans Hill tribe & their cultures

The morning after breakfast, we will start towards Bandarbans Hills through a hill road. During this travel, we have to stop at 2 checkpoints to show our letter of both cities exist of rangamti and in of Bandarban. The day plan includes –

• We will stop at the viewpoints near the lakeside road towards Bandarban. It’s a panoramic road one sidehill, one Side Lake with small tribal hats, temples,s, and villages.
• We will cross a big market on the way to Bandarban, interesting every Tuesday this market sits and here you will find a mix of both the sates tribe and Bengalis come for shopping.
• Today afternoon upon arrival in Bandarban, we will transfer you to the hotel, check-in, and free time
• Afternoon we will drive to the riverside of Sangu to do a brief boat ride in the Sangu river. Sangu river is considered the main water source in Bandarban and especially in the afternoon most of the villagers come to the riverside to do their household works, bathing, playing, etc
• We will cruise to a marma village and stops and explore the marma tribal village. Marma tribe is the main tribe in Bandarban and this village is still living its traditional life. Back to the land and overnight in Bandarban

Day 08: Day with remote tribes, hiking & new Religion krama of the Mru tribe

Early morning after breakfast, we will take the local four-wheel jeep to drive to the remote parts and villages at the footholds of the hills to see and spend more time with them, the tour plans include -

• The morning after breakfast, first few hours in the colorful Bandarban market in a market day, here in weekly markets you will get a chance to meet with different tribal groups like bawm, murang, chak, marma, and Tripura. They come to the market wearing their traditional dresses. Explore the market and for a while, you may feel you are in Burma now
• Then we will drive through the hilly road to visit the MRO tribal villages in the Chimbuk hill area. Basically practicing animism, later some of them were converted in Buddhist, Christianity and a new region born in this region around 1987 called krama, we will visit the village from where the religion born, meet and spend time with them.
• Tripura Tribe is one of the most colorful tribes to see and photograph. They are different because of the traditional basalts they wear in the neck, living in the foothold; we will walk down to the hills to explore the tribe and their lifestyle.
• We will organize their traditional cultural program in the village how they celebrate in their festivals
• Enjoy the sunset and overnight in Bandarban

Day 09: Welcome to the Business capital Chittagong

The morning after breakfast, we will spend some times in Bandarbans and then transfer to Chittagong city and the plan includes –

• Bawm tribe is famous for making blankets and handkerchiefs. We will visit one of their tribal villages to see the life of the bawm people.
• Today on the way to Chittagong, we will stop at the fish harbor of Chittagong from where all the boat anchor. It’s a beautiful people and from the bridge, you will get a nice view of the harbor,
• We will walk to the fish harbor, meet with the fisherman’s, see the traditional boat, seeing their work at the nets fixing, etc, a boat ride in the harbor to talk some nice pictures in the afternoon
• Evening back to the hotel and overnight in Chittagong

Day 10: Train ride to Dhaka & koraail slam

The morning after breakfast, transfer to the train station and we will take a train ride to Dhaka. The itinerary is interesting of the day especially the train ride and an afternoon with slam people and it includes -

• Early morning a train leaves from Chittagong towards Dhaka. It will be around 5-6 hours of ride and the route of the train is through the small and big cities, villages, near the riverside, green fields. We will greatly move subject and passengers who will be traveling with you on the train. We will be taking sitting near the windows to get more shots in our frame
• A train station is also an interesting place, here several trains leave at the same time and the station is always busy.
• Afternoon we will be exploring the korail slam, situated near the rich place this is the place where you will see the rickshaw driver, daily workers, and the garments workers are living. Afternoon we will walk to the slam, meet with the locals and also see some unique effort by themselves that makes their living better. overnight in Dhaka

Day 11: A Photo walk in Dhaka streets

Dhaka is considering a city of photography. 16 million people living in this and making their living in Dhaka, their movement and activities make the city alive. Our day plan is

• The flower market in Dhaka sits very early in the morning and from here all the flowers get distributed to all retail shops around the capital. We will visit the market early in the morning and here all different kinds of flowers from all the parts of Bangladesh come to do the daily trading.
• Kawran Bazar is one of the biggest highlights of Dhaka city. The market with endless photography options from the colorful vegetable, crowd, steer and train track side market everything is here. You need two-three houses only for this market.
• The new market block printing is also very interesting to watch. One floor with hundreds of people with wooden stamps and colors making the block printing work very colorful. From this market area, you will also get some nice rickshaws and traffic viewpoints to catch.
• The sadarghat river port is the highlight of the day. It’s the largest river port and afternoon you will see the port get busy to start departing the big boats. Hundreds of small and big boats crossing the river and the other side of the river will also visit the shipbuilding and repairing yard. People work with big parts of the steels, propellers, and many incredible things to watch.

Day 12: Final Departure

The morning after breakfast, some free time and transfer to the airport to take the international flight from Dhaka to your next destination and end our services –

Package Price per person in USD

Package Includes:

• Accommodation in couple sharing Basis
• All transfers as per mentioned by 20 seated tourist coach  
• All train ride by chair coach seats
• Local transport Non-air-conditioned
• Breakfast from day 01 to day 12.
• All Entry fees, permission, etc
• Special permission for Chittagong Hill
• English speaking tour guide

Package Excludes:

•  Any kind of lunch or dinner
• Items of personal nature
• Any kind of tipping
• Any kind of canceling in train/bus
• Any kind of insurance
• In any emergency, Bangladesh Eco Adventure will have the right to change hotels

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• Price From: 1745 USD

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