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Maze of alleyways of Dhaka in 6 days
$620 tour starting at
Exploring the maze of alleyways in Dhaka can be a fascinating experience, allowing you to immerse yourself in the city’s vibrant culture and history. This six-day trip in and around Dhaka would let you explore Dhaka’s new and old neighborhoods, including a day trip to the first capital Sonargaon, the Brass artisan village in Dhamrai, and some ancient and contemporary architecture.
You can spend a couple of days walking on the street, taking pictures, meeting friendly people, exploring local craftsmanship and the recycling industry and trying delicious foods. Our expert tour leaders prefer to give you more cultural engagements rather than pointing out the touristic spots. This trip will drive you through the deeper perceptions of culture; the streets are not yet mentioned in any travel guidebooks. Walking through the heritage and chaotic habitation would give you an experience that you have never thought of!
The world considers today’s Dhaka as a chaotic and densely populated city; maybe the density is her strength, and chaos is the rhythm of life. Dhaka has an exciting history and rich cultural heritage. Dhaka city still has a name for its exotic culinary and cuisine. Royal Bengal Tours welcomes you to explore this chaotic town to earn a unique and unforgettable memory.
An excursion to the Liberation War Museum and National Museum will increase the understanding of the culture and history of this country.
The National Parliament Building is the most notable modern building in Bangladesh. Bold geometrical patterns and monumental architecture are very typical of Louis I Kahn – the world-famous American architect. A visit to this building is a unique experience for an architect as well as for any tourist. Bangladesh shows an enormous body of architecture from different periods, which the world has not discovered yet. Royal Bengal Tours is the pioneer in establishing some unique “Architecture tours of Bangladesh” in collaboration with the Swiss Architecture Museum (S AM) for the first time in the country.
A day excursion to the old capital Sonargaon is a great treat. For someone interested in local artisanship, a trip to the pottery village to see these local artisans of Bengal and also see the people working with brass metal- creating their beautiful artwork will surely uplift your spirit. A trip to Bangladesh is incomplete without a river cruise and seeing the primitive life around the delta.
You may leave the choices up to your guide & driver to unbox their secretes and decide best as per your main points of interest and considering the traffic.
Please note that this itinerary provides a general outline, and you can customize it according to your interests, the duration of your stay, and any specific attractions or events happening during your visit. Also, remember to consider the local weather conditions and plan accordingly.
- Trip Price
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$
620
price starts from
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Group Size Per-person price in USD Or in BDT 1 PAX $1,200.00 120,000.00 2 PAX $717.00 71,700.00 4 PAX $670.00 67,000.00 6 PAX $620.00 62,000.00 1.2% to 2.5% charges will be applicable while paying by credit card.
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Destination
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Departure
Please arrive by 9:15 AM for a prompt departure at 9:30 AM. -
Departure Time
Approximately 8:30 PM. -
Dress Code
Casual, comfortable athletic clothing, closed shoes, hat. Warm jacket during the winter (November to February). Raincoat/ umbrella during the rainy season (May to August). Full sleeves are always necessary while visiting any religious place, mosque, temple, church or a trip during Ramadan. -
Included
AC vehicle with experienced chauffeur for sightseeing and transfersAccommodation in twin sharing basis as per itineraryAll air, bus, train and launch tickets as per itineraryAll entrance fees and local permitsAll Museum TicketsAll rickshaw/ cycle / boat / local transportsBottled water, soft drinks and seasonal fruits during the sightseeingExpert English-Speaking GuideLunchTrip as per itineraryTypical Souvenir -
Not Included
Any activity not mentioned in the itinerary.DinnerGratuitiesLocal guide/ escort/ experts/ academicsPersonal expenses
From Our Gallery
Some photos of this trip from our travel diary
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Day 1: Dhaka arrival, pickup from the airport and transfer to the hotel
Upon arrival at Dhaka airport, you will be received by your guide & driver and transfer to the hotel. Depending on the remaining time of the day, we will offer you some activities around. Overnight stay at the hotel in the diplomatic zone.
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Day 2: Walking tour of Old Dhaka
Your guide and driver will come to pick you up from your hotel and drive to Kawran Bazar – the central marketplace for vegetables, fruits, fish, meats and many other products; that come from all over Bangladesh, even abroad. About an hour's walk through this chaotic market is fascinating. Continue driving to Dhaka art school and Curzon Hall of Dhaka University. And here we start our couple of hour walks through the heart of old Dhaka streets. This walk will include Kazi Alauddin Road and neighborhood, Bongshal cycle street and residential area, carpenter street, Pakistan Math, Koshaituli Old Mosque and residential area, Noya Bazar, Tanti Bazar and Shakhari Bazar Hindu Street, a local garments factory visits and ending up in Sadarghat riverfront. Your guide will offer you a short boat trip on the Burigonga River by country boat and continue walking along the shipbuilding yard on the other side of the river. The magic hands built all the giant ships without any modern automatic tools. Walking around the spice market and visiting the beautiful Ruplal house is also fascinating. Typical Bangla lunch will be offered at historical “Beauty Boarding” Knowing the Western sensitivity stomach, we have a selection of reputed local restaurants to try the delicious local cuisine without any worries. Continue walking through the Burigonga River bank till to Armenian Church and Star Mosque, Pink Palace and nawab bari pond will be visited on the way. If we are allowed by the time and still energetic to explore more, we will take you to various recycling hubs of the old town and then drive back to your hotel/ residence. A rickshaw ride is an option instead of walking. Our vehicle will drive us from place to place. You will be arriving home late in the afternoon or early in the evening. Overnight stay at the hotel in the diplomatic zone.
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Day 3: Excursion to first capital; Sonargaon, Cruise on Meghna River and primitive rural life of Char Village
Your guide will come to pick you up at 8:00 AM and leave Dhaka for Sonargaon; on the way, we shall take our first stop in Nawapara Jamdani village. This is where the magic fingers are weaving traditional Jamdani sari, which is an incredible artwork that unfortunately disappears. Continue to drive to the old capital of Bengal – Sonargaon; Goaldi Mosque, Panam Nagar, beautiful Sadarbari, and the well-maintained Folk-Art Museum are well worth visiting. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. Then, continue driving to Buiddyer Bazar. Here we take a country boat for a couple of hours cruise on the Meghna (One of the Major rivers in Bangladesh, which came from India) River for a couple of hours. This river trip will include an interesting walk to explore the primitive Char village life. Char is a temporary sandy shifting island formed by river erosion and sedimentation. There are thousands of chars in Bangladesh up from the northern part to the south coast. This char can disappear by flooding, high tide, strong river current, or any natural disaster or so… Life in the char is minimal; access to the medical care center and education is very tough, impossible in some areas.
We'll return to Dhaka in the late afternoon. Overnight stay at the same hotel in the diplomatic zone.
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Day 4: Some architectures of Dhaka City
Leave the hotel/ residence at 7 AM, and drive to Marina’s Mosque in the north of Dhaka city. Continue to drive toward the south to visit K. Chowdhury’s Mosque in Gulshan. Continue driving towards the National assembly building for a couple of hours visit inside. Lunch will be served at the parliament cafeteria (subject to availability) or at a local restaurant, then visit Luis Kahn Hospital Complex, Muzharul Islam’s Bricks buildings. Continue driving to visit a floating bamboo school nearby a brick factory and, on the way, explore the Gabtoli River terminal and Neighbourhood. Gabtoli hosts one of the biggest bus terminals and the largest year-round cattle market. Nearby port imports various construction materials (sand, stone chips, cement, and bricks) and mine coals from different parts of Bangladesh. All these heavy goods are unloaded from the water vessels by manual day laborers.
Drive back to the hotel early in the evening.
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Day 5: Past Glory, Present Development – trip to pottery and bras artisan villages
Leave Dhaka at 7:30 AM for Manikganj, located about 70 km from Dhaka. Drive to Baliati Palace Museum. A twenty-minute walk through the picturesque landscape brings you to some of the abandoned Hindu palaces in the nearby village; this walk lets you dip into the local’s life and gives you an insightful picture of Bangladesh's rural and peaceful village life. On the way, stop at the Eshore Chandra High School, the first certified high school in East Bengal. Then, continue driving towards Dhamrai for famous brass artisans and pottery village excursion. During the Bengali month of Ashar (June-July), the colorful Hindu festival ‘Ratha Jatra’ takes place here. The large ‘Rath’, similar to a Roman chariot, can be seen throughout the year. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant on the way. The tour will continue to Nayarhat, where you will leave the vehicle and take a short boat journey to Kakran. Here most villagers are engaged in the pottery trade.
After returning to the vehicle, we will head back towards Dhaka. If we are allowed by the time and traffic situation, we may stop at the beautiful Jahangir Nagar University campus, famous for the flocks of migratory birds visiting the many lakes in winter. This tour returns to Dhaka in the late afternoon. Overnight stay at the same hotel in the diplomatic zone.
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Day 6: Mingling and bargaining
On your last day, we suggest a visit to the busy different market area, where everything from readymade garments to jewelry, saris, household items, books, and art supplies are sold also nicest fair trade and women’s cooperative stores that sell a beautiful array of locally and sustainably produced handicrafts.
You will be transferred to the airport according to your flight time.
We say goodbye to meet again.
Have a safe flight.
Tour Location
New Dhaka, Old Dhaka, Sonargaon, Savar, Dhamrai, Manikgonj
Vastey | Cambridge, UK
Friendly, professional & insightful guide service in Dhaka
Nov 2015 • Business
I travelled to Bangladesh on business from the UK, and wanted a guide to give me a tour of Dhaka to get my bearings. I spent a great couple of days with Jewel of Royal Bengal Tours and had a tremendous time. Before arriving in Dhaka, he was always prompt and concise when answering email enquiries. In Dhaka, he gave a great tour of the city, as well as a second tour outside to Sonargaon. I used his services over a number of days and he was always friendly and professional, and had a deep knowledge of his city to pass on. He was also very helpful when I had further travel arrangements to make, such as hotel and train bookings. When the occasional minor problem arose, as happens in Dhaka, he he was excellent at handling changes to the itinerary. I have travelled widely in India and Pakistan, but this was my first trip to Bangladesh. Jewel gave me a great introduction, and if I was returning to Dhaka, Jewel would be my first choice of guides to use.
khalid
An awesome tour guide in a wonderful city
Dec 2015 • Solo
Jewel is a very friendly, sweet, enthusiastic and knowledgeable person I had a wonderful time with him, one of the best guides I have encountered and would highly recommend his
services if you are in Bangladesh or Dhaka do not miss Jewel’s tours! It’s a great experience and you’ll have the chance to see what this country has to offer! And trust me, you’ll be blown away by its beauty!
Phil_Haines | London, United Kingdom
Jewel is a Bangladeshi gem
Nov 2016 • Business
I was in Dhaka for 5 days intended for meetings and a little test cricket. I met Jewel by accident and passed a couple of days and evenings in his company. He did more than show me around, he made me feel at home in Bangladesh. We did all the sites but also had fun doing ‘normal’ things like eating Biryani, walking around markets and hanging out in local bars.
I travel a lot and it is so refreshing travelling with someone who cares so much about their clients and country, they ensure the meeting results in happy friends for life.
I highly recommend Bangladesh in the company of Jewel.
Uschi_12 | Jakarta, Indonesia
Personal and Up-Close
Jul 2017 • Solo
Where to begin? Let’s start with the initial contact. Jewel, guide and owner of the company, replied to my request for general information immediately. My subsequent emails asking for more information on the tours were answered just as quickly and in detail.
Jewel also asked me for more information as to what I was looking for during my visit. I have contact with Bangladeshi workers in Singapore and have become interested in learning more about Bangladeshi culture in general and the environment that the workers come from in particular in hopes of getting a glimpse of what their lives are like in their home country – the impetus for my visit.
When I mentioned this to Jewel, he said that he would make sure that I would meet local workers as well as get plenty of opportunities to interact with local people in general.
It became clear very quickly that this is not just a company that follows a set itinerary no matter what but rather aims to fulfill their customers’ wishes.
Before I arrived, I had the name of my guide, Abu Sayed, along with some of his personal information, his professional background and his contact details. I had a suggested itinerary for my 3 days in Dhaka. I had the pick-up time. 8 am in the hotel lobby.
Abu Sayed arrived and I felt immediately at ease with him. He turned out to be a truly exceptional guide. He is proud of his country and happy to share his knowledge about its history, culture, food, and people. We spent about 10 hours a day together. There was never a moment when we did not talk. I had many questions. He had many answers. No subject was ever taboo.
Before we started out on our day, he would discuss the itinerary with me. He always had one. We rarely stuck to it. I kept taking photos, asking him to translate questions I had for people on the street, we ended up being invited to peoples’ homes, we went to a school when one of the sites on the itinerary was closed, we went to a ship yard so that I could talk to the workers there, we visited a village where textiles are produced and were invited to the owner’s home, we stopped off at his aunt’s house – I could go on and on.
None of that would have been possible without Aby Sayed. His friendly personality opened all kinds of doors – figuratively and literally. Early on, he figured out what I was interested in and just let me meander. I asked him to take me to places he thought I would like. He was never wrong. We may not have stuck to the “official” itinerary, but it was a perfect 3 days for me.
Jewel invited me and Abu Sayed to dinner one of the evenings. He is just as passionate about his job and his country as Abu Sayed. Jewel is also involved in charity work. He helps kids with their education. We mentioned that we met a lovely intelligent deaf and dumb girl in the school we visited. We were wondering if perhaps Jewel could help in getting her some special instruction. He was more than eager to follow up. He promised to let me know.
My very intense 3 days ended at Abu Sayed’s house with a tasty dinner, which his lovely wife and sister-in-law provided. The tour officially ended at 5 pm (not that we ever finished by then!), but my plane didn’t leave till 10 pm, so Abu Sayed had invited me to spend the last hours with his family – after which he and the driver took me to the airport.
Apropos our driver – the traffic in Dhaka is beyond description. Our driver did a fantastic job! I felt safe no matter how bad it got.
Bangladesh is a poor country. The streets in Dhaka are jam-packed with humanity and there are rickshaws everywhere. The traffic is horrendous and pollution is bad. But that is not how I will remember my visit. What I will remember is life in Dhaka at its most intense and colorful.
Wherever we went, I was greeted with big smiles. Total strangers invited me into their homes and offered me food. The food – so good!!!! Because of Abu Sayed’s company and guidance, I encountered the most hospitable and welcoming people and had the privilege to peek into their lives.
I am not sure what I had expected when I decided to come to Bangladesh. What I do know is that Jewel and Abu Syed created the perfect experience for me. Thanks guys!
Uschi
UliPutz | Berlin, Germany
Great guide, fantastic insight, excellent logistics, and all at a very good price
Dec 2018 • Solo
This was my second solo trip to Dhaka and Bangladesh in general that Jewel from Royal Bengal Tours organized for me and I can just say, he is doing a FANTASTIC job. I hardly ever use a travel agents but in this case I only had few days on the ground and wanted to see as much as possible, and it was a huge success. Both guides Jewel provided me with were excellent, great English, great knowledge of the city and country and really pleasant to spend time with. Hotels were very good value for money, the driver and car a pleasure. If you want to get the most out of a quick trip to Dhaka or Cox Bazar, Royal Bengal Tours is really really worth it. I’d book them again in a heartbeat.
Tracy G | Los Angeles, California
Fantastic tour of Dhaka and surrounding region.
Jun 2019 • Friends
My daughter and I were in Dhaka for eight days for a wedding. Jewel, and and his team helped expedite our entrance into the country and arranged a fully custom tour and private driver during our trip. We visited Old Dhaka, Sonargaon, and all of the historic sites of the city and beyond. I think the highlights were the visits to the saree factory , and the brass and pottery artisans, the surgical ward of the general hospital, and enjoying a meal together in the home of our driver. We have used other travel companies, however, Royal Bengal Tours is the ONLY TOUR COMPANY I would recommend without reservation in Bangladesh!