YPT Tours to Bangladesh

Join us on our Bangladesh Tours for a taste of one of the least visited countries in the world. Bangladesh sees barely 100,000 visitors a year, which makes it the least-touristic country in the world per capita! So much so that the country’s tourist board has adopted the slogan “Visit Bangladesh Before Tourists Come”.

Prepare to have your prejudices challenged on our Bangladesh tours and see the many facets of the country, from the overcrowded streets of chaotic Dhaka and the dust of Chittagong’s giant ship-breaking yard to the enchanting canals of the Sundarbans – the world’s largest mangrove forest – or the colourful floating markets of Barishal. Here, tourists are as rare as the Royal Bengal tiger, the country’s endangered symbol, and never go unnoticed.

“Are you lost? Where are you from?” The friendly locals will enquire of your well-being, wishing you a safe journey and return to their own business. Less touristic than Thailand, Bangladesh is the other Land of Smiles.

Group Tours to Bangladesh

Bangladesh tours are offered every summer by YPT, either as stand alone or in combination with trips to Bhutan and Nepal for a complete exploration of the Himalayas.

Bangladesh, Bhutan & Nepal: Unexplored South Asia Tour – 27th June – 7th July 2025 – US$2745

Bangladesh Unbound Tour – 24th June – 30th June 2025 – US$1195

Independent Tours to Bangladesh

Having ran Bangladesh tours for several years, Young Pioneer Tours have developed a deep relationship with local partners and guides. As such we can arrange independent and bespoke travel packages, no matter what you’re looking for: a simple day-tour of Dhaka, a beach getaway at Cox’s Bazar, an exploration of the country’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, or a safari in the Sundarbans, looking for the elusive Bengal tiger. Prices depend on the number of people and what level of accommodation you desire, but YPT can arrange everything you need for perfect independent Bangladesh tours.

Example of a Full Bangladesh Itinerary (10 days)

Day 1 – Dhaka – Narail – Khulna

• Arrive at your convenience into Dhaka – the capital city of Bangladesh which is well connected from many countries within Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
• Our private transport will pick you up from your hotel in Dhaka and transfer you to Dhaka airport.
• Board a 45-minute domestic flight to Jashore, located in the south-western part of Bangladesh.
• On arrival we’ll make our way to Narail to visit a legit fishermen village and get an insight to a lesser-known Bangladesh. Here you will have first-hand experience with otter fishing, a traditional method of fishing that involves the use of trained otters to assist in catching fish. This village is one of the very last in the world where you can still witness this 1400-year-old technique.

Afternoon

• We’ll drive to Khulna, the third largest city in Bangladesh.
• Our visit of Khulna will include the 1971 Genocide-Torture Museum, which details the bloodbath the country witnessed during the Liberation War against Pakistan.
• We’ll also stop at the Gollamari Memorial Monument, built on the spot where Pakistani forces and their local collaborators killed at least 14,00 people during the war.
• Overnight in Khulna

Day 2 – Khulna – Sundarbans National Park

• Today we will drive to Mongla, a seaport city not far from the Sundarbans National Park. We’ll embark on a boat there and sail to the national park.
• The Sundarbans is the world’s largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, we’ll do a cruise on a rowing boat through the canals. We’ll look for monkeys, deer, crocodiles, clawless otters and many different types of birds. Sundarbans is also the home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, a highly endangered species.

Afternoon

• We will visit small villages in the Sundarbans and have fishermen explain their way of living. Now will be the opportunity to learn to fish like a true Bengali!
• Our accommodation for tonight will be an eco-resort built in the mangrove forest, where we will spend the night on wooden houses built on stilts above the water.
• Overnight in Sundarbans National Park

Day 3 – Bagherat – Khulna

• We will hike the wooden trail of Karamjol. In the dense forest, we hope to see more wildlife: monkeys, deer, foxes, crocodiles, wild boars, reptiles…
• Our next stop will be the Crocodile breeding centre. It was established in Karamjol in 2000 for the purpose of breeding and conservation of the endangered species of salt-water crocodiles, which is the largest reptile in the world.

Afternoon

• We will sail back to Mongla and drive to Bagherat.
• Bagherat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that preserves the surviving monuments of Khalifatabad, a town built in the fifteenth century by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan. An exceptional number of mosques and early Islamic monuments can be seen there.
• We’ll see a dense amount of Islamic religious monuments and impressive infrastructure (water supply and drainage, cisterns and reservoirs, roads and bridges), revealing a perfect mastery of urban planning.
• We will then drive to Khulna and have dinner there.
• In the evening, we will board the Sundarban Express Sleeper to Dhaka. Some locals travel on the roof of trains, but our sleeper cabins will be much safer!
• Overnight on the train

Day 4 – Dhaka

Morning

• We will arrive in Dhaka at 7:00am. After breakfast, you’ll have the possibility to relax at our hotel, or to explore the city. 

Afternoon

• Visit Lalbagh Fort. Built in 1678, it is the most recognised symbol of Mughal rule in Bengal. The fort was built as the official residence of the governor and the complex also includes the tomb of Pari Bibi and a mosque. Its bright green lawns, fountains and water channels make this unique landmark stick out in Dhaka.
• Visit Curzon Hall, a British Raj-era building and home of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Dhaka. The building was originally intended to be a town hall and is named after Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India who laid its foundation stone in 1904.
• Board a light-boat near the terminal port and sail down the river towards the ship breaking yards on the opposite side of the river. Here, large passenger and fishing ships are not only broken down and recycled, but also repaired and brought back to life. We’ll land here and explore the dock.
• Return to the river terminal, which is one of the most crowded places in the city. After exploring the busy port, we’ll board our overnight ferry to Barishal – located in the southern region of Bangladesh.
• Dinner & drinks will be served in your first-class cabin as the riverine nightlife passes your window.
• Overnight on ferry

Day 5 – Barishal

Morning

• A breakfast pack will be given to you before our ferry arrives at approx. 6:00am
• We’ll make our way by private transport to Kuriana (1 hour drive), the largest floating market in Bangladesh.
• You’ll board our private boat an embark through the many tiny rivers and canals hidden through remote rural villages, until Baukathi. This is a very popular floating vegetable market where may traditional handmade wooden boats are filled with farmers selling their freshly grown vegetables to the city vegetable vendors.
• Continue cruising down the narrow canals passing through many neighbourhoods until we reach Kirtipasha Zamindar Bari, a century-old house abandoned and in a dilapidated condition.
• We’ll board our boat and head towards a huge timber market that operates on the banks of the river.

Afternoon

• Head to Kuriana Bazar, here we’ll have lunch sampling special local dishes and snacks of the southern region.
• We’ll board our boat once more and set sail to Chakhar Ser-A-Bangla Fazlul Haq Museum dedicated to Abul Kasem Fazlul Huq – he was the first and longest serving Prime Minister of Bengal, presenting the Lahore Resolution and leading the United Front to win the 1954 East Bengali election. In Pakistan he is remembered as one of the country’s founding statesmen. In Bangladesh he is revered as one of the most important Bengali statesmen of the 20th century.
• Our van will pick us up and take us to our hotel in Barishal to check-in and freshen up.
• We’ll then walk to Trish Godaun to experience a local spot of recreation along the Kirtankhola River. You’ll also have the chance to walk through the marketplace and experience the livelihood of the countryside.
• Dinner in the city and overnight in Barishal.

Day 6 – Barishal – Dhaka

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and early departure back to Dhaka (5 hour drive). During our journey we’ll cross the mighty Ganges River.

Afternoon

• Lunch on arrival back in the capital at the busy Karan Bazar where we can sample various Bangladeshi curries, pride of a culture! Prepare yourself for a rush of colours, fragrances, noises and people, along with formidable photo ops!
• We’ll continue making our way through the tiny alleys of old Dhaka until we reach Star Mosque. Built in the first half of the 19th century, this cute mosque has ornate designs and is decorated with motifs of blue stars.
• We’ll then visit the Armenian Church. Armenians were sent by the Persians to the Bengal region for both political and economic exploitations. Armenian merchants traded in jute and leather and profitability in these businesses convinced some to move permanently to Bangladesh. These days the Armenian presence in Bangladesh is basically nothing but this church remains.
• Stop by the Pink Palace (or Ahsan Manzil). Built in 1872 and now a museum, it was previously the official residential palace and seat of the Nawab of Dhaka – the head of largest Muslim zamindar in British Bengal and Assam.
• We will then head to the Parliament building of Dhaka, one of the most impressive buildings in the whole country. We cannot enter but it’s just as spectacular from the outside.
• Now’s your chance to experience Dhakaya Beriany – a long list of incredibly delicious and food that Dhaka has to offer.
• Dinner, drinks and overnight in Dhaka.

Day 7 – Chittagong

• We continue to the airport to catch our morning flight to Chittagong
• After arriving in Chittagong, we will head on a city tour of Bangladesh’s second most important city stopping by the World War II cemetery and the Chandarnpura mosque.

Afternoon

• Chittagong is famous for its beef curry served in claypots, so we’ll make sure to sample that!
• We head to the shipbreaking yard at Kumira Shitakuna to see the work done on enormous boats as they are being torn into pieces for recycling. It is the world’s biggest shipbreaking industry and is now world famous. It was the inspiration of a level in the video game series Uncharted and used as a film location in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
• If we get permission from the government using our great contacts in the country, we’ll charter a boat to go around the shipbreaking yard and get incredible photo opportunity of this post-apocalyptic landscape. Recently, however, the government has not given the permission to many people to visit the area as it is highly controversial due to the lack of safety measures for the worker
• Visit the sadarghat river port, thriving with fish hagglers and renowned to be a wonderful spot for sunsets in Chittagong. Here, we will pick fresh fish for dinner.

Day 8 – Bandarbans

• Today we are making our way across the numerous rivers of the Bandarbans hill district
• Our first stop today, is the morning fish market, it is the biggest fish market in Bangladesh where all the fishermen bring all sorts of fish caught in the sea and the rivers. It is a hectic place, packed with ships and noises.
• We then drive for three hours to Bandarban. Bandarban is home to over fifteen tribes and is renowned for its cultural diversity. Up until recently, it was the theatre of many tribal struggle as the tribes won’t agree on the repartition of power amongst them. Our expert guide will tell us more about the political situation of the area.

Afternoon

• Once we’re there, we will visit the Mru tribal village, one of the tribes who are still living very remotely from the rest of civilization. Their ancient traditions are still very much alive. We’ll be invited in their homes, meet up with different members of the family and have them show us around.
• We’ll then head to the Bawm tribal village, they are famous for their weaving work.
• We stop by Shailo Propat, the best spot to buy local handicraft.
• Visit of the Golden Temple, it is the second highest temple in Bangladesh but is also considered the main temple for Buddhist followers in Bandarban. In the afternoon, gorgeous light reflects on the temple.
• To catch the daily life here, we’ll have to jump on a boat trip on the Sangu river. Here, people come to the riverside to bathe, do laundry and kids to play football, amongst many other things!
• Back to the city for dinner

Day 9 – Cox’s Bazaar

• Once we’re done with Bandarban, we’ll head to the famous beach city of Cox’s Bazaar.

Afternoon

• After such a packed trip full of boat rides, tuktuk, trains and such, it will be good to make the most of the laidback city of Cox’s Bazaar and relax by the beach or go swimming during our free afternoon. If relaxing is not your thing, you can go see the fishermen at work or explore the nearby natural beauties.
• Dinner of fish barbecue by the beach and celebration as tomorrow is the last day of our trip!

Day 10 – Dhaka

• After breakfast, we catch our flight back to Dhaka. Tour ends

Bespoke Bangladesh Tours 

We are able to offer the following bespoke Bangladesh tours. Should what you are looking for not be on this list, please get in touch to see if we can fix it for you.

Sundarbans National Park Tour

Embark on a boat safari through the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans. You’ll experience a totally different side of Bangladesh, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. You’ll look for wildlife in the largest mangrove forest in the world, witness the ancient otter fishing technique and sleep in the jungle. This tour is perfect for nature enthusiasts and wildlife photographers. We’ll look for monkeys, deer, crocodiles, clawless otters and many different types of birds. Sundarbans is also the home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, a highly endangered species.

Cox’s Bazar Holiday Tour

Bangladesh tours can also take you to paradisiac beaches, around Cox’s Bazaar. Enjoy thrilling water sports, indulge in fresh seafood, and soak up the sun on the pristine beaches, far from the crowds. Take a boat trip to nearby islands and explore hidden coves. This tour is perfect for those seeking relaxation amidst breathtaking scenery, on a budget price.

Bengal Culture Tour

On this tour, you’ll witness traditional folk dances and music performances, but also visit the Kakran Pottery Village and Dhamrai Brass Artisans area. Learn about the rich heritage of Bangladesh through visits to workshops and enjoy delicious Bengali cuisine.

Bangladesh Homestay Program

Thanks to our contacts, YPT can organise a village homestay, which will give you a deep insight into the life of rural communities. While sharing their hospitality, you will be able to join their daily work in and around the house or in the fields, visit the local school, river and lakes and try your luck at catching fish from the pond. Your host will facilitate the communication with the villagers.

Sreemangal Tea Plantations Tour

Sreemangal, Bangladesh’s tea capital, is home to 163 of the country’s 177 tea gardens. Explore plantations, meet workers, and sip the unique seven-colour tea on our tour. Beyond the tea, you’ll be able to discover the Lawachara National Park, a haven for wildlife where you can encounter animals like gibbons and bears.

Filming in Bangladesh Tours

Through our media arm Pioneer Media we can make arrangements for productions, journalists, or others to film within Bangladesh from big-budget to guerrilla productions. We can also arrange meetings in country, as well as correct visas for journalists wishing to do projects within Bangladesh.

Frequently asked Questions about travel to Bangladesh

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