Four days across Bangladesh's tea state: scenic train to Sreemangal, gibbon forests, Sylhet's blue-water Lalakhal and Ratargul swamp forest.
Meet at 6:00 am for transfer to Dhaka central rail station and board the 6:40 morning train to Sreemangal in reserved air-conditioned chair coach. The train rolls through villages, paddy fields and rivers, arriving around 11:00. After hotel check-in and free time, walk the lush green tea gardens and a tea workers' village in the afternoon, then visit Baikka Beel bird sanctuary for birdlife and sunset, stopping for the famous seven-layer tea on the way back. Overnight in Sreemangal.
Start early before breakfast with an hour-long walk inside Lawachara National Park, a tropical semi-evergreen forest and the best place to try to spot the endangered hoolock gibbons, then return for breakfast. Visit a Manipuri tribal village famous for handloom handicrafts and traditional customs. In the afternoon transfer to Sylhet (about 85 km / 3 hours) and drive to Sada Pathor, a striking destination of clear river water and stone collections framed by mountains. Overnight in Sylhet.
After breakfast, tour Sylhet city including the historic British-era Keane Bridge and the famous shrine of Shah Jalal, and see the ruins of the Jaintia kingdom. Take a boat cruise on the blue water of Lalakhal, considered the only river beach in Bangladesh, with viewpoints of Indian mountain ranges and waterfalls along the way. Continue to Jaflong on the India-Bangladesh border to see the riverside stone collection and enjoy the sunset before returning to the hotel. Overnight in Sylhet.
After breakfast, check out and drive to Ratargul swamp forest, the country's only freshwater swamp forest, exploring its depths by small boat. Then drive about 265 km / 6-7 hours back to Dhaka, stopping along the way to see traditional brick factories, rice processing, and, depending on timing, a block batik village. Transfer to your residence in the early evening, where the tour ends.
