A November festival journey built around the Manipuri Rash Mela and the candle-lit Rakher Upobash, with Sundarbans, tea hills and photography stops.
Arrive at Dhaka airport and transfer to the hotel for a brief rest, then tour Dhaka with the guide, visiting Sadarghat river port and shipyard, Pink Palace, Shakhari Bazar (Hindu Street), Armenian Church, Star Mosque and Lalbagh Fort. In the evening participate in the candle-lit Rakher Upobash festival.
Drive to Tangail, visiting a Grameen Bank micro-credit project on the way, then see the Atia Mosque and the Tangail weaving village. Continue to Bogra with a riverside stop to watch farming and cultivation before checking in.
Visit the ancient Mahasthangarh citadel and the vegetable market, then drive to Gaibandha to board a cruising boat exploring the islands of the Brahmaputra. See isolated island life, take a horse or cow cart ride, then transfer to Rangpur for the night.
Drive to the majestic Kantajew terracotta temple and join the November month-long festivity, then continue to the Paharpur Buddhist Monastery (UNESCO) and its museum. Drive on to Rajshahi, with a possible sunset boat tour on the Ganges, arriving in the early evening.
Drive to Kushtia, stopping at the Putia temple city to see the Govinda, Shiva and Gopala temples and the mystic poet Lalon's shrine. Continue to Jessore, arriving in the evening for the night.
Drive to Mongla in the early morning, stopping to see traditional otter fishing on the way. Board a motor boat to cruise around the Sundarbans, visiting a forest station and fisherman villages, then overnight on the boat.
Transfer by boat to Mongla and drive to the mosque city of Bagerhat to visit the 60-domes mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue to Barisal, visiting a river gypsy village on the way.
Early morning with a packed breakfast, head to Banaripara boat station and board a motorized local boat to explore the floating market selling seasonal vegetables, rice, fruit and wooden furniture. After visiting the local market and riverside village, begin the drive back to Dhaka.
Fly to Cox's Bazar and take a photo walk through the fish market, followed by a visit to the largest dry fish market in Asia. Spend the afternoon near Teknaf watching fishermen return from the sea in their traditional half-moon boats.
Transfer to Chittagong and explore the business capital, including the harbor and war cemetery, with a boat ride to view the ship breaking yard from outside. Overnight in Chittagong.
Drive to the tea capital Sreemangal, visiting the 8th-century ruins of Mainamati and roadside sights including rice processing places on the way. On arrival check in and walk through the tea gardens.
Walk inside Lawachara National Park in the morning, then transfer to the Rash Mela festival ground. The festival unfolds in three parts: Manipuri children dressed as Krishna dancing in the temple grounds, the afternoon community celebration, and the late-night Rash Leela performance on the special stage from 23:00.
Drive towards Dhaka, visiting a batik village on the way. On arrival walk into the Korail slum and enjoy some sightseeing and shopping around the city before an overnight stay.
Begin the day at Kawran Bazar wholesale market, then drive to the Dhaka University campus, Lalbagh Fort and the dockyard. Take a boat tour in the Sadarghat area and walk the old town with a rickshaw ride, Hindu Street and the Star Mosque.
Early breakfast and transfer to the airport to fly home.
