Day 1: Pick-up from Hotel in Dhaka & Drive to Srimangal; Visit Tea Gardens
Welcome to take this private Srimangal and Sylhet tour! At around 7 am, your guide and driver will come to pick you up from your hotel in Dhaka and give you a 4.5-hour car ride to Srimangal. Affectionately called “the land of two leaves and a bud”, it will present vast tracts of tea plantations before your eyes. Check into the hotel on arrival and take a short rest, after which we will visit a nearby tea garden. Have lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, the guide will accompany you to travel around the local Rubber Garden. Later, we will head to the Manipuri tribal village to take a peek into the Manipur people’s daily life and their cloth weaving traditions, which once flourished under royal patronage and is gradually forgotten. In the evening, taste authentic Manipuri "seven-layer tea" at a tea stall called Neel Kantho. Mixing tea leaves, milk, and various spices together, the rainbow-like flavorful beverage will leave you with an endless aftertaste. Stay overnight in Srimangal.
► Quick Knowledge about Bangladesh as a Big Tea Producer:
Bangladesh is no doubt a big tea producer, with tea production taking 3% of the global total. Its tea planting history can date from the 19th century during the British rule. The Sylhet district, which is on our today’s agenda, is none other than where the East India Company initiated the tea trade of Bangladesh. Nowadays, there are some 160 tea gardens in the country, while as many as over 150 are found in this region. Tea growing requires highlands as well as enough rainfall and humidity, which Sylhet enjoys all and thus is the ideal place for it. The town of Srimangal is located right in the district, so on arrival you will see endless seas of tea gardens, with breathtaking natural beauties for you to explore. If you think Bangladesh is all about dense population and dreadful sanitary conditions, this hidden side of the country would be eye-opening.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Paragon & Resort Srimangal (4 stars)
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Day 2: Srimangal: Explore Lawachara National Park
Get up early today and your guide will escort you to Lawachara National Park to explore the mysterious splendor of the rainforest. Sheltering diverse wildlife including some rare species, it’s where to find the critically endangered Hoolock Gibbons (cute for their white eyebrows!). What’s more, see if you can capture any of some twenty deer living here! Then we will go to visit the Madhabpur Dam (Lake), a beautiful place covered by green hills yet seldom visited by tourists. Standing on it, you can enjoy the views of Indian Tripura. On the way back to the hotel, while away some time in some rubber and pineapple plantations and betel nut gardens. Later, visit a small tribal community at Tripura Village. Stay overnight in Srimangal. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Paragon & Resort Srimangal (4 stars)
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Day 3: Srimangal: Birding Tour at Baikka Beel; Drive to Sylhet
In the morning, we will drive to Baikka Beel Wetland Sanctuary for a bird-watching trip (only in winter from Nov. to Feb.; visit Madhabkunda Waterfall instead in other times). This is the heaven for winter birding as migratory water birds are attracted to this place at this time. Although monsoon (Jun. - Oct.) has a differently beautiful landscape, the roads would be frustratingly muddy, so at these times we will take you to the waterfall. If you have keen interest in birding, it’s recommended you take a binocular to zoom in on over 140 bird species that inhabit here. While observing, keep voice down or they might be startled. Baikal teal, a rare beautiful guest, might be a big draw for you.
Next, we will drive towards Sylhet. On the road, you will be greeted by tea gardens, rubber plantations, and wetlands. We will stop at certain places for you to enjoy their beautiful sceneries and take pictures. In Sylhet, let’s visit the famous Dargah of Shahjalal, the tomb of a great Sufi saint who introduced Islam to the region, before finishing the day. Tonight, stay at Sylhet.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Star Pacific, Sylhet (4 stars) / Similar
Cruising on Lake Bird Watching
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Day 4: Sylhet: Day Trip to Jaflong Zero Point; Cruise on Lala Khal River
Our today’s Sylhet tour will start with a drive to Jaflong Zero Point. Lying at the India-Bangladesh border area, Jaflong is famous for stone crushing business for construction work. The zero point is just the right place to view the Indian-side hills, from which the stones are washed downstream, with an iconic hill-linking bridge offering photo ops. As this is also an attraction for India travelers, so good luck meeting them! After visiting a quarry nearby, we will drive to Tamabil Village of Jainta Hills area, and have lunch in a restaurant here. In the afternoon, we will go to Lala Khal to experience a 1.5-hour cruise along the Lala Khal River, an emerald river that magically changes its color to aqua in winter. Later, go back to the hotel in downtown Sylhet. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Star Pacific Sylhet (4 stars) / Similar
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Day 5: Sylhet: Boat Ride at Ratargul Swamp Forest; Drive back to Dhaka
After breakfast this morning, we will explore the Ratargul Swamp Forest, the only swamp forest in Bangladesh, whose water originates from Indian hills during monsoon period. A boat ride will be arranged. Besides conserved unique flora and fauna, the sight of curly trees rising above water is also spellbinding. After exiting the forest, we will drive back to your designated place in Dhaka and bid farewell.
► Tip: Interested in a Dhaka Tour for Local Culture?
If you are a first-time visitor to Bangladesh, besides soaking up its irreplaceable natural charms, how about prolonging your tour to experience local culture? If your flight takes off enough late today, why not let your driver drop you off in the downtown (your driver will leave afterwards), to check out Bangladesh’s iconic attractions like the national Hindu Dhakeswari Temple, the pink place Ahsan Manzil, and the bustling Sadarghat River Port (the biggest water transportation hub in Dhaka!)? You might also take some pictures of the Columbo Sahib’s Tomb, a three-story tower blended with wild vining plants, a hidden gem tucked in the Dhaka Christian Cemetery. If you want a guided in-depth exploration, stay for another day in Dhaka - we are happy to arrange for you a fulfilling extended tour. Bengali People Dhaka's Energy
Special note: If you decide to have an exploration of downtown Dhaka today, you need to beware of the fact that traffic gridlock is part of Dhaka’s life due to its stupefying population density (65 thousand people/per square km), so please remember to give enough time to catching your flight. The airport also officially suggests that you arrive at the airport 4 hours prior to departure for various pre-boarding procedures.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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