Photograph Bangladesh's biggest April festivals — Pohela Boishakh, Lal Kach, Charak Puja & Sangrai — on a 14-day photography tour. From Sundarbans mangroves to Cox's Bazar's half-moon boats, this cultural expedition captures the soul of Bangladesh through your lens.
Photograph Bangladesh's biggest April festivals — Pohela Boishakh, Lal Kach, Charak Puja & Sangrai — on a 14-day photography tour. From Sundarbans mangroves to Cox's Bazar's half-moon boats, this cultural expedition captures the soul of Bangladesh through your lens.
Upon arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, we will transfer you to your hotel. After a short rest, our photography tour begins with a walking tour of Old Dhaka. We will photograph the colonial architecture of Curzon Hall, the sculptures at Dhaka University, and the bustling energy of the Lalbagh Fort and Dhakeshwari National Hindu Temple. We will spend the evening positioning ourselves for the best street shots and overnight in Dhaka.
After an early breakfast, we will transfer to the river port to board a business-class AC ship at 9:00 am. We will spend five hours cruising across the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, capturing the vastness of the river systems and the agricultural life that depends on them. Around noon, we arrive in Bhola, the largest island in Bangladesh. From there, we will take a local tuk-tuk and a small wooden boat to reach the riverbanks of Barisal. We will visit a river gypsy village, a fascinating community that has lived entirely on boats for centuries, documenting their unique way of life from birth to death. Dinner and overnight in Barisal.
We start the day very early with packed breakfasts before driving to Banaripara boat station. We will board a mechanized engine boat for a 3 to 4-hour journey through the famous Bangladeshi backwaters. This area is interconnected by a massive network of creeks and canals. You will have ample time to photograph the bustling seasonal floating markets, the unique floating gardens, and the daily life of the local villages along the riverbanks. After disembarking in the afternoon, we will drive to the city for lunch and a short rest. Later, we will visit the beautiful Mia Bari mosque and capture the sunset over the river before returning to our hotel in Barisal for the night.
We will check out and drive towards the port city of Khulna. Our first stop is the Nobel Prize-winning Grameen Bank. Here, you will photograph the local women in their micro-credit centers, capturing the human side of this famous economic program. On the way to Khulna, we will visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bagerhat. You will photograph the stunning brick architecture of the 60-domed Mosque (15th century), the 9-domed Mosque, and the Kodla math Hindu shrine. In the evening, we will walk through the vibrant night markets of Khulna before overnighting there.
We will transfer early in the morning to the Sundarbans, boarding a cruising boat to photograph the dense mangrove forests and their incredible biodiversity. We will walk through the forest trails near the Herbaria station, capturing the interplay of light and shadow in the canopy. If we are lucky, we will photograph the wildlife that calls this forest home. Later, we will visit local fishermen villages to document their lives on the edge of the forest. After breakfast and lunch on the boat, we will drive gently to Munshiganj and transfer to our resort near the festival area. Overnight at the Resort.
The Lal Kach festival takes place during the month of Chaitra, the last month of the Bangla year. This is a Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and Parvati. The devotees, known as 'Lal Kach' (red glass), paint their bodies entirely in red, take up swords, and march in long processions toward nearby temples. They believe they are soldiers led by Shiva, warding off the forces of evil. After breakfast, we will visit several villages to capture the early morning preparations as the devotees apply the red paint and visit local houses to offer blessings. Around midday, we will return to the resort for lunch and free time. At 3:00 PM, we will return to the main event. You will have the opportunity to photograph the climax of the dance and procession as the devotees come together in the center to perform. Later transfer to Dhaka and overnight in Dhaka.
We will check out early around 6:00 AM and drive back to Dhaka. Our first stop is the festival ground for the Pohela Boishakh (Bangla New Year) rally. Every year, thousands of people participate in this massive procession, featuring gigantic replicas of birds, fish, and animals. The rally symbolizes unity and the driving away of evil, representing the secular identity of Bangladesh. We will photograph the preparation of the big masks and festoons. Around 9:00 AM, the main rally begins with over 10,000 participants—a spectacular scene for wide-angle photography. Later, we will visit other locations, including Dhanmondi, to capture the street celebrations and enjoy a traditional Bangla lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we will witness Charak Puja, an exceptional and age-old Hindu religious festival. The main attraction is the extraordinary physical feats performed by devotees of Lord Shiva. Participants spin from a Charak tree with large metal hooks pierced into their backs, an act of physical endurance symbolizing self-sacrifice to seek divine protection. We will go to the Hindu street of Shankharia Bazar to photograph the Charak Puja festival before returning to our hotel for the night.
After breakfast, we will drive to the business capital of Bangladesh, Chittagong. Our first stop is Sonargaon, the old capital of Bangladesh. You will photograph the hauntingly beautiful architecture of Panam City and the Sardarbari palace, capturing the remnants of a lost era. In the afternoon, we will take a boat ride in the Shikakunda ship-breaking yard. As one of the world's fourth-largest ship-breaking yards, it offers incredible opportunities to photograph the sheer scale of industry, the workers, and the dismantling of giant vessels. Back to the city and overnight in Chittagong.
Early in the morning, we will visit the largest fish market in Chittagong. Hundreds of fishing boats come in from the morning catch, creating a chaotic and vibrant scene that is an ideal place for photographers. We will stop at the Karnafuli Bridge for a top-eye view of the harbor before driving into the Bandarban hill tracts. Upon arrival, we will secure our special permits from the military and check in at the hotel. In the afternoon, we will participate in the tribal Sangrai festival. This is the Theravada Buddhist New Year celebration, famous for its water-splashing, pitha festivals, and colorful processions. You will photograph the people of the Marma, Mro, Chak, and Khumi communities as they celebrate with traditional attire, banners, and music. Later, we transfer to our hotel and overnight in Bandarban.
After breakfast, we will drive to the remote parts of the hills to meet the Mro tribes. We will visit their villages and photograph them participating in their own traditional Powe festival. Later, we will visit a Bawm tribal village and the local Bawm tribal market. In the afternoon, we will take a boat ride on the Sangu River, participating in the local festivals organized by the tribal communities along the banks.
We will drive to the beach city of Cox's Bazar. On the way, we will explore the Ramu Buddhist city, featuring a 100-foot-long Buddha temple, and visit a Rakahine tribal village. After lunch in the city, we will drive along the marine drive to see the beautiful intersection of hills and beach. We will reach the special half-moon boat station to photograph the famous half-moon fishing boats as they come in from the afternoon catch. We will enjoy the afternoon light, capture the sunset, and then transfer to our hotel for an overnight stay in Cox's Bazar.
After breakfast, we will visit the local fish market and the dock yard. We will also visit Asia's biggest dry fish processing area in Cox's Bazar, which is a fantastic location for capturing the harsh realities of manual labor and drying processes. We will have lunch in a local restaurant before transferring to the airport to catch our afternoon flight back to Dhaka. Upon arrival, we will transfer to our hotel and spend some time shopping in the local handicraft shops before our final overnight in Dhaka.
We will start the morning with a visit to the famous Kawran Bazar market in central Dhaka. This is the city's wholesale hub, and we will photograph all the vendors trading fish, spices, vegetables, and goods in the train track market. Later, we will drive to Old Dhaka to revisit the Lalbagh fort and the Pink Palace, and take a boat trip on the Buriganga River to photograph the ferry terminals and the dock yard. We will have the afternoon free for any missed shots and overnight in our hotel.
We will have an early breakfast and transfer to the airport to fly back home, concluding our 14-day photography expedition.
Mahadi at Bangladesh Eco Adventure and team really made the trip a dream come true — they handled all logistics, were on time, excellent communicators, well priced and had immense local knowledge. We went to the Sundarbans for a few days, as well as day tours in Sonargaon and Dhaka. Sundarbans in particular is a must see. Myself and my friends had a wonderful time and would not hesitate to recommend them as the people to trust with all your travel and tourism in Bangladesh.
