BANGLADESH & RAKHER UPOBASH
10-21 NOV, 2023
with Jeremy Woodhouse
(11 days – 11 nights), maximum group size 6
While its neighbours India and Myanmar are both firmly on the tourist trail, for many travellers, low-lying Bangladesh is still a bit of an enigma.
For those who go can you can expect to find frenetic cities, the world’s longest beach and swampy mangrove forests that teem with birds and reptiles. Travelling in Bangladesh is still slow and challenging, but visit this year to discover this beguiling country before the secret gets out.
During our tour we will spend much of our time with the locals, from fishing communities to boat-builders, coal workers to brick makers. We will take our time and work with our subjects.
We will also be in Bangladesh during Rakher Upobash, when every year thousands of Hindu devotees gather in front of Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari Ashram temple for the Kartik Brati or Rakher Upobash religious festival. Lokenath Brahmachari, also called Baba Lokenath, was an 18th Century Hindu saint and philosopher in Bengal. During this religious festival, which is also known as Kartik Brati, Hindus fast and offer prayers by lighting oil lamps and candles. Throughout the country, thousands of devotees also visit temples to pray for good health.
Itinerary
Day 1: Fri, 10 Nov–Arrive Dhaka
We check into our hotel. After lunch we will begin with a tour of old Dhaka photographing the local culture, customs and lifestyle. We will photograph the rickshaw drivers as they wait for their fares.
O/N Fars Hotels & Resorts (L,D)
With 114 world-class rooms, including 18 suites, the FARS Hotel & Resorts, Dhaka, is an urban retreat in one of the city's most vibrant districts.
Day 2: Sat, 11 Nov–Dhaka/Rakher Upobash (candle festival)
Today we will head of the city to Shri Loknath Bramhachari Ashram located 35 km from Dhaka to photograph Rakher Upobash.
O/N Fars Hotels & Resorts (B,L,D)
Day 3: Sun, 12 Nov–Dhaka
After breakfast we will head down to the Buriganga River to photograph daily life including riverside life, people crossing in small boats, and boat making. We will then head to a shipyard to photograph the craftsmen building and repairing boats in the traditional fashion. After lunch we will spend some more time at the shipyard before heading back to the hotel.
O/N Fars Hotels & Resorts (B,L,D)
Day 4: Mon, 13 Nov–Dhaka
After breakfast we head to a location where local coal workers, both men and women, offload coal from river barges, carrying it in baskets on their heads. After lunch we will head into a Hindu neighborhood where they practice a devotional ritual.
O/N Fars Hotels & Resorts (B,L,D)
Day 5: Tue, 14 Nov– Dhaka/Rakher Upobash
After breakfast we will head out to old Dhaka photographing the local culture, customs and lifestyle.
Later we will head out to cover the Rakher Upobash one more time. The festival takes place on every Saturday and Tuesday during the month of Kartik.
O/N Fars Hotels & Resorts (B,L,D)
Day 6: Wed, 15 Nov–Dhaka/Chittagong
After breakfast we check out of our hotel start the drive to Chittagong. We visit another brick factory followed by a photo session where men and women are unloading sand and bricks from cargo vessels. Check in to our hotel.
O/N Hotel Agrabad (B,L,D)
Day 7: Thu, 16 Nov–Chittagong
We will spend the entire day visiting various neighborhoods of Chittagong covering its people, culture and colors. Check in to our hotel.
O/N Hotel Agrabad (B,L,D)
Day 8: Fri, 17 Nov–Chittagong/Cox's Bazar
At dawn we will head down to the coast where we will photograph fishermen unloading fish, fishing from boats, repairing fishing nets, and selling their catch at a wholesale fish market before heading back to the hotel for breakfast. After checking out of the hotel we will visit aluminum factories, where we will see workers making pots by hand. Lunch Check in hotel at Cox's Bazar. Dinner O/N
Ocean Paradise Hotel & Resort (B,L,D)
Day 09: Sat, 18 Nov–Cox's Bazar
After breakfast we drive to a fishing village where we will photograph the locals including women and children preparing fish for drying. Later in the afternoon we visit another coastal fishing village where we will photograph fishermen unloading their catches from boats and transporting them by hand to the village for drying. We stay at the coast for sunset.
O/N Ocean Paradise Hotel & Resort (B,L,D
Day 10: Sun, 19 Nov–Cox's Bazar
After breakfast we will spend more time with local fishermen. Later today we will try and visit Rohingya refugee camp. After lunch we will visit a location where we will see the colorful, traditional, crescent-shaped fishing boats. We will have an opportunity to see local craftsmen making the boats. Again we will stay around to photograph activity at sunset.
O/N Ocean Paradise Hotel & Resort (B,L,D
Day 11: Mon, 20 Nov–Cox's Bazar/Dhaka
Dawn photography at a wholesale fishing market and port. After breakfast at the hotel, we check out and head to the airport for our flight back to Dhaka. After lunch we visit the slum communities which are along the railway lines.
O/N Hotel Sarina (B,L,D)
Day 12: Tue, 21 Nov– Transfer to the Airport
Today you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight back home.
END OF TOUR
Trip Notes
Arrival & Departure
The average high-temperature, in November, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is 29.2°C (84.6°F), while the average low-temperature is 20.5°C (68.9°F). The average heat index (a.k.a. 'apparent temperature', 'feels like'), which factors the actual air temperature with the relative humidity, in November is appraised at 33°C (91.4°F).
Bengali is the mother tongue of almost the entire population of Bangladesh. However, the indigenous minority groups have their own languages and dialects, some of which are Tibeto-Burman languages. English, an Indo-European language, is spoken in urban centres and among educated groups.
5 SPOTS OPEN
$5,800
DEPOSIT: $1,000 (NON-REFUNDABLE)
SINGLE: $650
Maximum Group Size: 6
Tour Price Includes
- 11 nights accommodation in a double room at the hotel mentioned above or Similar
- Domestic flight from Cox Bazaar to Dhaka
- All Meals starting from the dinner on 10 Nov till dinner on the 20 Nov
- Local guide
- Tempo Traveller and local Ambassador for transport services
- Toll and Parking charges
- Ground transportation as described in the itinerary
- Group transfers on arrival and departure
- All accommodations based on twin occupancy
- 3 Meals per day
- Bottled water
Tour Price Excludes
- Domestic airfare
- International airfare
- Passport and visa fees
- Medical and trip insurance & evacuation costs
- Airport taxes; excess baggage charges
- Photography and video fees
- Food and beverages not included in the group meals
- Tips to drivers or guides
- Items of a personal nature, including alcoholic beverages, laundry and telephone calls
- Other items not specifically mentioned as included.
- Monuments Entry /camera fee
Paying by check
If you would like to pay your deposit and/or balance with a check, please make the check payable to: Pixelchrome, Inc and mail it to:
Nicole Woodhouse
Pixelchrome, Inc,
605 Rouen Drive,
McKinney TX 75072
Paying by Wire Transfer
If you would like to pay by Wire Transfer please contact nicole@pixelchrome.com for bank account details.
Equipment Checklist
- Bring you own laptop computer and storage media
- Camera body(s)
- Lenses, 16-35mm, 24-70mm zoom and 70-200mm zoom or similar lenses are very good
- Light bag for easy hiking with camera bodies and accessories
- Cleaning kit for cameras and lenses
- Rain/dust covers for cameras and lenses
- Charger for batteries
- Spare batteries
- Spare Memory cards
- Memory card reader
- USB key to exchange images
Also good to have
- Tripod
- Good quality polarizing filter