Ethnic People of the Tea Valley

Duration: 5 Days

Highlights of the tour :

Four different ethnic communities
Tea gardens
Rainforest & wildlife
Stone collectors and working people
Cycling through the tea estates
Hearing (and maybe seeing) gibbons

What To Expect
The area along the northern border, at the foot of the Khasia and Jainta hills is the Tribal Land. There are also tribal communities scattered throughout the southern hills. There are Khasia, Pangou, Tripura & Monipuri, (among these, the Monipuri are Hindu). The followers of Rada Krishna are an exception, as they have become artisans, jewellers and business people; having adopted farming, they have entered into the general Bangladeshi community. It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 indigenous people in this area.

Sylhet is also famous for its Natural Gas Mine and other natural resources. 30 million kg of tea are produced annually, from more than 160 tea estates of some 44,000 hectares. Pineapple, oranges, lemon, and betel leaf grow in the countryside here. The lowland district is called HAOR, and in winter is a paradise for bird-watchers. Thousands of migratory birds from Europe and Siberia fly here each year.

LOCATIONS

Dhaka, Sylhet, Sreemangal, Lawachara

Best time to travel

October to March

Tour Available

All year Round.

Transportation

Ac Car, Rickshaw & Boat.

WEAR

Men:	Long trousers and T shirt or shirt, with comfortable shoes.
Ladies:	Long Trousers, long sleeves & scarf. Remove shoes whilst visiting Temples & Mosques.

INCLUDED

Accommodation on a twin sharing basis	Breakfast at Hotel
Transport with Sedan car	All sightseeing according to itinerary
One 500 ml bottle of mineral water	An English Speaking Guide
All entrance fees

NOT INCLUDED

Any lunch & dinner.

Items not included in the above list

Items of personal nature

Any beverage (hard & soft)

Itinerary

Dhaka

Arrive at Dhaka International airport where our guide will meet & greet you for transfer to the hotel. Check in and refresh, then begin your journey with Old Dhaka Sightseeing including the bustling waterfront at ‘Sadarghat”, the Pink Palace, the Red Fort, and Dhaka University campus. We will walk through the alleys and narrow streets of Old Dhaka. In the evening drive back to your hotel for dinner and overnight rest in Dhaka.

Dhaka - Sylhet

Check out from your hotel after breakfast and drive to the North East of Bangladesh. On the way we visit weaving villages & local markets. On arrival check in to your hotel, and after refreshment, drive to Tamabil. This is the land border between Bangladesh & India where we will see the border activities later; we visit Jaflong where you will watch hundreds of people gathering stones from beneath the river bed. Then visit the Kashia tribal village to see their lifestyle and way of working with the betel leaf. The majority of this community are Christian. Return to your hotel in Shylet for overnight stay.

Srimangal

Your journey to Srimangal starts after breakfast. Upon arrival, check in the hotel / Resort. After lunch we plan to take a bicycle ride through the tea gardens and get some awesome photos of the ladies who pluck tea, and visit their village to get interactions and to learn about their daily life. We can spend some time with them. In the late afternoon relax and enjoy the famous seven layer tea. Then visit the Manipuri community and learn about their daily lifestyle. Back to your Hotel/ Resort. Dinner and rest overnight in Srimangal.

Lawachara

Early morning (at around 7am) take the five minute drive to Lawachara rain forest, the only one there is in Bangladesh. Keep your eyes open to spot Hoolock Gibbons, Langur Monkeys and many species of birds and other wildlife. Also trek down to the Khasia Ethnic village, which is located in the forest, to learn about their daily life. Later, return to your hotel, have some breakfast and then check out. Next, visit the Ethnic Monipuri people’s weaving village and learn to weave with them. After lunch start for Dhaka. Upon arrival in the early evening, check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay in Dhaka.