In rural Bangladesh, ponds hold the sky and sunsets lean low over tea-green slopes. This 7-day itinerary follows that quiet rhythm—from Sreemangal’s tea country to Sylhet’s rivers and shrines—where mornings begin with steam-hot paratha and end with the golden hush of fireflies above a village dighi.

You’ll walk under towering forests in Lawachara National Park, sip the legendary seven-layer tea, and glide across Baikka Beel in a boat while jacanas tiptoe across lily pads. In Sylhet, visit Ratargul—the country’s famed freshwater swamp forest—and take a riverboat on Lalakhal’s surreal, jade water; then share a thali at a local institution that every Bangladeshi knows by heart.

Practical notes: October–March is cool and clear; June–September is lush and dramatic (waterfalls are strongest, but rains are frequent). Dress modestly for shrines and mosques, carry mosquito repellent for wetlands, and budget time for road or rail delays. Cash is common outside major hotels. Domestic trains and short flights make the routing easy.

Sreemangal (Tea Capital of Bangladesh)

Sreemangal is all aroma and hush: tea bushes stitched into emerald patterns, narrow trails through forest, and the occasional whoop of a hoolock gibbon at dawn. It’s the heart of Bangladesh’s tea industry and a superb base for low-impact nature travel.

• Top sights: Lawachara National Park (gibbons, macaques, hornbills), Baikka Beel (bird sanctuary), Madhabpur Lake (mirror-still at dusk), Tea Museum & estate tours.
• Signature experiences: The famed seven-layer tea at Nilkantha Tea Cabin; a forest walk with a licensed guide; village visits to learn about Manipuri weaving and Khasia betel leaf gardens.
• Where to stay: Browse stays on VRBO Sreemangal or hotels via Hotels.com Sreemangal. Notable names locals mention include nature-forward eco-lodges and tea-estate resorts; book early in winter.
• Travel in: Fly to Dhaka (search on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com), then take a train to Sreemangal (4–5 hours; AC chair ~$6–10; see Trip.com trains). Alternatively, fly to Sylhet and drive 2–2.5 hours to Sreemangal.

Day 1 — Arrival in Sreemangal: Tea-scented twilight

Morning: Fly into Dhaka or Sylhet. Connect onward by train or car to Sreemangal.

Afternoon: Check in and decompress with a gentle estate walk. Wander between tea rows and pepper trees; pause for photos where the hedges meet mirror-like ponds.

Evening: Dinner at Green Leaf Guest House Restaurant (traveler-favorite Bangla staples: bhuna khichuri, chicken curry, mixed veg). Cap it with Sreemangal’s legend—the seven-layer tea—at Nilkantha Tea Cabin; each layer has a distinct flavor and color, a tiny work of alchemy in a glass.

Day 2 — Lawachara National Park and Khasia village

Morning: Guided forest walk in Lawachara (2.5–3 hours). Listen for the whoop of Western hoolock gibbons and watch for drongos and hornbills. A licensed guide helps spot wildlife and keep to safe trails.

Afternoon: Visit a nearby Khasia village to learn about betel leaf cultivation and bamboo weaving (go respectfully; ask before photos). Lunch at Kutum Bari (try ilish curry if in season, or a veg thali with mustard greens and lentils).

Evening: Tea Museum/Tea Board estate visit for a primer on cultivation and processing (when operating hours permit). Dinner at your hotel’s dining room—fresh river fish fry, stir-fried greens, and steamed rice keep it light and local.

Day 3 — Baikka Beel bird sanctuary and market grazing

Morning: Sunrise boat on Baikka Beel (prime Nov–Feb; arrange locally). Spot Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, cotton pygmy geese, and purple swamphens tiptoeing across lilies. Bring binoculars and insect repellent.

Afternoon: Return for a hearty lunch at Niribili Restaurant (home-style set meals—rice, bhorta medley, daal, and a choice of fish or chicken). Browse Sreemangal bazaar for handwoven shawls and bamboo crafts.

Evening: Street snacks near the railway station: singara, chotpoti, jilapi hot from the oil. Wind down on a quiet pond bank as locals cast fishing lines into the dusk-pink water.

Day 4 — Waterfall day (Ham Ham) or estate lakes and village life

Morning: If the trail is open (typically post-monsoon to winter), 4x4 transfer and guided trek to Ham Ham waterfall in Rajkandi Reserve (full of birdsong; pathways can be slick—wear grippy shoes). Bring packed snacks.

Afternoon: If you skip Ham Ham, opt for Madhabpur Lake—tea-laced slopes and a mirrored lake are sublime for photography. Late lunch back in town—try chicken roast and paratha.

Evening: Arrange a simple village cooking lesson via your lodge: mash bhorta with mustard oil, temper daal, fry eggplant crisps. Eat what you make, then call it an early night.

Sylhet (Shrines, Rivers, and the North’s Wild Water)

Sylhet hums with Sufi devotion, river trade, and tea estates older than memory. It’s the launchpad for Ratargul’s water-woods and the stone-bed rivers of Jaflong and Lalakhal—where the hills of Meghalaya cast long, jade reflections.

• Top sights: Ratargul Swamp Forest, Jaflong stone beds, Lalakhal boat ride, Hazrat Shah Jalal & Shah Paran shrines, Malnicherra Tea Estate (est. 1849).
• Eat & drink: The big three—Panshi, Pach Bhai, and Woondaal King Kebab—define the local dining circuit: thalis, shatkora-lime curries, kebabs, and naan hot from the tandoor.
• Where to stay: Compare stays on VRBO Sylhet and Hotels.com Sylhet. City-center hotels near Zindabazar and upscale tea-resort complexes both work well.
• Getting there from Sreemangal: Train (2–2.5 hours; ~$3–6 in AC chair) or car (about 2 hours). For schedules, check Trip.com trains. Fly out of Sylhet’s Osmani International Airport for onward connections via Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Day 5 — Transfer to Sylhet, shrines, and Zindabazar tastes

Morning: Depart Sreemangal after breakfast; enjoy a green-on-green drive or hop an AC-chair train to Sylhet.

Afternoon: Check in, then visit the Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal—center of Sylhet’s spiritual life. Cross Keane Bridge for views of the Surma River and the century-old Ali Amjad’s Clock.

Evening: Dinner at Panshi Restaurant (order a Bangla thali with shatkora beef or fish, seasonal bhorta, and daal). Post-dinner, stroll Zindabazar for sweet curd (misti doi) and fresh jilapi.

Day 6 — Day trip: Ratargul Swamp Forest and Lalakhal river

Set out early. First stop: Ratargul, Bangladesh’s celebrated freshwater swamp forest. When water is high (monsoon to post-monsoon), weave by country boat between tree trunks reflected in still water—a dreamlike corridor of green. In drier months, boats run in deeper channels and trails open for walks; guides will choose the best approach for conditions.

Continue to Lalakhal for a late-morning or early-afternoon boat on impossibly clear, blue-green water fed by hill streams from Meghalaya. Picnic lunch onboard or at a local riverside eatery—think rice, river prawns, and sautéed spinach. Return to Sylhet before dusk.

Back in town, dine at Woondaal King Kebab (tandoori platters, seekh kebabs, and butter naan) or Pach Bhai (a Sylheti staple known for generous homestyle spreads). Wrap with milky roadside tea.

Day 7 — Tea heritage and departure

Morning: Visit Malnicherra Tea Estate, reputedly the subcontinent’s oldest functioning tea garden (est. 1849). Ask your hotel to arrange estate access or a viewpoint stop; take a short walk among trimmed hedgerows and towering shade trees.

Afternoon: Quick lunch—try chicken korma and naan at Kutum Bari. Depart from Osmani International Airport for your afternoon flight; compare options on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. If continuing by rail, check Trip.com trains.

Evening: If your flight is later, pause at a tea stall near Zindabazar for one last clay cup—steam curling upward like the day’s final prayer.

Food & café notes (by day)

• Sreemangal highlights: Green Leaf Guest House Restaurant (reliable traveler menu, clean kitchen), Kutum Bari (Bangla thali, ilish, chicken roast), Nilkantha Tea Cabin (seven-layer tea, plus ginger and lemongrass brews), station-side tong stalls for chotpoti and singara.
• Sylhet highlights: Panshi (iconic Bangla thalis; shatkora-lime curries), Pach Bhai (homestyle spreads and rice sets), Woondaal King Kebab (tandoor-focused North Indian classics). For daytime sips, try tea stalls around Zindabazar; coffee is less common, but hotel cafés can pour a decent cup.

Logistics, timing, and costs (est.)

• Dhaka → Sreemangal: Train 4–5 hours; AC chair ~$6–10. Private car ~4.5–5.5 hours depending on traffic. Book flights to Dhaka via Trip.com or Kiwi.com.
• Sreemangal → Sylhet: Train 2–2.5 hours; ~$3–6. Car ~2 hours.
• Local guides and permits: Lawachara guide/entry ~$6–15 per person depending on group size. Baikka Beel boat hire varies by season; budget ~$10–20. Ratargul + Lalakhal transport/boats ~ $25–60 total depending on group and boat type.
• Accommodations: Midrange doubles generally $35–90/night in both cities; see Hotels.com Sreemangal and Hotels.com Sylhet.

Etiquette & safety

• Dress modestly at shrines and mosques; remove shoes, keep shoulders/knees covered.
• Carry small bills for tea stalls, boats, and local guides; mobile coverage is good but payments are often cash-based.
• Wetlands mean mosquitoes—pack repellent, a light scarf, and a rain layer in monsoon season.

In one week you’ll hear gibbons at dawn, boats nudge through green corridors at Ratargul, and the day’s last light settle on a pond where time moves without hurry. It’s a tender portrait of rural Bangladesh—tea-scented, river-bright, and unforgettably calm.