Dhaka Street Photography Tour: Old City Markets & River Port

Four to five hours capturing Old Dhaka's markets, temples and river life on foot, by rickshaw and boat

A full-day street photography tour of Dhaka covers Old Dhaka's markets, temples, and riverside port with a professional guide, hotel pickup, traditional rickshaw and rowboat rides, and lunch included. The tour moves through narrow bazaar streets, visits landmarks like Dhakeshwari Temple and Ahsan Manzil, and ends at Sadarghat Central River Port, where around 200 launches arrive and depart daily. A minimum age of 18 applies. The guide speaks English and leads the group through walking sections and local transport.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Dhakeshwari Temple35m
2. Star Mosque25m
3. Armenian Church25m
4. Ahsan Manzilpassing by
5. Sadarghat Port1h · entry included

Explore Dhaka's markets and landmarks

• Visit Kawran Bazar marketplace
• Explore Shahbagh Flower Market
• Pass by University of Dhaka
• See Shahid Minar monument
• Browse Nilkhet Book Market
• Shop at Gausia Saree Market
• Visit Dhakeshwari Temple
• Admire Star Mosque
• Tour Armenian Church
• Walk through Shakhari Bazaar
• View Ahsan Manzil Pink Palace
• Experience Sadarghat Central River Port

The experience

The tour starts with hotel pickup and moves through Dhaka's commercial heart: Kawran Bazar, a half-million-merchant wholesale marketplace for vegetables, fish and goods; Shahbagh Flower Market, the largest wholesale flower market in the city; and Nilkhet Book Market, where over a thousand small shops stock millions of titles. These stops anchor the morning in the everyday working life of the city, not the tourist version.

From there you walk through Shakhari Bazaar, a 400-year-old residential and commercial area of the Hindu and artisan community. Narrow streets and alleyways open onto tiny workshops where craftspeople make kites, jewelry and traditional goods by hand, skills passed down through generations. The guide moves you through on foot, and the constant hum of business and craft work fills the space. You'll also see Dhakeshwari Temple, the national Hindu temple built in the 12th century during the Sena Dynasty, and the Star Mosque, a white marble structure from 1711 with engraved floral and star patterns. The Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection, an 18th-century structure, stands nearby.

A traditional rickshaw ride and horse cart ride break up the walking, and a wooden rowboat takes you out on the River Buriganga with locals. Lunch is traditional Dhaka cuisine. The tour ends at Sadarghat Central River Port on the Buriganga's southern bank, where about 30,000 people pass through daily and triple-decked ferries dock alongside small wooden boats. The port is one of the largest river terminals in the world. Watching the loading and unloading, the overladen ferries and the constant movement of launches arriving from the countryside gives a direct view of how the river moves goods and people through the region.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• transport by local communal vehicles, traditional rickshaw and horse cart.
• a traditional wooden rowboat ride on the River Buriganga with locals.
• professional English-speaking guide.
• walking tour through the narrow streets of Old Dhaka.
• and traditional Dhaka cuisine lunch.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 11:00

Book up to14h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Travel Trips

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup means you don't need to arrange your own transport to the starting point, which matters if you're staying elsewhere in Dhaka or don't have a car. The mix of rickshaw, horse cart and rowboat rides breaks up the walking and gives you different angles on the city's movement and commerce.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What is Sadarghat Port like when I visit it?

Sadarghat Central River Port handles about 200 large and small passenger launches arriving and departing every day, with roughly 30,000 people using the terminal for travel. You'll see triple-decked ferries docked along the jetty, small wooden boats working between them, and constant loading and unloading at the warehouses on the riverfront. It's one of the largest river ports in the world and operates as the main hub for river transport in and out of Dhaka.

Does the tour include meals?

Yes, traditional Dhaka cuisine lunch is included in the tour.

What kind of transport does the tour use?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, local communal vehicles, a traditional pulling rickshaw ride, a horse cart ride, and a traditional wooden rowboat ride on the River Buriganga with locals.

What is Shakhari Bazaar and why is it part of the tour?

Shakhari Bazaar is a 400-year-old commercial and residential area in Old Dhaka, home to the Hindu and artisan community. The narrow streets and alleyways are packed with tiny workshops where craftspeople practice age-old trades like kite-making and jewelry work, skills handed down through generations. Walking through it shows the artisan traditions and commercial life of Old Dhaka directly.

Is there an age requirement for this tour?

Yes, the minimum age is 18. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers, or those with poor cardiovascular health, though it is suitable for all other fitness levels.

What language does the guide speak?

The guide is a live English-speaking professional who leads the group through all stops and walking sections.