Private Full Day Tour in Dhaka: 8 hours from market to river

Eight hours threading Dhaka's layers: market, monuments, old city, waterfront

A private full-day tour of Dhaka with an English-speaking guide covers the city's modern landmarks, historic Old Dhaka, and the Buriganga River waterfront at Sadarghat. The itinerary begins at Kawran Bazar, the city's largest commodity market, then moves through the National Parliament House, Curzon Hall, Shahid Minar and Baitul Mukarram Mosque before entering Old Dhaka to visit Hossaini Dalan, Lalbagh Fort, Star Mosque, Armenian Church, Ahsan Manzil and Shankhari Bazar. The tour ends at Sadarghat, where you experience the bustling river port and shipyard. Pickup is included. Lunch, a rickshaw ride, a short boat trip and all entrance fees are part of the package.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. National Parliament House30m · entry included
2. Star Mosque30m · entry included
3. Armenian Church30m · entry included
4. Ahsan Manzil40m · entry included
5. Sadarghat Port1h 10m · entry included

Explore Dhaka's markets and landmarks

• Visit Kawran Bazar market
• See National Parliament Building
• Explore Curzon Hall
• Visit Shaheed Minar monument
• Tour Hussaini Dalan Imambara
• Explore Lalbagh Fort
• Visit Star Mosque
• See Armenian Church
• Visit Baitul Mukarram Mosque
• Tour Ahsan Manzil palace
• Walk through Shankhari Bazaar
• Experience Sadarghat river port

The experience

The day starts at Kawran Bazar, one of Dhaka's biggest commodity marketplaces and a business district where the city's wholesale fruit trade happens. From there, the route moves through the capital's civic landmarks: the National Parliament House, a 208-acre complex designed by architect Louis Kahn and one of the world's largest legislative buildings; Curzon Hall, a British Raj-era structure now home to the University of Dhaka's Faculty of Sciences; Shahid Minar, the national monument commemorating the 1952 Bengali Language Movement; and Baitul Mukarram, the National Mosque completed in 1968 with capacity for over 42,000 worshippers.

Old Dhaka holds the deeper layers. Hossaini Dalan is a 17th-century Imambara built during the Mughal period for the Shia Muslim community. Lalbagh Fort, named for its reddish Mughal-period architecture, sits in the old city's heart. The Star Mosque in Armanitola stands out for its ornate blue-star motifs, built in the first half of the 19th century. The Armenian Church, also in Armanitola, is a historically significant architectural monument. Ahsan Manzil, a palace in Kumartoli that was once the residence of the Nawab of Dhaka, now operates as a museum. Shankhari Bazar stretches along a narrow lane lined with richly decorated brick buildings from the late Mughal and Colonial periods, where centuries of history and everyday commerce still meet.

The tour ends at Sadarghat, where narrow streets fill with cycle rickshaws and the Buriganga River port bustles with boats, traders and local workers. A short visit to the Dhaka Shipyard rounds out the waterfront experience. Throughout the day, you travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with your guide, take a rickshaw ride and a small boat trip, eat lunch at a local restaurant, and enter all sites included in the price.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle with pickup.
• English-speaking local guide.
• rickshaw ride and small boat trip.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• one bottle of mineral water.
• all entrance fees to Kawran Bazar, National Parliament House, Curzon Hall, Shahid Minar, Baitul Mukarram Mosque, Hossaini Dalan, Lalbagh Fort, Star Mosque, Armenian Church, Ahsan Manzil and Shankhari Bazar.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Senior (61 to 75 years) · Youth (7 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 6 years): free · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 35 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by IRB Tours

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so the pace and stops follow your interests rather than a group schedule, and your guide can answer questions specific to what you want to understand about Dhaka. Choose it if you want to move beyond the usual tourist landmarks and see how the city actually works (its markets, its religious communities, its colonial and Mughal architecture, and its working waterfront) with someone who knows the place.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 17 years); Child (4 to 6 years): free; Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What is Kawran Bazar and why does the tour start there?

Kawran Bazar is one of Dhaka's biggest commodity marketplaces and a designated commercial district of the Dhaka North City Corporation. The tour begins here to show you the city's wholesale trade in action, particularly the largest local Bangladeshi fruits market, giving you a window into how the city's commerce actually works.

Which mosques and religious sites does the tour include?

The tour visits Baitul Mukarram, the National Mosque of Bangladesh completed in 1968 with a capacity of over 42,000 worshippers; the Star Mosque in Armanitola, decorated with blue-star motifs and built in the first half of the 19th century; Hossaini Dalan, a 17th-century Imambara built during Mughal rule; and the Armenian Church, a historically significant monument also in Armanitola.

What happens at Sadarghat at the end of the day?

Sadarghat is a bustling river port on the Buriganga where narrow streets fill with cycle rickshaws, boats, traders and local workers. You experience the waterfront activity and visit the Dhaka Shipyard, seeing the working life of the river rather than a manicured tourist site.

What does the tour include in terms of transport and meals?

The tour includes pickup in an air-conditioned vehicle, a rickshaw ride through Old Dhaka, a short boat trip on the Buriganga, lunch at a local restaurant, one bottle of mineral water, and all entrance fees to the sites visited.

How long is the full day tour and what is the guide's language?

The tour runs for eight hours with an English-speaking guide who is a knowledgeable local, so you get context and insight into the city's history, architecture, religion and everyday life as you move through each stop.