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We had never taken a package tour before!
Although we have travelled extensively in many parts of the world, we have always travelled independently using public transportation. However, everyone warned us about the difficulties of travelling in Bangladesh at Eid, and this looked like the only time we would have available during our six month contract to see a part of Bangladesh away from Dhaka. So with some trepidation, we signed up for an organized tour to the Sundarbans - the world's largest mangrove forest. Would the arrangements be worth the not inconsiderable cost? Would our companions be compatible?
We met the rest of the party and the tour company owner at Dhaka airport on the Thursday afternoon before Eid. We were a little taken aback at the number of people - 18, including four children and the owner and his wife. Our visions of peaceful bird watching and quiet nature walks began to evaporate.
The arrangements made by the company worked extremely well. We flew to Jessore where the company bus was waiting to drive us to Khulna where we spent the night. Early next morning we continued in the bus to Mongla port, arriving in time to have breakfast on the boat. Although the boat had seen better days, there were comfortable canvas chairs on the roof, with an awning to protect us from the sun.
After a quick stop at the Forest Station to collect our permits, we started our nine hour journey through a maze of winding river channels to the Bay of Bengal. Initially there was plenty of riverside habitation, and hundreds of fishermen fishing for shrimp eggs to be sold to shrimp farmers. We also had a demonstration of fishing with otters, using three otters to herd fish into the nets. As we left the main river and started down the narrower side channels, houses and fishermen both disappeared, and we were left with the natural mangrove forest, only occasionally spoiled by tree cutting operations. We were surprised to find that the forest was quite different from American mangrove forests, with many more tree species, and none of the mangrove tree commonly seen there. We were able to spot plenty of wild life from the boat - a glimpse of Gangetic dolphins as they briefly arched above the surface, the snout of an estuarine crocodile, troupes of rhesus macaque monkeys disappearing into the forest at the noise of the boat. But the biggest show was provided by the birds. Stately large white egrets and adjutant storks waded in the shallows, while iridescent kingfishers dived almost faster than the eye could see. The boat was constantly trailed by up to thirty Brahminy kites, wheeling and diving in the wake of the boat to catch fish in their claws; it is a rare treat to be able to observe large birds of prey so closely for such an extended period of time. As we neared the ocean, sea eagles were circling high overhead.
By the time we arrived at our destination, Katka, it was starting to get dark, but we took the opportunity to inspect the watch tower across the river from the forest rest house. This was in a beautiful area overlooking a wide expanse of grasslands with herds of graceful spotted deer. Unbelievably, there were fresh tiger spoor right by where the boat pulled in. Some of the more sceptical members of the party suggested that this was "organised" as part of the package, perhaps with a paw print on the end of a long bamboo pole! In order to accommodate the eighteen people, we had to split into three groups for the night - some up the watch tower, some in the rest house, and some on the boat. In fact, for most of our activities, we were split into groups, and this helped alleviate our concerns about the large group spoiling our peace and quiet.
Next morning, the group who had slept up the watch tower reported hearing the roar of a tiger twice, but had seen nothing. Around the rest house, we saw more spotted deer and a wild boar. Apparently the deer were much more timid than usual since the Forestry Department had recently captured a number of them to use as the foundation of a new herd near Mymensingh. After breakfast, we split into groups again to explore the area - our group set off for a long walk through the meadows and forest, and finally along a beautiful deserted beach. The beach would not have been so deserted a short time earlier - there were the unsightly remains of a large camp of fishermen who are allowed to fish there each winter. At lunch time, the boat appeared to pick us up and serve lunch, before taking us to a recently formed island for swimming. Jokes were made about Nepal claiming sovereignty over the island, since much of the silt forming it is washed down the rivers from Nepal!
That night it was our turn (five of us) to stay on the watch tower. After the boat had dropped us off before sunset, the young English couple with us decided to go for a short walk back to the dock. Not long after, they came rushing back with terrified expressions on their faces. When they said they had seen a tiger, we had no trouble believing them - they could hardly get the words out! At that point, we became very alert, and knew exactly which direction to watch. After only a few minutes, we saw not one, but three tigers emerge from the bushes, cross the path, and disappear into the bushes on the other side. They stopped to have a look in our direction, and the biggest flicked its tail in the air as if to say "You don't bother us!" Since tigers are usually solitary animals, we presumed that the trio was a mother with two almost fully grown cubs. Needless to say, "bathroom" visits before settling down for the night were accomplished very quickly! Since this was the night before the new Eid moon was spotted, we had no moonlight whatever - but a spectacular view of the stars as we lay on the top platform of the tower. We were even able to watch a satellite as it tracked across the sky.
The next morning, we heard that a forestry official had seen a tiger early in the morning, not far from the rest house, but no one else in our group was lucky enough to see one.
The last full day at Katka we spent taking short walks and bird watching. One walk took us through the tidal mangrove forest - inches deep squelchy mud with spiky aerial roots sticking up every few inches. We were so busy watching where we put our feet that we hardly saw anything. During the day though, we did identify quite a lot of birds, some of which were new to us. Among them were the gold-fronted chloropsis, pond heron, spotted dove, curlew, red-wattled lapwing, pond heron, green sandpiper, chestnut-headed bee-eater and the white collared kingfisher.
The next morning was Eid-ul-Fitri. We were served a special breakfast after which the boat crew went off for their end-of -Ramzan prayer service. It was a treat to see them in their best clothes after their usual boatman's garb. After prayers, we set off for the long and uneventful journey back to Mongla. It must be said that most people were not scanning the river banks as alertly as on the way down - once you have been into the forest, watching from the remoteness of a boat on the river is not quite as attractive. As we approached Mongla, the river was alive with small boats loaded with people dressed in their holiday finery visiting friends and relatives in the villages across the river.
Our bus was waiting for us at Mongla. We created quite a stir of interest as we tied the "country" boat on the roof of the bus - since this was the last trip of the season, it wouldn't be needed again until next winter. The baggage was then loaded into the boat. We had barely gone a mile from the dock at Mongla when one of the tires burst with a loud bang - not surprising with the load the bus was carrying. Some of us just set off and walked along the road while the wheel was changed - we needed the exercise, and the late afternoon was pleasantly cool. The rest of our trip back to Dhaka was uneventful.
Everyone on the trip enjoyed it. The tour company could make some improvements, particularly in the amenities on the boat (a place to wash would have been really appreciated). But what everyone went for was the natural scenery and wildlife of the Sundarbans, and that we really found. Those of us who saw tigers felt very privileged, but everyone saw lots of birds and animals. Please Bangladesh, keep your Sundarbans treasure in a natural state. Keep strict control of the poachers, the woodcutters, the grasscutters and the fishermen. Yes, even the tourists too. Every bit of human activity there places extra strain on the ecology. Don't let it be said that yours was the generation that destroyed the last habitat of the Royal Bengal tiger.
