Known for
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Sal forest at Dhaka's door.
Gazipur keeps what is left of the old Bhawal sal forest: the national park for a quiet day under the trees, and the big safari park at Sreepur where you drive past lions, tigers and zebras.
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Estates and a writer's garden.
The Bhawal Raj palace in Joydebpur (famous for the sannyasi case), the old Baliadi zamindar house near Kaliakair, and Nuhash Polli, the garden home where Humayun Ahmed wrote, filmed and now lies buried.
Best season
GoodFairNov–Feb
November to February: dry trails, mild days and the sal trees in clear light. In March and April the sal sheds and flowers; the rains (June to September) make the forest lush but the paths muddy. Weekends and Eid holidays crowd every park, so go on a weekday if you can.
Getting there
Bus
Dhaka
1–2.5 h
From Mohakhali or Abdullahpur up the Mymensingh highway
Train
Dhaka
About 1 h
Kamalapur or Airport station to Joydebpur
Getting around
In the district
CNG and battery autos from the highway stops to the parks
Gazipur is a day trip from Dhaka. Buses run up the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway from Mohakhali and Abdullahpur to Joydebpur (Gazipur Chowrasta), Rajendrapur and Mawna; local trains from Kamalapur stop at Joydebpur. Traffic around Tongi and Chowrasta can double the time, so leave early.
Local food
Kapasia jackfruitMust try
Sweet, firm-fleshed, best in May and June
Gazipur is jackfruit country: the Kapasia and Sreepur jackfruit in early summer is among the best in the country. On the highway, roadside stalls sell pitha in winter and fresh guava and pineapple in season.
Places to see
Fort and palaceMd. Sayeem Sarower · CC BY-SA 4.0Baliadi Zamindar Bari
The old seat of the Baliadi estate near Kaliakair, one of the oldest zamindar houses in the district, with its gateway, mosque and ponds in a quiet village.
Forest and mangroveSalim Khandoker · CC BY-SA 4.0Bhawal National Park
About 5,000 hectares of sal forest some 40 km north of Dhaka, protected since the 1970s: the easiest real woodland to reach from the capital, with picnic spots, lakes and quiet trails.
Bhawal Rajbari
The palace of the Bhawal Raj in Joydebpur, seat of an estate that once spread over hundreds of square miles; today it houses the district administration.
Wildlife and national parkMugdhaRJ · CC BY-SA 4.0Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park
A large safari park in the sal forest near Mawna, Sreepur, opened in 2013: a bus through open enclosures of big cats, bears and grazers, plus aviaries, a bird park and a crocodile pond.
Park, eco park and picnic spotKazi towhid · CC BY-SA 4.0Nuhash Polli
The garden estate of the writer and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed near Pirujali: lawns, a pond he named Lilaboti, sculptures among hundreds of trees, and his grave under the lychee trees.
Sources 2
Times, fares and opening hours change. Check before you go.
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The same guide, every place and photo, on your phone without a connection. Mark the district when you get there.
