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Splendours of Syria
Syria north to south | 14 days
The romantic and remote crusader castle of Krak De Chevalier is a prominent reminder of Syria’s historical tapestry of Roman, Greek, Byzantine and French influences. Not surprising then that Damascus is said to be the oldest continuously inhabited city on earth. On this truly cultural journey you will see many awe-inspiring sights as well as meet many friendly people. Syria can easily be combined with Jordan as Amman is only a day’s drive from Damascus.
Day 1: Fly to Damascus, the Syrian capital
Day 2: Tour Damascus
Day 3: Drive to Homs
Day 4: Drive to Palmyra, fertile oasis in the desert
Day 5: Explore Palymyra’s extraordinary ruins and the St Simeon sanctuary
Day 6: Drive to Deirezzor
Day 7: Drive to Alleppo
Days 8&9: Explore Alleppo’s 12th century citadel, a perfect example of Islamic architecture
Day 10: Drive to Lattakia
Day 11: See the giant medieval wooden water wheels forming part of the city’s water system at Hama
Day 12: Return to Damascus
Day 13: Damascus
Day 14: Fly to London
guide price £3,295 per person
Trip reports for the Middle East
Fiona’s travel tips
TOP TIP: The Musandam Peninsula is just a 90 minute drive from Dubai — an easy way to combine the two countries.
READ: Wilfred Thesiger’s Across the Empty Quarter.
BEST TIME TO GO:
Jordan and Syria: Spring and autumn
Lebanon: year round
UAE/Oman: October to April
JOURNEY TIME:
Jordan: 5½ hours (direct)
Lebanon: 4½ hours (direct)
Oman: 9 hours (indirect)
Syria: 6¾ hours (direct)
UAE: 6¾ hours (direct)
Clients’ comments
“One of the very best holidays we have had. In fact we are seriously talking about going back to Oman next year. The agency was excellent….The guide and the trips were more than adequate, and the rest days perfect. Thank you for your efforts”.
Mrs Joan Dampney, Oman
“We had a truly memorable trip to Jordan from start to finish and cannot thank you enough for putting it together so professionally and in such a short space of time. One of the best holidays we have ever had.”
Paul Crayford, Jordan
“We wanted to write and thank you for arranging our recent holiday. It was superb and we had a very happy time. I wrote a little travelogue – I’ve attached it for your possible interest (less a travelogue and more a novel...it’s 5 pages long!) The itinerary was fine, we saw and experienced a great deal but never felt rushed. Loved all of it, I think my ‘travelogue’ speaks for that; planned experiences were as hoped but, as so often, it's the unexpected things that make you smile which are mostly to do with the people you meet. A most wonderful experience was up in the mountains and stopping at a ‘lay-by’ where suddenly we were aware of goats and a Bedouin and two tatty chairs and a little table placed to overlook this beautiful valley below which was the Dana Nature Reserve; the Bedouin produced two plastic cups of the most exquisite Arabic tea and there we sat, drinking in both the tea and this wonderful place which was silent and still and the air so fresh. Asked if I may take a photo of him, the Bedouin seriously and graciously adjusted his headdress and beamed into the camera. Such happenings as this and many others could not have been possible if we’d come on a tour holiday.”
Stewart and Sue Thomson, Jordan, April 2011