Last updated: 2011-01-05

Itinerary

Day 1, Gathering

You will meet up with the group at the hotel in Damascus.

Day 2-3, Damascus

Damascus is considered one of the oldest continously inhabited cities on earth. It is marked by all its former inhabitants – Israelites, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Turks and French. The entire city is one big outdoor museum, but Damascus is not only about the past. Today it is a thriving city with 5 million inhabitants and a major center for Arab culture. The old part of Damascus is the most interesting part of the city where you find markets, monuments and mosques. In the bustling Souq al-Hamidiyya (souq means market in arabic) you can buy carpets, perfumes, ice cream, clothes, handicrafts and spices. The Umayyad Mosque was the first great mosque in the world and is considered as one of the holiest sites of Islam. The site was first an Aramean shrine, then a Byzantine church and was later converted into a mosque. The best way to enjoy the place is to just sit down on the marble-floored inner patio and watch people come and go. The ultimate old city experience is probably to wander randomly along the alleys randomly and admire the street life and the classical Damascene architecture. In the more modern parts of the city you find museums and government buildings. The National Museum gives a good introduction to the country’s rich history.

Day 4-5, Palmyra

You travel by bus 3-4 hours east on the road that leads to Iraq. You pass an arid desert landscape until you arrive at the oasis where the legendary desert town Palmyra (or Tadmor in Arabic) is located. The history of Palmyra goes as far back as 2000 BC. For a long time Palmyra was an important trading center on the road between Asia and Europe. Large caravans loaded with spices, silk and ivory passed here during thousands of years. Palmyra’s most glorious period came after the year 267 AD when the city was ruled by the desert queen Zenobia. She successfully challenged the Roman army, invaded Egypt and declared independence from the Roman Empire. But only a couple of years later Palmyra was reconquered by the Romans and Palmyra started to lose its importance. What remains of ancient Palmyra is considered to be Syria’s major historical site. You can walk around the impressive ruins for hours. The ruins are situated next to the oasis with its orange trees and date palms. But go there early in the morning when the light is soft and before the desert sun gets to unbearable.

Day 6, Bedouin

You spend one day and one night with Bedouin in the desert outside Palmyra. Here the traditional way of life still dominates. The Bedouin keep goats, sheep and camels and live in large tents. You spend the night in one of their tents and sleep on matrasses on the carpeted floor.

Day 7-8, Deir ez-Zour

You continue east by bus until you reach the river Euphrates and the town Deir ez-Zour. This is a typical Syrian desert town without famous sights and therefore very few tourists even for Syria. But it is a good place to get a feeling of life in a smaller town. If you have time try to visit the archeological museum which gives a good insight into the history of the area where our civilization was born. At sunset you could take a walk to the bridge which crosses the river north of the city center. Join the local families as they enjoy the beautiful views. In the evening the center comes alive with activity in shops, restaurants and bakeries. There are also many interesting historical sites to visit nearby the city.

Day 9, Euphrates

You travel by taxi or bus along the Euphrates. The river cuts through the desert as a fertile life line. On the way to Aleppo you stop at the historical sites of Halabiyya, Rasafa and Qalaat Jabar. You arrive in Aleppo in the evening.

Day 10-12, Aleppo

Aleppo rivals Damascus as one of the oldest cities on earth. While Damascus always was the “holy city”, Aleppo was the one of commerce and trade. Arabs, Armenians, Jews, Kurds and Turks have lived here for thousands of years and the city’s souq (market) is considered to be the most genuine in the entire Middle East. Next to the souq you can visit the great mosque and the citadel which once guarded the city against invaders. Outside the old town you should pay a visit to the charming, mainly Christian, neighborhood Al Jdeida. Aleppo is also famous for its spicy and delicious food.

Day 13-14, Dead cities

During two days you hike in the beautiful landscape north of Aleppo. This area is famous for its “dead cities”, a very large concentration of Byzantine ruins. You will hike between old churches, monasteries, and villages. The area is Syria’s most important olive producer and has a large Kurdish population. You sleep on a small farm in the village Qatoura. You will hike approximatly 15 km per day.

Day 15-16, Lattakia

From Aleppo you travel by train to Syria’s most important seaport Lattakia. The journey is a scenic ride over the lush wooded mountains. Lattakia has a distinctive Mediterranean feel and a more liberal atmosphere than the inland cities. You can visit the nearby crusader castles, make a trip to the beaches near the Turkish border or just relax in one of the city’s many cafés.

Day 17, Krak des Chevaliers

You continue by bus to Krak des Chevaliers which is considered to be the best conserved crusader castle in the world. The castle is strategically situated on a hilltop controlling the passage between the coast and the Orontes valley with Syria’s major cities. The castle was one of the most important military fortifications during the 12th century. It was like an autonomous city holding around 2000 soldiers, hundreds of horses and with its own kitchen, church and meeting room. Krak des Chevaliers was one of the last strongholds of the crusaders but finally fell to the Muslim armies in 1271. As a visitor today you will feel like living a childhood fantasy as you walk the tunnels of the castle and climb the towers and walls. Try to also visit the village below the castle for a glimpse of village life and grab a freshly made falafel or two.

Day 18, Hama

You travel by bus to Hama, one of the friendliest cities in Syria. Hama is situated on the banks of the Orontes River which makes it a very green city filled with trees. The symbol of the city which also is its major attraction are the norias, large wooden waterwheels up to 20 meters in diameter which have been used for irrigation since the 5th century A.D. The norias you see today where designed in the 13th century. Most of Hama’s old town was destroyd in 1982 when the army crushed a rebellion by the Muslim Brotherhood. It is estimated that between 10 000 and 25 000 people were killed during the bombardment. Today you can visit the reconstructed alleys of the old town. Hama is also a good base to explore the surrounding countryside filled with ruins and villages.

Day 19, Deir Mar Musa

You reach the monastery Deir Mar Musa By bus and taxi, it is situated in the middle of nowhere well hidden in the desert mountains. To get all the way up to the monastery you have to make a 20 minute walk up the stairs that have been cut out from the mountain. To visit Mar Musa is like travelling 1500 years back in time. The monastery was founded in the 6th century A.D. and the monks who live there practice Christianity in a very traditional way. You will take part in morning prayer, preparation of lunch and evening meditation. The place and the atmosphere will give you time to digest all the impressions form the tour. In the evening men and women are separated and sleep in different sections of the monastery. Staying at the monastery is free of charge, but they do appreciate donations.

Day 20-21, Damascus

Back to Damascus where you will have some free time for activities, excursions and shopping. The souq is of course an excellent place to shop for gifts for people back home.