own dates.
Your own adventure.
Syria is exclusively a private tour. Tell us when you want to go, which entry point works for you, and who's coming — we handle everything else.
This is a 7-day sample itinerary starting in Beirut and ending in Damascus — we can modify the length, pace, entry point, and destinations to suit your group and schedule.
A full day in one of the world's oldest cities. Visit the National Museum for an overview of 11,000 years of Syrian civilisation. Then Souk Al Hamidiye — Damascus' most magnificent souk, full of fabrics, pastries, and handicrafts. The Umayyad Mosque in the heart of the medina, with its mosaic-covered walls and soaring prayer room. Finally, the El Azem Palace — a sumptuous Damascene house whose austere exterior hides an interior of flowers, fruit trees, and fountains.
First stop: Maaloula, a small Christian town perched in dramatic cliff faces where Aramaic — the language of Jesus — is still spoken today. The Greek Catholic Church, destroyed by ISIS in 2014, has been largely rebuilt. Continue to Homs to visit the St. Mary Church of the Holy Belt, seat of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Then press north to Aleppo — a flourishing metropolis since the 3rd millennium BC, rivalling Damascus for the title of the world's oldest inhabited city. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo.
Begin at the famous Aleppo Citadel — standing 50 metres above the city with its formidable towers and iron gates, one of the greatest medieval fortresses ever built. Then explore the old souks: covered by coffered vaults and enormous cupolas dating to the 15th and 16th centuries, these are real living museums. Browse Bedouin handicrafts, rugs, pistachios, and honey pastries. Afterwards, drive into Aleppo's old town — one of the areas worst affected by the Syrian conflict — to understand the city's layered story of destruction and resilience.
Depart for Apamea — founded in 301 BC, one of the most important Seleucid cities of northern Syria, its great colonnaded street stretching for nearly 2km. Stop in Hama to see the ancient wooden waterwheels (norias) on the Orontes River, some over 20 metres tall and centuries old. Then head to Krak des Chevaliers. T.E. Lawrence called it "the most wholly admirable castle in the world" — and after your visit, you'll understand exactly why.
Depart through Almishtaya to Palmyra — the city the Syrians call Tadmor (miracle in Aramaic), the most important oasis of the Syrian Desert. 240km from Damascus, it arises from golden sands that extend to infinity. Visit the Temple of Bel — the largest and most majestic building in Palmyra, a fusion of Greco-Roman and Oriental architecture. Walk the great colonnade, more than a kilometre long, where Silk Road caravans once passed. See the remarkable tower tombs scattered across the desert. Return to Damascus for dinner and overnight.
Breakfast and a leisurely final morning in Damascus. Discover the daily life of Syrians — be in touch with the local community. Visit Neiraben Park and watch the sunrise or morning light over Umayyad Square, the largest public square in Damascus. Explore any remaining sites you want to revisit. Then head to Beirut to conclude the tour. The drive takes approximately 2 hours through the Anti-Lebanon mountains.
