10 reviews for Syria
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Expedition
Syria
APPLICATIONS CLOSED
Syria
Syria is a land of Ancient History, from the Holy Land to the legendary city of Damascus. A country with a fascinating culture, unparalleled hospitality and delicious food. Getting in is hard, but leaving is the hardest part!
- Trip dates: February 3rd - 9th 2024
- 7 days
- 6 nights
itinerary
Day 1: Journey to Damascus
- Meet and assist with private vehicle pick-up from Beirut.
- Old Damascus city tour. We’ll discover the finest gems this ancient city has to offer like Azem Palace, the gorgeous Omayyad Mosque, the Church of St. Ananias, the straight street, Asaad Basha Khan, as well as explore Hamidiah Bazaar.
- Overnight in Beit Alwali, a five-star hotel, and the most beautiful place to stay in Damascus.
Day 2: Busra.
- After breakfast, we’ll visit the city of Busra, the once capital of the Roman province of Arabia, and important stopover in the ancient caravan route to Mecca. A magnificent 2nd-century Roman theatre, early Christian ruins, and several mosques are found within its walls to this day.
- Overnight in the village of Mishtaya, near Homs.
Day 3: Palmyra & Homs
- Morning departure to Palmyra; an oasis in the Syrian desert, north-east of Damascus, Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world, and to and witness the effect ISIS left in the beautiful city.
- Later we’ll move to Homs city, you’ll be invited by a local family to try traditional Syrian meals! Then, we will visit the Saint Mary Church of the Holy Belt, and witness the destruction that happened in the city.
- Return to Mishtaya village, overnight in Alwadi Hotel.
Day 4: Krak des Chevaliers, Hama & Aleppo
- After breakfast, we will depart to the magnificent crusader castle (Krak des Chevaliers) that dates back to the 11th century, and we can have lunch accompanied by an amazing view.
- Then, we’ll head to the city of Hama to see the famous waterwheels (Norias) and have lunch there.
- We’ll continue to Aleppo city for dinner, and overnight in Aleppo Palace Hotel.
Day 5: Aleppo
- After breakfast, we will go to explore the beautiful oriental flavored city of Aleppo, and visit its famous citadel, that is considered to be one of the oldest and largest castles in the world, and have a walk through the old city.
- Dinner, and overnight in Aleppo Palace hotel.
Day 6: Saydnay, Maaloula & Damascus
- After breakfast, head to the village of Maaloula, where Aramaic, the language of Christ is still spoken to visit the famous monastery of Saint Thecla and the famous mountain path that holds her name and the monastery of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.
- After that, we head to Saydnaya to visit All-Holy Virgin Monastery, return to Damascus, overnight in Beit Alwali Hotel.
- Overnight in Beit Alwali Hotel.
Day 7: Damascus to Beirut
- Last morning. Free time to buy some souvenirs and head back to Beirut at noon.
Included
Not included
Hotels
Shared twin room in 4-star hotels (when available) with breakfast.Guides
Expert local guide and fixer.Transport
Private minibus with driverSecurity Clearance and visa support
We will take care of your security clearance and process your visas so you can pay and pick them up on arrival.Entrance Fees
All entrance fees to sites on your itinerary.
February 3rd – 9th 2024
Our Selection Process takes only 10 minutes and it helps us create the best travel family!
FAQ
HOW DO I GET A VISA FOR SYRIA?
We will take care of the security clearance for you so you can just pick it up on arrival at the border. We just need a scanned copy of your passport for this and it will take a few weeks to process. The cost of the visa is $65-150 depending on your nationality and is not included (you will need to pay with cash on arrival).
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET THERE?
Wander Expedition doesn’t book flights for you and is ultimately not responsible for your flight connection, but we can offer guidance and support when you research the best options for you.
We’ll meet in Beirut and cross overland into Syria.
IS SYRIA SAFE?
Syria is a challenging destination in terms of security, but we will keep a low profile, visit stable areas and we will be accompanied by a local crew at all times, which will help us interact with locals and have the best possible experience.
WHO IS THIS EXPEDITION FOR?
This Expedition is perfect for those seeking an adventure in one of the most closed countries on Earth. If you are a relatively experienced traveler, Syria is the kind of destination you can’t get over easily.
WHATS THE PRICE?
Wander Expeditions is not a traditional travel agency where the first to pay is the first to go. We take you to stunning destinations, but we know the people you share it with is even more important when you travel. That’s why we have a refined selection process where we filter and vet candidates to ensure that groups are fun, balanced, diverse and interesting! We make sure candidates are on the same page and share our values of being fun, flexible and fearless, so we can guarantee everyone will have an amazing experience. We create travel families, so #trusttheprocess. Halfway through our process, we share the price with all pre-selected applicants. It only takes 15 min to apply, so you literally have nothing to lose! What are you waiting for to join the Wander Fam?
StefHeijnen –
The legend has done it again. My 4th expedition and one of my favourites, great itinerary, great people. A guarantee for succes. Can’t wait to do the next!
Simply two words: SAY YES
Ostap Shvayka –
Syria definitely exceeded all our expectations.
Starting with a little luxury by staying in the best hotel in Damascus, getting the best guides out there that didn’t know the word “impossible” and getting to places where other agencies usually don’t take.
Syria is safe, tasty, hospitable , clean and crazy in its own way.
It definitely wasn’t an alcohol-free trip 😄 so besides experiencing incredible sightseeings, culture, cuisine, history and architecture, we had a lot of fun! 🍻🥂🕺💃 in local bars and karaokes.
But what’s more important, as always in such expeditions we made a lot of lifelong friends.
claireeastriddfuchss –
An absolutely incredibly adventure! The itinerary was spot on and we saw all the important sites around the country. The local guides, food, and adventures we had in Syria are incomparable to anything else I’ve experienced, not to mention the amazing travel family you make along the way. Say yes!! You won’t regret it 🙂
tdmcl1 –
Amazing trip to Syria! Great friends, great food and great guides. I highly suggest!
Edouard Alexandre –
First expedition with Wander expeditions and what a journey! Syria is not what you are expecting. First of all, I never felt in danger, warm people, incredible places, food is tasty, program excellent where you can see and learn a lot. Nightlife is very nice between bars and karaokes (local beer and wine available ofc). Regarding the guide, he made Donna Paulsen look like a third string player. People from the fam were incredible. Lifelong friends for sure. Can’t wait for another expedition! SAY YES
Charles Zare –
What an incredible country and what an epic trip! This place has so much to offer, history, culture and some of the warmest people out there. I’m very grateful to Wander Expeditions for getting us the best guides one could ask for and bringing together a great travel family. I highly recommend this trip for anyone looking for an unforgettable adventure!
Nesrin Parlak –
The trip was amazing! I felt safe and comfortable at all times, saw beautiful places, and met with fun people who feel like family now. Can’t wait until the next Expedition!
Julio González Calderón –
The trip of a lifetime
I never imagined that traveling in Syria would be so amazing! From visiting amazing Roman ruins to talking to the locals, walking through the souks on my own in complete safety, taking pictures and even partying and drinking and singing in karaokes! Syria is much more than the bad news that you get on TV, it is an amazing country and I can only thank WE for making this possible and for having this amazing family trip!
Orly Hakimi –
How fortunate was I to be able to experience this trip!!! Alvaro and Wander Expeditions always puts together an exceptional adventure. I wouldn’t be a repeater if I didn’t trust him wholeheartedly; especially to a destination like Syria. What a country, history, culture, food, people, and experience!!! I felt completely safe and comfortable, especially as a solo woman (Jewish heritage) traveler. People couldn’t have been nicer to me (us) and I’ll cherish this opportunity for the rest of my life!
Don’t hesitate. SAY YES!!!
Andres Polanco –
The Syria Expedition was one of the best experiences of my life.
We were a like-minded, energetic group of mixed ethnicities who bonded immediately.
I am proud of being part of this new Family!
The news media and government advisors have portraited Syria as a hostile and repressive environment, but it was just the opposite for us. The nightlife was incredible. We danced, smoked Shisha, did Karaoke, and easily mixed with the locals. Syrians, rather than regarding us with suspicion, were very welcoming.
They are superb hosts, and we felt welcome and safe during the entire trip. Our guides were the best, and the trip was well planned, but the best part was the adventure of being part of my new Travel Family.
Just SAY YES!