From exploring the narrow alleys of the old city of Damascus and Aleppo to discovering ancient Medieval castles, remote monasteries, and Roman sites, Syria is one of the richest countries in terms of history.
In this EXPEDITION, we always explore Syria’s most precious sites, but the trip will also focus heavily on Syria’s most human side.
This means that we will interact and get to know kind-hearted Syrians, while witnessing their struggle and desire to return to normality, making it a unique expedition into Syria.
For security reasons, the order of the itinerary may differ, and the actual itinerary will be shared a few days before the beginning of the trip.
Day 1 – Arrival in Damascus (from Amman)
Day 2 – Damascus Old City
Day 3 – Maaloula & Mar Musa
Day 4 – Full day in Aleppo
Day 5 – Hama, Krak de Chevaliers & Homs
Day 6 – Palmyra
Day 7 – Day trip to Bosra
Day 8 – New Damascus and departure
Day 1 – Amman and Damascus
The tour will start at 8am in Amman, the capital of Jordan, from where we will drive towards the Syrian border and Damascus.
The whole journey takes around 5 hours, with border crossing included.
Once in Damascus, we will check in at our hotel, followed by a traditional lunch and a stroll around the old city.
Nightlife in Damascus is particularly vibrant, especially in the Christian district during the weekend, an area filled with bars and restaurants, where we can all go for dinner and a few drinks.
Day 2 – Full day in Damascus
With more than 5000 years of history, Damascus might easily be the oldest capital in the world, a city absolutely packed with historical sites, as well as lively souks and bazaars.
We will spend the entire day exploring the city’s most well-kept secrets, as well as landmarks such as the Umayyad Mosque (where Yahya is buried, John the Baptist for Christians) and Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque, one of the most important shrines for Shia people.
As always, we will be visiting the city at our own pace, with plenty of time for photography and local interactions.
Overnight in Damascus.
Day 3 – Maaloula and Mar Musa (overnight in Aleppo)
On day 3, we will drive towards Aleppo, first stopping in Maaloula, one of the most important Christian towns in the Middle East, and one of the very few places in the world where people still speak Aramaic, the language of Jesus.
Once occupied by Al-Nusra, Maaloula was largely destroyed due to the recent war, but its most important churches and monasteries have been rebuilt, and we will visit two of them, where we might get the chance to meet nuns who were kidnapped and held as hostages for three months.
After Maaloula, we will also stop in Mar Musa, a mindblowing, skyscraper-shaped, 6th-century monastery raised in the middle of rocky mountains.
We should arrive in Aleppo in the evening. Free time for dinner and drinks.
Overnight in Aleppo.
Day 4 – Full day in Aleppo
Once the most populated city in Syria, and one of the most prominent cities in the Middle East, Aleppo was one of the most affected cities by the Syrian war.
Life, however, is coming back to Aleppo, visible in the ongoing reconstruction and all the people who are slowly returning to their beautiful home city.
During our visit, we will visit the Citadel of Aleppo – the last Syrian Army stronghold – as well as the historical souk and vibrant Christian district, which remained pretty untouched by the war, and is today filled with absolutely delicious restaurants serving Lebanese wine.
Overnight in Aleppo.
Day 5 – Hama & Krak des Chevaliers (overnight in Homs)
Aleppo to Krak de Chevaliers is a 4-hour ride, so we will break the journey in Hama, a pretty photogenic town, famous for its water wheels, all over the city.
After a 1-hour visit, we will continue our way to Krak des Chevaliers, once described by Lawrence of Arabia as the most wholly admirable castle in the world, absolutely gorgeous and surrounded by lush green hills.
We will have lunch in a restaurant with stunning castle views. After lunch, we will visit the Medieval fortress and then we will head to Homs.
Homs was, by far, the city most affected by the Syrian war, today mostly composed of destroyed buildings and rubble. Honestly, there’s not much left to see in Homs nowadays but we will do a quick visit.
Overnight in Homs.
Day 6 – Palmyra
Once one of the most important Roman cities, Palmyra is rich in both ancient and contemporary history, since the archaeological site was taken by ISIS on two separate occasions during the war. ISIS blew up the most important temple but the site is huge and most of its structures are still standing.
For visiting Palmyra, we do need to arrange a special permit.
After having a picnic lunch inside the ruins, we will head back to Damascus.
Overnight in Damascus.
Day 7 – Bosra
On our 7th day, we will visit the southern part of Syria on a day trip to Busra, an ancient city home to one of the most admirable Roman amphitheaters in the whole world, as well as other important monuments.
In Bosra, the local Syrians are culturally different, similar to Bedouins.
We will have lunch in a traditional Bedouin tent, with locals from Bosra.
After lunch back to Damascus.
Overnight in Damascus.
Day 8 – Damascus and Amman transfer
After breakfast, we will visit the remaining touristic places in Damascus, including the new part of town, as well as do any necessary shopping.
Transfer to Amman and end of the tour.
Gallery of photos
Selfie with Ummayad MosqueUmmayad MosqueDamascus Bazaar, with Jupiter temple being part of itChurch Of Saints Sergius & BacchusMaaloulaMar MusaAleppo CitadelaA local man selling zataar in AleppoAleppo views from the citadelViews of Krak de ChevaliersRoad to Krak de ChevaliersHalawet El-jibn, a typical sweet from HomsSweet shop in HomsPalmyraPalmyra museum was destroyed by ISISBosra Amphitheater
Included
Transfer to and from Amman
7 nights of accommodation (twin shared)
Security clearance (needed for the visa)
Private transportation and driver around Syria
Breakfast and lunch
Special permit for Palmyra & Bosra
English-speaking knowledgeable Syrian guide
International tour leader
Entrance fees to the places listed in the itinerary
Not Included
International flights to Amman
Visa fees
Dinner
Alcoholic drinks or any extra drink
Single supplement. Having your own private room costs 300€
Here’s our honest opinion on why you should travel to Syria with Against the Compass.
Which hotels do we stay in?
For security reasons, the name of the hotels we stay will only be shared upon booking your spot.
How does the room distribution work?
The price of the tour includes accommodation in a twin room.
If you are a solo traveler, you will share the room with another like-minded traveler from the group. We always try to group people of same gender and age but note that this won’t always be the case.
If you want a single room, you will have to pay an additional €300.
How to get a visa?
In order to come to Syria, you must first obtain a security clearance (Letter of Invitation). We will take care of that, so you don’t need to visit the embassy.
Where does the trip start from?
The trip starts and ends in Amman (Jordan), and transfer to and from Damascus is included in the price.
Why aren’t tours starting from Beirut anymore?
Prior to the Israeli & Gaza war in October 2023, all our tours to Syria started inBeirut but due to the ongoing conflict, some airlines stopped flying intoLebanon and that’s why, just to be on the safe side, we decided that all our trips will start from Amman instead, at least for now.
However, if you want to come from Beirut, we can easily arrange private transportation for you, no problem.
What’s the best way to reach Amman?
The international airport in Amman is called Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), which has plenty of connections with anywhere in theMiddle East and Europe.
If coming from Europe, common stopovers include Istanbul (either Pegasus or Turkish), Frankfurt (Lufthansa), or Paris (Air France).
If coming from the American continent or Australia, Doha (Qatar Airways) or Dubai (Emirates) are also worth checking.
What’s the minimum amount of participants needed?
All our trips to Syria have a guaranteed departure.
How much does the visa cost?
These are the latest visa fees updated in 2024.
Price varies depending on nationality:
European passport holders: 75 USD
Canadian passports: 100 USD
British, Australian, and Argentinian passports: 150 USD
US passport holders: 200 USD
The visa fee is paid at the border, to the respective authorities.
Which nationalities can join this tour?
All nationalities, including US passport holders.
However, note that for US citizens, the visa process takes up to 4-5 weeks, and that there’s a small chance of being rejected.
If you are a US citizen and your visa was rejected, you’d be fully refunded.
As per the rest of the nationalities, the visa is 100% guaranteed.
Is it safe?
As of today, the areas which are controlled by the Government (the ones we visit) are relatively safe.
Foreign tourists visit those places every day and so far, nothing has ever happened.
However, it’s important for you to be aware of all risks involved by reading the travel advice from your Government, something like the FCDO advice.
In order to secure your spot on the tour, we require a deposit.
All details will be shared upon booking your spot.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, if you want to join any of our expeditions, you must purchase travel insurance, this is non-negotiable, and it must be with IATI.
Why do we have to book it with IATI?
Against the Compass has been a partner with IATI for a very long time. We know their CEO, the marketing team and we do a lot of collaborations together so in the unlikely case something happened, we’d know what to do.
Moreover, IATI Insurance covers all the countries where the FCDO advises against all travel.
You may also benefit from a 5% discount if purchasing it from the below link.
