Palmyra Syria

Day 1: Amman

Welcome to Jordan! When you arrive we will meet you after customs and baggage and transfer you to your hotel.

Day 2: Amman

Enjoy a day to relax and re coup after your long flight.

Your rental Toyota Land Cruiser will be delivered at 09:00 hrs at the hotel. Today we recommend you to drive out of the city and visit Jerash, Umm Qais and time permitting the desert castles near Azraq.

Day 4: Amman - Petra

Today drive your self to the ancient Rose City of Petra. You can stop en route to visit Madaba and the holy land mosaic map in St George's Church we recommend to have lunch here in the Haret El Joudna Restaurant then drive on perhaps visit the impressive crusader castle of Karak. Arrive Petra by sundown.

Day 5: Petra

Welcome to the Rose City! Access to the city on our guided exploration is through the famous narrow, deep siq. The rocks then give way to the most amazing site – that of the fantastically impressive Treasury. Walking down the gravel tracks, we will explore the ancient Nabatean tombs and the Roman rock carved streets lined with temples, royal tombs, staircases, arched gates, public buildings and more. (INCLUDED PRIVATE TOUR)

Day 6: Petra

Visit Siq al Barid ("Little Petra"), the northern Nabatean customs point outside the bounds of the city of Petra. Walk to the Baidha Neolithic site to visit one of man's earliest know agricultural settlements, over 9,000 years old. Continue hiking cross-country by Wadi Merwan, arriving by Petra's "back door" to ad-Deir--the Monastery--Petra's largest carved facade. (INCLUDED PRIVATE TOUR)

Day 7: Petra - Wadi Rum

This morning you drive yourself to Wadi Rum village meet our crew and a 3 hour 4x4 jeep tour to get up close and personal with this vast, silent landscape of ancient riverbeds, pastel coloured stretches of sandy desert and amazing eroded rock formations that rise from the desert floor. Tonight, we enjoy a Bedhouin dinner at our remote desert camp.

Day 8: Wadi Rum - Dead Sea

Today we transfer you back to Rum village you collect your Cruiser and drive yourself to the Dead Sea. Along the way we recommend you to visit Mt Nebo the site where Moses saw the promised land and after the baptism site of Jesus Christ at Bethany.

Day 9: Dead Sea - Damascus

Around 9 am vehicle will be collected. (Dawna Early morning transfer for flight home) At 11 am we will collect you and transfer you to Damascus in Syria. We will stop shortly after crossing the Syria border so you can see the Roman Ruins at Bosra (No guide you see at your leisure) After transfer onward to Damascus check into your hotel.

Day 10: Damascus

Enjoy a full day tour with our expert guide sites will include the National museum, Handicraft market, Hamedieh bazaar, Omayad mosque, Saladin's tomb, Azem Palace, Straight street, St. Anania's church & St. Paul window. At the end of the tour drive to Kasioun mountain for a panoramic view of the city as the sun goes down.

Day 11: Damascus - Palmyra

Today we drive to ancient Palmyra. The politically important, extremely affluent, 2nd century BC ruinous town is located on the caravan trade routes connecting Persia, India, China and the Roman Empire. We tour the preserved theatre, fascinating museum, the striking Ba’al temple and the Valley of Tombs.

Day 12: Palmyra - Aleppo

On the way to Aleppo – the main city of northern Syria, stop off at the once mighty, now ruined city of Rasafeh. Climb the walls to get great views of the remaining buildings and the desert. Then visit Al’Assad lake on the Euphrates River, where we take a relaxing boat trip around the pink fortress - the Ja’abar citadel.

Day 13: Aleppo

This morning we visit the museum, the magnificent and huge Citadel which contains the beautifully designed Great Mosque. In the afternoon drive to the impressive Basilica of St Simeon, who became famous because he lived on a small platform on top of a pillar for about 40 years! Afterwards we head back to Aleppo.

Day 14: Aleppo - Damascus

Today we travel to the remarkably beautiful and extremely well preserved crusader castle of Krac des Chevaliers. Afterward we tour the small, richly historic and biblical village of Ma’alula. The predominantly Christian village with a population of about 2,000, still speak Aramaic – the language of Jesus. After we continue onto Damascus.