DISCOVER SYRIA

Syria has been influenced by the Persians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Romans, Crusaders and Ottomans. Travellers are safe and treated with friendly hospitality. Damascus, the capital city, claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Though sacked several times by various conquerors, it is about 7000 years old.

We offer coach tours, accommodation and transfers.

1. COACH TOURS

1.1 SYRIA CLASSIC CIRCULAR TOUR 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS
Weekly Guaranteed departure, every Saturday, with English-speaking guide
With minimum 2 participants

Saturday
ARRIVE DAMASCUS AIRPORT
Meet at the gate, by our friendly Airport staff who shall provide full assistance through immigration & custom. Transfer to hotel in Damascus for dinner & overnight.

Sunday
DAMASCUS / CHAHBA / BOSRA / DAMASCUS
Breakfast. Full day excursion to Chahba and Bosra. Bosra was a major metropolis of the Roman Empire and a prosperous crossroads for trade. Its' importance, nowadays, lies in housing the still preserved Roman Theater, which hosts Arab and International performers during the Bosra Art Festival. Back to Damascus for dinner and overnight.

Monday
DAMASCUS CITY TOUR
Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Damascus, the oldest capital and continually inhabited city in the world. Visit the Omayyad Mosque, Saladin's Tomb, the Azem Palace, St. Annania's Church, Straight Street, St. Paul's Window and the old covered bazaar. P.M visit of the National museum of Damascus. Dinner and overnight in Damascus.

Tuesday
DAMASCUS / SEYDNAYA/ MALOULA/ KRACK DES CHEVALIERS / ALEPPO
Breakfast. Drive to Seydnaya to visit the Blessed Virgin's Convent and then to Ma'lula, the honeycomb village. Built on a very capricious rocky slope. Continue to Krak des Chevaliers, to visit the famous Crusader Fortress, built in 1110. Proceed to Aleppo city for dinner and overnight.

Wednesday
ALEPPO Breakfast, full day sightseeing of Aleppo including the Arabian citadel, Old souks, The Great Mosque, Archeological museum, old barriers and houses from the 17th century. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo.

Thursday
ALEPPO / ST. SIMEION / APAMEA / HAMA / PALMYRA
Breakfast, drive to visit the imposing cathedral of St. Simeon, the Stylite which was the grandest of all 5th century Christian monuments. Continue to Apamea to visit the Greek Roman Byzantine site of Apamea. Then via Hama, one of the oldest city in Syria, famous for its' wooden waterwheels, to Palmyra for dinner and overnight.

Friday
PALMYRA AND DAMASCUS
Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Palmyra, Syria's prime attraction and one of the world's greatest historical sites where the magnificent remains: the Temple of Bel, the Arch of Triumph, Zenobia Bath and more tell stories of the reign of Queen Zenobia. Afternoon drive back to Damascus for dinner and overnight.

Saturday
TRANSFER TO DAMASCUS AIRPORT FOR DEPARTURE
Breakfast. Transfer to Damascus Airport including our assistance during departure formalities.
Or transfer to Amman for tour in Jordan.

EXTENSION AQABA - ST CATHERINE
Weekly from Friday to Wednesday

Included:
* 7 nights hotel accommodation on half board basis in category of your choice.
* Transportation and excursion in comfortable modern air-conditioned vehicle.
* Excellent high-qualified English-speaking guide throughout the tour.
* All entrance fees to sites visited.
* Meeting and assistance at Airport.

Excluded:
* Visa fees officially free of charge for the time being.
* Departure tax of US.D 5 p.p.
* Lunches, drinks and personal expenses.
* Tips for guide, driver, Hotels, Restaurants.
* Obligatory New Year Eve dinner if applicable.
* Transfer from Damascus to Amman

1.2 SYRIA CLASSIC CIRCULAR TOUR 7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS

Weekly Guaranteed departure, every Sunday, with English-speaking guide
With minimum 2 participants

Sunday
ARRIVE DAMASCUS AIRPORT
Meet at the gate, by our friendly Airport staff who shall provide full assistance through immigration & custom. Transfer to hotel in Damascus for dinner & overnight.

Monday
DAMASCUS CITY TOUR
Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Damascus, the oldest capital and continually inhabited city in the world. Visit the Omayyad Mosque, Saladin's Tomb, the Azem Palace, St. Annania's Church, Straight Street, St. Paul's Window and the old covered bazaar. P.M visit of the National museum of Damascus. Dinner and overnight in Damascus.

Tuesday
DAMASCUS / SEYDNAYA/ MALOULA/ KRACK DES CHEVALIERS / ALEPPO
Breakfast. Drive to Seydnaya to visit the Blessed Virgin's Convent and then to Ma'lula, the honeycomb village. Built on a very capricious rocky slope. Continue to Krak des Chevaliers, to visit the famous Crusader Fortress, built in 1110. Proceed to Aleppo city for dinner and overnight.

Wednesday
ALEPPO
Breakfast, full day sightseeing of Aleppo including the Arabian citadel, Old souks, The Great Mosque, Archeological museum, old barriers and houses from the 17th century. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo.

Thursday
ALEPPO / ST. SIMEION / APAMEA / HAMA / PALMYRA
Breakfast, drive to visit the imposing cathedral of St. Simeon, the Stylite which was the grandest of all 5th century Christian monuments. Continue to Apamea to visit the Greek Roman Byzantine site of Apamea. Then via Hama, one of the oldest city in Syria, famous for its' wooden waterwheels, to Palmyra for dinner and overnight.

Friday
PALMYRA AND DAMASCUS
Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Palmyra, Syria's prime attraction and one of the world's greatest historical sites where the magnificent remains: the Temple of Bel, the Arch of Triumph, Zenobia Bath and more tell stories of the reign of Queen Zenobia. Afternoon drive back to Damascus for dinner and overnight.

Saturday
TRANSFER TO DAMASCUS AIRPORT FOR DEPARTURE
Breakfast. Transfer to Damascus Airport including our assistance during departure formalities.
OR transfer to Amman for Jordan tour

Included:
* 6 nights Hotel accommodation on half board basis.
* Transportation and excursion in comfortable modern air-conditioned vehicle.
* Excellent high-qualified English-speaking guide throughout the tour
* All entrance fees to sites visited
* Meeting and assistance at Airport.

Excluded:
* Visa fee officially free of charge for the time being.
* Departure tax of USD 5 p.p.
* Lunches, drinks and personal expenses.
* Tips for guide, driver, Hotels, Restaurants
* Obligatory New Year Eve dinner if applicable.
* Transfer from Damascus to Amman

1.3 SYRIA / JORDAN CIRCULAR TOUR 14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS
Weekly Guaranteed departure, every Sunday, with English-speaking guide.
With minimum 2 participants

Sunday
ARRIVE DAMASCUS AIRPORT
Meet at the gate, by our friendly Airport staff who shall provide full assistance through immigration & custom. Transfer to hotel in Damascus for dinner & overnight.

Monday
DAMASCUS CITY TOUR
Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Damascus, the oldest capital and continually inhabited city in the world. Visit the Umayyad Mosque, Saladin's Tomb, the Azem Palace, St. Annania's Church, Straight Street, St. Paul's Window and the old covered bazaar. P.M visit of the National museum of Damascus. Dinner and overnight in Damascus.

Tuesday
DAMASCUS / SEYDNAYA/ MALOULA/ KRACK DES CHEVALIERS / ALEPPO
Breakfast. Drive to Seydnaya to visit the Blessed Virgin's Convent and then to Ma'lula, the honeycomb village. Built on a very capricious rocky slope. Continue to Krak des Chevaliers, to visit the famous Crusader Fortress, built in 1110. Proceed to Aleppo city for dinner and overnight.

Wednesday
ALEPPO
Breakfast, full day sightseeing of Aleppo including the Arabian citadel, Old souks, The Great Mosque, Archeological museum, old barriers and houses from the 17th century. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo.

Thursday
ALEPPO / ST. SIMEION / APAMEA / HAMA / PALMYRA
Breakfast, drive to visit the imposing cathedral of St. Simeon, the Stylite which was the grandest of all 5th century Christian monuments. Continue to Apamea to visit the Greek Roman Byzantine site of Apamea. Then via Hama, one of the oldest city in Syria, famous for its' wooden waterwheels, to Palmyra for dinner and overnight.

Friday
PALMYRA / DAMASCUS
Breakfast. Sightseeing tour of Palmyra, Syria's prime attraction and one of the world's greatest historical sites where the magnificent remains: the Temple of Bel, the Arch of Triumph, Zenobia Bath and more tell stories of the reign of Queen Zenobia. In the afternoon drive back to Damascus for dinner and overnight.

Saturday
DAMASCUS
Breakfast. Free day in Damascus for shopping and private activities.
Or Optional Excursion to Baalbek in Lebanon. Dinner and overnight in Damascus.

Sunday
DAMASCUS / CHAHBA / BOSRA / AMMAN
Breakfast. Drive to Chaba and Bosra. Bosra was a major metropolis of the Roman Empire and a prosperous crossroads for trade. Its' importance, nowadays, lies in housing the still preserved Roman Theater, which hosts Arab and International performers during the Bosra Art Festival. Continue to Amman via the Syrian - Jordanian border. Dinner and overnight in Amman.

Monday
AMMAN / DESERT CASTLES / DEAD SEA / AMMAN
Breakfast. Full day tour to the Desert Castles, built by the Omayyad Caliphs of Damascus in the 8th century A.D. as hunting lodges. Wildly varied in architectural style: Qasr Al-Kharraneh, Qasr Amra and Qasr Al-Azraq. Continue to the Dead Sea - the lowest spot on earth. Time for bathing and relaxing. Dinner and overnight - Amman.

Tuesday
CITY TOUR OF AMMAN / JERASH / AMMAN
Breakfast. Full day tour through Amman, the ancient and modern capital of Jordan, originally built on seven hills and from the top of the citadel, one of the highest hills, you can have a splendid view of the old city. Visit the Citadel, Roman Theater, Archeological, Folklore Museums, and King Abdullah Mosque. Drive north of Amman to visit Jerash, the most beautiful and preserved Roman city in existence. Dinner and overnight-Amman.

Wednesday
AMMAN / MADABA / MOUNT NEBO / KINGS' HIGHWAY / KERAK / PETRA
Breakfast, full day visit through King's Highway, the ancient Silk Road; stop in Madaba, home of the most famous Byzantine Mosaics and most of all the 6th century map of the holy places in the biblical world. Continue to Mount Nebo, with its spectacular view of the Holy Land. Then to Kerak to visit the Crusader Castle from the 12th century. Proceed to Petra for dinner and overnight.

Thursday
PETRA
Breakfast. Full day sightseeing of the unique "rose-red" city of Petra, half as old as time, built by the Arab Nabateans who hewed their monumental tombs, palaces, temples and treasury from the desert rock's sandstone in its natural hues of rose and gold. Dinner and overnight in Petra.

Friday
PETRA / WADI RUM / AQABA / WADI ARABA / AMMAN
Breakfast. Drive to Wadi Rum the valley of the moon, with a visit by Bedouin Jeeps for 2 hours. Continue to Aqaba for break at the Red Sea. P.M. drive via Wadi Araba and Dead Sea Coast to Amman for dinner and overnight.
OR possibility for extension in Aqaba at the Red-sea or extension at the Dead Sea

Saturday
TRANSFER TO AMMAN AIRPORT FOR DEPARTURE
Breakfast. Transfer to Amman Airport including our assistance during departure formalities.

Included:
* 13 nights Hotel accommodation on half board basis in hotel category of choice.
* Transportation and excursions in comfortable modern air-conditioned vehicle.
* Excellent high-qualified English-speaking guide throughout the tour
* All entrance fees to sites visited and one short horse-ride in Petra
* 4x4 in Wadi Rum for 2 hours.

Excluded:
* Visa fee for Jordan and for Syria officially free of charge for the time being.
* Departure tax . at Amman Airport.
* Lunches, drinks and personal expenses.
* Tips for guide, driver, Hotels, Restaurants
* Obligatory New Year Eve dinner if applicable.

*** There are strict regulations in Syria regarding passports with visas and stamps for Israel ***

Also see Lebanon and Jordan for more information about extended tours

Please contact (012) 460 8382 for rates, or e-mail: info3@duto.co.za

Updated: January 2006