Friday 16^th December – Beirut, Lebanon – Damascus, Syria

Morning

• Arrival at your convenience into Beirut – the capital city of Lebanon – most international airlines have daily flights between Beirut and other major European cities.
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 8:30am to discuss tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• Breakfast at the hotel and begin the drive to the Syrian border, which will take about two hours.
• Cross the border, with a stop at duty free in no man’s land, for some of the cheapest alcohol and other products you’ve ever experienced. Whether you plan to buy, or not this is extremely interesting just to see what people are taking across the border.
• The whole border crossing usually takes 1 to 2 hours, with the border guards being very friendly.

Afternoon

• Once clearing Syrian customs and immigration we’ll continue our drive to Damascus, which will take roughly an hour.
• On arrival we will check into the Antique Khan Hotel.
• After welcome tea and snacks we will then arrange SIM cards and currency exchange for those that need it.
• Next stop is lunch and quite simply you have not been to Damascus unless you have tried their shawarma, or felafel for those of the vegetarian persuasion.
• Begin our one hour walking tour of the old part Damascus with our first stop being the Ananias Church – Damascus’ oldest church which happens to be underground, and Omayad Mosque – the main mosque located in the centre of the city.
• Explore the Old Town’s bazaar and shopping areas – a great spot for sampling local ice cream or some of the best street food in the Arab world.
• Later we’ll head to dinner, for a delicious feast in Damascus – where you can try local Arak, as well as Syrian Wine
• After dinner we offer 2 options, either hitting the bars of Old Damascus, or simply returning to our comfortable hotel to relax.
• Overnight at Antique Khan Hotel in Damascus

Saturday 17^th December – Damascus – Maaloula – Al Mishtaya

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and begin our drive to Maaloula, a small Christian town that was almost completely decimated by ISIS in 2014.
• Visit the Greek Catholic church which was destroyed but has already largely been rebuilt and is now again doing services.
• This town is one of the last in the world where people speak the Aramaic language – the same language Jesus spoke, and it is possible to hear the lords prayer being spoken using it.
• Walk through a canyon to the St. Sergious and Bakhous Monastery where you’ll have the chance to meet nuns who were kidnapped and held hostage for several years.
• We then continue driving until we reach the Krak des Chevaliers a former castle built for Christians to house them on their way to the crusades. As well as a rich and ancient history it also boasts a darker contemporary one.

Afternoon

• We continue with the short drive to the Christian village of Almishtaya, a surprise highlight of the trip with lunch on arrival.
• Greet our homestay family as they host wine tasting for you
• Dinner, and entertainment with our host family, and a chance to later further explore the nightlife of the town.
• Homestay in Al Mishtaya

Sunday 18^th December – Al Mishtaya – Homs – Palmyra – Hama

Morning

• Breakfast at homestay before heading to Homs
• We’ll stop at the St. Mary Church of the Holy Belt, the Seat of the Syriac Orthodox Church, where the Virgin Mary’s belt was kept until shortly before the war. Fortunately the belt was already removed before the church was looted and all the icons and artwork were burnt or stolen.
• Visit the grave of Frans van der Lugt – a Dutch Jesuit priest who established a community centre and farm in Homs where he worked with the homeless, disabled, sick and hungry, as well as for harmony between Christians and Muslims. Greatly respected by locals, he was then shot dead in the garden in 2014 by members of the Al-Nusra Front, and it is now a memorial to him and his work.

Afternoon

• Visit Palmyra, one of Syria’s most famous sites. Once a lush city on the Silk Road, Palmyra was even briefly its own empire in the 3rd Century, stretching from Turkey to Egypt. Although the old city was ruined, it was famously in spectacular condition and exceptionally well preserved. Sadly though in 2015 it fell under the control of ISIS, and a lot of the buildings were brought to the ground.
• Here we visit the formerly unreachable ancient sites, while enjoying a picnic lunch
• Continue driving and arrive in Hama city, with the place being famous for its water wheels.
• Dinner by the riverside, another great chance for watching everyday Syrian life.
• Overnight in Hama

Monday 19^th December – Hama – Aleppo

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and begin our journey on the main road to Aleppo which runs very close to areas controlled by Jahat Al Nursra (Al Qaeda) so we’ll need to take the more scenic route. This journey offers a real insight into how close ISIS got to Damascus. Various stops will be taken for pictures.
• This will be your first opportunity to properly explore the destruction that is now so commonplace in Syria, at the Safir Hotel. Until 2014 it was a 4 star hotel with plenty of international guests, but is now a shell filled with rubble. There are still “do not disturb” signs, menus, folders of guest information, time sheets, crockery and all sorts of other hotel items amongst the debris.

Afternoon

• On arrival we will stop at the best falafel and kebab restaurant in the city.
• Check into the centrally locate Aleppo Palace Hotel, after a quick freshen up we head for an evening tour of Aleppo.
• For dinner we head to the famous Cordoba Restaurant, which is walking distance from the hotel. Particular favourites include the Aleppo Kebab and lamb testicles for the truly adventurous.
• Optional return to the hotel, or you can join us at the only watering hole in Aleppo, Cheers Bar.
• Dinner and overnight in Aleppo

Tuesday 20^th December – Aleppo

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Aleppo was arguably one of the worst affected cities during the Syrian war. Here you’ll get the chance to see some of the terrible destruction as well as the opportunity to witness the early stages of rebuilding that Syrians are now partaking as they slowly return to their homes.
• Our first stop in the morning will be the famous Aleppo Citadel, or Aleppo Castle. This is a truly amazing experience and we will take a few hours exploring here. During the Syrian Crisis army troops were blockaded in the citadel for over a year and you will still see bullets strewn around.

Afternoon

• We have lunch at the imaginatively titled Citadel Cafe, where we get some tea coupled with Syrian sandwiches known as muhammara kashkawan, as well as people watching.
• In the afternoon we head to to not only one of the highlights, but also probably the saddest part of Aleppo, visiting the formerly bustling Souk. This was previously the biggest and most profitable in the Arab world, but now lies in ruins. It is though slowly starting to rebuild and as well as destruction we will witness its slow rebirth
• Whilst in the Souk we visit a Syrian institution the Aleppo Soap company where they have been making the soap the same way for 800 years, excluding the years it was under ISIS control. Aside from seeing how it is made, we will also get the chance to buy some – they make great souvenirs.
• We now take the long drive back to Damascus, stopping on the way for dinner of lamb ribs, also known as Kastalita
• Check back into hotel in Damascus, with optional drinks for those up for it.
• Overnight in Damascus

Wednesday 21^st December – Damascus – Busra – Damascus

Morning

• Breakfast in hotel
• Today will involve a lot of driving, but the ends will certainly justify the means as we visit the seldom seen Busra. This is on the way to the Golan Heights, as well as Jordan, with us able to stop for numerous picture opportunities.

Afternoon

• Arrive in Busra where we will first visit the truly amazing Bursa Colosseum, known as the most impressive and well kept outside of Rome
• We then take a an explore of the old Roman town. There is still lots to see here, such as the oldest Mosque in Syria, but there has been much looting and there are hawkers trying to sell “treasure”
• Perhaps most interestingly Bosra, or Busra lies outside of the control of the Assad regime, with the area protected by local militias. While not at war with the government this is one of the only places you will see the green rebel Syrian flag.
• We have a late lunch and then take the long drive back to Damascus, before heading for our last night out.
• We then go for a very special last nights farewell dinner, before either heading back to the hotel, or for those wanting to experience a Syrian night club.
• Overnight in Damascus

Thursday 22^nd December – Damascus – Golan Height – Beirut, Lebanon

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Make our way towards Golan Height – a rocky plateau that was captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 6-Day War. The international community recognizes the Golan Heights to be officially Syrian territory and the majority rejects Israeli military occupation. However, in 2019, the United States became the only state to recognise the Golan Heights as Israeli sovereign territory.
• Arrive at Al Qunaitra – situated in a high valley of the Golan Heights at 1010 metres. Since 1974 the city has been a UN-patrolled buffer zone. Although during the Syrian Civil War, the city became a clash point between rebel forces and Syrian Arab Army.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the plateau before exploring the hill overlooking the Israel city of Majdal Shams
• We’ll head back towards the Lebanese border. Including the border crossing and a few stops, we’ll arrive back in Beirut in the early evening around 6:00pm.
• Tour concludes – Airport drop-offs can be arranged for people leaving that day, with hotel stops available for those staying in the Hamra area of Beirut

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