Once in a Lifetime Syria September Tour 2027
From Damascus and Palmyra to Aleppo, the Mediterranean coast and Maaloula’s Cross Feast — 11 days through Syria’s people, heritage, landscapes and living traditions.
A Once in a Lifetime Journey Across Syria
This 11-day Syria group tour from 5–15 September 2027 is timed around the Cross Feast in Maaloula while crossing a wide-ranging September route: Damascus, Sednaya, Mar Musa, Palmyra, Hama, Aleppo, the Dead Cities, Saladin Castle, Latakia, Ugarit, Marqab, Arwad Island, Krak des Chevaliers, the Valley of Christians, Homs, Maaloula and Bosra.
Cross Feast evening among a living Christian community.
Every Syrian World Heritage property represented in one journey.
Latakia, Ugarit, Marqab and Arwad add a Mediterranean chapter.
Small enough for real encounters, flexible pacing and personal support.
The route is deliberately people-first. Monuments matter, but so do tea stops, workshops, family tables, coastal life, village stories, local food and the people who explain what these places mean today.
Maaloula Cross Feast
The itinerary reaches Maaloula on 13 September so the group can experience the town during the Cross Feast atmosphere rather than visiting it as an ordinary sightseeing stop.
Faith, Fire, Music & Community
The Cross Feast is a living local celebration. The exact programme can vary, but the evening is shaped by prayers, hymns, gatherings, music and the shared energy of the town. We stay flexible so the group can follow the strongest local moments as they unfold.
Not a Performance Staged for Tourists
We visit respectfully as guests of a community marking something meaningful to it. The guide explains the context, helps the group move through busy streets and keeps photography and participation appropriate to the moment.
Why This Journey Is Different
It combines the Cross Feast with a wide-ranging September route from the desert to the Mediterranean.
All 6 UNESCO Properties
Damascus, Bosra, Aleppo, Palmyra, the Dead Cities, and the castles of Krak & Saladin all appear on this route.
Cross Feast in Maaloula
The journey is timed around the September festival rather than adding Maaloula as an ordinary daytime stop.
Mediterranean Syria
Latakia, Ugarit, Marqab, Shahin Resort and Arwad Island reveal a completely different side of the country.
People, Not Just Places
Craftsmen, hosts, residents, winemakers and spontaneous conversations give context to the monuments.
Lunch Is Part of the Story
Breakfast and lunch are included daily, with regional food, local restaurants and countryside hospitality.
Locally Run from Damascus
Designed and operated by a Syrian team living on the route, with local support before and during the tour.
11 Days Across Syria
A continuous September journey from Damascus to the desert, Aleppo, the Mediterranean coast, Maaloula's Cross Feast and southern Syria.
Damascus
Arrival, welcome briefing and an easy first immersion in the Old City.
Damascus
Monumental history, souqs, crafts, courtyards and the living capital.
Sednaya · Mar Musa · Baghdad Cafe 66 · Palmyra
Christian pilgrimage heritage, a mountain monastery and the road into the Badia.
Palmyra · Hama · Aleppo
Desert archaeology, the Norias of Hama and arrival in Syria's great northern city.
Saint Simeon · Aleppo
One of early Christianity's great pilgrimage sites followed by Aleppo's citadel, souqs and crafts.
Serjella · Saladin Castle · Latakia
Dead Cities, mountain fortress landscapes and the first Mediterranean evening.
Ugarit · Marqab · Shahin Resort · Tartus
Ancient alphabet history, a basalt fortress, the coast and overnight in Tartus.
Arwad Island · Krak des Chevaliers · Winery
Island lanes, medieval architecture and a relaxed wine-country evening.
Homs · Maaloula Cross Feast · Damascus
The spiritual and cultural heart of the journey: Maaloula during its Cross Feast celebration.
Bosra · Damascus
Black-basalt southern Syria, the Roman Theatre and a final night in the capital.
Departure
Breakfast, final time in Damascus and coordinated onward transfer.
The People You May Meet
Scheduled encounters depend on availability, but this tour is designed to create room for real conversations rather than moving only from monument to monument.
Craftsmen of the Old City
Mosaic, mother-of-pearl, Ajami wood, metalwork and other Damascene crafts become personal when you meet the people still making them by hand.
Bedouin Hospitality
Tea, Arabic coffee and unhurried conversations around Palmyra bring the desert into the journey as a lived landscape, not only an archaeological backdrop.
Keepers of Aleppo’s Memory
Craftsmen, shopkeepers and residents help explain how the Old City, souqs and neighbourhoods survived, changed and continue today.
Island & Coastal Life
Arwad, Tartous countryside and the Mediterranean coast add fishermen, resort life and a different pace to the expedition.
Winemakers & Village Hosts
The winery stop is a chance to meet people building a contemporary story around Syrian grapes, local food and countryside hospitality.
A Town in Celebration
During Cross Feast, the people of Maaloula themselves become the heart of the visit — families, churches, scouts, music and community gatherings.
Tour Guide To Be Decided
The named guide for this departure will be announced closer to the tour. Every Syrian Guides group departure is accompanied by a licensed Syrian guide and supported by our operations team throughout the route.
- English-speaking licensed guide
- Tour leader / operational support
- Wireless guide audio system for easier listening
- 24/7 Syrian Guides support during the journey
11-Day Once in a Lifetime September Itinerary
5–15 September 2027 · Detailed enough to understand the rhythm of each day, flexible enough to respond to real conditions on the ground.
Damascus
- Morning group transfer from Beirut, or coordinated arrival pickup from Damascus Airport when arranged with Syrian Guides, with assistance through the entry procedures.
- Check in at Via Recta Hotel or Beit Al Mamluka in the Old City and meet the other travelers, guide and operational team.
- Begin with a practical welcome briefing covering the route, Cross Feast arrangements, cash, connectivity, photography, local customs and how the group will travel together.
- Share the first included lunch before taking an easy orientation walk through the lanes of Old Damascus rather than rushing straight into a heavy sightseeing schedule.
- Walk Straight Street, pass Bab Sharqi, enter the Christian Quarter and visit St. Ananias Church, connecting the city with the story of early Christianity.
- Notice the small workshops, hidden courtyards, neighbourhood churches and everyday street life that make Damascus feel lived-in rather than museum-like.
- Finish with tea or coffee in the Old City, with time for an evening stroll, cafés or a relaxed first night at your own pace.
Damascus · Monumental History, Souqs & Crafts
- Start with breakfast in the Old City, then build historical context with the National Museum of Damascus and selected stops that explain Syria far beyond the last decade.
- Pass the Hijaz Railway Station and continue into Al-Hamidiyah Souq, where the formal monuments give way to the noise, smells and daily rhythm of the capital.
- Visit the Umayyad Mosque, one of the great sacred buildings of the region, while discussing the layers of Roman, Christian and Islamic history concentrated on the same site.
- Explore Azm Palace, Khan Asaad Pasha and the Bzuriyeh spice market as access and opening times allow.
- Meet craftspeople working with mosaic and mother-of-pearl, copper, wood, textiles or traditional decorative arts, focusing on the people who keep Damascene craftsmanship alive.
- Sit down for an included local lunch rather than a rushed snack, with vegetarian and other dietary needs arranged in advance.
- Leave room for shopping, spontaneous tea invitations and conversations in the souq, then end with a rooftop or panoramic view over the Old City when conditions allow.
- The evening remains flexible for cafés, a hammam, dinner recommendations or simply wandering the streets around your hotel.
Sednaya · Mar Musa · Baghdad Cafe 66 · Palmyra
- Leave Damascus for the Qalamoun mountains and stop in Sednaya, one of Syria’s most important Christian pilgrimage towns, with time to understand its monasteries and long religious history.
- Continue to Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, dramatically set above the desert edge, and climb the long stone stairway slowly with wide views opening behind you.
- Inside the monastery, learn about its historic architecture, frescoes, monastic life and modern role as a place of encounter and dialogue.
- After descending, continue east as the green mountain corridor gives way to the open landscapes of the Syrian Badia.
- Stop at the iconic Baghdad Cafe 66 for tea or coffee and a classic desert-road pause that has become part of the overland journey to Palmyra.
- Enjoy the included lunch during the route, keeping the day paced around the monastery climb and the long desert drive.
- Arrive in Palmyra, check in at Silk Road Hotel and take time to absorb the desert light and atmosphere before the archaeological visit the following morning.
- If timing and local access allow, take a short sunset orientation around the oasis / town before a quiet evening.
Palmyra · Hama · Aleppo
- Begin early inside the UNESCO-listed archaeological landscape of Palmyra, when the desert light is softer and the scale of the ancient city is easiest to appreciate.
- Walk the surviving sections of the Great Colonnade and visit accessible monuments such as the theatre, agora and other major remains while reconstructing how the caravan city once worked.
- Follow the story of Queen Zenobia, long-distance trade and the cultural mixture that made Palmyra one of antiquity’s great crossroads.
- The visit also addresses the destruction of recent years and the continuing work of documenting and protecting the site without reducing Palmyra only to its wartime story.
- Pause for an included lunch before leaving the desert and driving west toward the Orontes valley.
- Stop in Hama to see the monumental wooden Norias beside the river and walk the surrounding riverside area.
- Continue north to Aleppo, check in at Riga Palace Hotel and settle in after a varied travel day.
- Evening orientation and dinner recommendations introduce Aleppo’s reputation as one of Syria’s great food cities.
Saint Simeon · Aleppo
- Drive north through the limestone countryside to the Basilica of Saint Simeon Stylites, one of the most important early Christian pilgrimage complexes in the region.
- Walk through the vast ruined basilica and surrounding monastery landscape while learning why pilgrims once travelled enormous distances to reach the pillar of Simeon.
- Return to Aleppo for an included lunch and then enter the historic core around the Citadel, discussing the city’s long history and more recent destruction and recovery.
- Walk restored and still-recovering sections of the old souqs, letting the contrast between commerce, craftsmanship and war scars tell the story of the city.
- Visit a traditional Aleppo soap workshop / factory when operating and meet craftspeople who continue one of the city’s signature traditions.
- Explore Jdeideh and the Christian / Armenian heritage of Aleppo as access allows, with churches, courtyards and small businesses woven into the walk.
- Where possible, include a personal local encounter — tea, a workshop, a historic home or a conversation with residents — rather than treating Aleppo only as a monument stop.
- Keep the evening open for Aleppine cuisine, sweets and a relaxed walk close to the hotel.
Serjella · Saladin Castle · Latakia
- Leave Aleppo for the limestone massif and enter the UNESCO-listed Ancient Villages of Northern Syria.
- Explore Serjella, one of the most atmospheric Dead Cities, walking among stone houses, churches, baths and streets that make it possible to imagine ordinary rural life centuries ago.
- Continue west as the dry plateau changes into greener mountain scenery, with an included lunch during the route.
- Reach Saladin Castle, dramatically positioned above forested valleys, and walk through its defensive approach, walls and interior spaces.
- Use the castle to connect Crusader, Ayyubid and regional history while enjoying some of the strongest mountain viewpoints of the tour.
- Descend toward the Mediterranean and continue to Latakia, where the landscape, climate and pace feel very different from inland Syria.
- Check in at Sea View Hotel and enjoy time by the coast after the long historical route.
- Evening is free for a seafront walk and dinner recommendations from the guide.
Ugarit · Marqab Castle · Shahin Resort · Tartus
- Begin near Latakia with Ugarit, the Bronze Age city whose discoveries transformed our understanding of ancient Mediterranean trade, religion and writing.
- See the archaeological remains and discuss the famous Ugaritic alphabetic script and the city’s connections across the eastern Mediterranean.
- Continue south along the coastal corridor to Marqab Castle, a huge dark-basalt fortress occupying a commanding hill above the sea.
- Walk the walls and viewpoints while comparing Marqab’s volcanic stone, geography and defensive system with the very different limestone castles elsewhere on the route.
- Enjoy an included lunch and continue along the coast, with a stop / break at Shahin Resort according to the day’s timing and local arrangements.
- The drive itself is part of the experience: Mediterranean views, green hills and villages replace the landscapes of the desert and northern plateau.
- Continue to Tartus and check in at Royal Inn, positioning the group close to the harbour for the next morning’s boat to Arwad.
- Evening free for the waterfront, cafés and a relaxed coastal dinner.
Arwad Island · Krak des Chevaliers · Winery
- Walk to the harbour and take the local passenger boat across to Arwad Island, Syria’s only inhabited Mediterranean island.
- Explore compact lanes, fishing life, the seafront and surviving fortifications while seeing a side of Syria that feels entirely different from the great inland cities.
- Enjoy an included coastal lunch; seafood is a natural option, with alternatives arranged for travelers who prefer something else.
- Return by boat to Tartus and turn inland toward the green Valley of Christians.
- Explore Krak des Chevaliers, walking its layered fortifications, halls, courtyards and ramparts while learning why it became one of the world’s most famous medieval castles.
- Continue into the countryside for a Syrian winery visit and tasting, meeting the people behind the bottles and learning how wine production continued through difficult years.
- Check in at the Winery Guesthouse or Villa Rosa in the Homs countryside / Valley of Christians area.
- End with a slower rural evening after one of the tour’s most varied days — island, castle and winery in a single route.
Homs · Maaloula Cross Feast · Damascus
- Begin in Homs with the Church of the Holy Belt and a walk through selected central / restored areas as time and access allow.
- Continue through the Qalamoun toward Maaloula, the mountain town famous for its Christian heritage and the survival of Western Neo-Aramaic.
- Visit key religious and cultural sites such as Saints Sergius & Bacchus and Saint Thecla, adapting the order to local festival access and preparations.
- Walk through the gorge and steep village lanes to understand how Maaloula’s landscape, language and faith are inseparable from one another.
- Have the included lunch and leave enough time for the town to change from daytime pilgrimage site into the evening atmosphere of the Cross Feast.
- Cross Feast evening: experience the local celebration as it actually unfolds — prayers, hymns, processions / gatherings, music, families, youth groups and the energy of a village marking one of its most important nights.
- The exact streets, timing and programme remain flexible because this is a real community event, not a show staged for visitors.
- After the main celebration, transfer to Damascus and check in at Via Recta / Beit Al Mamluka for the final two nights.
Bosra · Damascus
- Drive south through the Hauran plain, a landscape of volcanic soil and villages that has connected Damascus with Arabia for millennia.
- Reach UNESCO-listed Bosra and enter the extraordinary black-basalt Roman Theatre, one of the best-preserved ancient theatres anywhere in the region.
- Walk beyond the theatre into the archaeological town, where Roman streets, Byzantine churches, early Islamic buildings and later neighbourhood life overlap.
- Use the visit to understand southern Syria not only through archaeology but also through local conversations and stories about the region’s recent history and resilience.
- Sit down for an included local lunch, ideally at a family-run restaurant near the theatre, rather than eating inside a tourist bubble.
- Allow time for the small local shops, tea and encounters that often become as memorable as the major monuments.
- Return to Damascus for the final evening, with free time for last shopping in Hamidiyah / Bzuriyeh, cafés or an optional farewell dinner.
- Final overnight in the Old City, keeping the last night easy and walkable.
Departure
- Enjoy a relaxed final breakfast in Damascus and time to pack without an unnecessarily early start.
- Depending on individual departure times, there may be a final coffee, short Old City walk or last opportunity for souvenirs close to the hotel.
- Check out and meet the driver for your coordinated departure arrangement.
- Transfer to Damascus Airport for direct flights, or travel by road toward Beirut / Beirut Airport when arranged with Syrian Guides.
- Our team assists with the practical departure and border procedures connected to the group transfer.
- The tour ends after 11 days that move from Damascus to desert ruins, northern cities, Mediterranean landscapes, village traditions and the Cross Feast in Maaloula.
- Warm goodbyes, onward-travel support and continued contact through the tour WhatsApp group.
Almost Everything on the Ground
Twin-share accommodation is included. A private room supplement is +$340 USD for this 11-day tour.
Included in Your Tour
- Carefully selected heritage / 3–4★ hotels and local stays
- Breakfast every day
- Lunch every day
- All listed entrance fees
- Private air-conditioned transport
- Arrival & departure transfers from/to Beirut Airport or Damascus Airport when coordinated with Syrian Guides
- Licensed Syrian guide
- Tour leader / operational support
- Visa / entry assistance
- Travel insurance
Also Included
- Dedicated pre-trip WhatsApp group
- Pre-tour online group meeting
- Digital Syria travel handbook
- 24/7 Syrian Guides support during the tour
- Wireless tour-guide audio system
- Local and family encounters
- Craft / workshop experiences where available
- Winery visit and tasting
- Bottled water in the vehicle
- On-board Wi-Fi internet in the tour vehicle
- Maximum group size of 14 travelers
Where You’ll Stay
We use trusted hotels and locally rooted stays that make sense for the route. Properties remain subject to availability, but these are the planned hotels for September 2027.
Damascus · Via Recta / Beit Al Mamluka
The first and final Damascus stays will use Via Recta Hotel, Beit Al Mamluka, or a combination of both depending on room availability. Both keep you inside the atmosphere of the Old City and make evenings easy to explore on foot.
Palmyra · Silk Road Hotel
A practical local base for the desert night, positioned for the archaeological visit and the early onward drive toward Hama and Aleppo.
Aleppo · Riga Palace Hotel
A comfortable central hotel with reliable service and easy access for the Citadel, old souqs, Jdeideh and the following day’s excursion to Saint Simeon.
Latakia · Sea View Hotel
A coastal stay that gives the group a different rhythm after the Dead Cities and Saladin Castle, with an evening close to the Mediterranean.
Tartus · Royal Inn
Our Tartus base after Ugarit, Marqab and Shahin Resort, conveniently positioned for the next morning’s boat journey to Arwad Island.
Homs Countryside · Winery Guesthouse / Villa Rosa
After Krak and the winery, stay in the greener countryside around the Valley of Christians at the Winery Guesthouse or Villa Rosa, chosen according to group size and availability.
Meals
Meals are part of how we introduce Syria. Lunch stays local, regional and relaxed rather than becoming a rushed fuel stop between monuments.
What to Expect
Damascene mezze, grills, Aleppine dishes, freekeh, seasonal vegetables, breads, soups, sweets, street-food stops and coastal flavours. On Arwad, seafood is a natural option, with non-seafood alternatives available.
In Damascus we may use places such as Naranj, Darmisk, Monalisa, Chandeliers or Al Burj; in Aleppo, Beroia, Abu Hagob, Cordoba, Wanes and other trusted local restaurants depending on the day.
Special moments can include a desert-style meal around Palmyra, a family-run lunch near Bosra’s theatre and the winery experience in the Homs countryside.
Dietary Needs & Free Evenings
Vegetarian diets are straightforward in Syria. Vegan, allergy, gluten-related and other requirements should be shared before departure so we can plan properly.
September flavours: expect grapes, figs, pistachios and seasonal produce, plus the food and gathering atmosphere surrounding the Cross Feast period.
Transportation
We choose the group vehicle according to the final number of travelers, giving the group the right balance of space, comfort and easy movement throughout the 11-day route.
Hyundai County
For a confirmed group of 6 to 9 travelers, we use the Hyundai County. Its mid-size layout is ideal for a smaller group: comfortable for the long road sections, easy to board, and still spacious enough for luggage and personal room between destinations.
The County works especially well through the mountain roads, old-city approaches and the longer journeys between Damascus, Palmyra, Aleppo and the Mediterranean coast.
Foton 35-Seat Bus
When the confirmed group reaches 10 travelers or more, we move to the larger Foton 35-seat bus. Because this tour is capped at 14 travelers, the larger coach gives everyone generous personal space while keeping plenty of capacity for luggage.
The larger cabin is particularly useful on the longer cross-country days, giving the group more room to settle in while the scenery changes from desert and limestone country to the coast and southern plains.
Comfort on Every Road Day
Whichever vehicle is assigned, the aim is the same: reliable overland travel with enough room to rest, talk, watch the landscape and arrive comfortably for the next part of the journey.
- Professional experienced driver
- Air conditioning and comfortable seating
- Good legroom and large windows
- Dedicated luggage space
- On-board Wi-Fi internet for the group
- Bottled water in the vehicle
- Wireless tour-guide audio system for each traveler
- Regular comfort stops on longer road days
Visa & Safety
Clear entry guidance, realistic safety information and travel insurance are all part of preparing you properly for Syria.
Visa & Entry
Syrian visa procedures depend on nationality and entry method. Travelers flying directly to Damascus or Aleppo generally need the appropriate approval document before boarding; land-entry procedures can differ by passport.
Syrian Guides handles the tour-related visa assistance and confirms the current process, expected timing and fee for each traveler before departure.
Read the current Syria visa guide →
Safety & Flexibility
We operate only on routes we are prepared to take with our own guests and follow local conditions throughout the tour. Roads, timings or individual stops can be changed if conditions require it.
- Licensed local guide throughout
- 24/7 Syrian Guides operational support
- Travel insurance included
- No photography at checkpoints, military sites or other sensitive locations
- Clear daily briefing when conditions or timing change
Travel Insurance Is Included
Every traveler on this group departure receives travel insurance as part of the package. You do not need to arrange a separate Syria-specific policy through us: your certificate is issued after booking, giving you one less major practical concern before departure.
Emergency Medical Care
Medical assistance for covered emergencies during the journey, according to the policy terms.
Hospitalization
Hospital treatment benefits are included within the insurer's stated coverage and limits.
Medical Evacuation
Emergency medical evacuation is part of the current group-tour insurance benefits.
Travel Protections
Selected delay and luggage protections are included, subject to the policy wording and limits.
Questions Travelers Actually Ask
The essentials about group size, entry, money, fitness, food, the Cross Feast and travelling across Syria.
Is this a guaranteed departure?
How large is the group?
What is the tour price?
Who will be the tour guide?
Where does the tour start?
What happens before the tour starts?
How demanding is the itinerary?
What should I pack for Syria in September?
What meals are included?
Can you handle dietary requirements?
Can I use cards and ATMs?
Is travel insurance included?
Can the Cross Feast programme change?
Can the itinerary change?
Can I photograph everywhere?
From Previous September Cross Feast Tours
What People Say About Us
How to Book
Simple steps from your first enquiry to meeting the group.
Send an Enquiry
Ask us to confirm current availability for the 5–15 September 2027 Cross Feast departure.
Complete Registration
We send a short form for your personal details, passport copy and important travel information.
Secure Your Place
We send the secure deposit payment instructions. Once the deposit is processed, your place is reserved and we send your official booking confirmation.
Visa Support
We confirm the exact entry procedure for your passport and begin any required approval process in good time.
Meet the Group Online
Join the WhatsApp group and pre-tour video meeting with fellow travelers, guide, tour leader and Syrian Guides staff.
Arrive & Travel
Receive your final practical pack, meeting details, hotel contacts and the latest route briefing before arrival.
Your Syria Journey Starts Here
Thinking about joining the 5–15 September 2027 Cross Feast departure? Ask us anything before you book. We can confirm availability, explain the visa process, answer practical questions and help you prepare with confidence.
Send Us Your Tour Enquiry
Tell us what you would like to know and our Damascus team will reply with availability, booking steps and the practical information you need.