Syria in
summer.
Old cities, mountain villages, ancient churches and long summer evenings. Travel from Damascus to Aleppo and back through some of Syria’s most memorable places, with a warm welcome at every table.
Which summer
will be yours?
Both departures follow the same itinerary, with the same price and inclusions. Select June or July to see the dates throughout your journey.
From the souqs
to the highlands.
A courtyard breakfast in Damascus. A stop in Maaloula. The norias of Hama. Saint Simeon, Serjilla, Krak and a shared evening at the winery. This is a week of places that stay with you.
This summer journey brings together Syria’s old cities, mountain heritage and countryside hospitality. Travel with a local team that takes care of the practical details and makes room for the everyday encounters that give a place its character.
Expect a varied week: walking, road journeys, local meals and free evenings. We plan the days around summer conditions, with water, breaks and flexible timing.
Follow the route
History, still lived in.
Damascus courtyards, Aleppo’s markets and Hama’s waterwheels, seen with the people who call Syria home.
Churches, ruins and fortresses.
Maaloula, Saint Simeon the Stylite, Serjilla and Krak des Chevaliers bring different chapters of Syrian history into one journey.
A place at the table.
Syrian lunches, a countryside winery stop and a final return to Damascus tie the journey together.
Seven days.
So many sides
of Syria.
Begin in Damascus, travel via Maaloula and Hama to Aleppo, then continue through Saint Simeon, Serjilla, Krak, the winery and Sednaya before returning to the capital.
Seven-day itineraryThis page now follows the itinerary you supplied for the June and July departures. The order of visits may still adjust slightly according to local conditions and opening arrangements.
- 01Arrival in DamascusOvernight: Damascus
- 02Discover DamascusOvernight: Damascus
- 03Maaloula → Hama → AleppoOvernight: Aleppo
- 04Saint Simeon → AleppoOvernight: Aleppo
- 05Serjilla → Krak → WineryOvernight: Wadi al-Nasara
- 06Homs → Sednaya → DamascusOvernight: Damascus
- 07DepartureDeparture transfer · no sightseeing excursion
Your summer,
day by day.
Start with the highlights. Open any day for the full story.
Arrive in Damascus
Meet the team for your arrival transfer and settle into Damascus. After a welcome briefing, ease into the journey with a gentle Old City walk: historic lanes, small shops and your first taste of Syrian hospitality. The afternoon programme follows your arrival time.
Read the full day storyShow less — Day 1
If joining from Beirut, travel with the group transfer and receive help with the border formalities. On arrival in Damascus, check in and meet your guide, who will explain the week ahead, practical essentials and the plans for your first evening.
When time allows, wander along Straight Street and into the surrounding alleys, stopping for a sweet or a fresh juice. A café visit offers an easy introduction to the city, with dinner at your own pace and recommendations from your guide.
A day in Damascus
Spend the day getting to know Damascus through its historic places and everyday life. Explore the Old City, the Umayyad Mosque area, Khan Asaad Pasha and the souqs, with time for traditional crafts, a Syrian lunch and the small details that make a city memorable.
Read the full day storyShow less — Day 2
Begin with breakfast before setting out with your guide. The National Museum introduces the layers of Syrian history, while the lanes around the Umayyad Mosque, Khan Asaad Pasha and Hamidiyah Souq bring those stories into the present. Visits follow local opening arrangements.
Look into courtyard architecture and traditional workshops, with breaks for shade, conversation and something refreshing. After an included local lunch, continue exploring at a comfortable pace. The evening is yours for a courtyard restaurant, a café or another walk through familiar lanes.
Maaloula, Hama & the road to Aleppo
Leave Damascus and travel north, first stopping in Maaloula before continuing to Hama. Pause beside the famous wooden waterwheels, enjoy lunch and continue on to Aleppo for your first night in the city.
Read the full day storyShow less — Day 3
After breakfast, drive out of Damascus and make your way to Maaloula, one of Syria’s best-known mountain villages, where stone houses and church traditions set a very different mood from the capital. Continue north to Hama for a riverside stop by the city’s norias and time for photographs.
Lunch is arranged around the journey before the road continues to Aleppo. After checking in, take time to rest and settle in. If timing allows, enjoy a short evening walk and your guide’s first recommendations for Aleppine food.
Saint Simeon the Stylite & Aleppo
Head out to Saint Simeon the Stylite in the morning, then return to Aleppo for more time in the city. This day brings together one of Syria’s great early Christian sites with the atmosphere of Aleppo itself.
Read the full day storyShow less — Day 4
After breakfast, drive to the remarkable complex of Saint Simeon the Stylite, where the scale of the ruins and the setting give a sense of the importance this place once held. Your guide shares the story of the saint and the site as you walk through the remains.
Return to Aleppo for lunch and continue discovering the city at a relaxed pace, with time around the historic quarters, markets and local life. In the evening, enjoy another night in Aleppo with dinner suggestions from your guide.
Serjilla, Krak & the winery
Leave Aleppo and travel through some of Syria’s most evocative heritage landscapes. Visit Serjilla in the Dead Cities, continue to Krak des Chevaliers and end the day with a winery stop and overnight in the countryside.
Read the full day storyShow less — Day 5
The morning begins with the road towards Serjilla, where the quiet stone remains of the ancient settlement open a different window onto Syria’s past. Continue south-west to Krak des Chevaliers, exploring one of the region’s best-known crusader castles with time for the main viewpoints and interiors.
Later, continue towards the valley and the winery for a relaxed finish to the day. Share a tasting, enjoy the rural setting and settle in for the night nearby.
Homs, Sednaya & Damascus
Travel back towards Damascus with meaningful stops along the way. Visit Homs and Sednaya, then return to the capital for your final night and a last evening with the group.
Read the full day storyShow less — Day 6
After breakfast, leave the winery area and continue south. Pause in Homs before visiting Sednaya, one of Syria’s best-known pilgrimage towns, where the atmosphere shifts again and the final stretch of the route begins to feel closer to Damascus.
Arrive back in the capital and settle in for your last evening. Depending on timing, there may be time for a final walk, a café stop or simply a relaxed dinner while the group looks back on the week.
Until next time, Syria
Enjoy breakfast and check out before your departure transfer. If your schedule allows, there is time for a final coffee, a short Old City walk or a few gifts to take home. Today's arrangements follow the group's transfer time and your onward travel plans.
Read the full day storyShow less — Day 7
Your guide will confirm the departure arrangements in advance so you can plan the morning comfortably. Any free time in Damascus depends on transfer timing; there is no additional excursion scheduled today. Lunch is included when the departure schedule allows.
For travellers returning through Beirut, the group transfer includes assistance with the border formalities. If you are flying from Damascus or extending your stay, discuss the arrangements with the team when booking so that the final day fits your plans.
Both departures follow the same seven-day itinerary. The order of visits may change with opening times, local permissions, road conditions or weather. As with all tours in Syria, some site access may shift on the day according to local arrangements.
Stays with
character.
Heritage houses, two nights in Aleppo and a quieter night in the valley. These are the planned properties, or alternatives of a similar standard.
Via Recta Hotel
Old City guesthouse · first two nights and the final night
Riga Palace Hotel
A comfortable base for exploring the city and Saint Simeon
Villa Rosa / Winery Guesthouse
A countryside stay, chosen to suit the group
Final hotel allocations are confirmed before departure. Rooms are planned with private bathrooms and air conditioning; connectivity and facilities vary by property.
Good food.
Better company.
Fresh bread, labneh and olives in the morning. Mezze, local dishes and conversations over lunch. A winery tasting in the valley, then a celebration dinner together. Food is part of how we introduce you to Syria.
Arrival and departure lunches depend on transfer timing. Tell us about vegetarian, vegan, allergy or other dietary requirements when booking so we can plan with our hosts.
A window onto
another Syria.
Travel in private, air-conditioned transport with an experienced driver. We select the vehicle for the final group size, using a Hyundai County or a suitable equivalent, with breaks along the longer road journeys.
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional local driver
- On-board Wi-Fi
- Bottled water
- Luggage space
- Planned comfort stops
Scheduled group transfers from and to Beirut are included. Please discuss Damascus Airport or separate transfer arrangements before booking. Wi-Fi coverage varies along the route.
The details,
taken care of.
The same package for both dates. $1,290 USD per person in a shared twin room, with a $230 USD single supplement.
Included in your journey
- Scheduled Beirut group transfers, both ways
- Six nights’ accommodation in a shared twin room
- Private air-conditioned transport
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Guided sightseeing in the programme
- Visa and entry assistance
- Hotel breakfasts and local lunches
- One group celebration dinner
- Local wine tasting
- Visits to Maaloula, Saint Simeon, Serjilla and Krak des Chevaliers
- Travel insurance, subject to policy terms
- Pre-departure support and group WhatsApp
Budget separately for
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Dinners other than the celebration dinner
- Personal spending and optional extras
- Tips
- Single room: add $230 USD
- Separate transfers or extra nights, if requested
Arrival and departure meals follow transfer timings. Insurance benefits, limits and exclusions are set by the issued policy. Final arrangements are detailed in your booking confirmation.
Our home.
Your welcome.
Syrian Guides is a Damascus-based team founded by Rami Nawaya and Mary Wakim. We bring together local knowledge, careful organisation and the people who make a journey through Syria feel personal.
Your licensed guide will be confirmed for your chosen departure. The profiles here introduce our founders; they do not assign a guide to a particular date.
Rami Nawaya
Co-founder & tour guideA Damascus-born guide with a background in translation, sharing history through the people and everyday life around it.
Mary Wakim
Co-founder & tour guideA tourism graduate and guide who brings together local stories, architecture and a warm connection with the people you meet.
Clear guidance,
from our local team.
Visa & entry
Tell us your nationality and intended arrival route. We explain the procedure that applies to your trip and help with any required approvals. Visa fees are separate.
Read our visa guideRoute & conditions
Our Damascus team reviews access, local arrangements and conditions before and during each tour. If plans need to change, we explain the adjustment and the alternatives.
Read our safety informationTravel insurance
Travel insurance is included under the applicable policy. We share the certificate and coverage details so you can check the benefits, limits and exclusions before travelling.
See insurance detailsBefore you
pack.
Questions about dates, room sharing or how the week works? Start here, or speak directly with our team.
Ask us a questionDo the June and July tours follow the same itinerary?
Yes. Both departures follow the same seven-day programme and have the same price and inclusions. Choose 2–8 June or 4–10 July 2027. The order of visits may change to suit opening times, local arrangements or conditions on the route.
Can I join on my own?
Yes, solo travellers are welcome. The US$1,290 price is per person sharing a twin room. Tell us whether you would like to share or have your own room, and we will confirm the available rooming arrangements before you book.
How much is a private room?
The single supplement is US$230 for the tour, bringing the total to US$1,520 per person with a single room. Room arrangements are confirmed when booking.
Where does the tour start and finish?
The itinerary starts and finishes in Damascus, with the scheduled group transfers from and to Beirut included. If you plan to fly into Damascus or extend your stay, contact us before booking flights so we can confirm the meeting arrangements and any additional transfer costs.
Which meals are included?
Breakfasts and lunches are included, along with one group celebration dinner. Arrival and departure lunches depend on transfer timing. Other dinners are at your own expense, with recommendations from your guide. Please tell us about dietary requirements when booking.
What is the pace of this summer tour?
Expect walking on uneven streets and at heritage sites, alongside several road journeys. The Maaloula–Hama–Aleppo day and the Serjilla–Krak–winery day are the longest route days. We plan breaks and adjust the order of activities around the summer heat; bring comfortable shoes, light clothing and sun protection.
Which heritage sites are included on this itinerary?
The route includes Damascus, Maaloula, Hama, Aleppo, Saint Simeon the Stylite, Serjilla, Krak des Chevaliers, the winery area, Homs and Sednaya. The exact order can still shift slightly because of opening arrangements, road conditions or operational needs on the day.
How do I book, and can you help with entry arrangements?
Send us your preferred departure, number of travellers and room preference. We will confirm availability, payment arrangements and booking terms, then guide you through registration. Tell us your nationality and intended arrival route so we can explain the entry requirements that apply to your trip; visa fees are separate.
Real places.
Shared memories.
A few moments with the people who have travelled with us.
The stories they take home.
Read travellers’ experiences with our guides, the places we visit and the people they met along the way.
Come and see
our Syria.
Choose your dates and tell us who is coming. We’ll confirm availability, answer your questions and guide you through the next steps.
- Ask about your departureTell us your dates, group size and preferred room.
- Confirm the detailsWe share the final programme, rooming, payment arrangements and booking terms.
- Get ready togetherComplete registration and receive entry guidance, meeting details and your pre-departure information.
Make it your summer.
Select your preferences and continue by WhatsApp or email. We’ll confirm availability and the final itinerary before you book.
Your selected dates and room preference are added to your message. You can review it before sending. Sending an enquiry does not reserve a place.
Or send your enquiry here
