From Petra to Palmyra
With a Foray into Jerusalem

The Ultra Deluxe Version. Staying at the Four Seasons Hotels in Damascus and Jordan
This 16-day PRIVATE tour takes you ancient cities and Crusader castles in the Bible lands of Jordan and Syria that few have visited. After you've done what everybody else is doing, come with us for a real adventure. We have even included all the tips

Al-Halabi Restaurant - Four Seasons Damascus

Compare with the : Best of Jordan Syria & Egypt , or the 9-day Syria and Jordan tour
Compare with the 12-Day Ultra Deluxe Jordan & Syria version

DAY 1 - Damascus - Daily arrival-Year Round-Private Touring
Arrive in Syria , landing at Damascus International Airport , where our Syria-based local rep. welcomes you, helps with arrival formalities, and escorts you to your hotel . Visa will be issued upon arrival for a limited number of nationalitoes, such as USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, EU , Japan, Sngapore etc. If / when in doubt , please contact the Syrian consulate nearest you. To allow us to secure your Syrian visa, we must have a legible scan of your passport info page , via e.mail when you book at least 45 days prior to arrival . On this tour you will always have : a private air-conditioned vehicle and a Private Chauffeur.
A fruit basket awaits you in your room,
Depending on the airline and your arrival time , you may have a chance to unwind before stretching your legs and getting to know this Oriental crossroads. Shopping, a strong coffee at a sidewalk restaurant, and even a water pipe are possibilities--it's up to you. Hotel : Four Seasons Damascus . Superior Room . Prefer to add air fare ? please click here. Need extra time in Amman ? Please click here.

DAY 2 - DAMASCUS (BL)
Our tour of Damascus includes the National Museum, the Old Bazaar, Omayyad Mosque, Azem Palace, Via Recta, the House of Anania, the Eastern Gate (Bab ash-Sharqi) in the walls of the Roman City, and St. Paul's Window. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant . If there's time left over, the merchants of the city will be pleased to welcome you with a cup of tea, to ask after your family, and to negotiate a purchase, if you're interested. private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Guide

Complimentary Dinner is included at a local home:
We are proud to be the only ones that are able to afford you such window on the true warm and hospitable Syrian people , come and meet the locals, you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family ( T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Syria l! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. As some have inquired after they returned , feel free to ask about the recipes for the local dishes you will enjoy tonight , please let us know in advance of you prefer vegetarian meals.

Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.

DAY 3 - PALMYRA (BL)
We leave Damascus today and visit Palmyra. The many sites of this ancient city include the museum, the temples of Bel, Baal Shamin and Nebo, the Roman baths, the Tetrapylon, Diocletian's Camp, and the Valley of the Tombs. It'll take us all day to see it all, so we spend the night here. Lunch is included enroute
private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Guide

DAY 4 - KERAK, HAMA & ALEPPO (BLD)
Today we reach Kerak, the Krak des Chevaliers, the most spectacular of the castles erected by the Crusaders in Holy Land. After an appreciation of this military outpost, we'll continue to Hama, known for its giant water wheels. By nightfall, we arrive in Aleppo. Lunch is included enroute. private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Guide . Dinner is included at the hotel .

DAY 5 - ALEPPO (BLD)
We see the sights of Aleppo today, including the museum, the Grand Mosque, the Citadel, and the old bazaar stretching fully eight kilometers in length. We'll also have a chance to see traditional caravansaries. In the afternoon, we visit St. Simeon's Cathedral, named for St. Simeon Stylites, a 5th-century Byzantine ascetic who lived atop a pillar for 40 years. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant . private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Guide . Dinner is included at a charming local restaurant

DAY 6 - SERGELLA, APAMEA & MAALOULA (BL)
Today we follow in the footsteps of Biblical peoples, visiting Sergella, one of the 500 Dead Cities of the North, which flourished between the fourth and seventh centuries but then was mysteriously deserted. Then it's on to Apamea, the Hellenistic City of a thousand columns established by Seleucus Nicator. Finally, we visit the village of Maaloula, where the inhabitants still speak Aramaic, the very language spoken by Jesus. We'll visit the St. Sergius chapel, lunch is included enroute , then continue to Damascus and the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus . private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Guide

Tour Maaloula where the inhabitants still speak Aramaic,
the very language spoken by Jesus.

DAY 7 - DAMASCUS - BOSRA - Jordan (BL)
We travel overland today to cross the border into Jordan . Visa fee is included for a limited number of nationalities such as USA , Canada, Australia , NZ , EU Etc.
Before we reach the border we will be touring : Bosra, a Roman City with a 15,000- seat amphitheater, before continuing to our next destination: Amman and the Four Seasons Hotel Amman . Superior Room . A fruit basket awaits you in your room.
Lunch is included enroute . private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Guide

DAY 8 - Jerash - Pella - Um Qais ( Cedara or Gadara) - Dead Sea (BL)
After breakfast, drive down to the lowest spot on Earth and experience floating in the waters of the Dead Sea. Continue northwards to Pella ( "Tabaqat Fahl "in Arabic) in the Jordan Valley , about 78 km north of Amman, Pella is one of the most ancient sites in Jordan , the famous spring in Pella never runs dry. The are seems to have been continuously inhabited since Neolithic times ; and some recent finds even date to Paleolithic times, around 100,000 years ago , on to Visit Um Qais, Gedara of the Bible (Matthew 8:28-34) for a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee, the Yarmouk River and the Golan Heights. We travel southeast to Jerash, among the best-preserved cities of the Romans, and walk among its colonnaded temples and theaters, enjoy lunch at a charming local restaurant , before heading back to your hotel in Amman . private air-conditioned vehicle.

DAY9 - MADABA & MOUNT NEBO - Petra (BL)
We head southward from Amman today along the ancient King's Way. Your guide will escort you from Amman . At Madaba we visit the church that holds the oldest known map of the Holy Land. At Mount Nebo, we behold the panoramic view of the Promised Land as Moses saw it just before he died. His grave could well be right on the mountain. Further on, at Kerak, we walk among the ruins of the Crusader castle of Renaud de Chatillon, one of a line of fortifications which stretched from Aqaba to Turkey. At the end of the day, we reach fabled Petra. Lunch is included enroute at a charming local restaurant. In Petra your hotel : Petra Marriott or Petra Movenpick Hotel . private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Guide

DAY 10 - PETRA (BD)
We spend the entire day exploring Petra, the stunning desert city hewn by the Nabateans from solid cliffs of pink and violet sandstone. Petra was known in the bible as Sela, and rediscovered only in 1812. You'll feel like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark as you penetrate the city through a narrow sandstone gorge, the Siq. We'll see the Temple of the Winged Lion, the breathtaking colonnaded Khazneh tomb, the El Deir Tomb overlooking the Arava Valley, and the imposing Treasury. You can even explore on horseback if you like. private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Guide

In the evening we will call on you for a unique experience :
Dine as a local : The Petra Kitchen is a delightful way to round out your Jordan travel experiences. Like any home kitchen, The Petra Kitchen is a relaxed, informal atmosphere where you’ll gather to prepare an evening meal, working alongside local women under the supervision of our chef.

Each evening meal includes soup, cold and hot mezza ( appetizers ) and salads, and a main course—all typical Jordanian dishes. You will have get an inside glimpse of the secrets behind the famous regional cuisine of the Levant.

The Petra Kitchen offers an evening of learning, fun and a very special dining experience, with each dish gaining the special flavor of a reward well-earned. Great care has been taken to make The Petra Kitchen a truly Jordanian experience—right down to the furnishings, all crafted in Jordan, the tableware, all produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Co-operative, and the aprons and table linens, all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation.

Tour experience tonight includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening.

DAY 11 - WADI RUM & AMMAN (BL)
Today it's real desert adventure as we board four-wheel-drive vehicles for an expedition to Wadi Rum, the "Valley of the Moon," where Lawrence of Arabia organized the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans during World War I. As you pass Bedouin encampments, you'll believe that nothing has changed in the intervening years. Lunch is included enroute . Extend your stay at one of the Dead Sea resort.
private air-conditioned vehicle. Private Chauffeur. Private Guide

DAY 12 - JERUSALEM (B)
Driver overland to cross the border into Palestine & Israel . Change cars and drivers at the border , after you clear formalities. Our local rep. meets you on the Palestinian / Israeli side , and escorts you to your Jerusalem hotel. As this is a private tour , and is daily arriival , we may have to change tours / sites visits around , to accommodate religious holidays and Sabbath. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide for the tours. King David Hotel or similar .

DAY 13 - JERUSALEM
( tours are subject to change in Jerusalem subject to the weekend and religious holidays (B)
We start our explorations of Jerusalem, holy city to Christians, Jews and Muslims, with a drive to the Mount of Olives, which offers panoramic views. We visit the Church of Pater Noster and the Chapel of the Ascension on our way to the Garden of Gethsemane. From the Garden, we enter Jerusalem's walls to the Old City for a visit to the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock. We follow in Jesus' footsteps along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide for the tours.

DAY 14 - JERUSALEM (B)
Now that you've had a tour of the city, set out on your own to discover its charms: the narrow bazaar streets of the Old City, the cheerful cafés of New Jerusalem, and the broad boulevards surrounding the modern city.

DAY 15 - JERUSALEM & BETHLEHEM (B)
We start our tour at the scale model of Jerusalem as it appeared in Herod's time, then go on to the Shrine of the Book to see the sacred Dead Sea Scrolls. Then it's on to Ein Kerem and Bethlehem for a visit to the Church of the Nativity, stopping at the Shepherds' Field on the way back to Jerusalem. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur , private guide for the tours.

Day 16 - DEPARTURE (B)
After breakfast, our staff escorts you to the airport . Bon Voyage

Rates per person

Enjoy the warm Syrian Hospitality at the Four Seasons Damascus

Four Seasons Damascus

Our hotels include the following, as available, similar hotels may be substituted

Deluxe Hotels: charming Boutique Hotels in Syria

Rates per person

Your tour includes:

• All transfers Hotel accommodations, including tax and service charges.
  
• Pre-set menu meals as indicated with preset menu (cB = continental breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
  
• Private sightseeing by private air-conditioned vehicle with private guide
  
• All entrance fees as per itinerary
  
• Complimentary Horseback ride at Petra ( for interested guests)
  
• Visa fee for Jordan and Syria . Visa issued upon arrival, American, EU ,Japanese, Canadian passport, your passport must be valid at least for 6 month beyond arrival date.
  To allow us to secure your visa for Syria, we must have a legible scan of your passport info page , at least 45 days prior to arrival . Most of the nationalities we listed do not require visa for Palestine / Israel , if in doubt please contact the Israeli consulate nearest you .
  
• Damascus Airport Departure tax.
  
• Tips to guides, porters and driver

Not Included:

• Trip interruption and cancellation insurance
• Personal expenditures and beverages.
• International air fare from/to your home country
• Airport taxes.

More Choices :

• Syria and Jordan Tour: From Petra to palmyra . The Ultra Deluxe Version. Four Seasons Hotels ; 12 Days , or the 9 day edition.

• Compare with the Best of Jordan, Syria and Egypt Tour

• Compare with : Egypt and Dubai Tour

• Or Egypt, Dubai and Jordan in 16 days

• Compare with the 1001 Arabian Nights Tour of Egypt & Jordan a la Indiana Jones in 17 days

• Add Morocco, in a Grand North African Crossing .

• Best of Jordan and Syria in 10 Days

• The Best of Jordan , Syria and Egypt : A true 21 Grand Tour of the Near East
  For Guests who want the BEST when touring the Middle East

Sample of the Deluxe hotels in Syria:


Four Seasons Hotel Damascus:
Rising in a pillar of timeless architecture beside a lovely public garden and an ancient mosque in a
prime area of downtown Damascus – within easy reach of embassies, business, retail and cultural sites – Four Seasons is designed to be the city’s pre-eminent address for visitors and social events.

Palmyra Cham Palace Hotel:
Located just outside Palmyra, next to the world famous archaeological site, this five star oasis is an up-to date
cosmopolitan refuge amidst the ancient splendour. Not to be missed; the ancient cave bath with sulphuric water.

Sheraton Aleppo:
Built on our own city block in the downtown Bab Al Faraj district, the historical city of Aleppo and all its wonders are right outside our door. From the famous Citadel to the Omayyad Mosque,
National Museum, Public Park, and Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions, you will discover history around every corner. We are also just 15 minutes from Aleppo International Airport, keeping your trip stress-free.

Recommendations and conditions:

Every effort is made to adhere to the planned itinerary, however, for reasons beyond our control, it may be necessary to change routings, sequence of visits, and departure times.

Important
Syria will not issue visas for any passport holder that may carry any stamp or visa for Israel. Border crossings may take some time, depending of several circumstances (traffic, police, documentation, visas, etc.)

Sample Charming Boutique Hotels in Syria :

Talisman Hotel: Damascus
Talisman is more than an hotel: it is more like a home. We will provide you all the services and luxury of a five stars residence. Two wide opened courtyards with outdoor swimming
pool. Private and exclusive Turkish Hammam.
The Talisman is a luxury «charm» hotel situated in the old town of Damascus, twenty minutes from the airport, a hundred yards from the old Roman straight way (Medhat Pacha) and the historical Bab Sharqi, famous now for its souks and street markets. This old Jewish palace, built in a quiet side street and easily accessible by car, has been restored in the most authentic tradition of an Arab house.

Each of the 16 rooms and suites at Talisman is unique with its personalized lay-out and decoration. All the rooms are equipped with the latest commodities:king size bed, mini bar, central heating, individual air-conditioning, plasma television set with decoder so that you may choose any channel you please, DVD reader, wi-fi internet connection, telephone. Executive suites are larger and have a desk corner. The bathrooms are spacious and planned for your rest and well-being: finely worked wooden basins with their matching mirrors, old cement tiled or beige marble floors, bath tub or shower cabin, or both, hair-drier and comfortable bathrobes.

Zenobia hotel: Palmyra
built in 1920 … Agatha Christy was one of the welcomed guests , the Zenobia Hotel is ideally located in the middle of Palmyra archeological site; rooms offers a wonderful view of the traces of past civilizations, which you can explore at your ease.

The 26-room hotel offers a wonderful view of the traces of past civilizations, which you can explore at your ease. The hotel is a masterpiece of elegance and warm hospitality that is part of our commitment to tradition particularly amidst this historical surrounding. You are welcome to the world of Zenobia hotel where you relive the past and feel the glorious days of Palmyra.
The hotel rooms; all are air-conditioned, with central heating and a telephone. The Countess suite is a duplex room, with two double beds and a private bathroom on each deck. ( Supplement applies, and you must really book in advance to get this suite)

The Oasis restaurant offers a wide variety of delicious cuisine whether it is indoors or in the open air with a direct view on the ruins.

Palmyra was known as the bride of the desert, where once stood as one of the greatest Roman oasis cities of all times. The extensive roman ruins, only a three-minute walk from the hotel; stand gracefully to remind us of the glory of Palmyra's past

Tour Syria , Jordan , Israel and Palestine : All in 11 Days

We'll show you the wonders of fabled Syria, the biblical sites
of Jerusalem and Jordan and the Lost City of Petra, in 11 days