Penguin Travel

If you can read these lines, this means not only that you are on the website of Penguin Travel, but that you have set off to this journey across Syria and Lebanon long time ago! How?! In a very exceptional way – the Phoenicians inhabited these ancient lands, have made the first alphabet, which gave origin to the Greek and Latin alphabets, and even to the Cyrillic. That’s why, as amazing it may sound to you, your relation to Levant, part of which are both countries, is much closer than determined by the geographical distance!
There is hardly any other place on earth, illustrating in such a clear way the whole human history – from the first Neolithic towns, through Bible times and Antiquity, past early Christianity, Islam and the Crusades, till present. And each people, having passed through these lands, have sawed its fertile seed in this incubator of human culture. Many civilizations, one after another, have left their unique imprints on the face of this territory – the ruins of Palmyra, Bosra and Baalbek, Crack des Chevaliers Fortress and Saladin Fortress, Omayyad Mosque, the footsteps of Paul the Apostle and the witnesses of millennia Maaloula and Byblos are the stones along the long way of humanity.
And when you come back, you can boldly examine your son in history without being afraid that he will know more than you!
 

Departure dates:
08 October 2010

Country region:   Roundtrip

Price without flight ticket:    1399 EUR

Trip plan:   

Day 1: Damascus
Arrival at the airport in Damascus, Syria (departure from your country will probably be the day before - on 7th October). Early check in at the hotel. After short rest - breakfast. Sightseeing in Damascus – National Museum, Hamidiyah Bazaar, Omayyad Mosque, Saladin Tomb, Spice Market, St. Ananias Church, St. Paul’s window, panoramic view from the Qassioun Mountain. Dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Damascus – Palmyra
Breakfast. Transfer to Palmyra. Sightseeing in Palmyra – Bell Temple, Valley of the tombs, Arch of triumph, Colonnade, Bath of Queen Zenobia, Theatre, Agora. Dinner and overnight in Palmyra.

Day 3: Palmyra – Hama – Aleppo
Breakfast. On the way to Aleppo visit of the Hama Water Wheels. Visit of Apamea. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo.

Day 4: Aleppo – St. Simeon – Aleppo
Breakfast. In the morning tour to St. Simeon Monastery. In the afternoon sightseeing in Aleppo – Citadel, Grand Mosque, Caravansaraies, Covered Bazaar, churches of the Christian and Armenian quarters. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo.

Day 5: Aleppo – Lattakia
Breakfast. On the way to Lattakia visit of Saladin Fortress. Pass through Ugarit. Dinner and overnight in Lattakia.

Day 6: Lattakia - Crack des Chevaliers – Damascus
Breakfast. On the way to Damascus visit of Crack des Chevaliers and Maaloula. Dinner and overnight in Damascus.

Day 7: Damascus – Bosra – Damascus
Breakfast. In the morning tour to Bosra. In the afternoon free time for walking and shopping in Damascus. Dinner and overnight in Damascus.

Day 8: Damascus – Baalbek – Beirut
Breakfast. Departure from Damascus to Lebanon. On the way visit of Baalbek and Ksara wine caves. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 9: Beirut – Byblos – Beirut
Breakfast. Sightseeing in Beirut. Visit of Byblos. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 10: Beirut – Tyre – Sidon – Beirut
Breakfast. We drive south of Beirut to visit the ancient cities of Tyre and Sidon. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 11: Departure
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
 
Accommodation and food: 3-star hotels in Beirut and Damascus; 4-star hotels in Palmyra, Aleppo and Lattakia. Breakfast is included at all hotels; dinners only in Syria.

Price of extra services:   Single supplement - 295 Eur

Included in the price: 11 night’s accommodation with breakfast; local English speaking guide; transportation by A/C modern minibus with driver as per the itinerary; meet and assist at the airport upon and at the borders by our representative; entrance fees to the sites mentioned in the itinerary; service charges at the hotel; dinners at the hotels in Syria.

Not included in the price: international flights; insurances: assistance, cancellation, luggage; visa fees; lunches; dinners in Lebanon; personal expenses. Depending on your flight you will probably start your journey the day before.

Importrant: Please be sure that you don't have an Israeli stamp in your passport.  Visa can be issued upon arrival. Please, check in advance whether you come from a country that is eligible for that.

Tour difficulty:   A 

No special experience is needed; everyone who is in condition to cope with long Saturday walks in the forest can also cope with these tours. As a rule, the trips are short and at a low altitude. Often, it is your choice to join or skip a day-tour. The routes follow a hilly terrain without steep ascents and descents. Normally we walk 3/5h a day.

Group Size:   Min 10 people

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