Saturday, Day 1 - JFK
Board your comfortable Air France, Lufthansa or British Airways jet at JFK International Airport . Overnight across the Atlantic. We keep the right to use any International Air Carrier. Weekly departure on Saturdays, year round.

Sunday, Day 2 Damascus
Upon arrival at the airport , our local rep. meets you and proceed with you to your hotel. You can begin your exploration of this "Arabian Nights" city just after you arrive. Visa is issued at the airport upon arrival, for a limited number of nationalities, such as EU, USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Mexico and Japan , please make sure that you e.mail us a legible scan of your passport info page at least 45 days prior to arrival into Syria to allow us to secure your visa.

Visa information : Important
Syria will not issue visas for any passport holder that may carry any stamp or visa for Israel.

Monday, Day 3 - Damascus (BL)
Today we explore the Syrian capital, visiting the National Museum, with treasures dating from the 1400s BC; the bustling Old Bazaar, the Eastern Gate (Bab ash-Sharqi) in the Roman city walls; the Street Called Straight (Via Recta); the house of Anania; and the chapel with very the window from which disciples lowered St. Paul so he could escape those who sought to kill him (Chapter 9:24-25) Lunch at a local restaurant is included.

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.

Tuesday, Day 4 Palmyra Damascus (BLD)
We drive to ancient Palmyra (Tadmor), in a desert oasis on the trade route between the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia, to visit its museum, the temples of Bel, Baal Shamin and Nebo, the Roman baths, the Tetrapylon, Diocletian's camp, and the Valley of the Tombs, before returning to Damascus. Lunch at a local restaurant is included, and dinner is served at your hotel.

Wednesday, Day 5 - Damascus and Cairo (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight to Cairo, Egypt. Your air ticket is included in our rate and will be delivered to you in Damascus by our local representative. In Cairo , our local representative will assist with your entry visa at no additional charge for American & Japanese citizens only , your passports must be valid for at least 6 month upon arrival, then escort you to your hotel.

Thursday, Day 6 - Cairo (BLD)
This is a full day tour of Cairo, including the Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Citadel of Saladin, and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, made of alabaster. Evening departure on board a sleeper train, in your own private compartment. Dinner is served onboard.

Friday, Day 7 - Luxor and Nile Cruise (BLD)
Arrive at Luxor in the morning and board our Nile cruise, Nile Crown (Deluxe) or similar, in time to get rested up for visits to Luxor and Karnak Temples. In the afternoon we visit the Valley Of the Kings, including King Tut's Tomb , Queen Hatshepsut Temple, and Clossi of Memnon. Evening departure sailing for Esna Locks.

Saturday, Day 8 - Edfu, Kom Ombo(BLD)
On Saturday we'll sail further south to Edfu, climb aboard horse-drawn carriages, and clip-clop through town to the Temple of Horus, Egypt's best preserved temple. Then we'll re-embark, and dock at Kom Ombo for the night.

Sunday, Day 9 - Aswan (BLD)
Visit the twin temple at Kom Ombo then re-embark and sail to Aswan. We'll have an afternoon leisure cruise on the Nile by felucca and a visit to the Philae Temple.

Monday, Day 10 - Camel Caravan , Aswan (BLD)
We'll join an early morning camel caravan to a nearby Nubian Village for tea before heading for the railway station, where you'll board your sleeper train back to Cairo. Dinner is served on board.

Tuesday, Day 11 - Cairo(B)
Early morning arrival and transfer to your hotel in Cairo. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure for last minute shopping.

Wednesday, Day 12 - Cairo - Istanbul
Air fare is included in our rate in economy class - Tax included (B)
Our representative escorts you to the airport for your flight to Istanbul , upon arrival, please proceed to pay for your visa in Istanbul ( cash only ), or secure your visa for Turkey prior to your departure from the USA, from the Turkish Consulate. Sample Deluxe hotels: Ceylan Inter.continental, Hilton Istanbul or similar . First Class : Senator, Aygun Plaza or similar .

DAY 13 -- ISTANBUL - Thursday (BL)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant.
We dive right into this fascinating city with visits to its top sights: Topkapi, the palace of the Sultans for centuries; Hagia Sophia, the greatest church in Christendom for a thousand years; the Blue Mosque, with its exquisite blue tiles; the Byzantine Hippodrome, scene of chariot races and gladiator combat; and the eerie Sunken Palace cistern beneath it. Then we go on a shopping spree at the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar.

Day 14 - "Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"- Friday
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the East:" (BL)

Morning walking tour : We start with our guide in Karaköy where the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters, then take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates), and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at the famous Pera Palace Hotel.
Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and have lunch in the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim Square and be picked up for the afternoon tour. In the afternoon the tour visit Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a mini-palace south of Yildiz, and finish up with a visit to the Military History Museum in Harbiye in time to hear the "Mehter," or Ottoman military band (mid-afternoon).

DAY 16 -- DEPARTURE (B)
We escort you to the airport for your flight home. Breakfast . Bon Voyage

Extra night rates are available for those who wish to stay longer in Damascus, Istanbul or Cairo .

Included are the following services:

Airfare from JFK to Damascus , Cairo and Istanbul round-trip including tax. For most west coast cities please  add $ 300 air fare add -on. For May - Aug. an air fare peak supplement of $300 will apply.

Complimentary entry visa into Egypt and Syria , valid only for American, Australian, NZ, EU , Singaporean &   Japanese citizens. passports  must  be valid at least for 6 month upon arrival.

Damascus Airport Departure Tax.

All transfers in Egypt & Syria .

Guided sightseeing as per itinerary including all entrance fees.

Meals as listed: cB: Continental breakfast, L: preset menu lunch,   D: Dinner.

Sleeper train ticket within Egypt. ( Modest 3 stars) , if you prefer to fly , please add : $180 per person deluxe, $ 150 First class.

 

Four day Nile cruise including all meals & shore excursions.

Complimentary welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.

Complimentary welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.

Large bottle of water ( per person ) delivered to you cabin daily while you are on board the Nile Cruise.

Tea or coffee an bottled water with each / every meal while you are on board the Nile Cruise.

• Hotel accommodation as indicated , including all tax & service charges.
  Local guides escorting the group at all times during sightseeing at  all times in Egypt & Syria   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Not included :
  
  
• Visa fee for Turkey
• Travel Insurance : please ask your insurance agent for details
• Tips to driver/guide
• Any beverages. except as listed while on board the Nile Cruise etc.
• Any services not mentioned above

Combine Siria / Syria tour with any Travel in Style tour to Egypt, Jordan or Turkey for an even more exciting vacation adventure.

More Choices :

• Add Egypt , Istanbul , or extend into 2 weeks and add Cappadocia

THE LANGUAGE OF THE JESUS IN THE LAND OF THE BOOK

Syria is truly the Land of the Book. The ancient alphabets of the Near East grew into Aramaic and then Hebrew, and finally Arabic and the modern Latin script that you're reading!

Jesus spoke to His Disciples in Aramaic. And nowhere else in the Holy Land does His language live as in Maaloula, where His words may still be heard exactly
as He spoke them. For the believer, or for anyone who values traditions of faith, it is a deeply moving experience.

Maaloula is just a short drive from Damascus, and home to Christian community that thrives after 2000 years.

As much as any land, Syria is the birthplace of the Christian faith. St. Paul converted on the road to Damascus, and in the early centuries of the Church,
six Syrian bishops were elevated to the Holy See as popes. The grand Omayyad Mosque is built on a sacred site shared by Muslims and Christians for centuries,
expressing the true brotherhood at the center of both faiths. Two million Syrians worship as Christians.

The full panoply of the Christian experience in the Near East has been played out in Syria. The Krak des Chevaliers is the unique unconquered Crusader fortress
that stands intact as if ready to host the Knights of the Cross once again––and is a must stop for the visitor of faith to the holy sites.

Extend your stay in Syria for one day and visit Maaloula

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

Beit Wakil Hotel: Aleppo
A true example of the distinguished 16th century Aleppine architecture,is a charming palace situated just outside the old city walls.This perfectly preserved structure which has stubbornly defied the destructive elements of time,ranks among the most elegant and
beautiful palaces in the region.

The Hotel is in " Jadidah" which is a particularly picturesque quarter. Next to the main Maronite church is Sissi Street, which is full of old Arab residences. Most have now been converted into small boutique hotels and restaurants serving the delicious local Arab-Syrian cuisine for which Aleppo is famous. Beit Wakil is one of the loveliest examples. Simple on the outside, but you enter a beautiful courtyard with a fountain, a majestic arch, coloured marble flooring and arabesque glass windows. You can descend past an underground bar into stone-built cellars with a labyrinth of tunnels, said to lead all the way to the Aleppo Citadel.

Beit Wakil,a true example of the distinguished 16th. century Aleppine architecture,is a charming palace situated just outside the old city walls.This perfectly preserved structure which has stubbornly defied the destructive elements of time,ranks among the most elegant and beautiful palaces in the region. Faithful to the old Aleppine tradition the exterior is castle like,simple and void of any decoration,but as soon one enters inside a magical oriental story like world comes into existence

The beautiful courtyards with breathtaking relief and tracery work of their walls, the marble fountains among the jasmine and lemon trees, the unique iwan with its majestic arch and colors marble flooring,the elegant arabesque woodwork of the wall cupboards,the hand drawn wooden ceilings with corniche, the famous central Qa'a (large room: Lobby ) with its suspended dome and coloured arabesque glass windows,the stone built cellars and the lime stone caves below with a labyrinth of tunnels , one of which , links the palace to the Citadel of Aleppo , are just few of the many elements which distinguishes the Aleppine masonry art and Arabian architectural genius

Today, Beit Wakil welcomes its guests as a four star hotel with all the modern comfort facilities. Beit Wakil rooms and suits are centrally air conditioned, with traditional comfortable Aleppine furniture, minibar, music, T. V and satellite services, phone and private bathrooms. Both our summer and winter restaurants offer a wide verity of delicious Aleppine mezes and specialties together with an oriental entertainment program of classical Arabic music and dancing.

Aleppo includes a virile population, a splendid architecture,and a fine Arab tradition. Aleppo AL-Chahba, 355 Kilometers from Damascus, has been a prosperous city since the 3rd millennium B.C. and has maintained its status through town development and an increasing population. It has played a vital role in the history of the area from the time of the Akkadian and Amorite Kingdoms. Until recently it has always been the center of the junction of the ancient trade routs. The old city was surrounded by a wall incorporating defense towers and fortified gates built during the Islamic period. A large part of the wall still standing, for example Bab Qinisrin, Bab Al-Nasser, Bab Al-Hadid, Bab Antakia. Aleppo is also known for its mosques and churches and is considered the third city in the Islamic world because of the number of its mosques and schools. The Archaeological Museum contains exhibits from the stone age to modern times. It has particularly interesting collection of antiquities from some of the most ancient site in Syria (Mari, Ugarit, Ebla) , objects found in the Euphrates Basin, Hama, Tell Halaf and Ein Dara, in addition to remains from Greek, Roman, Arab and Islamic periods. Most famous of Aleppo's sights is the citadel, from where all of the city can be seen.

Add a spa package to your stay