tour of Syria and Jordan - tours beyond Turkey

day 1 - Istanbul --- Welcome get together. Dinner follows the tour introduction.

day 2 - Istanbul - Antakya --- We take the morning flight to Adana, and continue on to Antakya (ancient Antioch) on the Syrian border. Visit the Mosaic Museum, St. Peter Church, and the Titus Tunnel.

day 3 - Antakya - Aleppo --- To Cilvegozu border gate, and on to Bab-al Hawa on the Syrian side. We proceed to Aleppo, and if time permits, visit Monastery of St. Simon en route.

day 4 - Aleppo --- Full day tour of Aleppo. Tour includes the Grand Mosque, Aleppo Museum, the ancient citadel, and the colorful Bazaar, Khan El Wazir.

day 5 - Aleppo - Palmyra --- Today we drive to Palmyra. En route, we will visit Crac Des Chevaliers, a medieval crusader castle in an excellent state of preservation.

day 6 - Palmyra - Damascus --- We start our day in Palmyra with the renowned Temple of Bael. We continue on to the Agora, colonaded street, and to the theatre complex. We also visit Palmyra Museum and the Roman necropolis (cemetery) that has tombs in unusual forms. Later in the day we will head for Damascus.

day 7 - Damascus --- Full day tour of Damascus, including Umayaad Mosque, Takieh Suleimanieh and artisans, Annias Chapel, and the colorful old bazaar. We also visit the National Museum. Azem Palace, the panoramic view point overlooking the city, concludes our day.

day 8 - Damascus – Baalbek - Beirut --- -We cross the border to Lebanon, the land of ancient Phoenicians. As we complete the border procedure, we will head to Baalbek in northern Beqaa Valley. The Roman ruins in Baalbek, especially the temples, are in an amazing state of preservation. We sleep in Beirut.

day 9 - Beirut --- Full day in Beirut. Here, we will visit the National Museum and the Great Mosque (built on the spot where St. George killed the dragon), and the Old Town. We will take a short trip outside Beirut to see Jeita Grottoes, or free time to stroll the streets of Beirut.

day 10 - Beirut - Damascus --- Trip to ancient Sidon (and/or Byblos), the famous Phonecian city, and to Beit Eddine Palace, a fine example of oriental architecture. We may also visit Deir El Qamar (Unesco World Heritage site) to enjoy a traditional village.

day 11 - Damascus - Amman --- We leave Damascus for Amman. En route we will visit the ancient city of Busra. As we complete the procedures at the border, we drive to Jordanian capital city, Amman. Also included in our tour is ancient Jerash.

day 12 - Amman - Petra --- Tour of Amman, including the old town, and Amman Museum that has the “Dead Sea Scrolls” on display. Later in the day we drive to Petra. En route we visit Madaba, Mount Nebo, Kerak, and put our feet in the waters of the Dead Sea. In Madaba, we will see the mosaic map of Jerusalem from the 6th century. This is the earliest known map of Jerusalem.

day 13 - Petra --- After breakfast we start our full day tour in the fascinating valley of Petra. Tour includes the treasury, and the Nebatean ruins besides other attractions.

day 14 - Petra - Wadi Rum --- Desert safari on 4x4 vehicles in Wadi Rum. We camp with a Bedouin community.

day 15 - Wadi Rum - Amman --- Transfer back to Amman, orientation and check-in. Farewell dinner..

day 16 --- Tour is over after breakfast. Transfer to Amman Airport for your flight back to Istanbul, or other destination.

- this tour is physically demanding

- itinerary subject to change

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