Syria Newroz Festival Tour

Wednesday 17th March – Damascus, Syria

Morning

• Arrive at your convenience into Damascus, the capital city of Syria. It is well-connected with Middle Eastern Airlines. We recommend flying on
  TK846 from Istanbul (08:20) arriving in Damascus (10:30)
• Meet our guide and transfer directly to our centrally located hotel for our pre-tour meeting at 12 midday to discuss tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• We’ll begin our tour by exploring the old town, with our first stop being the Ananias Church, Damascus’ oldest underground structure, which is said to be the remains of the home of Ananias of Damascus, where Ananias baptized Saul (who became Paul the Apostle).
• Explore Umayyad Mosque – we’ll enter from the right side of the complex where we will adorn traditional abayas for the women and men will be given a fabric wrap to cover their legs. We will visit the mausoleum of one of the greatest conquerors of Syria – Ayyubid Sultan Saladin. The mausoleum was built in 1196.
• Then, we will visit the main mosque complex which is the fourth holy mosque in Islam. Legend has it that John The Baptist’s head is buried in the mosque – something believed by both Christians and Muslims.

Afternoon

• We’ll continue with our city tour of Damascus showing you our favourite hidden gems, as well as the must-see places of historical interest, such as the former Jewish neighbourhood – now almost deserted – and historical Khans, and a caravanserai.
• Dinner at a family restaurant, for once again one of the best meals you’ll experience in Syria – with shisha available for those interested.
• We head out to explore the nightlife of Damascus. We won’t spoil the surprise by giving away its quirks, but rest assured it is well worth it.
• Overnight in Damascus

Thursday 18th March – Damascus – Jouba – Maaloula – Mar Musa – Homs

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel
• We’ll drive to the outskirts of the city and you’ll get your first glimpses of the destruction caused by the recent conflict.
• Our first stop will be the harrowing Jouba district. This area was the hardest hit suburb in Damascus and served as the frontline between the former Assad government and the opposition factions. You will see almost incomprehensible levels of destruction, secret tunnels and craters left from bombs. This is also said to be the place of one of the Assad chemical weapons attacks during the war. While this is confronting, it is our first look at the destruction everyday Syrians faced under Assad.
• Continue our drive North to Homs where we’ll pass destroyed buildings, abandoned villages, and industrial sites. We’ll stop for refreshments and photo opportunities in the beautiful countryside.
• Our next stop will be at Maaloula, a small Christian town that was almost completely decimated by ISIS in 2014. This town is one of the last in the world where people speak the Aramaic language – the same language Jesus spoke, and it is possible to hear the Lord’s prayer being spoken using it.
• Visit the Greek Catholic church which was destroyed but has already largely been rebuilt and is now again doing services.
• This will be your first opportunity to properly explore the destruction that is now so commonplace in Syria, at the Safir Hotel. Until 2014, it was a 4 star hotel with plenty of international guests, but is now a shell filled with rubble. There are still “do not disturb” signs, menus, folders of guest information, time sheets, crockery and all sorts of other hotel items amongst the debris.

Afternoon

• This is also a great place to stop for a coffee, snack, or even to buy wine, arak or vodka produced by the Christians of the area (and yes, they offer free samples).
• Enjoy a walk through a canyon to the St. Sergious and Bakhous Monastery where you may have the chance to meet nuns who were kidnapped and held hostage for several years.
• Upon departing Maaloula, we will head to Mar Musa Church. Mar Musa is a monastery built in the 6th century, located north of Damascus. It was restored in modern times and is known for its preserved frescoes. The monastery overlooks the surrounding desert and is reached by a steep (but worth it!) climb.
• After our visit to two Christian towns in the Damascus district, we will head to the third largest city in Syria, often regarded as one of the most important for its historical significance and strategic location – Homs.
• Homs was one of the most damaged cities in Syria during the Civil War with blocks of buildings left with just skeletal frames. Even so, the spirit of the people in Homs is very strong, with it being one of the strongest cities for protest in 2011.
• In the late afternoon we will arrive in Homs and check into our hotel.
• For dinner, we will head to a local restaurant and try a Homs specialty – flagrant rice and nuts with chicken.
• Overnight in Homs

Friday 19th March – Homs – Palmyra – Aleppo

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Drive east towards Iraq to the ancient city of Palmyra – on the way stopping for photos at the iconic road sign of Iraq, Damascus and Palmyra.
• On arrival we’ll begin our exploration of Palmyra – one of the most famous sites in the entire Middle East. Once a lush city on the Silk Road, Palmyra was even briefly its own empire in the 3rd Century, stretching from Turkey to Egypt. Although the old city was ruined, it was famously in spectacular condition and exceptionally well preserved. Sadly though, in 2015 it fell under the control of ISIS and a lot of the structures and buildings were brought to the ground.
• Here, we visit the formerly unreachable ancient sites.

Afternoon

• Before we depart Palmyra, we will enjoy a Bedouin cooked lunch inside tents to avoid the desert heat.
• Begin our drive to Aleppo, stopping for breaks and refreshments along the way. It is not uncommon to see many locals and military outposts along the path.
• Check into hotel in Aleppo to refresh up
• Enjoy the best of Aleppian cuisine at one of our favourite restaurants

Saturday 20th March – Aleppo – Afrin – Aleppo

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Aleppo was arguably one of the worst affected cities during the Syrian war. Here you’ll get the chance to see some of the terrible destruction as well as the opportunity to witness the early stages of rebuilding that Syrians are now partaking in as they slowly return to their homes.
• We will start by heading to not only one of the highlights, but also probably the saddest part of Aleppo, visiting the formerly bustling Souk. This was previously the biggest and most profitable in the Arab world, but now lies in ruins. It is slowly starting to rebuild and as well as destruction we will witness its slow rebirth.
• We’ll stop by a Syrian institution – the Aleppo Soap company, where they have been making the soap using the exact methods for over 800 years, excluding the years it was under ISIS control. Aside from seeing how it is made, we will also get the chance to buy some – they make for great souvenirs.
• Explore the famous Aleppo Citadel, or Aleppo Castle. This is a truly amazing experience and we will take a few hours exploring here. During the Syrian war, Assad’s army troops were blockaded in the citadel for over a year and you will still see bullets strewn around. More recently, some of the iconic photos of the fall of the Assad government came from when militias took control of the Citadel. Historically, those who had control of the Citadel had control of Aleppo.
• If time permits, we’ll stop for a tea and coffee break at a café with a beautiful view of the citadel. This is also a fantastic spot for people watching.

Afternoon

• In the afternoon we’ll have a quick lunch before driving towards Afrin!
• Afrin, in north western Syria, has long been a mainly Kurdish area, known for its olive plantations. It was part of the Ottoman Empire before becoming part of modern Syria, and during the Syrian Civil War it came under Kurdish-led administration. In 2018, Turkish-backed forces took control of the area during Operation Olive Branch, bringing significant changes to the region’s population and control. In 2026, the area of Afrin came under control of the Syrian Transitional Government.
• Once arriving in Afrin, we will partake in traditional Newroz activities with locals. You can expect a lot of dancing, singing, eating and partying with locals
• One of the most iconic traditions is the lighting of the torches – this derives from the old Kurdish legend about Kawa the Blacksmith – According to the story, Kawa led a revolt against a tyrant king and, after defeating him, lit fires on the mountaintops to signal victory and freedom to the people. Today those celebrating Newroz often light torches and climb nearby mountains to re-enact this legend.
• After the celebrations, we will return to Aleppo.
• Overnight in Aleppo

Sunday 21st March – Aleppo – Hama – Krak Des Chevallier – Damascus

Morning

• Depart Aleppo early in the morning en route to Hama!.
• Hama is infamous for the massacre. The Hama massacre took place in February 1982 when Syrian government forces crushed an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood. Thousands of people were killed and large parts of the city were destroyed during the assault. During the Syrian Civil War, the city saw little clashes and often refused opposition forces to enter to protect the city.
• We will begin a city tour, walking through the beautiful cobblestone streets and visiting several places along the way.
• One of the most iconic landmarks from Hama are their waterwheels. Hama’s waterwheels, known as Noria, were built to lift water from the Orontes River for irrigation. They date back to medieval times, with some structures possibly built on earlier Roman designs. Today, they stand mostly as historical monuments, where you will see young boys jumping from and playing in the river
• After that we will head south towards Krak Des Chevalier castle.

Afternoon

• We will take advantage of being in the Christian Valley and enjoy a late lunch in one of the small towns on the way
• After lunch, we will explore Krak Des Chevallier castle. The castle is a stunning medieval castle and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. The site was first inhabited in the 11th century by Kurdish troops garrisoned there by the Mirdasids. You’ll be given full access to the castle
• In the evening, we will return to Damascus and check into our hotel. This will be our final night in Syria so enjoy overnight and 

Monday 22nd March – Damascus

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Airport transfers arranged for your departure flight
• Tour concludes