Damascus Travel Forum

Arriving in damascus from amman on august 11. Will be staying at al mamlouka hotel in the old city for 5 nights.
What is the best way to travel from Amman to damascus? I understand that many taxi drivers in Damascus do not know where this hotel is located so can anybody suggest what instructions I should give to the driver to ensure that I arrive at the right place or at least nearby.
I do not speak Arabic although my grandparents came from Zahle in Lebanon. Would it be safe to visit Zahle at this time and what be the best means of transport.Could the trip be done in one day and could I include Baalbek?
Thanks indeed for any info relating to the above questions.

Many thanks for your reply and your clear directions and tips.

You certainly could visit Zahle in a day from Damascus and you could include a visit to Baalbek at the same time. The easiet and safest way would be to arrange a car and driver. either through your hotel or a local travel agent once you arrive in Damascus. It may not be the cheapest but with just a day to do the trip and not speaking Arabic you would find the only other way (service taxi) very difficult I think. There are no buses between these places.

If you intend to do this trip you may well need a multiple entry visa for Syria so that you can re-enter the country - you need to check this before you leave your home country so you know exactly where you stand on this.

Thanks for your helpful reply. Car and driver seems to be the way to go. Any idea how much this arrangement would cost? Yes, I did think of multiple entry for Syria and have already arranged this through Travcour in brisbane Australia. I believe Syria is an easy country to travel through. Do you find this to be the case?

Regards
Sybal-paul

It's a few years since we did an ovenight to Baalbek so my idea of what it costs is pretty vague. Get back to me in a week's time and I should have a current figure for you - my husband's off to Damascus tomorrow, I'll ask him to check it out.

Make a reasonably early start to your day, stop in Zahle first - eat lunch there, there are some nice restaurants , better than the Baalbek options. Move on to Baalbek. Visit the ruins, take time to have a drink on the terrace of the Palmyra Hotel. If you can swing an overnight visit you could also visit the Ksara winery.

You'll have a great day.

leyle

Once again thank you for your suggestions regarding the day trip to Zahle and on to Baalbek.I will get back to you in a week or so. I have read many of your posts and tips and must say they have been a big help.

Sybal-paul

I didn't answer your question about getting around Syria - for what it's worth, we've always driven oureselves around and had no problems ever. If you've read my pages about Syria you'll know we've criss-crossed the country pretty well in all directions. I've not used public transport but I know the country is well served by buses, with both intercity and small local bus routes between smaller towns. Some places are more out of the way and you may have to consider using taxis or be prepared for some long walks and/or waits for buses. One thing you need to check carefully is the time of the last bus for the day back from some of the more out-of-the-way places.

Syria's a marvellous place, I'm sure you're going to love it.

leyle

Have just had the following from MrL in Damascus -

"Got a quote from Budget today. USD 250 for the journey. So I would assume if you shopped around, you could get it for USD 200.
There's a small departure tax to pay as well - SP 1500 (about UDS3)"

Hope this helps
leyle

Thank you for the information regarding the cost of car to baalbek from Budget. Is that for the car and driver deal you refered to previously or is it the price for the car only?
I noticed, perhaps on your home page, that your desire to travel to Syria was awakened by reading the book "From a Holy Mountain". I was able to obtain this book yesterday and hope to add to my already strong desire to visit the area.
Sybal-paul

Thayt's for a car and driver. You can't take a hire car across the border to drive yourself.
I seem to remember we paid about the same back in 2002 for an overnight trip to Baalbek.

You will find there are plenty of agencies in Damascus who can organize this for you.

The Bekaa Valley is beautiful - as I'm sure you've been told by your grandparents. Last time we went to Lebanon (the trip I organized and write about on my Syria page) we had a friend with us whose grandfather also came from Lebanon - he had emigrated to Colombia, his grandson is now an Australian citizen! He was quite blown away by the experience - I have a wonderful memory of him standing on Mt Lebanon, looking down on the cedars and the coast and talking to his father back in Colombia.

One place you might like to take a little side trip to whilst you're in Damascus is the Art House Hotel in the Barada Valley - only 15-20 minutes out of Damascus. It's an old mill that has been converted into a beautiful small hotel with a good restaurant. My husband went there for lunch the other day and said it was terrific. His favourite restaurant in the city is The Old Town, not too far from your hotel.

Enjoy your trip and please feel free to contact me if there's anything else I can help you with.

Lesley (aka leyle)

Thanks Leyle. I may draw again on your experience and knowledge early next year as I have a have an ill formed idea of travel to Libya Tunisia and Algeria. If this proposed trip eventuates I will have been to most countries bordering the Med. Not sure that this is something to shout about but it has been on my mind for a long time.
Sybal-paul

Thanks again Raymond for the car costs. Would you also know the approximate costs of car and driver to Palmyra and on a different day to Krak des chevaliers?

Libya's great - I'm heading there again next year for another trip into the desert.

Another book for you - Travels with a Tangerine by Tim Makintosh-Smith - retracing Ibn Battutah's journey around the Med and Arabia in 1325. Great Stuff.

I'd love to hear how you get on with the Holy Mountain.

Well- The Holy Mountain. Thank you for drawing my attention to this book.I am sure some preliminary reading and further geographic knowledge would help in following Dalrymple on his travels. Although familiar with the work of Robert Fisk and emails from a friend in Ramallah it only partially prepared me for the gut- wrenching parts of this book. The indecency and barbarism of the acts committed by religous and/or national groups left me bewildered and without much hope for the future.
As for Dalrymple himself. I admire his courage,determination and most of all his scholarship which, though clearly evident, was never lauded. Obviously there is a lot more that I could say about his journey.However, above all I do admire his honesty in portraying his feelings, however obliquely, about the incidents he discribes. This book could,in my opinion,be interpreted in many ways. What does it say to you? Sybal-paul

Raymond, Thanks for the prices you have suggested for day trips out of Damascus.
One more query if you don't mind.How much would a service taxi cost from Amman to Damascus and is there a difference in cost between Jordain and Syrian taxis?
Sybal-paul

One camel hasn't been sighted for awhile and appears to be missing. Probably wandering again. I leave tomorrow with a copy of Travels with a Tangerine to read on the plane.Maybe able to contribute my thoughts on the Middle East and the book, on my return in four weeks.

Have a great trip. Enjoy the boks and look forward to reading about it when you gwt back.
leyle