I would like to go to Damascus in July for four to five days to join a small group tour staying at better than medium-grade hotels, preferably local. I would like to have a couple of day trips to major historical sites such as Krak des Chevaliers. Can you recommend local hotels and tours?
- F. Paterson, Annandale.
I would be inclined to go with one of the Australian operators that organise tours in that region. Geckos, (geckosadventures.com), an offshoot of Peregrine Adventures (peregrineadventures.com), is an outstanding choice, which has been operating tours in Syria for many years now.
Starting and finishing in Damascus, their eight-day Syrian Explorer includes trips to Palmyra and Aleppo - sites every bit as worth a visit as the crusader castle of Krak des Chevaliers.
Geckos' trip was put together by Richard Mole, a passionate devotee of the Middle East, who also lectures on the art and archaeology of the region. Mole now consults for Active Travel, Sydney (activetravel .com.au), which has a nine-day Focus on Syria tour with nights in boutique accommodation, private guide and driver.
Mole also offers a personal consulting facility for travellers interested in visiting the region. You can contact him on 0407 717 719.
Another option is the eight-day Syria Explorer run by World Expeditions (worldexpeditions.com), which is priced between the Geckos and Active Travel products. Be prepared for scorching temperatures, though.
The average daily maximum temperature in Damascus in July is more than 35 degrees and you would need to guard against heatstroke.
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