How to get to Syria from Lebanon, is it safe, how to get a visa, and what travel agency to choose. Wow. So many questions we had before we went to Syria in April 2022. Keep reading. We will share all the answers with you.
Syria used to be a very popular holiday destination in the Middle East. Today, we are talking about how the war destroyed ancient architecture, cities and, sadly, people’s lives. Civil war has taken place since 2011, making it impossible for travellers to come; however, today, over 10 years later, tourism is slowly returning. Restorations are taking place, and people trying to get back into their everyday lives. Even though the situation in the country is still very unstable. It is important you check the current safety situation before you go.
We visited Syria in April 2022 after travelling around Lebanon. We crossed the overland border between Lebanon and Syria, and in this travel guide, you will find everything you need to know before you embark on the same journey. Find out how to get a visa to Syria; we recommend one of the best agencies to go with and show you the top places to visit in 5 days. Honestly, Syria blew our minds. It was, without a doubt, the most emotional trip we have ever taken.
Let’s start with the most essential part and the first step you need to take to get to Syria. A valid visa.
COVID – 19 RESTRICTIONS FOR SYRIA
If you are vaccinated, you just present the proof and don’t need anything else. Unvaccinated travellers need to have a PCR test before entering and another PCR test for leaving the country. If you choose the agency we mention below in this article, they will help you to get your test for $30. If you will go to the Government clinic, it is $110.
Update in March 2023: Syria lifted all restrictions regarding Covid 19 for everyone.
HOW TO GET A VISA FOR SYRIA IN 2022
Only a few Arabic nations don’t require a visa, so it is very likely you will need to obtain your visa. Note that US passport holders currently can’t get a visa.
You need a Security Clearance for Syria
As of April 2022, you first need a special security clearance to get a visa. How to get one? Only a certified travel agency (we recommend one below) can issue one for you, and currently, no agency can provide a clearance without booking a whole tour with them. It means it is not possible to go to Syria independently for most nationalities at the moment.
How long does it take to get the security clearance for Syria?
Depending on your nationality, it usually takes around 2 weeks. If you are, like us, a Czech passport holder, it takes just a few days, in our case 2 days. Why? Czech people are popular in Syria. The Czech embassy was the only one that stayed during the war.
After contacting your travel agency, they will take care of everything for you. You just need to send them the dates when you want to come and a photo of your passport. The price of the clearance is always included in the tour costs.
For your information, a few years ago, when you could travel to Syria independently, the security clearance price was around $400 plus the visa cost. So it really is not that expensive to travel to Syria with a travel agency since you don’t pay anything extra for your clearance.
Visa
Having your security clearance sorted, you can now get a visa at the borders. Again, your travel agency will take care of it, so you don’t even get the security clearance in hand as they accompany you during border crossing if you come from Lebanon, as the tours start there (or Jordan).
The price for visas depends based on your nationality. European passport holders pay $70, the UK $140, and Australia and New Zealand $130. The visa’s validity is based on how many days you choose your tour.
Exit fee
When leaving the country, have some cash ready as you pay an additional $2 (or SYP 2000) for the exit fee.
HOW TO TRAVEL TO SYRIA
Most travel agencies offer tours from Beirut, Lebanon. It is the easiest way for you too, as there are many affordable flights from Europe to Beirut. It is only 113 km, and crossing the borders to Damascus doesn’t take longer than 4 hours by car. Most companies include this transfer in their price.
You can also organise your tour from Amman to Jordan for an extra fee since the distance is bigger.
Optionally, fly to Damascus from Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan. This is not that common as the flights are very often delayed and are expensive.
Find the best flight to Lebanon, Jordan or Syria here.
BORDER CROSSING BETWEEN LEBANON AND SYRIA
The company sends a driver to bring you from Beirut to Damascus; he probably won’t speak English. Anyway, he will take care of everything for you on the border. You just basically follow him.
Everything went smooth but be patient; the border crossing takes time, especially for foreigners. On the Lebanese side, everything was very fast; however, on the Syrian side, we had been waiting for some time before they processed the visa. They checked our PCR test, took $70 for a visa, and our driver asked us to give SYP 2000. I guess it made a job faster and easier.
CHECKPOINTS IN SYRIA
Once you get to Syria, be prepared to often stop at the army checkpoints. Sometimes we waited long until the soldiers checked our passports and visas. They took a number for our guide, and they have been calling him during the day to check where exactly we are and where are we heading – this is for security reasons. They want to know about every single step you make.
CHOOSE A RELIABLE TRAVEL AGENCY IN SYRIA
It is fundamental you choose a reliable and good travel agency for your trip. You depend on them throughout the journey, and you want to have a pleasant time.
After extensive research, we chose a company called GOLDEN TARGET TOURS and had a fantastic experience and can only recommend their tours to you. Contact them through WhatsApp +963 944372700.
A few facts about the tour
You discuss every possible detail of your tour with Khaldoun, ensuring you are happy with everything before the tour starts. You will receive a pdf file with possible and most popular tour packages, and you can choose how many days you want to go, what places to visit, and which hotels you want to sleep in. Basically, you can personalise the tour to your liking.
You will be accompanied by an English-speaking guide and driver. In our case, Ghassan (guide) and Mohammed (driver) have been amazing company during our 5 days of travel in Syria. Ghassan has worked as a guide for 17 years; he is a wise and educated man who speaks fluent English. You can ask for him on your tour.
The tour is private, so there are no other travellers with you, and they pick you up and drop you off in Beirut (Or Amman or Damascus airport).
What we liked the most about our tour is that after you do what is in your itinerary, you basically get a free time. In reality, it meant we did a city tour for few hours, and the rest of the day we were free to walk alone anywhere we wanted. So even though we came with a travel agency, after 5 days in Syria, we had a feeling we could explore the country independently.
The tour is preferably paid in cash ($ dollar or € euro) upon arrival. But it is also possible to do a bank transfer to the Khaldouns partner account in Jordan.
Price
The tour for 5 days/4 nights for 2 people starts from $765 per person.
What is included in the tour?
Security clearance, hotel with breakfast, entry fees, transportation, private guide&driver including their accommodation, transport from/back to Beirut.
What is not included in the tour?
Visa fee, extra meals and travel insurance.
TRAVEL INSURANCE THAT COVERS SYRIA
Having travel insurance for Syria is not mandatory, but you would be absolutely crazy to travel without one. Many travel insurance companies, unfortunately, don’t cover Syria, so make sure you choose one that covers it. One of very few who does is IATI Insurance. Not only do they have good coverage for Syria, but they also cover Covid – 19 related costs and you, as a reader of our blog Broken Navigation, get an exclusive 5% discount.
Get your 5% discount with IATI Insurance here.
SAFETY IN SYRIA IN 2022
Many governments advise against all travel to Syria. Of course, many areas in Syria remain under the control of Daesh, therefore absolutely off-limits for any kind of tourism, let alone passing by.
However, generally speaking, the area under the control of the Syrian army is considered safe. During our trip, we visited only areas under the control of the Syrian military and felt very safe all the time. We can even say we felt safer in Damascus than in some European cities.
Petrol crisis
It was very obvious that the petrol crisis was a big thing. We didn’t expect to be so bad, honestly. There were literally many km-long queues waiting for a fuel overnight. However, there are people selling fuel in canisters along the road. It costs double the price. Basically, it is the only option where your driver can refill a tank.
The Kurdish territory in Syria is very rich in petrol. However, they cut off the rest of the country from these sources, so Syria fully depends on Iran or Russia to import some fuel. As you see, the progress is very slow, and fuel shortages are very often.
Electricity
Electricity is an issue too, and there are no street lights. Also, some stores, which don’t have enough money to pay for generators, don’t have any light. Makes it a bit weird if you walk after sunset on the streets. But it’s something you definitely will get used to. Especially if you came from Lebanon.
Safe areas in Syria in April 2022
Damascus, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Krak de Chevaliers, Palmyra and Latakia.
What parts of Syria are destroyed?
The harsh truth is that you will see a lot of destroyed buildings. A lot of destroyed villages. 90 km area around Aleppo is completely destructed.
Aleppo’s old town is damaged; the Great Mosque and the old bazaar are basically gone. But during our visit, a lot of reconstruction works were taking place, and as Ghassan, our guide, said: ,, It’s the noise of hope”. For example, the Armenian part is entirely untouched and very modern.
Homs. The centre of the revolution. The most affected area, basically almost half of the city, is destroyed.
The rest of the places we visited were almost untouched.
INTERNET
Internet worked perfectly in all hotels we stayed at, and since the tour was organised, we didn’t feel like we needed to buy a local sim card. If you want a sim card, you can buy it in Damascus. Syriatel is the most popular phone operator. You need to bring your passport.
MONEY IN SYRIA & PRICES
The official currency in Syria is the Syrian Pound.
Exchange money on the black market before coming to Syria. Why? The exchange rate in Lebanon is much better. We exchanged cash in Chtoura, a town in Lebanon, before you cross the borders to Syria.
Another option is right before the border crossing. On the Lebanese side, there are guys with packs of money, ready to exchange your dollars or euros. The rate for $1 was SYP 3925 in April 2022 compared to SYP 2800 you get for $1 in Syria.
The guides do not risk it by taking you on a black market in Syria. They could only bring us to the bank to get an official rate (SYP 2800).
If you have any Syrian Pounds left when you leave, you can exchange them in the same places. Or anywhere in Lebanon.
TIP: Make sure you download an app Lira rate that shows the current black market rate
ATM
Due to sanctions, it is impossible to withdraw money in Syria from a foreign card. Make sure you bring enough cash for your whole stay. The same applies in Lebanon. So if you visit both countries, you need to bring cash.
PRICES IN SYRIA
With the current crisis and the possibility of exchanging Syrian Pounds on the black market in Lebanon, it is very affordable to travel around Syria. A few examples of prices are below:
Shawerma sandwich: 4000 SYP
A meal in a local restaurant: 10000 SYP
Bottle of water: 2000 SYP
Coffee or tea: 2000 SYP
FOOD IN SYRIA
Food in Syria is heaven. We enjoyed local cousins, and we are sure you will love it too! It’s actually very similar to food in Lebanon, but you know. Same same, but different. We especially loved the shawarma sandwiches as they tasted so different from what we are used to. Be prepared for a lot of hummus, kebab, kibbeh, salads, homemade bread and similar.
The area around the Krak de Chevaliers is known for growing its own fruit and nuts, milk products, and jams, so everything tastes much better there. Make sure you try their apricot jam and cheeses. It’s so delicious. If you can, choose the Al Wadi Hotel. Their breakfast was the highlight of the food in Syria we tried. Everything is so fresh and tasty.
In Aleppo, you find a big restaurant scene, especially in the Armenian part of the city, where luxury restaurants and pubs can be found. Beer is widely available, and it gets very alive in the evening.
Damascus is for sure the most modern city, where you find the biggest restaurant scene. Fateh is a local delicacy served for breakfast in many local eateries around the old town. It is yoghurt with chickpeas and butter. Naranj Restaurant is the most popular restaurant. However, it’s a bit pricey.
IS IT ETHICAL TO TRAVEL TO SYRIA?
This question arises in every forum or discussion about travelling to Syria. As long-time travellers, we travel to understand. To see the cultures and real life as it is. With its good, and it’s bad. It is important to separate the country’s politics from the people. Most of them don’t usually agree with the current situation and are very happy that foreigners come.
Just be respectful, don’t take selfies in front of the war-destroyed houses, don’t talk about politics, just listen and try to understand. Be always polite to people around you and emphasise. Bear in mind you didn’t come here to show the world how cool are you by going to a post-war country, but you’re here to learn and understand other cultures and be fascinated by the historical sights across the country.
TIPS FOR TRAVELLING IN SYRIA
5 DAYS ITINERARY – SYRIA
Why should you even come to Syria, you might wonder. Many people may not know Syria used to be a popular travel destination before the bloody civil war, with frequent visitors visiting to explore its rich culture. The main reason to come to Syria is definitely history. So many important historic places can be found here, and even though some areas are destroyed, we were still surprised about its mesmeric beauty and nature. We chose 5 days in Syria, and this was our itinerary.
Day 1: From Beirut to Al Mishtaya
The first day is mostly transportation. Driver picks you up at 8 am in Beirut, Lebanon and drives you to Damascus, where you meet with your tour driver & guide and Khaldoun, the company’s owner.
After a few hours of drive through the war-destroyed area, you get to Krak de Chevaliers. The crusader castle from the 11th century witnessed many good but also very dark times. Your hotel is in the village of Al Mishtaya. It is a small Christian village with a beautiful monastery that is worth a visit after sunset when it lights up.
Hotel I Al Wadi Hotel
Day 2: Hama – Aleppo
Today, you head straight to Hama to see the 3 000 years old norias that still work today. We found the people there very friendly. They approached us to take selfies, and the park beside norias is nice to just sit down and chill a bit.
Then you arrive in Aleppo, where we opted to have 2 days. We quickly walked through the old souk and some destroyed parts of the city. After that, we had the rest of the day free to explore alone, which was really nice. We could interact with people, try some local food and just see how the reconstruction takes place everywhere. The hope was in the air. Aleppo was destroyed multiple times by earthquakes or war, but it is admirable how people are still determined to rebuild it over and over again.
Hotel I Aleppo Palace Hotel
Day 3: Aleppo
Spend a whole day in Aleppo. We started with a morning city tour with Ghassan that lasted 4 hours.
Places to visit in Aleppo:
Go uphill to visit the citadel, but don’t be surprised by the military presence as they have a base inside the citadel. If you want the best view over Aleppo from the top, it’s right from there. Then you continue to explore the Old City, which is partially destroyed. Baron hotel is the oldest hotel in Syria and is still open as of April 2022. The atmosphere inside is surreal. It hosted many famous figures such as Agata Christie and David Rockefeller. And, of course, the bazaar is one of the best places to explore.
Hotel I Aleppo Palace Hotel
Day 4: Homs – Maalula – Sednaya – Damascus
Today is a long day in the car and the most packed with exploring. Early morning head to Homs, where you stop for 10-20 minutes to see the destructions. It is really a heartbreaking look.
Then head to Maalula. It is a Christian village in the rocks, which is absolutely charming. Our favourite place in Syria. Here you visit the Saint Takla monastery and possibly meet the nuns who were kidnapped by Al Nusra and kept for 3 months. People here still speak Aramaic, the language of Jesus. Only a few places in the world still practice this language; among other things, they also speak it in the mountain village of Bcharré in Lebanon.
Then you visit another Christian village of Sednaya, where is a beautiful monastery on the top of the hill. Providing beautiful views. Here the nuns take care of the kids whose parents died in the war. Later in the afternoon, you arrive in Damascus. Your last stop. We had the rest of the evening free to explore alone.
Hotel I Al Zeitouna Boutique Hotel
Day 5: Damascus
The last day in Syria is dedicated to the capital, Damascus. You do a 4-5 hours city tour that takes you to the beautiful Umayyad Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the world. Women and men pray together, which is not a sight you see very often in the Muslim world. As in Aleppo, there is a Christian part you can visit, full of churches and pubs. We also quickly visited the new part of Damascus, which felt like being back in Europe.
Then you head back to Beirut, Lebanon, where you arrive in the evening.
NEXT TIME IN SYRIA
You can also visit the ancient city Palmyra, where you need a special permit to get there. Or the Mediterranean town of Latakia.
WHERE TO GO AFTER SYRIA?
How to travel to Lebanon in 2022 & Top places
Visit Turkish Republic of Norther Cyprus
Travel off the beaten path in Cyprus
Save it!
It’s time to plan your trip!
Find our travel resources below that help you plan your next trip. Good luck and safe travels.
Book your flight
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Rent a car
The best platform to rent a car and compare the prices for your next road trip anywhere in the world is Discovercars.com. The booking process is hassle-free.
Find your acommodation
On Booking.com we always find the best deals for accommodation. Another great option for cheap accommodation is Hostelworld.
Travel insurance
We always recommend IATI Travel Insurance which offers excellent plans. As a reader of Broken Navigation, get an exclusive 5% discount.
For Europeans Truetraveller offers perfect travel insurance for the best price.
Explore more with Tours
Some places are better off explored with a knowledgeable guide. Or, if you simply want to save time and hassle, we recommend GetYourGuide. Another great option that also has an amazing range of activities is Viator.
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is it possible to drive our own car to syria?
Hey! When we visited there was a guy driving motorbike, following guide’s car. I believe it will be possible with car as well. But again, not independently.