Shore Excursions

Nawafir can arrange tours for cruise stopovers in the Syrian ports of Lattakia and Tartous. No visas are required, and Nawafir can facilitate port formalities quickly and easily. We arrange standard and tailored excursions lasting anywhere from one hour to several days during cruise stopovers. Tours to Palmyra, Damascus, or Aleppo may be included in full-day excursions. We provide brand new air-conditioned coaches, experienced, qualified drivers, multilingual professional guides, and catering.

Excursions starting from Lattakia

The Castle of Saladin

Half day: 1  hour drive each way, visit castle for approx. 1 hours.

Ugarit and the Castle of Saladin

Full day: 1 hour drive to Ugarit, visit Ugarit for 1 hour, drive 1 hours to Saladin’s Castle, visit castle for 1 hours, have lunch in local restaurant near Saladin’s castle, return to Lattakia

Aleppo

Full day: Drive 2 hours, visit Aleppo’s citadel, covered market, and Umayyad Mosque for 4 hours, have lunch in local restaurant. Optional visit to  St. Simeon Monastery.

The Castle of Saladin and Apamea

Full day: 1 hour drive to Saladin’s Castle, visit the castle for 1 hours, have lunch in local restaurant in Hama, drive 1 hour to Apamea, visit Apamea for 1 hours, 2 hour drive back to Lattakia.

Qalaat Marqab and Krak des Chevaliers

Full day: 1 hour drive to Qalaat Marqab, visit the castle for 1 hour, 2 hour drive to Krak des Chevaliers, visit the castle for 2 hours, have lunch in local restaurant, drive 2 hours back to Lattakia.

Excursions starting from Tartous

Krak des Chevaliers

Half day: drive 1 hours, visit the castle for 1 hours, return to Tartous, visit Cathedral Notre Dame de Tartousa in Tartous.

Qalaat Marqab and Krak des Chevaliers

Full day: drive 1 hour to Marqab Castle, visit the Castle for 1 hour, drive 1 hours to Krak des Chevaliers, have lunch in local restaurant and visit the castle for 1 hours, return to Tartous (1 hour drive).

Palmyra

Full day: drive 3 hours to Palmyra, visit the Valley of Tombs, have lunch in Bedouin tent, visit the Roman ruins of Palmyra for 2 hours, and return to Tartous.

Maalula and Damascus

Full day: drive 3 hours to Maalula, visit the village and monasteries of St. Thekla and St. Sergius for 1 hour, have lunch at the Maalula Hotel, drive 1/2 hour to Damascus, spend three hours visiting the Umayyad Mosque, the Azem Palace, Straight Street, the Ananias Chapel, and shopping in the covered market, return to Tartous (3 hours).