How to plan a trip to Syria, step by step

A trip to Syria is not built on one decision but on a series of them, and the order matters. The cash question has to be settled before the route, and building the route before the visa gets you nowhere. The eight steps below give that order. Each step has its own page underneath it; this page arranges them into a sequence.

1. The decision: whether to go, and where

The first question is not about the whole country but about the places you are thinking of. The situation differs by region. It can change within a single month. Start with is Syria safe to visit, then read where it is safe to travel. Until those two are clear, none of the later steps mean anything.

2. Timing: which month, how many days

Seasons differ sharply in Syria: coast and desert behave like two countries in the same month. For the month use when to visit Syria, and for the length how many days you need. Fix the length before the route, because a route shortens to fit the days while the days do not stretch to fit the route.

3. Visa and entry

The visa rule changes several times a year and the fee follows your nationality. Read the visa and entry rules before you buy a ticket; asking a consulate whether your passport needs prior approval also belongs to this step.

4. Tickets and point of entry

Air or land gate is a question that shapes the route, because where you enter decides your first day. For the options see how to get to Syria, and if you are crossing by land, entering from Turkey. The same step is where you decide whether to travel alone: independent or guided, and if needed hiring a local guide.

5. Cash

Skipping this step is the most expensive mistake you can make. Do it first. Card infrastructure is not dependable for a visitor and you carry the money for the whole trip with you; how much to carry cannot be worked out before the route exists. money and cash, changing money and the budget guide answer those three questions separately.

6. Route and distance

The rule for building a route is simple: divide the days by distance, not by the number of cities. Take the skeleton from one week in Syria, fill in the cities with three days in Damascus and two days in Aleppo, and check the gaps against how far you can travel in a day. How transport works between cities is in getting around; if you will drive yourself, driving and car hire.

7. Beds and booking

Online booking does not work everywhere in Syria and payment is a separate matter. What kind of places exist is in where to stay, and how booking is actually done is in booking online. With those settled the bag gets packed: what to pack, and for a final check the preparation checklist.

8. On the road

Once you have set off, four pages earn their place. SIM card and internet for a phone line. Then checkpoints for the stops you will make on the road, and what to wear and how to behave for how to dress and behave. And if it comes to it, health and pharmacies and what to do in an emergency. Reading them beforehand beats searching for them at the moment of need.