BOOK NOW at www.imaginative-traveller.com or CALL 0845 287 0769SYRIA33ItineraryDay 1 / Damascus Your trip starts today in Damascus. No activities are planned, so you can arrive at any time. There is much to discover in Syria's historic capital. Day 2 / Damascus We enjoy a guided tour of the National Museum and the superb Umayyad Mosque in the fabulous Old City. Later we take a stroll and explore the many colourful bazaars and alleyways. Day 3 / Palmyra We drive to the magical ancient city of Palmyra and enjoy a guided tour of this imposing site, much of which is still in a fine state of repair. Day 4 / Krak des Chevaliers We travel via Homs to the fabulous Crusader fortress at Krak des Chevaliers. This is the greatest castle of all and one of the highlights of our trip. We spend the night near Krak. Day 5-6 / Alepo Aleppo has long been a favourite with travellers. The fabulous vaulted bazaars, unchanged since the 17th century, occupy us for hours and while here we also visit the historic Great Mosque. This is a great town to go exploring in. Day 7-8 / Damascus We leave Aleppo early and head back to Damascus. You may spend your last night in Syria further exploring Damascus or maybe enjoying a group dinner in a local restaurant. Our trip finishes after breakfast on Day 8. Syrian Explorer 8 days Step back in time and marvel at ancient citadels and castles.Syria is the rare, multi-faceted jewel of the Middle East. The legacy of a long and turbulent history is its incredible array of temples, crusader castles, mosques and bazaars and the oldest city in the world. The souks are the perfect place to wander aimlessly, picking at some local falafel as you take in the heady combination of spices, herbs and humming trade.Trip InfoDeparture DatesGroup size: Maximum 16.Grade: Culture Easy.Transport: Jeep, Minibus, Scheduled bus.Accommodation: 7 nights budget/tourist class hotels.Meals: 7 breakfasts.Other: A Syrian tour leader meets you in Damascus on the evening of Day 1.Start Day: Tuesday End Day: TuesdayTour code: GESCStart FinishStart Finish201125-Jan 01-Feb22-Feb 01-Mar22-Mar 29-Mar05-Apr 12-Apr19-Apr 26-Apr03-May 10-May17-May 24-May31-May 07-Jun14-Jun 21-Jun29-Jun 06-Jul12-Jul 19-Jul27-Jul 03-Aug09-Aug 16-Aug06-Sep 13-Sep20-Sep 27-Sep04-Oct 11-Oct18-Oct 25-Oct01-Nov 08-Nov15-Nov 22-Nov13-Dec 20-Dec201210-Jan 17-Jan07-Feb 14-Feb06-Mar 13-Mar17-Apr 24-Apr01-May 08-May15-May 22-May29-May 05-Jun12-Jun 19-Jun26-Jun 03-JulTOP SELLER

For detailed departures, itineraries and prices please visit our website34ISRAELSecrets of Jerusalem 5 days A fascinating introduction to Israel's most important sites. From the Mount of Olives to the Dome of the Rock, walk the pages of a long and tumultuous history - the city is a biblical atlas of sites and sights. Encounter some of the world's most important religious sites in a land where myth comes to life. Discover the biblical gems of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee and Masada on this fascinating introduction to Israel.Trip InfoDeparture DatesGroup size: Maximum 16.Grade: Walking Moderate / Culture Easy.Transport: Private vehicle.Accommodation: 4 nights budget/tourist class hotels.Meals: 4 breakfasts.Start Day: Tuesday End Day: SaturdayTour code: GESJStart FinishStart Finish201108-Feb 12-Feb08-Mar 12-Mar05-Apr 09-Apr19-Apr 23-Apr03-May 07-May17-May 21-May31-May 04-Jun14-Jun 18-Jun28-Jun 02-Jul26-Jul 30-Jul23-Aug 27-Aug20-Sep 24-Sep04-Oct 08-Oct18-Oct 22-Oct01-Nov 05-Nov15-Nov 19-Nov29-Nov 03-Dec27-Dec 31-Dec201224-Jan 28-Jan21-Feb 25-Feb20-Mar 24-Mar17-Apr 21-Apr01-May 05-May15-May 19-May29-May 02-Jun12-Jun 16-Jun26-Jun 30-JunItineraryDay 1 / Jerusalem Our trip starts in Jerusalem. No activities are planned on Day 1, so you may arrive at any time. Day 2 / Jerusalem We spend a full day visiting historic Jerusalem including the Old City, Western Wall, Via Dolorosa (Stations of the Cross), Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Garden of Gethsemane and Yad Vashem (Israel's Holocaust Museum). Day 3 / Nazareth - Sea of Galilee - Jerusalem We drive north to Nazareth and visit the Church of the Annunciation and the Church of St Joseph, then pass by the baptism site on the Jordan River before reaching the town of Tiberias, by the Sea of Galilee. Day 4 / BETHLEHEM - Jericho - Masada We visit the biblical cities of Jericho and Bethlehem before driving through the Judean Desert to enjoy a walk up the Snake Path to Masada, the fortress of King Herod and the last stronghold of the Zealots, before descending to the Dead Sea. We then return to Jerusalem for our final night. Day 5 / Jerusalem Our trip ends after breakfast in Jerusalem, you can book further accommodation in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv if you wish to extend your stay in Israel.