Seven Days in Syria by Car: A Damascus–Coast–Aleppo Loop

The loop at a glance

Seven days, starting and ending in Damascus, about 1,000 kilometres including city driving:

Every distance here is a rounded planning figure. Check live conditions before each intercity day.

Why this order?

Going north up the coast first and coming back down the M5 puts the slow, scenic days (coast, hills) in the middle, and the fast highway day at the end, when you mainly want to get back. It also puts both city days — Damascus and Aleppo — where you are not driving much, which keeps the week from being all road.

Day by day

Day 1 — Damascus. Collect the car (delivery from $15, or Kafr Sousa, Qaysar or the airport), check it over, and use the day for the Old City on foot. Our Damascus driving guide covers parking.

Day 2 — to Homs and Krak des Chevaliers. About 160 km up the M5 to Homs, then west into the hills. Our Krak des Chevaliers guide has the detail. Stay nearby or in Homs.

Day 3 — to Tartus. A short drive down to the coast. Leave the car and take the boat to Arwad.

Day 4 — up the coast to Latakia. Short distance, slow and scenic. Our coast road trip guide covers both cities.

Day 5 — Latakia to Aleppo. The hill climb inland. Start early and finish the hills in daylight — see Aleppo to Latakia by car, the same road in reverse.

Day 6 — Aleppo. Park the car and walk the citadel and the old souks. Driving in Aleppo explains why on foot is better in the centre.

Day 7 — back to Damascus via Hama. The long day. Stop at the norias of Hama for lunch, then down the M5 — see the M5 drive guide.

Does it fit the mileage allowance?

The published allowance is 150 km per day and 3,500 km per month, with extra kilometres at $1 in Syria. Seven days at 150 km is 1,050 km, and this loop comes to roughly 1,000 km. That is close, so before you book:

• Ask how the allowance is counted — across the whole rental, or day by day.
• Avoid big detours unless you are prepared to pay for the extra kilometres.
• Tell the team the full route, so the rental is set up for intercity driving.

Could I do it one-way instead?

Starting in Damascus and finishing in Aleppo saves the long last day. But do not assume a one-way rental — Auris rents in both cities, so ask what is possible before you plan around it.

Before you go

• Daylight for every intercity leg. Plan departures so you arrive before dark.
• Fill up in cities, not on the road.
• Know what to do if something goes wrong — see our roadside support guide.
• Documents and deposit: see what documents you need and the Syria deposit of $300 or $500 depending on the car.

Start from the Damascus car rental page.