You can readily hire experienced guides who double as drivers with a car or minivan for day trips around Damascus or longer adventures throughout Syria. Here are driver guides that are recommended by us and the Traveller Community Syria WhatsApp group. Cool cat rider
Contact each individual driver guide to get a price quote; payment is in dollars – and don't forget to invite them for lunch if you're on a longer trip.
Ahmad Sadat
Tel. +963 944 289 860
The affable owner of the Rosa Damascena Guesthouse has decades of touring experience and can take tourists to sights around the country in his white Mercedes. We joined him to Bosra in 2025 and had a great time.
Ziyara Ride
Tel. +963 992 185 219
Fluent in English, experienced, and highly recommended, Mohammad is a self-proclaimed 'storyteller on the road' and a careful driver who can take you on adventures throughout Syria. A good choice for day trips, for example combining Sednaya, Maaloula and Mar Musa.
Khaled Alloush
Tel. +963 933 567 229
An experienced English-speaking driver and guide, available for domestic trips, with a minibus seating 6 persons. He took us on a day trip from Damascus to Palmyra in 2025 and was great company.
Dr Adeeb
Tel. +963 997 493 592
The driving dentist, Dr Adeeb has several years' experience driving tourists on trips from Damascus to Maaloula, Sednaya, Bosra, Palmyra, and further afield. Contact him directly to discuss availability and prices – for both his travel and dentistry services.
Omar
Tel. +963 932 510 609
Recommended in the Traveler Community Syria chat group, Omar can whisk you to the main day trip destinations, or as far as the coastal cities in his white BYD car. Example prices are $20 for a trip to Sednaya, $60 if you also visit Maaloula.
Omar's BYD Ahmad Magribi
Tel. +963 982 006 937
Based in Aleppo, Ahmad is a well-reviewed licensed tour guide, former English teacher and Syria travel expert on Tripadvisor who works with trusted drivers to organise trips throughout Syria with full guiding and transport.
Mohammed
Tel. +963 986 564 041
A driver guide recommended by several travellers, in 2025 he offered a day trip from Damascus to Krak des Chevaliers castle for $200 and a long combination day trip of Palmyra and Krak des Chevaliers for $300.
