2wd: Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel/Egypt?

[blurg]

Hi there,

I am busy planning for a trip to the Middle-East this summer.
I'm travelling from the Netherlands to Syria in a short time and then start with a laid back travel in Syria, Jordan and if there's time, Israel or Egypt.

We plan to sleep in our rooftent and camp in the open.

I'd like to know if it's better to have a visa for Syria beforehand (is this a real time saver)

Is it a real pro to have a Carnet de Passage?
The ADAC say it will make things easier and cheaper, does that weigh against the high cost of the Carnet de Passage?



Kind regards,
Jurgen

[hopelessly lost]

It's no problem to get the visa for Syria at the border (though most internet sites say otherwise). Just take care to not even HINT that you may visit Israel on the trip.

I used a Carnet for all the countries you listed (with the exception of Israel). I met a German in Syria that did not use his Carnet. (It does make things easier, I think...) But, you will need a Carnet if you want to enter Egypt.

Also, where do you plan to go once you're down there? As I found out, shipping back to Europe from Egypt is difficult/expensive. And you can not drive back the way you came if you enter Israel, unless you can avoid the stamp in your passport (which is possible, but only barely... this topic has been discussed ad nauseam elsewhere).

[DesertSoul]

Nice to meet with Jeremy once again in the same topic. Confirming what Jeremy told you, but stressing once again you will not enter Egypt without your carnet. The other countries can indeed be entered without one. A friend of mine, also from Slovenia, just returned with his motorbike from SY/JO. He got SY visa on the border and took him 2 hours to cross it, all the paperwork and visa waiting included.

Cheers.

[blurg]

Thanks for the answers! I doubt to enter Egypt, because I am driving from the Netherlands to the Middle-East and back and I've got 7 weeks in total, so probably Syria and Jordania is enough for us, I really don't know, I've never been there but 2-3 weeks per country would be nice I guess.

Israel will be skipped, or I need to 'loose' my passport and try to get in, but that will take lots of time and hassle, not worth it for this period.

Greetz,
Jurgen

[xander2]

Because we don't have a Syrian embassy in Holland you should have no problem getting your visa at the border.

The trick with 'the lost passport' won't work (tried that as well a few years ago) 'cause your new passport will be issued by the dutch embassy in Tel-Aviv, and noted as such....

You'll have a great time in Syria and Jordan .....

[manfredschweda]

I always thought you can enter Egypt without a Carnet, talk is of 2500Euros which you get back when exiting the country. Can anyone confirm this?? thanks Manfred

[martheijnens]

I travelled twice to Syria, in 2001 and 2004. If rules haven't changed since that time you need to get a visa IN ADVANCE and you need to have a carnet de passages. It is not that difficult to get a Syrian visa. The easiest way? Visum, Visa, VisumBuro, Garantiebrieven,VisumInformatie!

Have a good trip



Welcome to Wonderful Travels

[Samy]

Originally Posted by blurg

Thanks for the answers! I doubt to enter Egypt, because I am driving from the Netherlands to the Middle-East and back and I've got 7 weeks in total, so probably Syria and Jordania is enough for us, I really don't know, I've never been there but 2-3 weeks per country would be nice I guess.

Israel will be skipped, or I need to 'loose' my passport and try to get in, but that will take lots of time and hassle, not worth it for this period.

Greetz,
Jurgen

If you want to go in to trouble or have some exciting time with excitement go for "loosing" choice...

I spent hours to go in and out to Israel at the airport and gazed what happened to me and everybody

Funny sometimes, once the man from canada was with his underpants for a good search.

They wanted to keep my small travelling iron and small hair dryer for better search. I throwed it away.

Within all these hassle, tell them you lost your pass.

Cheers,

[xander2]

Originally Posted by martheijnens

I travelled twice to Syria, in 2001 and 2004. If rules haven't changed since that time you need to get a visa IN ADVANCE and you need to have a carnet de passages. It is not that difficult to get a Syrian visa. The easiest way? Visum, Visa, VisumBuro, Garantiebrieven,VisumInformatie!

Have a good trip



Welcome to Wonderful Travels

Got my visa on arrival at Damascus airport....no hassle whatsoever....