Desert Road to Palmyra
Drive the desert road from Homs to Palmyra through the Syrian steppe, the ancient caravan route that connected the Mediterranean world to Mesopotamia and made Palmyra one of the greatest trading cities of the ancient world.
- 1
Homs Gap Overlook
Stop at the overlook of the Homs Gap before entering the desert, the strategic pass between the Lebanese mountains and the Syrian interior that has been fought over from the Crusaders to the present day, understanding why this geography has made Homs so important.
- 2
Syrian Steppe
Drive through the Syrian steppe, the semi-arid landscape between the settled areas and the true desert, where the bedouin herding of sheep and camels continues in a pastoral tradition thousands of years old, the landscape essentially unchanged from the ancient caravan era.
- 3
Desert Checkpoint
Pass through the desert landscape where the road to Palmyra crosses increasingly arid terrain, the transition from the Mediterranean world to the desert interior visible in the changing vegetation, geology, and settlement patterns.
- 4
Ancient Caravanserai
See the remains of a desert caravanserai along the Palmyra road, the relay stations that supplied water and shelter to the camel caravans carrying silk, spices, and luxury goods between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean ports.
- 5
Palmyra Approach
Approach Palmyra across the desert where the first sight of the ancient city oasis rising from the flat desert is one of the great dramatic approaches in travel, the ancient ruins appearing like a mirage from the flat surrounding landscape.
- 6
Desert Ecology
Understand the desert ecology of the Syrian interior where the seasonal rains, the bedouin grazing patterns, and the ancient water management systems of qanats and cisterns shaped the human geography of this apparently inhospitable landscape.