You'll be picked up from your hotel in Damascus with your guide and driver. Then, you will be driven into the Qalamoun mountains (around an hour and a half), stopping for lunch in the town of Nabak. (famous for sfeeha, a local delicacy). The, we will continue the drive to Mar Musa monastery.

We will park the car and take out your belongings. We'll have to walk with the bags for about 5 minutes, before putting them into a cable car to get transported to the top of the mountain.

Then, we will hike up the mountain to the monastery. It shouldn't take longer than 30 minutes.

Once we get to the top, we will be assigned rooms by the the monks. Men and women both stay in seperate areas. We will then go to the viewpoint over the valley and enjoy drinking tea with the monks and nuns.

You'll be invited into the ancient church, and asked to take off your shoes before entering. Unlike most modern churches, there are no chairs, and people are asked to sit on the follow. The frescoes in this church date back as far as the 11th Century, and you will have a detailed explanation about what each of them represent.

You will also learn about the recent history of the monastery and the legacy of Father Paulo, a pioneer of peace and a martyr of the recent Syrian war.

We'll have different options for recreation, explained to you by your guide. For those that are physically fit, we recommend climbing up to the cross on top of the mountain, for beautiful views of the monastery and the valleys below. The hike up and down the mountain should take around an hour and a half, including a rest stop to admire the views from above.

Upon returning to the monastery, you will have time to talk to those that call the monastery home, and make friends. They all have an interesting story, and most of them speak English. You will also have time to relax and take a shower.

Every day, the monastery organises one hour of meditation, followed by one hour of prayers and chanting. This is am extremely unique experience, as they combine Islamic and Christian methods of prayer, and practises that no other churches have in Syria. There are also prayer mats for Muslims to pray in the same room.

Dinner is provided at the monastery, and it is usually a hearty, healthy meal. It's not required, but most people staying at the monastery take part in the cooking or cleaning up, which you may do so as well, if you wish.

Get an early night, as there is no internet to distract you! If you like, it is recommended to wake up for sunrise, with beautiful colours and occasionally a sea of clouds under you.