Lebanon Mountain Trail Trek

Our first day together is dedicated to arrivals. We’ll be greeted at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport by our LHO Team Leader and transported to our hotel near the city center. Those of us arriving early can benefit from a day of exploration in one of the most vibrant towns on the Mediterranean Sea. Your LHO Team Leader will provide you with a list of recommended attractions, bars, cafes, and markets to visit close to your arrival time. The first event of the trip is a welcome dinner hosted by your LHO Team Leader and local lead guide at 7:30 pm. During the dinner, we’ll have the opportunity to get to know each other, learn about the exciting experience ahead, and ask any questions we may have. We’ll also conduct gear checks when you arrive, so for those of us arriving closer to dinner time, the check will take place after dinner to ensure we have everything we need for the week ahead.

Distance: 5.6 KM | Ascent: 155 M | Descent: 341 M | Max Altitude: 1003 M

After breakfast, we’ll depart Beirut along the south-bound coastal highway to the Phoenician port city of Sidon. You can’t pass through Sidon without visiting the iconic Crusader castle built on a tiny island in the sea, connected by a bridge to the mainland opposite the bustling souks of the old town. We’ll spend about two hours exploring the castle and visiting the souks before grabbing a quick bite at a world-famous shawarma and falafel vendor. Then, we’ll jump into our bus to start our journey up the mountain. The trailhead for the day takes about one hour to reach from Saida. We’ll be dropped in the heritage village of Bkassine, the gateway to the largest pine forest in the country. The trail begins along a descending path that winds its way between the towering canopy of the forest. The trail eventually begins to ascend until we reach the foot of a cliff famous for its rushing waterfall. The town of Jezzine is on the top of that cliff. We’ll skip the uphill on this day since we’re just getting started and not properly warmed up. Our transport will meet us at the waterfall to drive us the short distance to the village where we’ll check into our accommodation for the evening. The afternoon is free to explore the town and its market streets. Dinner will be served at our guesthouse, and we’ll be treated to an explanation of each dish. The menus on this trail are seasonal and specific to each village, making it a culinary adventure for your taste buds.

Distance: 9.3 KM | Ascent: 655 M | Descent: 517 M | Max Altitude: 1,503 M

Breakfast is an experience, especially for those of us used to cereals and milk. Lebanese culture shows love with food, so get ready for a lavish spread. We’ll also make our lunch boxes from the breakfast offerings, given the abundance of food. Each team member will receive a reusable Tupperware container to use as a lunchbox for the duration of the trip. After breakfast, we’ll load up our luggage in our transport, put on our backpacks, and start walking into the upper edges of the pine forest. The edge of the forest is known locally as the “Jered,” where the forests of the lower altitude meet the drier regions of the higher mountain altitudes. The trail mostly follows the border of the Jered, with the trees on our left and the high mountain ridges on our right. The Mount Lebanon range runs north-south, so if the descending slopes are on our left and the ascending slopes are on our right, it means we’re heading north. We’ll stop at the high point of the day for a picnic lunch and then arrive at a dry section in the trail. We’ll cross a river and continue our way along the dry trail until we reach the Niha Fort, a hermitage turned fortified structure used by the legendary Fakheredine during his war against the Ottomans. We’ll take our time to visit the fort and listen to the history from the local rangers. Once we’ve taken our pictures and enjoyed the scenery, we’ll be met by our transportation and shuttled to the beautiful town of Maaser El Chouf, our home for the evening. Dinner will be served at our accommodation and will once again feature local and seasonal dishes.

Distance: 6.5 KM | Ascent: 184 M | Descent: 566 M | Max Altitude: 1,800 M

After breakfast, we’ll take a quick drive up to the top of the Chouf Nature Reserve, where we’ll enjoy one of the most stunning views in the region. The view of Mount Hermon, Lake Qaroun, and the Anti-Lebanon mountain range will fill the skyline, with the Bekaa Valley sprawling beneath us. It’s an epic start to one of the most beautiful sections of this trail. After taking some pictures, we’ll head to the entrance of the Chouf Biosphere Reserve, which includes the largest cedar forest in the country and the southernmost cedar forest in the world. The trail begins at the reserve gate and leads us from one cedar forest to another, with a largely flat trail and occasional periods of ascent and descent. We’ll also pass through portions of the Jered in between cedar forests until we arrive at the Barouk forest. We’ll stop for a snack break underneath the tree that is said to have inspired the national flag of Lebanon before continuing to a watering hole built by the reserve to benefit the many birds and animals that inhabit this region. After that, the trail descends toward the park gate, where our transportation awaits to take us to a local farm restaurant for a hot lunch. Following lunch, we’ll be shuttled to Hammana, a town in the central Metn region of Mount Lebanon. It’s only a short 45-minute drive. We’ll stay at a guesthouse in Hammana, and although we try to arrive a little earlier to enjoy the town’s market streets, the evening’s dinner will be at our accommodation.

Distance: 14.3 KM | Ascent: 488 M | Descent: 838 M | Max Altitude: 1,679 M

We’ll start our fifth day early because we have some distances to cover. After breakfast, we’ll be shuttled to Chabrouh, about a 1-hour drive away, the gateway to the northern portion of our trail. Chabrouh is famous for a massive artificial lake in the mountains created by the Chabrouh Dam. We’ll start our walk next to the dam, following a trail beneath a gigantic statue of Jesus Christ. The trail follows the mountain’s shoulder until it begins ascending along the limestone rocks, leading to the top of the mountain pass and views into the Adonis-Afqa region of Mount Lebanon. From there, we’ll follow a gradually descending trail in the direction of Afqa. The fields of this area are lush and green, dotted with many ancient ruins. We’ll stop for a picnic lunch before arriving at the Afqa cave, a huge cavern with a rushing waterfall that is considered one of the national wonders of the country. We’ll have the opportunity to check out the first cavern of the cave and the ancient temple of Adonis at the foot of the waterfall. If the weather is favorable, it may even be possible to go for a swim in the lake underneath the waterfall. After the visit, we’ll be shuttled to our next guest house in the nearby town of Aqoura. This town is very quiet and provides a beautiful contrast to the experience in Hammana. Rather than market streets and vendors, we’ll have unobstructed sunsets and the sound of birds to whet our appetite for an amazing dinner.

Distance: 7.8 KM |Ascent: 730 M | Descent: 340 M | Max Altitude: 1,940 M

After breakfast, we’ll jump into our transport for a quick visit to the nearby Balaa sinkhole, a natural wonder of Lebanon that consists of four natural bridges and a waterfall, all inside this gigantic vertical cavern. From there, we’ll make our way to the trailhead at the foot of the Tannourine Cedar Reserve. The trail starts with a short uphill to a mountain ridge known as the Harissa. This area is very popular with rock climbers thanks to the jagged rock structures and solid limestone. We’ll place the Harissa summit on our right side and begin descending along a dry and open trail as it makes its way deep into the valley. We’ll cross a river, which marks the official wilderness border into the Tannourine Cedar Reserve. A few moments beyond the river are a couple of park benches, the perfect spot for a picnic lunch. Once we’ve refueled, we’ll begin our ascent into the Tannourine cedar forest, following a series of switchback trails with steep and winding sections and gradual inclines. At the top of the trail is the official park entrance, where our transportation will meet us and take us to the village of Bcharre, our home for the evening. The highest mountains in Lebanon will loom above us, reaching altitudes of up to 3000 meters! We’ll check in to our accommodation and then head up to the Cedars of God natural reserve, home to the oldest cedar grove in the world. It is said that King Solomon built his temple from the cedar wood of this forest. There, we’ll take a short walk in the small forest and enjoy one of the most stunning sunsets from a nearby hill. Don’t forget to bring a jacket, as it can get cold. Dinner will be served at our accommodation in Bcharre.

Distance: 10.7 KM | Ascent: 561 M | Descent: 734 M | Max Altitude: 1,118 M

Our last day of trekking together will take us through the deep Qadisha valley, home to a series of hermitages, some of which are the oldest known to archaeologists, built into the rocks. After breakfast, we’ll take a short shuttle to the trailhead beneath the town. The trail is mostly flat with brief inclines, providing a leisurely walk along a well-defined trail. We’ll have the opportunity to visit at least two hermitages that are still very much in use. During some seasons, the chapels and hermitage museums are open to the public, so we’ll take our time at each one. We’ll stop for Lebanese coffee along the trail before arriving in the farming village of Fredis. For those of us feeling motivated, it may be possible to continue to the second large hermitage known as the Monastery of Qozhaya. For everyone else, we’ll be met by our car and taken up to explore the museum and an ancient printing press discovered not long ago within its caverns. We’ll then make our way to the town of Ehden, our last stop on the trip and home to a vibrant market and picturesque walkways. Our last guesthouse of the trail is always a favorite. We’re not saying we’ve saved the best for last, but we have! As this is our last night together, we’ll head out to the town for dinner, and the last round of drinks is on us.

After breakfast, we’ll be shuttled to the airport to catch our flights back home. Arrangements can be made around your flight times, but we recommend booking departures after 12 pm. Please ensure that you provide us with the correct flight information when filling out your Team Details form before the adventure’s start date. If there are any changes to your itinerary, please inform your LHO Team Leader as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made accordingly.