HIKING & CULTURAL TRIPS

MARCH 2025

Sunday 09
Hiking WADI al-QRÂQÎR (Zgharta), 90km from Beirut.
       Bus leaves parking in Hikmeh, Achrafieh, at 8am.
       Personal cars are optional. Meeting points & times:
. 09:00, Batroun, under Hospital Bridge (Jisr al-Moustachfa), before breakfast stop,
. 10:30, Jdaideh roundabout, 10km from destination. Cars left here, returning to them by bus: +$5pp

Two great itineraries starting in Sebaal and ending in Miziara.
Both include beautiful wooded trails, panoramic ridges, old chapels, watermills and related stone bridges.

Level 3 (5km)
   . from Mesmekh to Rechtaamoût, via  the red cliff and Martmoura chapel, altitudes 800-600m.
   . from Rechtaamoût to Hmeiss, via Wadi Jouîte and the watermills, altitudes 600-750m.

Level 5 (10km)
   . from Mesmekh to Bnachii, via the mouflon goat herd and old olive orchards, altitudes 800-250m.
   . from Bnachii to Hmeiss, via Mar Challita chapel and Wadi al-Qrâqîr, ups & downs between 250 & 750m.

Week-End, March 15-16
Hiking & Snowshoeing in  Bcharreh area

Day1. Saturday 15
Bus departure from Hikmeh at 8am. Road, via Chekka, to Bqaakafra, 105km from Beirut.
Personal cars are optional. Meeting points & times:
. 09:00, Batroun, under Hospital Bridge (Jisr al-Moustachfa), before breakfast stop,
. 10:30, Stéphanie Pharmacy, Hasroun, 6km from destination. Cars left here, returning to them by bus: +$5pp

Snowshoeing
BQAAKAFRA TO THE CEDARS, Level 5, 10km, altitude range 1700-2100m. Duration: 5h. Cumulative uphill: 400m.
Starting at 1700m, the trail climbs up to the foot of the Zouq ridges and, via abundant streams to the old cedar grove.
Option 1: Return to Beirut, with the bus.
Option 2: Dinner & Night at Hôtel Alpine. Rooms with toilets & central heating; Single or Twin.

Day2. Sunday 16
Snowshoeing Overnighters only
Local transfer to the ski lifts area, altitude 2100m.
Open loop in The Cedars, Level 5, 10km, altitude range 1900-2600m. Duration: 5h. Cumulative uphill: 500m.
Starting at 2100m, the trail climbs up to the Cedars pass, 2600m, with view over the Beqaa, then down to the hotel for check-out.

Hiking Group from Beirut
Bus only. Departure from Hikmeh at 8am. Road, via Chekka to Mazraat an-Nahr, 90km from Beirut.
WADI QADISHA, Levels 5 & 6, 10/12km, altitude range 600-1000/1300m. Duration: 5/6h. Cumulative uphill: 500/700m.
Starting at 600m, the trail goes upriver to Morbo abandoned monastery and to the  double-arched stone bridge leading to the right bank.
It continues to Qannoubine Medieval patriarchal see and on to Mar Lichaa. End for level 5. Optional extension to Bcharreh, end for Level 6.

Per person,
. Rental of equipment: $10 per day.
. Week-End Full-Board, sharing a room for 2p
   – $170 in car
   – $220 in bus, for a minimum of 5
. Extra for Single room: +$30
. Day trip: Usual fare.

Sunday 23
Hiking LAQLOUQ (Batroun), 60km from Beirut.
              Bus only. It leaves parking in Hikmeh, Achrafieh, at 8am.
Itinerary from Laqlouq to Douma, via Baatara sinkhole and waterfall. Visit of old Douma.
Note: This is also Day1 of a private 4-day trek for a solo hiker willing to see others joining for one day or more.
Level 5 (12km). Cumulative uphill: 500m
   . from the Bared area to Baatara, via the large basins and Mgharet al-Cheikh grotto, altitudes 1700-1500m.
   . from Baatara to Douma, via Sikket al-Cham and Bchealeh olive trees , ups & downs between 1000 & 1750m.

 Sunday 23 – Wednesday 26.03

TREKKING Laqlouq to Bcharreh

Day1. Sunday 23
Hiking Laqlouq to Douma. See day trip
Dinner & Night in a Douma guesthouse.

Day2. Monday 24
Hiking Douma to Deir Houb. Itinerary via Nahr aj-Joz river and the watermills trail.
Level 7 (14km). Cumulative uphill: 900m
   . from Douma to Beit Chlela, via Douma souks and Mar Youhanna convent, altitudes 1000-600m.
   . from Beit Chlela to Tannourine at-Tahta, via the Joz river valley and the Farz cliff, altitudes 600-1100-900m.
   . from Tannourine at-Tahta to Wata Houb, via Wadi Tannourine and watermills, altitudes 900-1300m.
Dinner & Night in a monastery.

Day3. Tuesday 25
Hiking Deir Houb to Hadath aj-Jobbeh (Hadad). Itinerary via Wadi al-Faouar and thick cedar forests.
Level 6 (13km). Cumulative uphill: 800m
   . from Houb to Fouar, via Touarii pass and Wadi Ain ar-Râha, altitudes 1300-1800-1500m.
   . from Fouar to Hadad, via the cedar forests of al-Korsi and Hadad, altitudes 1500-1800-1400m.
Dinner & Night in guesthouse.

Day4. Wednesday 26
Day hikers may join using their own means of transport or via arrangement with Liban Trek, leaving Beirut by 7am.
Hiking Hadath aj-Jobbeh to Bcharreh. Itinerary via Wadi Qadisha, Wadi Houlat and Mar Lichaa.
Level 5 (11km). Cumulative uphill: 750m
   . from Hadad to Qannoubine Medieval patriarchal see, via Wadi al-Karm and al-Aqbeh stone bridge, altitudes 1400-800-1000m.
   . from Qannoubine to Mar Lichaa, via Qadisha valley and the Houlat sanctuaries, altitudes 1000-1250-1100-1200m.
   . from Mar Lichaa to Bcharreh, via a breathtaking cliff pass, altitudes 1200-1400m.
Transfer from Bcharreh to The Cedars and Visit the old grove.
Return to Beirut.

Per person, joining the solo hiker
1 person, for the 4 days: $1’000
1 person, for 2days/1night: $500 excluding transportation

 Sunday 30
Hiking SERJBÈL (Chouf), 30km from Beirut …………………………………. Entrance fees: Ll.300’000pp
             Bus leaves parking in Hikmeh, Achrafieh at 8:30am.
             Meeting for cars: Petrol station Total, Damour overfly, Beiteddine road, 9:30am.
Loop itinerary by the river, crossing over wooden footbridges in a wild scenic environment, altitudes range 200-350m.
Level 4 (8km). Cumulative 400m uphill (& downhill)
Wooded trail touching the stream, an old watermill and the serene hamlets of Fkhiteh & Chemaarine.