Week-Ends
3 nights/4 days
Designated as one of the not-to-be-missed
destinations in 2009 by the prestigious New York Times, Lebanon's capital,
Beirut, has a treasure of attractions to offer. Amazing nightlife, nearby sandy
beaches, a shopping paradise, great resorts and hotels, and a robust joie de
vivre that is particular to this modern yet Levantine city at the same time
Itinerary :
Day 1:
Arrival to Beirut and transfer to your hotel.
Day 2:
Departure from the hotel at 9:00 a.m. Visit to the National Museum of Beirut
that will give you a fascinating idea of Lebanon’s history. The museum is home
to all sorts of relics representing the country’s rich heritage. Continue to
the city center which was reconstructed after the Civil War. It will take you
two to three hours to stroll around the city center and discover historic
monuments dating back to the Ottoman Empire and the French Mandate. Also, visit
the archeological excavations that unveil treasures dating back to various
eras. Afternoon at leisure, you can shop around or maybe visit Mar Mikhail
neighborhood and Saifi Village (home of designers, trendy boutiques and art
galleries).
Day 3:
Visit the Contemporary Art Museum and Beirut Exhibition Center with an art
guide. Lunch at TAWLE (hip Lebanese restaurant). Afternoon visit to “SAIFI”
where you can shop at Lebanese designers’ boutiques.
Day 4:
Morning at leisure, departure to the airport.
Budget 540 USD per person
The price includes:
Transport, guide, entrance fees, overnight stays in a 4 * hotel
2 days/1 night
Embark on a weekend that will take you to the picturesque village of Douma in
the Batroun area. You’ll be charmed by the old souk and traditional houses that
were magnificently restored and designated as national heritage buildings. The
trip will also take you up the mountains to stroll through the cedar forest of
Tannounrine, as well as the chasm of Balaa, one of the country’s spectacular
natural curiosities.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Douma
Walk around the village of Douma, lying serenely some 1100
meters above sea level. This is one of the region’s few villages that has kept
its traditional character. Continue towards the Saint Jacques farm and ranch to
buy some foie gras before lunch in the quaint town. Shop around Douma in the
afternoon and opt for the village’s signature sweet, non-other than the
delicious Loukoum. You’ll also get to buy local olive oil, handmade soap and
much more. End the day with a dinner and overnight stay in one of the charming
boutique hotels that Volver has partnered with.
Day 2: Tannourine
Start the day with a walk among the cedars of Tannourine,
representing the largest forest of centuries-old cedars with about 400,000
trees. East of the forest lies the spectacular Tannourine mountain range, also
known as Rahwe, towering high above at an altitude of 2300 meters. The area has
been designated a natural reserve since 1999, complete with a forest that
spreads over 600 hectares. Don’t miss the impressive chasm of Baakara, equally
known as the three-bridge chasm. A savory picnic lunch in nature adds the
perfect relaxing break at midday.
Budget:
Price per person: 300 USD
Includes transportation, guide, entry fees to
sights, accommodation with breakfast
Day 1
Begin an amazing hike where the two ancient valleys of
Qadisha and Qozhaya meet, from the starting point of Mazraat an-Nahr, which is
90 kilometers away from Beirut. Qadisha, also dubbed the Holy Valley and listed
as a world cultural heritage site by Unesco, will fascinate you with its vast
number of monasteries, churches and historic hermitages. The hike will take you
through the Haddad Cedar Forest and an area known as the Patriarchate of
Dimane, full of different points of interest and attractions.
This 18-kilometer hike on decent hiking paths is better
suited to skilled hikers as it climbs 1,200 meters and takes 7 hours (or just 5
hours if you skip Dimane). You get to spend the night in Qannoubine in Qadasha,
at an altitude of 900 meters.
Day 2 – Circular route in Qadisha.
Marvel at the hermitages of Wadi Hadchit and the
Patriarchate of the 15th century. The hike is of medium difficulty
and takes you over 12 kilometers while climbing 700 meters. It takes 6 hours
yet can also be reduced to 4 hours.
Day 3
Hike back to the point of departure, taking the route that
passes by the hermitage of Haouqa and the great monastery of Qozhaya. The hike
is of medium difficulty and spreads over 14 kilometers, climbing 700 meters
over steep paths and lasting 6 hours.
Budget:
280 USD based on a group of 6 people
The price includes:
Transportation, guide, entry fees to sites, and full-board accommodation.
2 days/1 night
Prepare yourself to discover the best of Lebanon’s third city, Saida. You’ll be
amazed at its gems and attractions hidden behind the façade of the dusty city,
from the Sidon Sea Castle and souk alleyways to the caravanserai, soap museum
and the Debbané palace.
The next day will see you heading to the city of Tyre and
its two magnificent archeological sites. The tour ends with a visit to the town
of Maghdoushe with its several attractions. This trip is filled with stupendous
landscapes, stunning sites and magical discoveries that have weathered the test
of time.
Tour plan:
Day 1:
Begin your morning with a visit to the Sidon Sea Castle,
built by the Crusaders, followed by a walk on the city’s seaside corniche. Head
inland just a few meters away to walk through the bubbly old souks of Sidon,
rich in scents, sounds and colors. The Soap Museum or Khan Al-Saboun in Arabic
will impress you, so will the old inn known as Khan El-Franj or Caravanserai
that rests majestically in the heart of the souks. In the afternoon, take a
stroll to the Debbané Palace, an old mansion that was restored to its former
glory. In the evening head back to Tyre where dinner and an overnight stay at a
cozy boutique hotel awaits.
Day 2: Tyre/Maghdoushe
Embrace the morning with a visit to Tyre’s world-class
archeological treasures to admire the remains of several civilizations from the
past, including Phoenician, Greek, Roman and Venetian. Enjoy lunch and a walk
by the beach, considered one of Lebanon’s most beautiful. The afternoon will
take you to Maghdoushe, which in Syriac and Hebrew mean holy. Indeed,
Christianity holds that the Virgin Mary waited on a hill that’s today
Maghdoushe for Jesus to return from a visit to nearby Sidon. She slept
overnight in a cave that has been known ever since as Mantara, which roughly
translates from Arabic to “waiting point”. A return to Beirut in the afternoon
follows this very special visit.
Budget:
300 USD based on a group of 8 people
The price includes:
Transportation, guide, entry fees to the sites, accommodation with breakfast
2 days/1 night
One of the most gorgeous regions of Lebanon is known as the Chouf mountain
range, or simply Chouf. The road it its midst boasts stunning vistas over
valleys, gorges, rivers, forests and verdant mountains. The landscape itself is
dotted with charming villages that still hold true to their traditional
character.
A major attraction in the Chouf is the Palace of Beiteddine,
an elegant Moorish-style palace that has been designated as a historical
monument. It was built in the late 18th century by the Emir Bashir
and is today the summer residence of Lebanon’s presidents. Not far away the
village of Deir al-Qamar delights the senses with its cobblestone streets. The
village was the capital of Mount Lebanon in the beginning of the 17th
century under the reign of the Druze emir, Fakhreddine. Deir al-Qamar has
maintained its traditional architecture and boasts an interesting wax museum.
The greater Chouf area has several exceptional attractions such as the Barouk
Cedar Reserve and the picturesque village of Maaser el Chouf.
Itinerary:
Day 1
Deir al-Qamar
Begin your visit to the Chouf with a visit to Deir al-Qamar,
historical capital of Mount Lebanon with its many old palaces surrounding the
town’s charming main square. Drop by the Baz museum and the Fakhreddine Mosque,
housed in buildings that date from the 17th and 18th
centuries, along with the Church of Our Lady, before continuing towards
Beiteddine.
After a tasty local lunch, spend the afternoon at the Palace
of Emir Bashir. The property represents an excellent example of fine Lebanese
architecture from the 19th century. Enjoy one of the concerts which
are part of the summer festival before dining at the charming boutique hotel
where you’ll be spending the night.
Day 2:
Maasser el Chouf
Get ready to discover the charms of Maaser el Chouf, a
little village perched in the mountains at an altitude of 1150 meters, right
next to the Chouf Cedar Reserve. You’ll fall in love with its red-tiled houses
and serene vibe that the village exudes. It is worth noting that the cedar
reserve holds one fourth of all cedars left in Lebanon. You’ll certainly enjoy
hiking across the woods of Maaser el Chouf and the Barouk area, stopping for a
leisurely picnic lunch.
Budget:
300 USD based on a group of 8 people
The price includes :
Transportation, guide, entry fees to sites, accommodation with breakfast
2 nights/ 3 days
Itinerary
Day 1
Begin the hike from Mar Shallita
Pass by an ancient Roman temple converted into a chapel in Qobeyat, Akkar, in
Lebanon's most-northern territory, 130 km away from Beirut.
Hike through the Lebanese Mountain Trail (LMT) through pinewoods and fir trees.
Take in the panoramic view at the source of the Oustouan river.
Medium difficulty, 15 km hike, 700 meters ascent, 7 hours long, good paths.
Day 2
Walk in a circular route to discover natural beauty, rocky labyrinths, juniper
trees, oak trees and the Qammoua plateau. Medium difficulty, 12 km hike, 500
meters of uneven route, 6 hours long, good paths.
Day 3
Return to Qobayat through the 'black forest' and a burial cave from roman times.
Medium difficulty, 17 km, 500 m ascent, 6 hours long, good paths.
Budget:
530 USD based 6 persons
Prices include:
Transport, guide, nights, full board accommodation