HIKING & CULTURAL TRIPS

SEPTEMBER 2026

SEPTEMBER 2026

SUNDAY 06
Hiking CHAHTOUL (Ftouh Kesrouan)
Bus only. Departure from Hikmeh, Achrafieh, at 8am.
A wooded open loop starting at “Saydet al.Qalaa” chapel in Chahtoul, 40km from Beirut via Ghazîr. Short stop on the way.
In colloquial Lebanese, “Chahtoul” means a male goat. In Syriac, it means a ritual sacrifice. The chapel, built over a rocky promontory, has now replaced the ancient sanctuary.
A mild uphill trail leads to Tabriyyeh, 1400m, an old agricultural settlement with structures to keep snow until late into the hot season. Also, a nice chapel within the rocks.
The return trail is of no less interest as it winds its way thru a dense forest to end at the vast prairies of the “Chahtoul camp”.
Level 4, 7km Profile: 1170-1400-1100-1150m Duration: 4hours
Return to Beirut, by the same route. Optional stop in Ghazîr for wine tasting, Château Musar.

SATURDAY 12 – SUNDAY 13
Trekking AQOÛRA (Jbayl) – TANNOURÎNE (Batroun)
A 2-day continuous trek of average difficulty.
Accommodation under tents by a shepherd camp, altitude 2000m. All is provided, except sheets and towels.
Day hikers may join on Sunday only.
Day D1. Saturday 12
Bus only. Departure from Hikmeh, Achrafieh, at 8am.
Road to Aqoûra, 60km from Beirut, via Ajaltoun and Afqa. Short stop on the way.
The bus drops the hikers at the starting point, continues to Laqlouq to hand the luggage to the shepherd’s truck and returns home.

HIKE D1
A nice trail crosses over the village, the flanks of Wadi Mar Semaan until Ain al-Assâfîr (The birds spring). Worth mentioning the rock-cut Roman road of Emperor Vespasian.
It then forks to the panoramic hills of the romantic name “Kteyf al-Badwiyeh”, meaning “The Bedouin woman shoulders” where it joins Ain al-Hajleh (The partridge spring).
It continues to the unique “Ain Roûma” spring, a 2m-deep pit communicating with the underground water table where 40.000 goats used to drink every day in stone troughs.
Locals consider it miraculous as they do not understand how the water generates itself. Indeed it’s all solid rock except for the bottom soil.
Our destination is now close, the shepherd’s camp, one of the few remaining in the area.
Level 6, 12km Profile: 1400-1900-1800-2000m Duration: 6hours

Dinner and night at the camp.

Day D2. Sunday 13
Overnighters
. Breakfast
. Hike section1: Camp – Tem Charta pass – Qlaa al-Borj (very nice rock formations); 2000-2150-1800m.
. Luggage follows in a truck.

Day hikers
. Departure, by bus, from Hikmeh, Achrafieh, at 8am.
. Road to Qlaa al-Borj, 80km from Beirut via Tannourîne. Short stop on the way.
. Merging of the 2 groups. Luggage is transferred to the bus.

HIKE D2 … Section2 for the overnighters
From Qlaa al-Borj to the Touarî pass, down to Ain ar-Râha hamlet and the one-of-a kind valley trail to Tannourîne at-Tahta. Swimming in clear water stream.
Level 4, 8km Profile: 1800-900m Duration: 5hours, including swimming break.

Return to Beirut, 80km via Batroun.

SUNDAY 13
Hiking WADI AIN ar-RÂHA (Batroun)
Bus only. Departure from Hikmeh, Achrafieh, at 8am.
Joining the trekkers as detailed above.

SUNDAY 20
Hiking ZAAROUR RIDGES (Metn)
Bus only. Departure from Hikmeh, Achrafieh, at 8am.
Road to Sannîne area, 45km from Beirut via the Metn Express Way. Short stop on the way.
Perpendicular to the main chain, a smaller mountain bulge links the foot of Sannine, 1850m, to the Zaarour resort, culminating at 2000m.
A beautiful panoramic trail goes along the ridges with views on either side. It is in this general environment that the hike will take place.
Shaded water springs, small ponds with reeds and a large plateau are among the highlights of the itinerary.
Level 4, 7km Profile: 1800-2000-1700m Duration: 4hours

SATURDAY 26
Cultural EHDEN (Zawiyeh). Details on request. Conducted in French.
Hiking WADI JHANNAM (Danniyeh). See Day D1 of the below trek for details.

SATURDAY 26 – SUNDAY 27
Trekking DANNIYEH (Northern Lebanon)
A 2-day continuous trek of a rather advanced level.
Accommodation in a very cosy guesthouse, altitude 1900m. All is provided, except sheets and towels.
Day hikers may join on Saturday only.

Day D1. Saturday 26
Bus only. Departure from Hikmeh, Achrafieh, at 7am.
Road to Qmamîne, 120km from Beirut, via Tripoli, Beddaoui, Abdeh and Qabiît. Short stop on the way.
The bus drops the hikers at the hike starting point and returns, with the luggage, to Beddaoui and on to accommodation where he waits for the day hikers.

HIKE D1 … WADI JHANNAM (The valley of Hell)
Qmamîne, 800m, is an isolated village situated at the meeting point of two deep valleys, the most important being “Wadi Jhannam”, the “Valley of Hell’.
The trail is a steady uphill along the stream passing several water springs and clear ponds inviting hikers for a swim.
The trail continues along the valley wooded flanks to finally end at accommodation after a rewarding 5h-climb.
Level 6, 11km Profile: 800-1900m Duration: 6hours

Day hikers return to Beirut, 120km.
Dinner & Night at the guesthouse for the others.

Day D2. Sunday 27
Breakfast at accommodation and check-out at 9am.
Start hiking at accommodation.

HIKE D2 … The ZOUARÎB FOREST and the LMT trail
A downhill trail, via the cedar forest of Zouarîb leads to the vast prairie of “Ain at-Teffaha” and on to “Tall Chîma”, 1330m, where it meets the LMT section 3.

Following the LMT westward, the trail arrives to Râs-al-Ain springs, 1250m, to climb the Hankoufa hill, 1400m, before a last way down to Kfarbebnîne village.
Level 5, 10km Profile: 1900-1250-1400-1200m Duration: 5hours
Pause at “Beit as-Sultan” hospitable guesthouse.
A bus from Beirut loads the luggage at accommodation then picks up the trekkers at the guesthouse.
Return to Beirut, 120km.