Enjoy 6-Day Trip Lebanon Holiday Vacation

After leaving Beirut and heading north towards Byblos, we'll make an adventurous stop at Jeita Grotto where we can see one of the largest collections of stalactites and stalagmites in the world. We then head to Harissa, where we go to the top of the cathedral by cable car and enjoy great views of the Gulf below. 

Finally, we visit the Baatara Gorge, which consists of an enormous three-level cave where a 255-meter-high waterfall descends during the spring months when the mountain snow melts and after periods of heavy rainfall. Formed from Jurassic limestone, the cave is also called the Cave of the Three Bridges, where the waterfall flows over three natural bridges. 

You can choose to have a small picnic or explore the nearby village of Duma. Later today we drive to the scenic Qadisha Valley and spend the night at the Qozaya Monastery or a nearby guesthouse. | Overnight: Kozhaya Monastery or guesthouse. 

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Spending the night at the monastery, you will have the opportunity to join the monks for morning prayers. After breakfast we will take a short hike in the beautiful Wadi Qadisha, or Holy Valley. It contains steep cliffs, springs and waterfalls, and houses many churches and monasteries. It is also a World Heritage Site. We will then move on to the Cedars Ski Resort, located at an altitude of 2000 meters. Located near the Cedars of God, it is one of the last remnants of the cedar forests that once covered these mountains. We also visit the village of Bsharre, which was the birthplace of Khalil Gibran, the legendary poet and artist. His museum contains many of his manuscripts, paintings and personal belongings.

Later today we arrive in Byblos, an ancient Phoenician city believed to have been inhabited for up to 7,000 years. The city is known locally as Byblos and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Byblos is full of important historical and archaeological sites and features a beautiful Phoenician harbor.

Overnight: Byblos Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast.

This morning you'll have some free time to explore the souks and coastline of Byblos before we head back on land to continue our journey. Our destination today will be the village of Zahle, but we will stop along the way at the Ksara Winery, perhaps the oldest winery in Lebanon. The total length of the caves and tunnels is approximately 2 miles, and the wine cellars have remained unused for many generations. You will have a guided tour of the caves and winery before tasting some of the products (and buying if desired) at a wine tasting session.

Overnight: Guesthouse in Zahle. 

Meals: Breakfast.

Today we head to Baalbek, undoubtedly one of the highlights of any visit to Lebanon. Called "Heliopolis" or "City of the Sun" by the Romans and Greeks, it boasts the most well-preserved temple complex in the Middle East. It remains largely intact after earthquakes, wars, and devastation. The Greeks and Romans dedicated the temple to the sun god Jupiter. They dedicated two more to Jupiter's partners, Venus and Mercury, to complete the trinity of deities.

We then visit the only significant Umayyad site in Lebanon, Anjar. This site was founded in the 8th century by Caliph Al-Walid ibn Abdul-Malik. Its mosques, palaces, and baths provide evidence that it was an imperial seat; it also houses 600 shops, suggesting that it was also an important commercial center. We end the day with a drive back to Beirut where we will spend our last night in Lebanon. 
Overnight: Hotel in Beirut. 
Meals: Breakfast.

Your transportation will take you to the airport for your flight home. | Overnight: Not available. | Meals: Breakfast. | Extras: Additional day in Beirut - after the tour ends