Anjar, Baalbek & Ksara Winery Small-Group Tour | Lunch Included
Description
The Bekaa Valley is Lebanon's most historically dense day trip from Beirut — and most people only scratch the surface of it. This guided small-group tour does it properly: a ghost city that most tour buses drive straight past, the greatest Roman temples ever built with a guide who actually explains what you are looking at, and 2 kilometres of Roman wine caves beneath Lebanon's oldest winery. Three stops, three completely different chapters of the same valley, one included lunch. Anjar — the only surviving Umayyad palatial city in the Levant, built by Caliph Walid I and abandoned within decades. Baalbek — a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Temple of Bacchus is larger than the Parthenon. Ksara — founded by Jesuits in 1857, with Roman cave cellars that connect the afternoon directly back to the morning. Your guide makes the connections that turn three impressive stops into one coherent story.
Tour Options
Itinerary
8:30 AM — Hotel pickup Your guide meets the group at your Beirut hotel and heads east on the Damascus highway — over the Lebanese mountains and down into the Bekaa Valley. Anjar is about an hour away.
Anjar — the Umayyad city nobody puts on their list Built in the early 8th century by Caliph Walid I — the ruler who also commissioned the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus — and abandoned just decades later, never reoccupied. Colonnaded streets, a palace with over 40 towers, a mosque, bathhouses — all still standing. The only surviving example of a complete Umayyad palatial city in the entire Levant, and one of the most underrated archaeological sites in the Middle East. Most tour groups skip it. Your guide makes sure you understand exactly why they are wrong to.
Stone of the Pregnant Woman — scale check before the temples A single limestone block, 21 metres long, weighing 1,000 tonnes, cut 2,000 years ago and never moved. Still in the quarry where it was abandoned. Your guide explains why it is here — and why standing next to it recalibrates your sense of what is waiting at the temple complex five minutes ahead.
Baalbek Temple Complex — the guide earns their fee here The Temple of Jupiter on Trilithon stones each weighing over 800 tonnes — the largest dressed stones in human history. The Temple of Bacchus, larger than the Parthenon, almost entirely intact, the best-preserved Roman temple on earth. The Temple of Venus completing a complex that took three centuries. Without a guide, Baalbek is overwhelming. With the right one, it becomes the most memorable site you visit in Lebanon. Your guide covers the architectural, religious, and historical layers of Baalbek in a way that makes every column and every courtyard make sense.
Lunch in Zahle or Baalbek — included Lebanese mezze and grilled meats — either in Baalbek or at the riverside restaurant terraces of Zahle, Lebanon's most celebrated food destination, depending on timing and group preference. Fully included.
Chateau Ksara — the Roman caves beneath Lebanon's oldest winery Founded by Jesuit monks in 1857 above 2 kilometres of Roman cave cellars — the same Roman civilisation you spent the morning exploring at Baalbek, now underground and ageing wine. The cave tour comes first — ancient tunnels at a naturally constant temperature year-round — then a tasting of Ksara's Cabernet-Syrah blends, Blanc de Blancs, and Sunset Rosé. Your guide connects the dots between Baalbek and Ksara in a way that makes the afternoon feel like a continuation rather than a different stop entirely.
Return to Beirut — approx. 6:00–7:00 PM Drop-off at your Beirut hotel. A ghost city, the world's greatest Roman temples, and ancient wine caves — the Bekaa done properly.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Free pickup is available from any hotel, Airbnb, or residence in Beirut.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(32)
Very nice tour, lots to see o good guides who could tell us about the different places we visited. Great Lebanese lunch. Remember to bring a slightly thicker sweater or jacket if you go wintertime.
Amazing tour of Anjar, Baalbek+ lunch and winery tour! The guide was super friendly, the food was amazing and the places breathtaking. Baalbek was a sight to behold. Definitely recommended if you like cultural landmarks (food is culture too 😉) even a tiny bit.
The tour was very nice and well organised! Our guide Hassane was very well informed and took us to an amazing restaurant. The Anjar tour was very interesting, Baalback was incredible and the winery was interesting as well.
Baalbek absolutely blew my mind! I was with Albert who is the best guide ever! And literally the ruins at Baalbek are greater and 100x more impressive than anything in Greece or Italy- what a sight to see. This is a MUST for anyone visiting Lebanon
Thank you so much, Kinga! We’re delighted Baalbek left such a strong impression and that Albert made your day truly special. Your enthusiasm means a lot—Baalbek really is a treasure! We hope to welcome you back soon for more unforgettable adventures in Lebanon!
I took this small-group tour to Baalbek and Anjar with Lebanon Tours and Travels today, and it was such a great day. Everything went so smoothly from start to finish. The team was awesome to deal with before booking—they got back to me quickly and answered all my questions, which made me feel super comfortable. They picked us up from our Beirut hotel right on time, and the whole tour went just as planned. We started at Anjar and then headed to Baalbek. Our guide and driver, Albert, was the best. He’s such a nice guy—really friendly, patient, and knows so much about Lebanon’s history. He made the whole day so interesting with his stories. I loved learning about the Umayyad history in Anjar and the huge Roman temples in Baalbek—they were unreal to see in person. Albert never rushed us and was always happy to take pics for us. Lunch was incredible—a big Lebanese spread in the Bekaa Valley. I’m vegan, and they had so many local dishes I could eat, like creamy hummus, roasted eggplants, spinach pies, and spicy potatoes. It was honestly one of the best meals I’ve ever had. The sites were amazing, and the whole day felt so special. If you’re in Lebanon, you’ve gotta do this tour with Albert and his team. I’ll never forget it!
Thank you so much, Felipe! We're thrilled your Baalbek and Anjar tour with Albert exceeded your expectations—from the smooth planning to the rich history and delicious vegan-friendly lunch. Albert will be happy to know his stories and care made your day memorable. We truly appreciate your glowing recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Lebanon soon!
We had a lovely and intimate tour with Albert! He took me and my new found friend to Balbeek and gave us fascinating stories and information on the history and architecture. Never felt like this was a job with him, more like king lost family with every tour and every day we traveled!
Thank you so much for your beautiful words! Albert truly loves sharing the wonders of Baalbek and making every tour feel like a special journey. We're glad you felt that warmth and connection. Hope to welcome you and your new friend again soon!
The guide and drive was perfect. Very kind, personable and knowledgeable. We loved both guides; Albert and Cherbel. Great guys!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted you enjoyed the tour with Albert and Cherbel. Your kind words about their knowledge and warmth mean a lot. Hope to see you again for more great experiences!
The whole trip exceeded my expectations.. I was collected in time, very friendly guide, and the very informative. Both main visits with a professional archeologist. On top the lunch was excellent. Although hesitant about Ksara, it turned out to be a nice end of the visit to the Beeka valley.
The journey was excellent and the the support from guide Hassan was great! From the very beginning the tour was picked with information. We were lucky with the weather and guide Hassan transfered a super atmosphere!
This was a superb tour. Natasha is an archaeologist and brought many insights from her expertise. She always had something interesting to say as we went along, and the meal was superb too.
