Private Baalbek Temple , Ksara Winery & Shouf Cedar | From Beirut
Description
Most tours combining cedar forests with Baalbek are seasonal — the northern mountain road near Bcharre closes every winter. This tour uses the Shouf Cedar Reserve in Maasser el Shouf — Lebanon's largest nature reserve and a UNESCO-recognised biosphere — connected to the Bekaa Valley by a road that stays open year-round. Three stops, twelve months, no seasonal restrictions. Baalbek: a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the greatest Roman temples ever built — explored with an expert local guide who knows every stone. Ksara: Lebanon's oldest winery, founded by Jesuits in 1857, with 2 kilometres of Roman cave cellars connecting the afternoon directly back to the morning. Maasser el Shouf: an easy one-hour hike through Lebanon's largest cedar forest, open in every season. Private vehicle and knowledgeable driver throughout. Entrance tickets payable on site.
Tour Options
Itinerary
8:30 AM — Hotel pickup · ~1 hr 30 min to Baalbek
Stop 1 — Baalbek Stone of the Pregnant Woman · ~15 min — 1,000-tonne quarry block, never moved Baalbek Temple Complex with expert local guide · ~1 hr 30 min — Jupiter, Bacchus & Venus. Entrance fee payable on site.
Optional lunch — Baalbek or Zahle · ~1 hr · own expense
Stop 2 — Chateau Ksara · ~45 min 2km Roman cave cellars + wine tasting. Founded 1857. Tasting fee payable at winery.
Stop 3 — Maasser el Shouf Cedar Reserve · ~1 hr easy hike Lebanon's largest nature reserve. UNESCO biosphere. Open all year. Entrance fee payable on site.
Return to Beirut — approx. 6:30–7:30 PM
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Free pickup is available from any hotel, Airbnb, or residence in Beirut.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(7)
The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. We recommend it to everyone that is looking for a short morning tour.
Hi Carlos: Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that our guide impressed you with their knowledge and friendliness. It's fantastic to know that you enjoyed your short morning tour with us. We appreciate your recommendation and would be more than happy to welcome you back for another memorable experience in the future.
It was an excellent tour covering many aspects and locations of the wonderfully interesting city of Beirut. The guide was knowledge and looked after us very well
Hi Martin: Thank you for your excellent review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our tour and that it covered various aspects and locations of the fascinating city of Beirut. It's fantastic to know that our guide provided a wealth of knowledge and took good care of you throughout the experience. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for another wonderful exploration in the future.
The 3-4 tour was a 1-to-1 for me, with Georgette, who was excellent conpany and highly knowledgeable. The first part of the tour was a walk around the principal sites of Achrafieh, ending up at the lovely Zaitunay Bay. Our driver then took us past Pigeon Rocks (with a brief stop) and onto the National Museum, where we spent about an hour. And then I was driven back to my hotel. The tour was highly informative and really helped me get a grip on the city's geography. It was great value for money, and Georgette was excellent. I would highly recommend the tour to anyone new to Beirut.
Took this tour through Beirut in the midst of the economic crisis. It was a great tour and I felt very safe. The mosque and pigeon rocks are beautiful, the National museum is very interesting and you get to know the Beirut neighbourhoods from a historical and local standpoint. My guide was Georgette Rouhana, and as I was the only one in her "group tour" she adjusted the sightseeing to me and my interests (helping me understand the historic backgrounds for a volunteering program I had before me). Georgette is very sympathetic, funny and knowledgable and apart from historical aspects she can bring you the local culture/point of views closer. She taught me some arabic, gave me many tips on how to get around in Lebanon, where to exchange/obtain money to the best exchange rate and what other attractions I should visit. She even offered to stay in contact and message her whenever I needed any advice during the rest of my stay in Lebanon. The drivers accompanying us were kind, punctual and very reliant as well (despite the lebanese gas shortages). I recommend this tour to anyone staying and consindering coming to Beirut. Its an interesting city and even in difficult times definitely worth the visit. With this travel agency you can be sure to be in the best of hands.
Hi, we can really recommend this tour. our guide Ali was very sweet, helpful and gave a lot of information. Baalbek is amazing. Go visit en book this tour :)
Our guide, Salah, was excellent and made our trip even better with all his helpful tips. I loved the Roman ruins of Baalbek and the peaceful cedars. The wine tasting was a perfect way to end our day. I knew I'd enjoy this trip, but it exceeded my expectations.
This was an amazing trip! My family and I really enjoyed it! The car picked us right up from where we were staying and dropped us off. The whole trip was from 9am-7pm. The car is clean and comfortable with water. Hussein is a great guide and is great at answering questions about Lebanon. The tour in Baalbek was excellent with a very knowledgeable guide. The winery was beautiful and a nice refreshing treat. The restaurant for lunch is affordable and delicious. The cedars were our absolute favorite (hard to choose a favorite)! So beautiful and relaxing. You get to see a lot of Lebanon in one day. I would definitely recommend this!
