Qadisha Valley, Cedars Hike & Kozhaya | Small-Group All-Inclusive
Description
Lebanon's north is where the country stops performing for tourists and starts being genuinely itself. This all-inclusive guided day trip covers four stops that most Lebanon visitors never reach — and that the ones who do consistently rate as the highlight of their entire trip. A UNESCO gorge. The tomb of the author whose book outsold almost everything written in the 20th century. A cedar forest where some trees are older than most countries. A 12th-century monastery carved into a cliff face that houses the first printing press ever used in the Middle East. Everything — guide, lunch, all tickets — included. No extras to budget for. No decisions to make on the day. Just nine hours in one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the Middle East, with a guide who knows every stop in depth.
Tour Options
Itinerary
8:30 AM — Hotel pickup Your guide meets the group at your Beirut hotel and heads north — coastal highway to mountain road, the landscape changing dramatically as you climb toward the Qadisha Valley.
Qadisha Valley — UNESCO gorge · photo stops at the rim Pull over at the rim and look down — sheer limestone walls dropping hundreds of metres to the valley floor, dotted with ancient monastery caves carved into the cliff face over seventeen centuries. Qadisha means "Holy" in Aramaic. Your guide explains who chose these inaccessible cliffs as a place to live, why they chose them, and what has survived. Multiple photo stops along the rim. This is the view that makes people understand why Lebanon's north is different from everywhere else.
Khalil Gibran Museum — The Prophet, in the village that made it The Prophet has sold over 100 million copies in more than 100 languages — one of the best-selling books written in the entire 20th century. Khalil Gibran was born in Bcharre, shaped by this mountain valley, and buried here — in the cave chapel of this former Carmelite monastery that now holds his original paintings, watercolours, and personal manuscripts. Your guide covers Gibran's life, his years in New York, and why The Prophet reads differently when you are standing in the landscape that produced it.
Cedars of God — one-hour guided hike · UNESCO-protected grove A UNESCO-protected grove at 2,000 metres above sea level where some trees exceed 1,000 years and trunks measure more than 14 metres in circumference. These are the descendants of the forests that built Phoenician ships, furnished Solomon's Temple, and supplied Egyptian palaces. A one-hour guided hike on marked trails at your own pace — easy terrain, suitable for all fitness levels, spectacular mountain scenery. Your guide covers the ecology, the mythology, and the conservation history of Lebanon's most emblematic tree. The kind of place that stays with you.
Lunch in Bcharre — included Mountain Lebanese mezze at a local Bcharre restaurant — grilled meats, fresh bread, Qadisha Valley views. Fully included. The best stop of the day is still ahead.
Kozhaya Monastery — first printing press in the Middle East Descend into the Qadisha Valley for the day's final and most atmospheric stop — the Monastery of Saint Anthony of Kozhaya, founded in the 12th century and carved directly into the limestone cliff face of the valley wall. Cave chapels, ancient stone cells, and the complete silence of the gorge. Inside: a pilgrimage cave active for over eight centuries, and the first printing press ever used in the Middle East — brought here by Maronite monks in the 16th century to print liturgical texts in Arabic and Syriac. A place that most travelers discover by accident and never forget. Your guide explains the full significance of the printing press and what it means for the history of knowledge in the Levant.
Return to Beirut — approx. 6:00–7:00 PM Drop-off at your Beirut hotel. A UNESCO gorge, the tomb of The Prophet's author, thousand-year-old cedar trees, and the first printing press in the Middle East — Lebanon's north done properly, everything included.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We offer pickup services 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(11)
The experience was great and our tour guide Hassane made it even greater. We got to see many amazing places of north Lebanon.
Amazing life-changing experience! I hadn't been that North yet in Lebanon and it was well worth it. So many great Christian sites and some of the best views I've ever seen.
We had an incredible tour in Lebanon, visiting the Qadisha Valley, Bcharré, and the Cedars of God. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and the historical and cultural significance of each stop made the experience truly special. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and shared insights in a way that was easy to understand and engaging. He was also incredibly friendly—by the end of the tour, it felt like we had known him for years. He created a warm and welcoming atmosphere that made the day even more enjoyable. Highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting to explore the beauty and history of northern Lebanon!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted you enjoyed the stunning landscapes of Qadisha Valley, Bcharré, and the Cedars of God. It's great to hear your guide made the experience both informative and warm, making you feel right at home. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for more unforgettable adventures in Lebanon!
What a fabulous day. Spent the day with the best tour guide in Lebanon, Albert, who is easily the kindest and most professional guide I have ever met! It was so relaxing and beautiful seeing the old cedar trees, very old churches inside of caves and built into rocks… incredible as always. 100000/10 !! Above and beyond Thank you
Thank you so much, Kinga! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fabulous and relaxing day with Albert among the ancient cedars and historic churches. Your glowing praise means the world to us. We look forward to welcoming you back for many more incredible experiences in Lebanon!
Very nice tour, we recommand it ! Albert , our guide, is excellent, he showed us the beauties of nothern Libanon. Make this trip and... enjoy !
Albert was our guide, and he was extremely detailed in explaining the historical importance of the places we visited especially the St Anthony monastery. We started the tour with a tour of Gibran Khalil Museum. It was nice to see how well the beautiful pieces of art had been preserved. Next we went on a walk through the cedars trees at the Cedars of God reserve in Bcharre. The weather was amazing. We had a really tasty lunch before heading to St Anthony Monastery in Qadisha Valley. The view of is breathtaking and we got to see the Christian caves and church as well as other preserved artifacts. Our guide was extremely courteous and explained the significance of each of the sites and artifacts we came across in detail. I absolutely recommend this tour!
Overall, this trip gave a good discussion about the impact of art and Christianity on norther Lebanon, and by far the best part of this trip was visiting the cedars. I think the tour was impactful, but could have covered a more diverse set of facets to Lebanon's history (eg, not a religious leitmotif). There were also plenty of monuments that looked interesting and that could be seen from a distance, though we did not delve into their significance. However, our guide, Georgette, was a top-notch leader who had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of Lebanon's history and its religious inflections. Her expertise and erudition made the trip worthwhile and memorable. I would consider keeping the cedars and diversifying some of the other aspects of this trip unless there is a religiously fervent audience.
We had great time on this trip. We got to see Beautiful villages and mountains. The tour guide was great as well. She was friendly, informative and funny. Highly recommend this tour.
Great views!!! One day was not enough to visit these places. If visiting around this time, be prepared for the weather. Tour guide & driver were excellent.
Everything was great! Super easy, all costs were included. The driver was accomdating with the schedule, friendly and professional. His English was great. He explained everything about Lebanon, and gave us all the info was needed. The car was comfortable and clean. He was ready to stop for coffee whenever we needed it. Lunch was great at a restaurant with amazing views. The monastery was our favorite.
