Lebanon In-Depth Explorer — 12 Days Complete Cultural Odyssey
| Duration | 12 Days / 11 Nights |
|---|---|
| Country | Lebanon |
| Price From | $2,609 USD per person (~$217/day) |
| Tour Style | In-Depth Cultural, UNESCO, Private Guide |
| Operator | Agate Travel (Travellers’ Choice) |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Beirut — Arrival
Arrive at Beirut Airport. Private transfer to your hotel. Evening stroll along the Corniche to watch the sunset over Pigeon Rocks. Welcome dinner with an extensive mezze tasting. Overnight in Beirut.
Day 2: Beirut — City Discovery
Full day exploring the capital. Morning: the National Museum of Beirut — a journey through 7,000 years of history with Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine, and Mamluk artifacts. Afternoon: Downtown Beirut — Martyrs’ Square, Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, St. George Cathedral, the Grand Serail, and the reconstructed Beirut Souks. Continue to the Sursock Museum for modern and contemporary Arab art. Evening in Mar Mikhael — street art, galleries, and dinner at a trendy restaurant.
Day 3: Jeita Grotto + Harissa + Byblos
Morning at Jeita Grotto, Lebanon’s subterranean masterpiece. Cable car up to Harissa for panoramic views. Afternoon in Byblos: the 12th-century Crusader Castle, the obelisk temple with the earliest alphabetic inscriptions, and the ancient Phoenician port. Explore the charming souk. Overnight in Byblos at Aleph Boutique Hotel.
Day 4: Batroun + Tripoli — Northern Coast & Medieval Souks
Morning in Batroun: the Phoenician sea wall, the old souk, and famous lemonade. Continue to Tripoli, Lebanon’s second city. Explore the vast medieval souk — one of the Middle East’s most authentic, with specialized sections for gold, spices, soap, and textiles. Visit the Crusader Castle of Saint-Gilles and the magnificent Taynal Mosque (14th century). Return to Byblos.
Day 5: Qadisha Valley — The Holy Valley
Drive into the mountains. Hike through the UNESCO Qadisha Valley, one of Christianity’s earliest and most important monastic settlements. Visit the cliff-carved Monastery of Qannoubine, Deir Mar Elishaa, and the Chapel of Mar Sarkis. Picnic lunch with views of the gorge. Continue to the Cedars of God forest — walk among trees over 1,000 years old. Visit the Gibran Museum in Bsharri. Overnight in the mountains.
Day 6: Bekaa Valley — Baalbek + Ksara
Morning at Baalbek. With 12 days, you have the luxury of taking it slow — spend 4+ hours exploring every corner of the Temple of Jupiter, Temple of Bacchus, Temple of Venus, the Great Court, and the museum. Afternoon wine tasting at Chateau Ksara, followed by a visit to Anjar’s Umayyad ruins. Overnight in Zahle.
Day 7: Chouf Mountains — Deir al Qamar + Beiteddine
Explore the Chouf region. Deir al Qamar: Lebanon’s most beautiful traditional village with its 16th-century square, stone houses, and Fakhreddine Mosque. Afternoon at Beiteddine Palace, Emir Bashir II’s extraordinary 19th-century residence with its mosaics, hammams, and cedar-carved interiors. Nature walk in the Shouf Cedar Reserve, Lebanon’s largest. Overnight in the Chouf.
Day 8: Sidon — Crusader Castles & Phoenician Heritage
Full day in Sidon. Morning at the Crusader Sea Castle, the Khan el-Franj, and the atmospheric Old Souk. Visit the Soap Museum, Debbane Palace, and the Temple of Eshmun, a 7th-century BC Phoenician healing temple complex with remarkable inscriptions and a sacred pool. Afternoon at leisure in Sidon’s souk and seafront. Overnight in Beirut.
Day 9: Tyre + Maghdoucheh — Southern Lebanon
Drive to Tyre. Explore the Al-Mina archaeological site: the Roman hippodrome (the largest and best-preserved in the Roman world), the colonnaded road, and the vast necropolis. Visit the Al-Bass site with its monumental arch and aqueduct. Continue to Maghdoucheh to visit the Our Lady of Mantara shrine, believed to be where the Virgin Mary waited while Jesus preached in Sidon. Panoramic views over the southern coast. Overnight in Beirut.
Day 10: Rachaya + Hasbaya — Southern Fortresses & Off the Beaten Path
Journey south to the Hasbaya region. Visit Hasbaya Citadel, a Crusader fortress later expanded by the Chehab emirs, featuring a beautiful courtyard with mosaic floors. Continue to Rachaya, a Druze town with a historic citadel and traditional stone houses. Explore the town’s weaving workshop producing traditional Lebanese textiles. Overnight in Beirut.
Day 11: Ammiq Wetland + Free Time
Morning visit to the Ammiq Wetland in the Bekaa Valley — Lebanon’s largest remaining wetland and a crucial stopover for migratory birds on the Africa-Eurasia flyway. Afternoon free in Beirut for personal exploration: perhaps Hamra’s bookshops, Gemmayzeh’s vintage boutiques, or a last visit to Zaitunay Bay. Farewell dinner at a fine dining Lebanese restaurant.
Day 12: Departure
Morning at leisure for last souvenir shopping or a final walk. Transfer to airport. After 12 days, you’ve not just seen Lebanon — you’ve deeply understood its 7,000 years of civilization, from Phoenician ports to modern Beirut.
What’s Included
• 11 nights in 4-star hotels
• Daily breakfast
• Private English-speaking guide for all 12 days
• Private air-conditioned vehicle
• All entrance fees
• Cable car at Harissa
• Wine tasting at Chateau Ksara
• Airport transfers
What’s Excluded
• International flights
• Lunches and dinners
• Travel insurance
• Tips
• Personal expenses
