Lebanon🇱🇧 | best hikesYour Guide to the 5 Best hikes in Lebanon

How many hikes to do: Plan on 4 to 6 hikes in total. That gives you enough variety across the north, the Chouf and one long-trail section without turning the trip into a dash. Lebanese mountain roads are slow, and one hike a day with a village lunch and a late start is the realistic pace. More than that and you spend your days in vans instead of on trails.

Which kind to prioritize: First-timers and short-stay travelers should choose valley and monastery walks in the north: clear paths, easy logistics, and cliff-side chapels as the payoff. Experienced backpackers should put time into multi-day stretches of the Lebanon Mountain Trail, where you sleep in village guesthouses and eat family cooking. Skip the lowland and coastal walks; they are built-up and the views rarely justify the time. Cedar … read more 👉

How many hikes to do: Plan on 4 to 6 hikes in total. That gives you enough variety across the north, the Chouf and one long-trail section without turning the trip into a dash. Lebanese mountain roads are slow, and one hike a day with a village lunch and a late start is the realistic pace. More than that and you spend your days in vans instead of on trails.

Which kind to prioritize: First-timers and short-stay travelers should choose valley and monastery walks in the north: clear paths, easy logistics, and cliff-side chapels as the payoff. Experienced backpackers should put time into multi-day stretches of the Lebanon Mountain Trail, where you sleep in village guesthouses and eat family cooking. Skip the lowland and coastal walks; they are built-up and the views rarely justify the time. Cedar forests are worth the detour, but go at dawn or on a weekday when the car parks are empty.

What it costs: Budget US$30 to 60 a day for independent hiking. Guesthouses with dinner and breakfast often run US$25 to 45 per person, lunches and snacks US$5 to 10, and shared transport US$2 to 10 per leg. A local guide for a day costs roughly US$40 to 100 depending on group size, and is worth paying where trails are unmarked. Entry fees to nature reserves such as the Cedars area are small, usually under US$10. For a 7 to 10 day visit expect US$350 to 700 in total, before flights. Prices in Lebanon are often quoted in US dollars, and cash is useful in villages where cards and ATMs are rare.

Safety and culture: Check current security advice before choosing a region; the southern border zone and parts of the northeast should be avoided without local confirmation. Stay on marked paths in the south because of unexploded ordnance. Carry offline maps and download them in advance, since signal fades in valleys, and tell your guesthouse your route. Summer heat and winter snow both catch people out; bring a shell and layers year-round above 1,500 meters.

Villages are conservative and hospitable. Dress modestly when passing through, ask before photographing people, and accept tea or coffee when it is offered, since refusing can read as rude. Hunting is common in autumn, so wear a bright layer. Pay for guides and guesthouses locally, because that money is what keeps the trail network alive and gives you the warmest welcome in the hills.