Hiking is one of the best ways to spend quality time together as a family. With the help of hiker, guide and mountaineer Charbel Mouannes, we bring you a list of six hiking destinations that are perfect for all ages.
Photos – Charbel Mouannes
Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve
Trail: Peony Trail (#1)
Level: Easy+
Distance: 2.7km
Duration: 1.5 hours
Itinerary
- Start at Baydar el Shawk/ Qehmez main entrance (1400m).
- Hike uphill from Baydar el Shawk to the “Paeonia Kesrouanensis” panel.
- Take the new Peony trail passing by an abandoned quarry until you reach the road.
- Take the same trail back.
This trail is a meeting point for nature and culture. Make sure to stop by the sinkhole, a depression where the Emperor Hadrian’s inscriptions can be found carved in a karstic area, as well as the peony site, which is home to an endemic species (Paeonia Kesrouanensis).
Mini guides for the trails are available at the reserve entrance desk.
Where to stay
Dimitriades Guesthouse, Ghbele | +961 71 307301
Rita Keyrouz Guesthouse, Al Iibre | +961 71 944 405
Chouwen Cultural Trail
Trail: Chouwen Cultural Trail (#11)
Level: Easy
Distance: 2.5km
Duration: 1 hour
Itinerary
- Start at the Chouwen entrance.
- Walk downhill along a trail that crosses over Chouwen River and the ancient stone bridge over the Adonis River (Nahr Ibrahim) to reach the Ottoman site of Chouwen.
- Take the same trail back.
This trail offers an overview of the economic infrastructure and typology of 19th-century Lebanese farmers. Although the area is very remote, it’s teeming with several cultural landmarks, including two abandoned Ottoman-era farms surrounded by agricultural terraces; the first farm is located next to an olive press.
Further down by the take, two water mills and ancestral wheat-grinding mechanisms can be found. A partly reconstructed stone bridge, linking the cazas of Jbeil and Keserwan, allows access over the historic Adonis River.
Mini guides for the trails are available at the reserve entrance desk.
Where to stay
Dimitriades Guesthouse, Ghbele | +961 71 307301
Rita Keyrouz Guesthouse, Al Iibre | +961 71 944405
Mseilha Trail – Batroun
Level: Easy
Distance: 6km
Duration: 2.5 hours
Located next to Batroun Village Club, the Mseilha Trail connects with Nahr El Jawz (Walnut River). The area was listed as a National and Historic Heritage Site in 1998.
The river serves the water mills, irrigated fields, power generators, cafés and restaurants along its banks. Part of the water is pumped for domestic use in Batroun and the region. You’ll notice a beautiful variety of trees along the river, most notably walnut — hence the river’s name.
For more details and information, call Charbel on +961 70 999998.
Where to stay
Batroun Village Club | +961 6 744333
Cedars of Tannourine
Level: Easy
Length: 1km (can be extended to 1.2km)
Duration: 1 hour
Start the trail from the forest entrance and proceed uphill towards the Ras Al Wadi area. You will pass a mixed forest and some age-weathered rocks on your way up. From this vantage point, take a moment to soak in the view of Wadi Ain Al Raha, where you can spot numerous monasteries.
Along the way, you’ll be able to see migratory birds. Information about the wildlife of the reserve is mentioned on billboards.
Mini guides for the trails are available at the reserve entrance.
You can also book a guide by calling +961 6 500550
Where to stay
L’étoile des Cèdres | +961 70 986118
Ehden Reserve
Trail 1: Jouiit – Kornet al Aasi (2km – easy level)
Trail 2: Naasa bypass (600m – easly level)
Trail 3: Bayada – Naasa (1.5km – easy level)
Ehden reserve makes up 0.1 percent of Lebanon and houses 40 percent of all its plant species. A campsite offers outdoor activities for children during the week. There’s a lot to discover here, from plants and flowers to birds and rare mammals and reptiles.
You can start your hike from any entrance and take the same way back. It is recommended to use the services of guide by calling the reserve on +961 70 601601
Ammiq Wetlands Reserve
Level: Easy
Distance: 4.7 km
Duration: 1.5 – 2 hours
Owned and managed by Skaff Estate, this reserve covers 100 hectares of land and is the last significant wetland in Lebanon — extensive marshes and lakes that once covered parts of the Bekaa Valley. It is also the largest remaining freshwater reserve in Lebanon, an Important Bird Area and part of the UNESCO “Man & Biosphere” reserve of the Shouf mountain.
This trail is easy, so you won’t need a guide, however you’ll need to call the Skaff family to enter the reserve on +961 76 629333.
Biking is also an option.
Where to sleep
Beit Ammiq Guesthouse | +961 81 064460
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