Small - Group Tour to Qadisha Valley, Bacharee & Cedars - Day trip From Beirut

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Pass By: Qadisha Valley, 6 Km From Becharre, Bcharre Lebanon

Kadisha Valley, is a gorge that lies within the Becharre and Zgharta Districts of the North Governorate of Lebanon. The valley was carved by the Kadisha River, also known as the Nahr Abu Ali when it reaches Tripoli. Kadisha means "Holy" in Aramaic, and the valley sometimes called the Holy Valley. It has sheltered Christian monastic communities for many centuries. The valley is located at the foot of Mount al-Makmal in northern Lebanon. Qadisha is also home to various hermitages, monasteries, monastic caves, and several monks. Historically, the Qadisha Valley served as a refuge for Christians and relics from those early days of Christianity remain hidden within it. One of the most visited and known monasteries is the monastery of St Antonio Qozhaya.

Stop At: Gibran Museum, Bcharre Lebanon

Bcharre is the hometown of the famous Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), the third best-selling poet of all time, following only Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu. Though he spent much of his life in the United States, a lot of Gibran’s poetry and the artwork reflects his upbringing in Lebanon’s mountains. The museum itself is a 19th-century monastery that was cut straight into the rock, giving it an extra mountainous feel. It was Gibran’s dying wish to be buried in the monastery and have it converted into a museum. The museum consists mostly of Gibran’s paintings, snippets of his original poetry, and even his coffin.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Deir Qozhaya, Qadisha Valley, Bcharre Lebanon

This hermitage is the largest in the valley and has been in use since it was founded in the 11th century. It is famous for establishing the first known printing press in the Middle East in the 16th century. The museum houses a collection of religious and ethnographic objects as well as an old printing press that was used to publish the Psalms in Syriac, a language still used by the Maronite clergy during their services. Near the entrance to the monastery is the Grotto of St. Anthony, known locally as the ‘Cave of the Mad’, where you can see the chains used to constrain the insane or possessed, who was left at the monastery in the hopes that the saint would cure them.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: The Cedars of God, Bcharre Lebanon

A short car ride away from Bcharre is the Cedars of God, a beautiful reserve holding the ancient and epic trees Lebanon is famous for. Outside the reserve, you’ll see several souvenir shops and small snack shops, where you can stock up on your cedar goods before entering the reserve. The Cedars of God themselves are majestic. These mammoth trees have been around longer than any living thing and their subdued magnificence exude a spiritual aura. Take a walk around the reserve and allow the timelessness of these Biblical trees to really sink in.

Duration: 30 minutes