Byblos, Jeita Grotto & Harissa Day Trip from Beirut: Private Tour

Three UNESCO-caliber stops in one day: ancient Byblos, a limestone cave system, and a mountaintop shrine

A private day tour from Beirut visits Byblos, one of the world's oldest cities, the two-chamber Jeita Grotto, and the Our Lady of Lebanon shrine in Harissa. The guide leads you through Byblos Castle and the old souks, takes you into both the upper and lower cave at Jeita, and includes a one-way cable car ride up to the statue overlooking the coast. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Byblos, Jeita Grotto and Harissa

• Visit Jeita Grotto caves
• Explore Byblos Castle and souks
• Visit Our Lady of Harissa
• Ride one way cable car

Stops and time spent at each 3 stops

1. Jeita Grotto 2h
2. Byblos 2h
3. Our Lady of Lebanon 1m

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off (if selected at booking).
• professional guide in your choice of language.
• private vehicle transport for the full day.
• entry to Jeita Grotto's upper and lower caves.
• one-way cable car ride at Harissa.

Times

• Tuesday to Sunday 08:30

Another time? ›

Before you book

Group Private 4 group tours ›

Live guide English, Spanish, French, German and Italian Another language? ›

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point. You can choose from 7 pickup points.

Book up to 1d before

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Confirmation Confirmation within 48 h

Good to know

Moderate physical effort Infant seats available Not recommended with heart problems

Operated by Nakhal & Cie

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

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Traveler reviews

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The experience

Eight hours covers three distinct stops, each built around a different kind of landscape. Byblos sits on the coast north of Beirut, a working port city layered with ruins. You walk Byblos Castle and the old souks, where the guide explains the rise and fall of nearly two dozen civilizations across the site. Jeita Grotto, further inland, is a two-part cave system: the lower chamber is accessed by boat through an underground river, and the upper cave opens into a cathedral-scale chamber with stalactites and stalagmites. The cable car at Harissa takes you up to the Our Lady of Lebanon statue, which sits on a ridge overlooking the Mediterranean.

A private vehicle and professional guide are yours for the day. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French or German (subject to availability), so you can book in the language that suits you. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included if you select that option at checkout. The pace is set by the stops themselves rather than a rigid schedule. You spend as much time as the site warrants, and the guide shapes the narrative to what interests you most.

Jeita Grotto closes for maintenance February 1–15 each year, so plan around those dates. The day involves walking through caves, climbing in and out of the boat at the lower chamber, and moving through the old city on foot, so moderate fitness helps. Specialized infant seats are available if you're traveling with very young children.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is inside Jeita Grotto?

Jeita Grotto has two chambers: the lower cave is a boat ride through an underground river lined with limestone formations, and the upper cave is a vast dry chamber with stalactites and stalagmites hanging from the ceiling and rising from the floor.

How old is Byblos and what will I see there?

Byblos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and on this tour you visit Byblos Castle, a Crusader fortress built on earlier Phoenician foundations, and walk through the old souks where the guide traces the history of the civilizations that built and rebuilt the city.

Is the cable car ride at Harissa included in the tour?

Yes, the one-way cable car (telepherique) up to the Our Lady of Lebanon statue is included. You ride up to see the shrine and the view over the coast.

What's the physical demand of this tour?

You'll walk through Byblos on uneven ground, climb in and out of a boat at Jeita Grotto's lower chamber, and walk through the upper cave on a lit path. The tour is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health, and moderate fitness is advised.