Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos Tour: Cable Car, Boat & Lunch

Three transport methods through two millennia: cable car, boat, and the streets of an 8,000-year-old city

A full-day tour from Jeita Grotto through Harissa and Byblos, with a certified guide in English or Arabic. You ride a cable car to the upper cave, explore it on foot, then descend by train to the lower cavern for a boat ride under the river. After a 15-minute mountain ride to Harissa, you stand at the Our Lady of Lebanon statue overlooking Jounieh Bay. Lunch and a guided walk through Byblos (its souq, Crusader castle, fossil museum, old port and church) complete the day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Jeita Grotto1h 30m · entry included
2. Jounieh15m · entry included
3. Our Lady of Lebanon45m

Visit Jeita Grotto, Harissa, and Byblos

• Visit Jeita Grotto upper cave by cable car
• Take train ride to lower cave
• Boat ride under river cavern
• Ride up mountain to Our Lady of Lebanon
• Admire panoramic views at Our Lady of Lebanon
• Lunch in Byblos
• Explore Byblos old souq and port
• Visit Byblos Crusader Castle and museums
• See St Jean Marc Church in Byblos

The experience

The tour opens at Jeita Grotto, nominated as one of the seven wonders of the world. A cable car carries you up to the upper cave, where you walk through the cavern on your own pace. Then a train brings you down to the lower cave, where you board a boat and drift under the river cavern: the only way to see that section. The whole grotto visit frames the morning around three different ways of moving through the same landscape.

From Jeita, a 15-minute ride up the mountain reaches Harissa and the Our Lady of Lebanon statue, which overlooks Jounieh Bay with views that echo Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer. You have time to take in the panorama before heading to Byblos. Lunch happens first in the town, then your guide walks you through the old souq, the Byblos Crusader Castle, the Fish Fossils Museum, the old port and St Jean Marc Church. Byblos has been continuously inhabited for 8,000 years. The layers of occupation (Phoenician, Roman, Crusader, Ottoman) sit stacked in the same streets you walk.

An air-conditioned vehicle moves the group between sites; a certified guide narrates in English or Arabic; parking and all entrance fees are covered. The day runs eight hours from start to finish.

What’s included

• Boat ride at Jeita Grotto.
• cable car ride up to Harissa.
• lunch in Byblos.
• air-conditioned vehicle throughout.
• parking fees.
• certified guide in English or Arabic.
• all entrance fees.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (5 and older) · Child (under 5)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Zingy Ride

Is this one for you?The day involves a cable car, a train, a boat, a mountain ride and walking through an old city, so it suits travelers comfortable with varied movement and moderate activity. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available.

Traveler reviews

4.71★★★★★★★★★★

34 verified traveler reviews

5 ★28

4 ★3

3 ★2

2 ★1

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 5).

What is the boat ride at Jeita Grotto actually like?

The boat ride happens in the lower cave, where you drift under the river cavern. It is the only way to access that section of the grotto. The upper cave is explored on foot after you arrive by cable car.

How much walking is involved in Byblos?

Byblos includes a guided walk through the old souq, the Crusader castle grounds, the fossil museum, the old port and a church. The exact distance depends on which sites you linger at, but it is a moderate exploration of the old city on foot.

Does the tour include lunch?

Yes, lunch is included in Byblos before the guided walk through the town begins.

What makes Byblos one of the oldest towns in the world?

Byblos has been continuously inhabited for at least 8,000 years. Nearly two dozen successive levels of human culture (Phoenician, Roman, Crusader, Ottoman and others) are layered into the same site, making it one of the richest archaeological areas in Lebanon.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, pickup is included in the tour price.