Lebanon tour: Beiteddine Palace & Cedars Reserve from Beirut

Step through timeless villages and ancient cedar forests on a day of discovery

A full-day tour from Beirut visits Beiteddine Palace (a 19th-century fortress built by Emir Bechir II with galleries and rooms decorated by artists from Lebanon, Damascus and Italy), then moves through Deir el Qamar village and into Cedars Chouf reserve, a 550-square-kilometer nature reserve on Barouk mountain slopes. A multilingual guide leads the route. Pickup from your hotel, an air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water and snacks are included. Lunch and site admission are available as add-ons at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Beiteddine, Deir el Kamar, Cedars Reserve

• Visit Beiteddine Palace
• Discover Deir el Kamar village
• Enjoy traditional Lebanese brunch
• Explore Cedars Chouf nature reserve

The experience

The palace sits 43 kilometers from Beirut and anchors the morning. Built at the start of the 19th century, Beiteddine holds three museums inside: feudal weapons and costumes, archaeological finds, and Byzantine mosaics arranged across arcades and decorated rooms. The palace is a model of eastern architecture, and the guide walks you through the scale and the craftsmanship that made it a seat of power for more than fifty years.

From there the route moves to Deir el Qamar, a village 35 kilometers from Beirut that was once the capital of Mount Lebanon. The historical center holds a souk, a mosque and churches. The guide shows you how the layout reflects the village's role. A traditional Lebanese brunch is available in town if you add lunch at checkout. The pace gives you time to walk the market and sit.

The day ends in Cedars Chouf reserve, a nature reserve that covers nearly 5.3 percent of Lebanese territory across the slopes of Barouk mountain. The reserve protects cedar forests at three elevations (Barouk, Maaser el Chouf and Ain Zhalta), and the guide explains what grows where and why the reserve matters. The eight-hour loop returns you to Beirut by evening.

What’s included

• Multilingual official guide.
• air-conditioned vehicle with pickup from your hotel.
• bottled water and snacks throughout the day.

Options for this experience

2 options

Lebanon tour to the Cedars Reserve and Beiteddine Palace, with pickup and a guideGuide in English, Spanish or French · 09:00Pickup is included

Cedars visit with lunch and admissionGuide in English, Spanish or French · 09:00Admission fees for all sites are included, along with a Lebanese lunch of mezze and grills and pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 90 years) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 17 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 15

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Private & group tours to Baalbeck temples & Chateau Ksara winery

Is this one for you?Add lunch and site admission at checkout if you want to walk inside the palace rooms and explore the cedar forests. Without them, the guide shows you the exteriors and the landscape from the vehicle, which works if you're short on time or budget.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

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 is inside Beiteddine Palace that makes it worth the drive from Beirut?

Beiteddine holds three museums: feudal weapons and costumes, archaeological finds, and Byzantine mosaics. The palace itself is the draw: built in the early 1800s by Emir Bechir II, it displays eastern architecture across arcades, galleries and rooms decorated by artists from Lebanon, Damascus and Italy.

Is lunch included, or do I need to arrange it myself?

Lunch is optional and available at checkout. If you add it, you'll have a traditional Lebanese brunch in Deir el Qamar village, with time to explore the souk and historical center on foot.

How much of the day is spent driving versus walking around the sites?

The full day runs eight hours from pickup to return. The route covers three stops (the palace, the village and the reserve) with the guide leading you through each one. Driving time connects them, but the pace is built around time at each site, not on the road.

Do I need to pay extra to enter Beiteddine Palace and the Cedars reserve?

Entry to both Beiteddine Palace and Cedars Chouf reserve is available as an add-on at checkout. The guide and vehicle are included either way.