Qadisha Valley & Cedars of God tour: Small group, all-inclusive

Walk among thousand-year-old cedars, then descend into a monastery carved into the cliff.

This small-group guided tour from Beirut covers four destinations across Lebanon's north in a single full day: the UNESCO-listed Qadisha Valley with its ancient cliff monasteries, the Khalil Gibran Museum in Bcharre, a 45-minute walk through the Cedars of God grove at 2,000 metres, and the Monastery of Kozhaya carved into the valley wall. Hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional English or Arabic-speaking guide, lunch at a local restaurant, and all entrance fees are included in the all-inclusive option. The guide-only option covers the tour and pickup without meals or tickets. The group stays small, and the hike is gentle: suitable for all fitness levels with no steep terrain.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Qadisha Valley20m
2. Cedars of God Forest45m · entry included

Explore Qadisha Valley and Cedars

• Pickup from Beirut hotel at 8:30 AM
• Arrive at Qadisha Valley viewpoint
• Visit Khalil Gibran Museum in Bcharre
• Hike among Cedars of God forest
• Lunch in Bcharre mountain restaurant
• Visit Kozhaya Monastery in Qadisha Valley
• Return to Beirut hotel by evening

The experience

The day starts with an 8:30 AM pickup from your Beirut hotel, then climbs north along the coastal highway into the Lebanese mountains. Your professional guide meets you at the hotel and drives the group toward increasingly dramatic scenery as the road rises. The first stop is the rim of Qadisha Valley itself: a UNESCO World Heritage gorge where sheer limestone walls drop hundreds of metres to the valley floor below. Monastery caves and hermitages carved into the rock face over seventeen centuries are visible from the rim. Your guide explains the story of the Christian communities who chose these inaccessible cliffs as their spiritual home. Qadisha means "Holy" in Aramaic, and the name is earned by the landscape itself. Multiple photo stops give everyone the best views and time to absorb the scale of the place.

From the valley rim, the tour moves to the Khalil Gibran Museum in the hilltop village of Bcharre: housed in a restored Carmelite monastery carved into the cliff. The museum holds Gibran's original paintings, watercolours, and personal manuscripts. His tomb sits in the cave chapel where he asked to be buried. Your guide brings his philosophy and story to life in a way that resonates across backgrounds. Then comes the walk through the Cedars of God, a UNESCO-protected grove at 2,000 metres where ancient cedar trees (some over 1,000 years old with trunks measuring more than 14 metres around) stand among the highest peaks. A gentle 45-minute hike along the marked trail suits all fitness levels and all ages, with no steep terrain or technical difficulty. The mountain air is cool and fresh, and the sense of walking among trees that built Phoenician ships and Solomon's Temple carries genuine weight.

Lunch at a local Bcharre restaurant (generous Lebanese mezze, grilled meats, fresh bread, and views over the Qadisha Valley) is included in the all-inclusive option and gives a proper break before the day's final stop. The Monastery of Saint Anthony of Kozhaya, carved into the limestone cliff face in the 12th century, is the most atmospheric moment of the day. Cave chapels, ancient stone cells, and the peace of the gorge create a serene atmosphere. Inside are two treasures: a cave sanctuary that has been a pilgrimage site for over eight centuries, and the first printing press ever used in the Middle East, brought here by Maronite monks in the 16th century. Your guide walks you through the full history with care. The return to Beirut and drop-off at your hotel happens around 6:00–7:00 PM.

What’s included

• The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off from Beirut.
• a professional guide fluent in English or Arabic.
• entrance to all four sites: Qadisha Valley, Khalil Gibran Museum, Cedars of God, and Kozhaya Monastery.
• a 45-minute guided walk through the cedar grove.
• and lunch at a local mountain restaurant with views of the valley (in the all-inclusive and lunch-included options). The group stays small, and an air-conditioned vehicle carries everyone throughout the day.

Options for this experience

3 options

Guided tour, lunch not includedGuide in English or Arabic · 08:30Lunch and tickets are not included in this option, so you pay for them yourself. Pickup is included.

Guided tour with lunchGuide in English or Arabic · 08:30Tickets are not part of this option; you pay for them yourself. The tour lasts 9 hours. Lunch is covered in the tour price. Pickup is included.

Guided tour with lunch and ticketsGuide in English or Arabic · 08:30Tickets to all historical sites are covered in the tour price. Lunch is also part of the price. Pickup is included.

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 timesThursday and SundayDeparts at 08:30

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Lebanon Daily Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the all-inclusive option if you want tickets and lunch covered upfront. Pick guide-only if you'd rather book your own meals and handle entry fees separately.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Arabic.

What is the Qadisha Valley and why is it on the UNESCO list?

Qadisha Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage gorge in Lebanon's north where ancient Christian monasteries and hermitages have been carved into sheer limestone cliffs over seventeen centuries. The name means "Holy" in Aramaic. From the rim viewpoint on this tour, you see the monastery caves visible in the rock face hundreds of metres below, and your guide explains the remarkable story of the communities who chose these dramatic and inaccessible cliffs as their spiritual home.

How difficult is the Cedars of God hike?

The hike through the Cedars of God is gentle and lasts 45 minutes along a marked trail at 2,000 metres elevation. It suits all fitness levels and all ages with no steep terrain and no technical difficulty. You walk among ancient cedar trees, some over 1,000 years old, at a comfortable pace with your guide explaining the ecology and conservation of the protected forest.

What is included in the tour price?

The all-inclusive option includes hotel pickup and drop-off from Beirut, a professional guide in English or Arabic, lunch at a local Bcharre restaurant, and all entrance fees to the four sites. The guide-only option covers the tour, pickup and drop-off, and the guide, but not meals or tickets. Gratuities are optional in both.

What is the Monastery of Kozhaya and what makes it special?

The Monastery of Saint Anthony of Kozhaya, carved into the limestone cliff face of the Qadisha Valley in the 12th century, holds two remarkable treasures: a cave sanctuary that has been a pilgrimage site for over eight centuries, and the first printing press ever used in the Middle East, brought here by Maronite monks in the 16th century. It is one of Lebanon's oldest and most venerated monasteries.

What time does the tour start and end?

Pickup from your Beirut hotel is at 8:30 AM. The tour covers four destinations across the full day, with return to your hotel and drop-off around 6:00–7:00 PM.