Beirut

9:00 AM — Departure from Beirut Your guide meets you at your Beirut hotel and heads northeast into the Lebanese mountains — the landscape climbing steeply from the coast through pine and cedar-forested slopes toward the high-altitude lake basin of Chouwen.

Arrive at Chouwen Lakes, nestled within the Jabal Moussa UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — one of the most ecologically rich and scenically dramatic landscapes in northern Lebanon, protecting ancient cedar and oak forests, rugged limestone peaks, and pristine mountain lakes. The well-marked trail loops around the lakes and through the reserve — flat lakeshore sections alternating with gentle ridgeline paths, manageable for hikers of any fitness level. Still mountain lakes, forested slopes, and wide panoramas over the Lebanese ranges surround you throughout. Your expert guide leads at a comfortable pace, sharing knowledge of the reserve's flora, geology, and wildlife. A natural lakeside break marks the midpoint before the return trail completes the loop.