Middle East - Anthony Ham [369]
A service taxi from Tripoli to Bcharré costs LL6000 (from 6am to 5pm daily) and to the Cedars costs LL10,000; both leave from Al-Koura Sq.
When there’s no snow or ice to close the mountain road, it’s possible to take a taxi from Bcharré or the Cedars to Baalbek (around US$60, 1½ hours).
Getting Around
Service taxis travel within the old and new parts of Tripoli (LL750) and to Al-Mina (LL1000).
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BCHARRÉ & THE QADISHA VALLEY
06
The trip up to the pretty town of Bcharré takes you through some of the most beautiful scenery in Lebanon. The road winds along mountainous slopes, continuously gaining in altitude and offering spectacular views of the Qadisha Valley, a Unesco World Heritage site and home to rock-cut monasteries and hermits’ dwellings, and teeming with wildlife. Red-roofed villages perch atop hills or cling precariously to the mountainsides; the Qadisha River, with its source just below the Cedars ski resort, runs along the valley bottom, while Lebanon’s highest peak, Qornet as-Sawda (3090m), soars overhead. With plentiful opportunities for hiking quiet valley trails or scaling bleak mountain wastes, this is the perfect antidote to all that’s fiery, fraught or frivolous down the coast in Beirut.
Bcharré is the only town of any size in the area, and is particularly famous as the birthplace of Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran. If you’re not here in skiing season (when the Cedars resort, further up the mountain road, should be your winter sports base: Click here) it’s a nice place to relax for a few days, especially recommended as a launching point for hikes down into the stunning Qadisha Valley.
Orientation & Information
Bcharré’s little town centre is dominated by the St Saba Church in the main square, Place Mar Sea. There’s a string of shops heading both east and west along the main road, along with a pharmacy, several ATMS, a supermarket and the L’Intime Internet Café (per hr LL2000; 11am-11pm), which is about 20m from the church.
Sights & Activities
GIBRAN MUSEUM
According to his wishes, the famous poet and artist Khalil Gibran (1883–1931), author of the much-loved The Prophet (1923), was buried in a 19th-century monastery built into the rocky slopes of a hill overlooking Bcharré. The museum ( 671 137; adult/student LL3000/2000; 9am-5pm Mar-Nov, 10am-5pm Nov-Mar, closed Mon) that has been set up here houses a large collection of Gibran’s paintings, drawings and gouaches and also some of his manuscripts. His coffin is in the monastery’s former chapel, which is cut straight into the rock. Those unfamiliar with the poet’s work will be able to stock up at the gift shop.
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HIKING IN THE QADISHA VALLEY
There are plentiful options for hiking in both the gorgeous Qadisha Valley and the surrounding mountains, and a number of groups offer guided walks in the area. Don’t miss your chance to explore this little Garden of Eden in a turbulent Middle East.
The Lebanon Mountain Trail (www.lebanontrail.org) is a long-distance hiking path, running the whole length of Lebanon, which also passes through the area; its website offers useful information on walking in the valley. Below are three highly recommended organisations that offer regular treks here.
Esprit-Nomade ( 70-813 001; www.esprit-nomade.com) Arranges weekly hikes, treks and snow-shoeing, with an emphasis on responsible ecotourism. Highly recommended.
Lebanese Adventure ( 03-360 027, 03-213 300; www.lebanese-adventure.com) Runs weekend outdoor evenings, including some great moonlight hikes with overnight camping.
Liban Trek ( 01-329 975; www.libantrek.com) A trekking club running day and weekend hikes throughout Lebanon, as well as mountain sports.
To learn more about the Qadisha Valley itself, go to www.qadishavalley.com.
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QADISHA GROTTO
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