Short break in Lebanon

Tailormade Tour

Tailormade tour – Short Break in Lebanon – 5 days from £995 per person.


Lebanon was known in the 1960’s as the Switzerland of the Middle East. Today Lebanon has largely rebuilt itself after a devastating civil war that ended in 1991.

This small country, only a 4.5 hour flight from London extends for only 250km’s North to South and 50 km’s from East to West. Lebanon excels in its diversity of experiences and exceptional sense of hospitality.

On this short break you will be based in the vibrant city of Beirut, a city where old meets new. We will journey to fascinating ancient settlements such as Byblos and Batroun on the shimmering Mediterranean coast, and also head inland to enjoy the magnificent food and wine of Lebanon in the fertile Bekaa Valley.

Standing in front of the magnificent Roman temples of Baalbek (UNESCO) is sure to mesmerise and delight. If you want to experience an enriching short break a little further afield from the traditional European stalwarts, then the Middle Eastern gem of Lebanon comes highly recommended.

 

 

One of the many highlights of this tailormade Lebanon tour is the visit to Souk el Tayeb’s weekly farmers market.

This famous market hosts around 100 small producers from all over Lebanon who offer fresh, local, seasonal food products and organic produce, ranging from fruits and vegetables, “mouneh”, dairy products, ready- to- eat food and sweets alongside traditional, handmade crafts.

By connecting consumers and producers, Souk el Tayeb promotes the consumption of local food, thereby giving livelihoods to small scale farmers and enhances food knowledge and culture throughout Lebanon.

Another of the most visit regions of Lebanon that we suggest you visit is the Beqaa Valley. This part of Lebanon is a fertile valley in eastern region and is the most important farming region in the country. The valley is 120 kilometres long and 16 kilometres wide and is blessed with a Mediterranean climate of wet, often snowy winters and dry, warm summers making it an ideal place to harvest grapes and where 90% of Lebanon’s wine is produced.

The valley also is home to the astonishingly well preserved Roman archaeological site of Baalbek (UNESCO). Standing in front of the temple of Bacchus will leave you in awe.

This being a tailormade tour of Lebanon, you are free to choose how long you get to experience in each region and where you go next. Speak to one of our expert travel consultants and we will put together the perfect short break or even a longer tour for you to experience the diversity of experiences in Lebanon.

Tour ratings.

  • Fitness
  • Off the beaten track 
  • Culture
  • History
  • Wildlife

Tour pace

Busy

Tour style

Traveller

Relaxed Pace

Relaxed tours are easy paced with plenty of leisure time built in. The tour will in all probability still be off the beaten track, with the occasional early start and there may still be occasional long drives. In general on a relaxed pace tour you can enjoy easy-going activities and experiences with opportunities to absorb the sights and immerse yourself in the local surroundings.

Moderate Pace

Moderate pace tours are ideal if you want a tour experience that combines activities and experiences with some time to relax. Typically you will be active and busy for part of the day but then also have time to rest and recharge your batteries. In general on a moderate paced tour there may be some long journeys involved but the tour is not an expedition or a road trip. On a moderate paced tour it will be necessary to have some early starts.

Busy Pace

A busy paced tour means that you can expect to be doing, seeing or experiencing something new almost every day, and moving on from place to place to pack in as much as possible. There may be early starts, long journeys and tiring days along the way, but you’ll return home feeling you’ve really experienced as much as you possibly could.

Pioneer Class Tours

On our Pioneer tours, you will be amongst an elite group of intrepid travellers and some of the first to explore a country that few have been privileged enough to discover. Of course, exploring such areas of the world will come with its challenges; it may mean several nights camping, long journeys by 4WD and the need to maintain a degree of flexibility for when carefully laid plans change. These are challenging tours in countries and areas that may have poor infrastructure, high levels of poverty and illiteracy. This can translate in to low standards in hotels, bad roads and poor driving standards among other issues. We try and smooth out as much of these issues as we can but you should be prepared to experience the bad with the good.

Traveller Class Tours

Our Traveller itineraries are at the core of our programme. These journeys are designed for travellers who still want to discover a land away from the tourist crowds but expect minimum standards. Accommodation will be primarily hotel based, although you could still find yourself camping, or the guest of a local family. Depending on the destination and itinerary, you’ll likely be travelling in a private vehicle, with occasional use of public transport. This is adventure travel with some of the rough edges smoothed out.

Itinerary.

Arrive in Beirut and transfer to your hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, there may be time to explore the city independently. Overnight Hotel Le Commodore. No meals or guided activities are included today.

This morning after breakfast meet with your local guide and start the day with a stroll on the breezy and bustling corniche, an activity enjoyed by many local Beirutis. During the walk, learn about how the area was shaped by the civil war and the regeneration efforts since.  Stark reminders of the conflict are very much still visible including the bullet ridden Holiday Inn hotel building which has remained derelict and were the scenes of intense battles.

Continue to Martyrs Square and observe the impressive Mohammad Al Amin Mosque complete with its towering sandstone minarets. We will also stop to see the archaeological site of the Roman baths in the centre of the city. Continue to the National Museum where we take an enriching visit and learn about the turbulent history of Lebanon which will give the experiences of the coming day’s added context.

Souk el Tayeb

Later it will be possible to visit the Souk el Tayeb food market (Saturdays from 09h00 till 14h00 and Tuesdays from 12h00 till 17h00 only – currently closed in line with the Covid-19 governmental restrictions; subject to reopening), an authentic local experience not to be missed. After the visit to the souk, any remaining time today will be at leisure and your evening is free to enjoy a local restaurant in the city and we will be happy to make recommendations. The bustling Bourj Hammoud district with its large Armenian population is a good option for authentic cuisine. Here you will enjoy an authentic Lebanese/Armenian meal tonight. Overnight Hotel Le Commodore (B)

Continue a short distance up the Mediterranean coast to the impressive Jeita Grotto to observe an amazing interconnected labyrinth of caves stretching for a distance of some 6 miles. Continue following the coast to the ancient town of Byblos, said to have been continuously inhabited since the 6th Century BC.

Spend time exploring this delightful place with its picturesque harbour, the well restored 12th century crusader castle and the roman archaeological site with a beautifully situated small amphitheatre overlooking the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. The next stop is Batroun where you will explore the narrow cobblestone streets and observe the traditional Ottoman style houses. Also take a stroll through Batroun’s small but old souk and the magical ruins of the Phoenician port including the ancient sea wall.

We recommend that you take an opportunity to try the authentic local lemonade here in Batroun, very refreshing and equally as delicious.  Later in the afternoon, return to Beirut where your evening is at leisure.  Overnight Hotel Le Commodore (B)

We depart early today and head inland to what surely must be regarded as one of world’s most astonishing Roman archaeological sites at Baalbek. We spend ample time exploring the site in detail which is believed to date back some 5000 years.

The site is so grand in its scale that is not hard to visualise what the city must have been like in its pomp. Continue thereafter to a charming Bekaa Valley winery for a leisurely Lebanese mezze style lunch and wine tasting in the Bekaa Valley. Here enjoy a tour of the cellar and the production areas before enjoying degustation of the excellent wines. Return to Beirut where your evening is at leisure. Overnight Hotel Le Commodore (BL)

Spend any remaining time at leisure before transferring to the airport for your onward flight. (B)

Dates & Price.

We offer this short break in Lebanon  for private departures only.

Prices start from £995 per person, based on two people travelling and sharing a room.

We can also tailor a similar or totally different itinerary to meet your requirements. Please contact us to discuss your travel plans.

Tour Notes

To join your tailormade Lebanon tour, flights from London to Beirut on direct flights start from £350 per person. Please contact us for a quotation. At busy times of year around holidays prices of course may be much more for flights.

Single Supplement from £185 per person.

Airport transfers with driver only (no guide) are included in the tour price.

Mapped itinerary.

Want to see details of your itinerary on a map?

Download PDF.

Download the full tour dossier for this trip here.

For expert advice get in touch now with our passionate,
well-travelled team.

+44(0) 191 296 2674 from THE UK
1-800-614-2967 from THE US & CANADA
1-300-956-415 from AUSTRALIA

Tour inclusions.

  • Arrival and departure airport transfers with driver only
  • All accommodation as per the itinerary (alternative properties can be arranged)
  • Private ground air-conditioned transportation
  • Services of an English-speaking guide from Day 2 to Day 4 inclusive
  • Meals as listed (B – Breakfast, L – Lunch, D – Dinner)
  • Entrance fees for sites as listed as part of the itinerary

Tour exclusions.

  • International flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Visa (usually issued on arrival)
  • Drinks
  • Tips (discretionary)

A very enjoyable time. Even though a short trip it encompassed many aspects of a complex country. Archaeology, history, Lebanese food and wine , cultural diversity and the geopolitics of the middle east. Our guide Emanuel was very informative on contemporary Lebanon. Our driver -was also courteous and helpful.

 

Tom Doyle, Ireland