Lebanon Explore

Arrival at BEIRUTInternational airport, after formalities, you will be able to direct yourself to the Car rental area at the BUDGET car rental counter , or just pick up your car in BUDGET outlet downtown Beirut. After the car formalities are done , you will receive the keys , and you will be ready to discover the region. Drive to your hotel . We will provide you with a GPS device and a road book.Check in at hotel . Overnight in Beirut.

After breakfast you will follow the trail of Lost empires South of Lebanon. Your first stop will be at Sidon (Saïda). You will pass by the Caravanserai, the Sea castle, Khan El Franj and the souks, as well as the ruins of Saint Louis castle, a fortress founded by the French in the 13th century. In Sidon, you will enjoy one of the best traditional desserts of the region. Next, you’ll stop to visit Tyre. Formerly a prestigious city on the Lebanese coast, the city is known as the "Queen of the Seas", and most renowned throughout history by its textile industry and the making of purple dye. At Tyre, you will discover the excavations of the city and Roman ruins: arenas, aqueduct, triumphal arch and the Phoenician necropolis. Get ready for a traditional lunch in Tyre! To wrap up our tour of the South, we will make a last stop at Echmun. The Temple dedicated to the Phoenician god and his lover Astarte was initially built in the middle of a lush orange grove. Today, the temple is considered the most important monument of Phoenician times to ever be discovered. You’ll return in the evening back to your hotel for an Overnight stay in Beirut.Dinner in hotel.

After breakfast, At 8:30 to visit Beirut. The Lebanese capital was nicknamed "Switzerland of the Middle East". You will discover the amazing Cornice with the sublime Pigeons’ Rock (Raoucheh) as well as the renovated city center. In Beirut, you will enter an urban setting at Saifi Village, where you will find the spirit of French colonial architecture and luxury boutiques in the area. You’ll then head to the Martyrs’ Square on the main street where you’ll visit, "Mohammad Al Amin" Mosque, a cultural masterpiece inspired by Ottoman architecture. You’ll also get to visit the authentically-crafted neoclassical cathedral of St. George - Maronite Cathedral, then pass by the St. Georges Orthodox Cathedral. Downtown Beirut houses the fanciest of brands while preserving the ancient underground landmarks of history like the Roman-Bath House and the Souks. To end our tour of the capital, we will stop at the National Museum built in 1930. The museum houses 60 centuries of human history: Phoenician statues, Roman imperial sculptures, mosaics and coins as well as a vast collection of artifacts and ancient remains. You’ll then head out to the Chouf Mountains located south-east of Beirut. The tour will take you along the narrow coastline, through the Christian city of Damour and between the hills of Mount Barouk. Considered as the stronghold of the Lebanese Druze community, the Chouf was the residence of the emirs of Lebanon, among which Bachir Chehab II who built the magnificent Beiteddine Palace during the first half of the 19th century. Continuing the tour, we will visit another historic city located just next to Beiteddine called Deir al Qamar. Translated into “The Monastery of the Moon”, you’ll have lunch there before continuing your visit to the most famous Beiteddine Palace. The building is considered as an Eighteen-Century Arabian night’s-type retreat with graceful arcades, ornate ceilings, marble mosaics, fountains and grand halls.

Then we will continue our route crossing the mountains towards Chtaura, the capital of the Bekaa valley. Overnight stay in Chtaura.Dinner in Hotel.

After breakfast, you will head to Chtaura, the central agricultural city of the BEKAA Valley in Lebanon. There we will stop to enjoy a typical Labneh snack. Labneh is served as a cheese spread on pita bread with local olives and virgin olive oil. You’ll then continue your tour to Baalbeck. Known for its Temples’ and ruins, Baalbeck houses one of the largest shrines of the Roman Empire and is considered to be the most revered treasures of the country and amongst the wonders of the ancient world. Baalbeck contains a collection of the largest and best preserved ruins. Rising above the plain of the Bekaa, the three gods venerated in these places are: Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus; these were grafted onto the indigenous deities: Hadad, Atargatis and a young god of fertility. The plans and layout of the temples have also been influenced by local architecture ranging from classical Roman designs to other more recent civilizations. At Baalbeck, you will visit the temple complex consisting of the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Venus. Continuing our journey, we’ll drive to Ksara, one of the most famous wineries in the area, there you’ll taste a selection of the best white, rosé and red wines. We will then enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to Anjar to visit the city of the Umayyad caliphs dug out almost 40 years ago. Wrapping up the day, you will head to the Cedars mountains for a nice dinner and an overnight stay at the hotel.

After breakfast, you’ll be visiting one of the most-famous natural reserves marking the national symbol of Lebanon; The Bcharreh Cedar Forest. Nicknamed "Cedars of God", the reserve is suspended 1800 meters above sea level in a majestic setting. We’ll then continue to the "Holy Valley" of Qadisha. The region is known for its many monasteries. The most important being the monastery of "Our Lady of Qannoubine" - former seat of the Maronite Patriarchate as well as the monastery of "Saint Anthony of Qozhaya". Our third stop will be at the birthplace of Gibran Khalil Gibran - the famous poet, artist and novelist Bcharreh. Finally, we will go through the second largest Lebanese city of TRIPOLI offering a visit to the crusaders’ Fortress of Saint-Gilles. Lunch en route in a typical place .You’ll then, stroll through the narrow alleys of the old souk of Tripoli to enjoy wiffs of freshly-made soap at the famous Khan El Saboun (Soap makers courtyard). You will also be dazzled by the rich fabrics of Khan El Khayyatin (Tailors’ courtyard) ornate with 14th-century arches. The city has many churches and mosques, some of which share the same walls such as the Great Mosque and the oldest church dating back to the 1300s! Finally, we’ll stop at one of the most famous pastries of Baklava in the city. You’ll return in the evening for an Overnight stay in Beirut. Dinner in one of the fancy restaurants of Beirut.

After breakfast, you will take your transfer at 8:30 to visit Jeita Grotto. Nominated as a finalist for the seven new wonders of nature, the natural galleries maze is spread over two levels along nine kilometers. The lower level of the cave will be crossed by boat through natural imitations of "weeping willows" and gigantic stone flowers. The upper cave explored on foot will also unveil the magnificence of mineral formations in the shape of animals. Next, you will visit “Our Lady of Lebanon” (the Protecting Virgin) in Harissa. You’ll then take the cable cars downhill and enjoy the unique and spectacular panorama overlooking the bay of Jounieh. Lunch on the coast .Later, you’ll be on your way to Byblos! Housing the oldest harbor in the world, our visit to Byblos will include the archaeological site encompassing traces of the Acropolis from all periods starting at the Neolithic era. Finally, you will pass by the Crusader’s Castle overlooking one of the oldest cities in the world nicknamed "Jbeil" in the Old Testament. On the evening of your last day in Lebanon, an Oriental Dinner and dance show will take place at one of Beirut's downtown restaurants, considered one of the ideal places to experience nightlife and leisure in the Middle East. Overnight in Beirut

After breakfast, you will take your transfer to Beirut International Airport for your return. You can return the car in the airport,go to the car rental RETURN parking , handover your car to the BUDGET team , and direct yourself to the departure area.