Most Lebanon day trips from Beirut head to the same handful of historical sites. This one goes somewhere most international visitors never think to look — into the Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve, one of Lebanon's most ecologically significant protected areas, for a two-hour easy hike through mountain terrain that ends at Chouwen Lake. Swimming in summer when conditions allow. Spectacular scenery year-round. One hour from Beirut.
Jabal Moussa — meaning “Mountain of Moses” in Arabic — is a UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve in the Keserwan mountains, protecting one of the most ecologically diverse habitats in Lebanon. The hike to Chouwen Lake follows easy marked trails through Mediterranean forest and rocky mountain terrain, with the lake as the reward at the end. The kind of day that travellers who do it describe as the most unexpected highlight of their Lebanon trip. Small group of maximum 9. Knowledgeable guide-driver throughout. Tickets and lunch payable on site.