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Offered languages
- English
The Chouf Mountains hold two of Lebanon's most beautiful and most historically layered destinations — and this private morning tour from Beirut gives you both, before the crowds arrive and while the light on the honey-stone walls is at its most extraordinary.
Beiteddine Palace is one of the finest 19th-century palaces in the Arab world — built by Emir Bashir II over three decades of meticulous craftsmanship, its grand courtyards, carved cedar ceilings, and underground Byzantine mosaic museum revealing a Lebanon of extraordinary refinement and ambition. A short drive away, Deir el Qamar — Lebanon's first capital — is a perfectly preserved Ottoman village where a mosque, a church, and centuries-old mansions share the same cobblestone square in quiet, enduring coexistence. With a private guide entirely focused on your group and no fixed schedule to keep, you move at your own pace — lingering where the story calls for it.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
we pick up travelers from any Hotel, Residence or Airbnb in Beirut.
Itinerary
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Beirut (Pass by)
9:00 AM — Departure from Beirut Your private guide and driver collect you from your Beirut hotel and head southeast into the Chouf Mountains — pine-forested ridges rising steeply above the coastal plain as you climb toward Beiteddine. Arriving early means the palace is at its quietest and most atmospheric.
Admission ticket free -
1
Arrive at one of the most magnificent palaces in the Arab world while the morning light still falls at its most flattering angle on the carved stone facades — the best possible time to experience a building this beautiful. Built between 1788 and 1840 by Emir Bashir II — the ruler who brought Lebanon's fractured communities under a single authority — Beiteddine is a masterwork of Lebanese craftsmanship. Three interconnected courtyards connected by vaulted arches are decorated with hand-cut geometric tilework, carved cedar-wood ceilings, and elaborately painted reception halls. Beneath the palace, an underground museum preserves Lebanon's finest collection of Byzantine mosaics — floor panels of extraordinary colour and detail recovered from sites across the country. Your guide brings the full story of Emir Bashir and the palace he built to life in a way that stays with you long after you leave.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket not included -
2Deir el Qamar
Drive down to Deir el Qamar — meaning "Monastery of the Moon" — one of the most enchanting villages in Lebanon and the country's first capital under the Ma'an dynasty. The central square is framed by honey-stone mansions dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, a Druze palace, and public buildings that speak to the village's former political importance. What strikes every visitor is the quiet coexistence visible in the architecture — a mosque and a church within steps of each other, representing the layered religious heritage that defines Lebanon at its most harmonious.
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
3Fakhreddine's Mosque
Visit the elegant 17th-century mosque built by Fakhreddine II — the visionary Druze emir who forged alliances with European powers and is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern Lebanon. A rare and peaceful historic mosque open to respectful visitors of all faiths.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4
Climb to the hilltop Maronite church that watches over Deir el Qamar from above — its terrace offering sweeping views across the village rooftops and deep into the Chouf valleys below. A quiet, contemplative final stop before lunch, with mountain panoramas that reward the short climb generously.
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5Deir el Qamar
Lunch in Deir el Qamar — optional Settle into one of Deir el Qamar's traditional mountain restaurants — stone-vaulted dining rooms and shaded terraces serving generous mezze spreads, grilled meats, and freshly baked mountain bread with Chouf valley views. The unhurried pace of lunch here feels completely right after a morning spent in one of Lebanon's most beautiful landscapes.
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
Beirut (Pass by)
Return to Beirut — approx. 3:00–4:00 PM Your guide and driver bring you back to Beirut along the mountain road with drop-off at your hotel — completing a morning that moved from a presidential palace to Lebanon's first capital, entirely at your own pace.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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