Region
Mount Lebanon
Base in one hill town; day-trip the Chouf and the coast rather than changing hotels.
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Key facts · Lebanon
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Currency
- Lebanese pound (LBP)
- Language
- Arabic (official)
- Time zone
- UTC+2
Rules in force · 5Security advice in this region can change within a dayCheck your own government travel advice for Lebanon befor…
- Middle East ↗Security advice in this region can change within a day; re-read your government's page before departure and again before any border or regional flight.
- Middle East ↗Public drunkenness, public displays of affection and offensive gestures or online posts can lead to arrest in the Gulf states and Iran; dress modestly outside beaches and hotels.
- Lebanon ↗Check your own government travel advice for Lebanon before any booking; advice depends on your passport and changes without notice.
- Lebanon ↗Entry rules depend on your passport; check General Security and your own government's advice before booking.
- Lebanon ↗Confirm that your travel insurance and medical evacuation cover apply to Lebanon before you rely on it.
Mount Lebanon is the mountain ridge rising straight behind Beirut, a chain of micro-regions along the ridge. Travel times between them vary with traffic and road conditions — check before you commit. Sleep in one town — Broummana or Beit Mery for resort comfort, Deir el Qamar for the Chouf — and day-trip the rest. A car or a hired driver is the practical way to move; public buses cover the coast road but not the ridge villages.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- BroummanaGuide: planned
Resort town, dining and retail, on the ridge above Beirut.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Beit MeryGuide: planned
Higher, cooler, summer festival town.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Deir el QamarCity guide
Chouf base for Beiteddine and the cedar reserve.
Best Mar–May, Sep–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND
Day trip
- AleyGuide: planned
Market town on the ridge; dining and shopping.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- JouniehCity guide
Coastal town below the ridge, listed separately from the mountain region; cable car and nightlife.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 2 nights
- Broummana or Beit Mery 2, coast and Chouf as day-trips
- 4 nights
- Metn 2 + Chouf (Deir el Qamar) 2
- Public buses run the coast road, not the ridge villages; without a car or driver, most hill towns are hard to reach.
- Snow and ice can close the Dahr el Baidar pass and higher ridge roads in winter; check conditions before crossing.
- Card acceptance in hill towns is uneven — carry cash in Lebanese pounds and US dollars.
- Check your own government's travel advice for Lebanon before booking; this desk does not plan around it.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Byblos | Jounieh | check min | check | Coastal run north; pair with the Jounieh cable car. |
| Beiteddine | Deir el Qamar | check min | check | Palace and summer festival; go early, sights close late afternoon. |
| Al Shouf Cedar Reserve (Barouk entrance) | Deir el Qamar | check min | check | Snow can linger until March–April; the reserve entrance sits several km from the village. |
Bags between cities
No luggage-forwarding service on the ridge; a hired driver or your hotel can hold bags between check-out and the next town.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deir el Qamar | × | × | go | go | go | ok | × | × | go | go | go | × |
| Jounieh | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | × | × | go | go | ok | ok |
| Lebanon (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | go | go | go | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Lebanon ridgeHill towns 800–1,900 m | cold | cold | cool | ok | best | best | best | best | best | ok | cool | cold |
- Mount Lebanon ridge
- Summer (Jun–Sep) is the season: dry and cooler than Beirut, though exact temperatures vary by elevation — check. Winter brings rain on the lower slopes and snow higher up; Mzaar ski terrain runs in the winter months, dates vary by snow — check.
Spring and autumn are mild but can be wet and foggy on the ridge; check road conditions after storms.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes1 partGet in
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beirut (BEY) airport | Broummana / Beit Mery | Taxi or hired car | check | No rail link; agree the fare before you get in. |
| Beirut city | Aley / Bhamdoun | Shared taxi or bus on the Damascus road | check | Frequent along the highway; the ridge villages above need a car. |
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain mezze and grilled meats | Broummana, Beit Mery | Hill-town restaurants fill on summer weekends; book or eat before 19:00.Hill-town restaurants fill on summer weekends; book or eat before 7:00 PM. |
| Village manoushe and pastries | Aley, Bikfaya | Breakfast staple; cheap and quick. |
Go next
Beirut
Car down the ridge
Most trips start and end here.
Byblos
plannedCoast road north
Old harbour and Crusader castle.
Tripoli
Coast road north
Pair with the north.
South Lebanon
plannedCoast road south from Beirut
Check current conditions before travelling.
North Lebanon
plannedCoast road north
Qadisha valley and the Cedars.
Bekaa
plannedOver the Dahr el Baidar pass
Zahle and the valley; the pass can close in snow.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 3 bases
- Nights suggested
- 2–4 nights
- Ways in
- 2 listed
- Best months
- May–Sep
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Sources
Ask about Mount Lebanon
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