Meet at the group hotel in Beirut. A single timed transfer from Beirut International Airport to the hotel is provided.

This morning we drive south (40mins) to the Mediterranean city of Sidon, once one of the most important cities of the Phoenician empire. Ancient texts document the skill of Sidon's glass-producing artisans, upon which the city's wealth and power was built. During the 13th century, the Crusaders constructed a castle on a small island just off the coast to establish their presence. The invading Mamluks destroyed most of the original castle, but later restored it for their own use, adding the narrow causeway that still connects it to the mainland. We will spend some time exploring the castle, visiting Sidons's ancient labyrinth-like souks and its soap museum. After lunch, we transfer (40mins) up to the mountains and Jezzine where we will stay tonight. Jezzine and the surrounding area is well known for its cascading waterfalls, deep caves, religious sites and ancient ruins. On arrival, we will walk through the pine forests of Bkassine, a side trail of the Lebanon Mountain Trail, before checking into our hotel. A welcome and gentle introduction to trekking in Lebanon.

We start our trek from Jezzine on the LMT, a long distance route stretching 470km along the spine of Lebanon. We walk through beautiful Mediterranean landscapes, stopping to visit the Fortress of Niha. This ancient strategic site, carved into the face of vertical cliffs, was built to monitor the routes between Sidon and the Beqaa Valley. It was here that Fakhreddine, Emir of Lebanon, hid whilst being pursued by the Ottomans for encouraging resistance against Lebanon's imperial rulers in the 17th century. We continue trekking, passing shrines and pilgrimage stops on the way to El Khreibe, located in the transition zone of the Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve, where we settle into our rural guesthouse for the evening.

On our second full day on the LMT, we trek from El Khreibe into the Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve. This biosphere is the largest in Lebanon, covering 5% of the country and is home to striped hyena, jungle cats, jackals, wild boar and wolves. Keen birders will be spoilt too, with beautiful examples of hoopoes, black kites, bee-eaters, hobby falcons and honey buzzards. We wander through the ancient cedar forests that lend their name to the reserve, some of which are claimed to be thousands of years old. The cedar is the national tree and actually features on the flag of Lebanon. We meet our vehicles at the end of the day's trek and drive over the Maasser Chouf pass via a panoramic mountain road with views to Quaraoun Lake and Mount Heron. We descend to Kefraya, world famous for its vineyards and enjoy a visit to a winery to taste some of the finest Lebanese wines. Afterwards, we continue our drive to Baskinta. Tonight we will stay in guesthouse style accommodation at the Mar Sassine Convent, run by the Maronite nuns.

Located at the foot of Mount Sannine, Baskinta is the birthplace of several Lebanese writers, poets including Amine Maalouf, Michael Neaimé and others. So this morning we will hike on the Baskinta Literary Trail, which runs alongside the LMT. The trail winds between terraces of apple, cherry and walnut trees. After lunch, we will head north via winding mountains roads to Tannourine, making a brief stop en route to visit the Chasm of Baatara to view its 3 natural bridges. Overnight at the Monastery of Deir Houb (dedicated to Saint Anthony the Great) in Wata Houb.

Making a reasonably early start, we have a short transfer from the monastery to the start of our walk at the entrance to the Tannourine Cedar Reserve. Today we will make a full day hike above the Holy Valley, crossing a dramatic landscape with far-reaching views. Starting out at around 1800 metres, we will climb gradually to 2600 metres at a high pass on the mountain road between Al Arz (The Cedars) and Aainata. This is the most challenging walk of the holiday, but the panoramic views will be our reward; the vista can stretch all the way to Cyprus on a clear day. Meeting up with our transport we have a short drive to see the 'Cedars of the Lord' a grove of trees so special that they were added to the UNESCO list of World heritage Sites in 1998. Overnight at nearby Al Arz (1850m) which is a ski resort in winter. There are easier options today for anyone who would rather not complete this long day-hike.

After a short transfer, we will begin our trek through the stunningly beautiful and verdant Qadisha Valley, which was also awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1998. This gorge is also known as the Holy Valley, on account of the large number of Christian Maronite communities, who built their monasteries here, sheltered from persecution by the natural walls of the gorge. As we trek, we come across troglodyte monasteries and hermitages secreted away in the valley floor and walls. After our trek we transfer to ancient Byblos, situated on the coast. This is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, having been first settled in around 8000BC and has been continuously inhabited since 5000BC. We are free to spend the rest of the day relaxing by the sea and may wish to enjoy a well-deserved and refreshing dip in the Med.

In the morning, we visit some of the important historical sites of Byblos, each telling a story of countless events and empires stretching over 9000 years. Awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1984, excavations have uncovered layer upon layer of evidence, from Neolithic and Egyptian periods through to the Crusaders and Ottomans. Now known for its sandy beaches and seafood restaurants, it is emerging as one of the most sought-after destinations for visitors in the Middle East. After our exploration of Byblos, we set off to Beirut, stopping off at the remarkable limestone caves at Jeita, where we can observe stunning stalactite and stalagmite formations. On our arrival to Beirut, we have the opportunity to explore the restored downtown on foot. This evening would be an ideal opportunity to seek out a nice Lebanese restaurant for a celebratory last meal.

The holiday ends after breakfast. A single timed transfer to Beirut International Airport is provided.