Itinerary

1. Kadisha Valley trekking routes

   Trail 1: 

   • The main route into the valley is via a winding road accessed from just south of Bcharré. Near where this road hits the valley floor is one of the most important monasteries, Deir Mar Elisha, which can be accessed by car and now functions as a simple museum. Hewn out of the rock face, its centrepiece is a vaulted 19th-century church that houses the 8th-century icon of St Elisha.

   • From here, walk for 5km (1½-2 hours) to the serene still-working convent of Deir Qannoubin, probably the oldest religious community in the valley (some sources date the building to as early as the 4th century). The permanent residence of the Maronite Patriarchs between 1440 and 1790, its church features a fresco of the Coronation of the Virgin being witnessed by a group of Patriarchs.

   • Just beyond Qannoubin is the Chapel of Mar Marina, a female saint who, disguised as a man, lived as a monk at Qannoubin for many years before being accused of paternity of an illegitimate child. Other versions have her saving an abandoned child by breastfeeding it herself. Mothers unable to produce breast milk sometimes make the pilgrimage here to plead for the saint's intervention.

   • Continue for another 4.5km to the 13th-century Saydet Hawqa (Our Lady of Hawqa), below the village of Hawqa. Climb the stairs, where at the end, you will reach Hawqa Village.

   Trail 2:  

   • Start the hiking from Hadshit on an old footpath in the valley to reach Saydet Qannoubine with your Lebanon tour guide. On our way, you will visit the Colombian monk.

   • On your last part of the hike, you will climb the stairs where at the end, you will reach the Monastery of Hawqa.

   Trail  3:  

   • Start the hiking trail from Dimen on an old footpath.

   • Reach Qanoubin village, Then, River, the Old Mill, Saydet Qanoubin. From there, choose the path to Mar Lichaa or the one to Saydit Hawqa, where you can visit the Colombian monk.

   ALL TRAILS CAN BE DISCUSSED AND EDITED