Cedars of God and Qadisha Valley, Lebanon: A Visitor’s Guide

• What Are the Cedars of God and the Qadisha Valley?
   

The Cedars of God, known locally as Horsh Arz el-Rab, is a protected grove of Lebanon cedars at about 2,000 meters above sea level near Bsharri. The Qadisha Valley is the deep gorge that drops away below it, lined with monasteries and hermitages carved into the cliffs. In 1998, UNESCO inscribed the two together as a single World Heritage Site.

The grove is one of the last remnants of the cedar forests that once covered much of Mount Lebanon. The Phoenicians built their ships from this wood and sold it to Egypt, and the Bible names it as the timber used for Solomon’s Temple. Today the tree sits at the center of Lebanon’s flag, and this small forest is the best-known place to see old cedars in the wild.

The valley takes its name from the Aramaic word for “holy,” which is why it’s often called the Holy Valley. For centuries it sheltered Christian monks and hermits, especially the Maronites. They cut chapels, cells, and monasteries into the rock walls, and Qannoubine Monastery served as the seat of the Maronite patriarchs for several centuries. Visiting both in one trip makes sense: the forest is a short stop, while the valley below is where you’ll spend most of your time if you enjoy walking.

 

• Visiting the Cedars of God

The Cedars of God is smaller than most people expect, and knowing that in advance makes the visit better. The protected grove covers roughly 10 hectares (about 25 acres), and a walk around it takes 30 to 45 minutes at an unhurried pace. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in age and atmosphere, especially if you arrive before the tour groups.

• What You’ll See in the Forest

No one knows exactly how old the Cedars of God are. Estimates for the oldest trees range from about a thousand years to several thousand, and standing next to them, you won’t need a precise figure. The largest trunks split into several massive limbs, with bark that looks more like rock than wood.

A stone wall surrounds the grove, built in the 19th century to keep grazing goats away from the young trees. Inside, a marked path loops beneath cedars of every age, from saplings planted to regrow the forest to the ancient giants at its center. Look out for the small stone Maronite chapel inside the grove, and for the trunks of dead cedars that Lebanese sculptor Rudy Rahme carved into religious figures instead of cutting them down. Some trees carry names, and one of the best known honors the French poet Alphonse de Lamartine, who visited in the 1830s.

Early morning is the best time to be here. The light comes in low through the branches, the path is nearly empty, and on warm days the air smells of cedar resin. By midday, coaches from Beirut arrive, and the grove fills quickly.

• Entrance, Opening Hours, and How Long to Stay

Entry to the Cedars of God has long worked on a donation basis, though some recent visitors report a small fixed fee in Lebanese pounds. Either way, the cost is low, so carry small bills in cash. The grove generally opens daily from around 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with shorter hours in winter, and heavy snow can close the paths altogether.

Plan about an hour: 45 minutes for the loop and some time on one of the benches. Outside the gate you’ll find parking, a row of shops selling carved cedar souvenirs, and a few cafés. At this altitude it’s noticeably cooler than Beirut, so bring a jacket even in summer.
 

• Exploring the Qadisha Valley

From the edge of Bsharri, the land falls away sharply into the Qadisha Valley, roughly 800 meters (about 2,600 feet) down to the riverbed. The forest above takes an hour, but the valley can easily fill the rest of your day. Down on the floor it’s quiet and green, with monasteries, chapels, and hermitages built into the cliffs, many of them reachable only on foot.

Most visitors explore Wadi Qannoubine, the branch of the valley directly below Bsharri. A narrow road winds down to the valley floor near Mar Lichaa Monastery, so you can drive in and start walking without the steep descent.

• Monasteries Worth Visiting

Deir Mar Lichaa, the Monastery of St. Elisha, clings to the cliff at the upper end of Wadi Qannoubine. It’s considered the birthplace of the Lebanese Maronite Order of monks, and today it’s restored as a small museum, with a church set inside a natural cave.

Further along the valley floor lies Deir Qannoubine, the most important of these monasteries historically. Partly cut into the rock, it served for centuries as the seat of the Maronite patriarchs, and its church still holds faded wall paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries. A short way before you reach it, you’ll pass the Chapel of St. Marina, a small shrine built into a cave and the burial place of a number of Maronite patriarchs. It takes its name from Marina, who, according to tradition, disguised herself as a man to live as a monk.

Our Lady of Hawqa stands further along, built at the base of a huge cave in the cliff face. It takes more effort to reach, but its setting is the most dramatic in the valley.

On the other side of the valley, in Wadi Qozhaya, the Monastery of St. Anthony of Qozhaya is the easiest to visit, with road access from the Ehden side. In 1610, the monks here began printing on what is widely regarded as the Middle East’s first printing press.

All of these are active religious sites, so dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered. Monks and visitors come here for quiet, and a small donation is always appreciated.

• Hiking the Qadisha Valley

For most first-time visitors, the best walk runs from Mar Lichaa to Qannoubine Monastery, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) each way on a mostly gentle path along the valley floor. The round trip takes around two and a half hours and passes the Chapel of St. Marina. Strong walkers can continue to Our Lady of Hawqa, which adds roughly 7 kilometers (4 miles).

Experienced hikers can take on Section 7 of the Lebanon Mountain Trail, a 13-kilometer (8-mile) route between Qozhaya and Bsharri. It’s a demanding day, and the final climb toward Bsharri includes steep stretches secured with chains.

Two things make any Qadisha hike easier. The climb back up is the hardest part, so arrange for your driver to collect you on the valley floor instead of walking out. And some trail junctions are poorly marked, so a local guide from Bsharri saves time and adds stories you won’t find on any sign. Pack water and proper walking shoes. Phone signal is unreliable in the deepest parts of the valley, though a few family-run restaurants near the river serve simple Lebanese lunches if you need a break.

• Bsharri and the Gibran Museum

Bsharri, the town between the Cedars and the valley, sits right on the edge of the gorge, its red-roofed houses looking straight down into the Qadisha. Gibran Khalil Gibran, author of The Prophet, was born here in 1883, and the Gibran Museum is the main reason to stop.

The museum occupies the old Mar Sarkis Monastery, a former hermitage cut partly into the rock above town. It holds a large collection of Gibran’s paintings and drawings, some of his manuscripts and personal belongings, and his tomb in a small cave chapel. Allow about an hour, and note that it’s generally closed on Mondays.

For lunch, several restaurants at the edge of town have terraces facing the valley. That view, more than any single monument, is what most people remember from Bsharri.

• How to Get to the Cedars of God from Beirut

The Cedars of God is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Beirut, and the drive takes two to three hours depending on traffic and mountain weather. The usual route follows the coastal highway north, leaves the coast near Chekka, and climbs inland through the villages above the valley to Bsharri. The grove is a few kilometers further up the mountain.

A private driver is the most practical way to go. Mountain roads are narrow and winding, fog can roll in quickly, and a driver can drop you at a trailhead and pick you up at the bottom of the valley, which makes the hikes far easier. Driving yourself is possible if you’re comfortable on steep switchbacks, but avoid the mountain stretch after dark. Public minibuses run from Beirut toward the north, but connections to Bsharri are slow and infrequent, and they won’t move you between the Cedars, the museum and the valley.

• Best Time to Visit

The best months are May to June and September to October, when clear skies and mild temperatures make for comfortable walking. In late spring the valley is at its greenest; by October it starts turning gold. Summer is still pleasant at this altitude and far cooler than the coast, but weekends bring crowds of Lebanese escaping the heat, so go on a weekday if you can.

Winter is a different trip. From roughly December to March, snow often covers the grove, and the area becomes a ski destination, with The Cedars ski resort just above the forest. The trees look striking under snow.

• Day Trip or Overnight Stay?

You can see the Cedars of God and the Qadisha Valley on a day trip from Beirut, but it’s a long one, usually 10 to 12 hours door to door. A realistic day leaves by 7 a.m., reaches the Cedars at opening time, stops at the Gibran Museum, and ends with a short walk on the valley floor or a viewpoint over Qannoubine before the drive back.

Staying one night changes the experience. You can see the cedars in the quiet of early morning or late afternoon, then give the valley a full day on foot without watching the clock. Bsharri is the most convenient base, with guesthouses close to the museum and the valley road. Ehden, about half an hour’s drive away on the other side of the valley, is greener and calmer, and the Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve on its doorstep makes it a good choice if you plan to hike more than one day.