Mount Lebanon
The Chouf is Lebanon's most forested district, rising from the coastal plain to peaks above 1,800 metres. At its heart is the Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve, the largest protected area in Lebanon, home to ancient cedar trees some of which are over a thousand years old — the very cedars that feature on the Lebanese flag.
Beiteddine Palace is the Chouf's great cultural treasure — a 19th-century masterpiece built over 30 years by Emir Bashir II. Its intricate stonework, ornate stables, and Byzantine mosaic museum (relocated from Roman Jiyeh) are extraordinary. The palace hosts an annual summer arts festival.
The Chouf's hilltop villages — Deir el Qamar, Beiteddine, Maasser el Chouf — are among Lebanon's most picturesque. Wandering their stone lanes, visiting craft workshops, and dining on home cooking is one of the great pleasures of Lebanese mountain travel.
The Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve has a network of marked trails ranging from gentle 2km walks to demanding full-day hikes. The cedars are most magical in winter under snow and in spring when the forest floor is carpeted in wildflowers.
The Chouf is 50km southeast of Beirut — about an hour by car. The mountain roads are winding but well-paved. A rental car or private driver is recommended; public transport to the villages is limited.