Lebanon Mountain Trail
Encyclopedia
The Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT) is a long-distance hiking trail in Lebanon
. It extends from Qbaiyat in the north of Lebanon to Marjaayoun in the south, a 440 km (273.4 mi) path that transects more than 75 towns and villages at altitude
s ranging from 600 to 2,000 meters (about 3,000-5,600 feet) above sea level. The LMT aims to showcase the natural beauty and cultural wealth of Lebanon’s mountains and to demonstrate the determination of the people of Lebanon to conserve their heritage. The trail brings communities closer together and expands economic opportunities in rural areas through environmentally and socially responsible tourism.
The following partners helped implement various activities under the LMT project:
Subcontractors
• ECODIT Liban sarl
• The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)
• University Saint-Esprit de Kaslik (USEK)
Resource Groups
• Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC)
• US Forest Service (USFS)
• Club des Vieux Sentiers (CVS)
Partners
• About 50 municipalities
• Government Agencies (Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Environment, Directorate of Geographic Affairs, Directorate General of Urban Planning, Litani River Authority)
• Lebanese Scout Organizations
• Tour Operators (Biladi, Cyclamen, Esprit Nomade, Lebanon Roots, Liban Trek, Lebanon Roots, Vamos Todos, Blue Carrot Adventure Club, Club Des Vieux Sentiers, Friends of Nature With No Boundaries, Gravity Trek, Ibex Ecotourism, La Réserve Afqa, Lebanese Adventure, The Club of Hidden Roads of Lebanon, Responsible Mobilities)
• NGOs (Ansar El Bi’a Sir Ed Dinniyeh, Friends of Bcharre Cedar Committee, Environment Council of Qobaiyat, SOIL Hasbaya, Friends of Tannourine Cedar Forest, Friends of Horsh Ehden, Wadi Al Zouhour Qmamine, Friends of Green Environment Association Al Barouk, Al Shouf Cedar Society, Al Beit Al Loubnani Lal Bi’a (Kfarhim), Al Khraibi Club, The Cultural and Social League of Niha, Social Development NGO Boqaatat Kanaan, Active Club Kfardebian, Social Cultural and Sporting Club of Aqoura)
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. It extends from Qbaiyat in the north of Lebanon to Marjaayoun in the south, a 440 km (273.4 mi) path that transects more than 75 towns and villages at altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
s ranging from 600 to 2,000 meters (about 3,000-5,600 feet) above sea level. The LMT aims to showcase the natural beauty and cultural wealth of Lebanon’s mountains and to demonstrate the determination of the people of Lebanon to conserve their heritage. The trail brings communities closer together and expands economic opportunities in rural areas through environmentally and socially responsible tourism.
Background
ECODIT, a company providing environmental and development consulting services, conceived, designed and implemented the LMT project with grant funding from the American People, under a two-year (2005-2007) Cooperative Agreement with USAID Lebanon. As part of the LMT project, ECODIT helped establish the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association to ensure the long-term sustainability of the trail for generations to come.The following partners helped implement various activities under the LMT project:
Subcontractors
• ECODIT Liban sarl
• The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)
• University Saint-Esprit de Kaslik (USEK)
Resource Groups
• Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC)
• US Forest Service (USFS)
• Club des Vieux Sentiers (CVS)
Partners
• About 50 municipalities
• Government Agencies (Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Environment, Directorate of Geographic Affairs, Directorate General of Urban Planning, Litani River Authority)
• Lebanese Scout Organizations
• Tour Operators (Biladi, Cyclamen, Esprit Nomade, Lebanon Roots, Liban Trek, Lebanon Roots, Vamos Todos, Blue Carrot Adventure Club, Club Des Vieux Sentiers, Friends of Nature With No Boundaries, Gravity Trek, Ibex Ecotourism, La Réserve Afqa, Lebanese Adventure, The Club of Hidden Roads of Lebanon, Responsible Mobilities)
• NGOs (Ansar El Bi’a Sir Ed Dinniyeh, Friends of Bcharre Cedar Committee, Environment Council of Qobaiyat, SOIL Hasbaya, Friends of Tannourine Cedar Forest, Friends of Horsh Ehden, Wadi Al Zouhour Qmamine, Friends of Green Environment Association Al Barouk, Al Shouf Cedar Society, Al Beit Al Loubnani Lal Bi’a (Kfarhim), Al Khraibi Club, The Cultural and Social League of Niha, Social Development NGO Boqaatat Kanaan, Active Club Kfardebian, Social Cultural and Sporting Club of Aqoura)
Sections
The LMT is divided into 26 sections, each of which is 12–20 km long and can be hiked in one day:- 1 Qbaiyat–Tachea
- 2 Tachea–Qemmamine
- 3 Qemmamine–Kfar Bnine
- 4 Kfar Bnine–Sir Ed Dinnieh
- 5 Sir Ed Dinnieh–EhdenEhdenEhden is a mountainous town situated in the heart of the northern mountains of Lebanon and on the southwestern slopes of Mount Makmal and Kornet el Sawda, the highest peak in Lebanon...
- 6 Ehden–Qannoubine
- 7 Qannoubine–BsharriBsharriBsharri , is a Lebanese town at about 1,450 m of altitude, near the Kadisha Valley. It is located at , in the Bsharri District of the North Governorate. Bsharri is the town of the only remaining Original Cedars of Lebanon...
- 8 Bsharri–HasrounHasrounHasroun is a village located in the Bsharri District in the North Governorate of Lebanon. It is situated in the Valley of Qadisha, overlooking the southern branch of this valley, the Qannoubine Valley....
- 9 Hasroun–TannourineTannourineTannourine is a Lebanese municipality located in the Batroun_District, part of the Mohafazah of North-Lebanon, 75 km from the capital Beirut.-Etymology:...
- 10 Tannourine El Faouqa–Aaqoura
- 11 Aaqoura–AfqaAphecaApheca, known today in Arabic as Afqa or Afka, "source", is located in the mountains of Lebanon, about 20 kilometres from the ancient city of Jebail, which still stands just east of the town of Qartaba...
- 12 Afqa–Hrajel
- 13 Hrajel–Kfar Aaqab
- 14 Kfar Aaqab–BaskintaBaskintaBaskinta is a Lebanese village situated at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level. It is renowned for its natural beauty and moderate climate. It is the birth place of Mikhail Naime....
- 15 Baskinta–Mtain
- 16 Mtain–Falougha
- 17 Falougha–Aain Zhalta
- 18 Aain Zhalta–BaroukBaroukBarouk is a village in the Chouf District of Lebanon . Historically, the village is known for being the "land of good", because of its fountain . The poet Rachid Nakhleh, the writer of the national hymn , was born in Barouk...
- 19 Barouk–Maasser
- 20 Maasser– Niha
- 21 Niha–JezzineJezzineJezzine is a town in Lebanon, located from Sidon and south of Beirut. Surrounded by mountain peaks, pine forests, and at an average altitude of 950 m , it is the main summer resort and tourist destination of South Lebanon...
- 22 Jezzine-Aaytanit
- 23 Aaytanit-Kawkaba Bou Aarab
- 24 Kawkaba Bou Aarab–RashayaRashayaRashaya , also known as Rashaya al-Wadi is a town in Lebanon, situated in the Rashaya District and south of the Beqaa Governorate. It is located on the slopes of Mount Hermon, south east of Beirut near the Syrian border, and approximately halfway between Jezzine and Damascus...
- 25 Rachaya–HasbayaHasbayaHasbeya or Hasbeiya is a town in Lebanon, situated about 36 miles to the west of Damascus, at the foot of Mount Hermon, overlooking a deep amphitheatre from which a brook flows to the Hasbani. In 1911, the population was about 5000....
- 26 Hasbaya–MarjayounMarjayounMarjayoun is a Lebanese town and administrative district, Marjeyoun District, in the Nabatieh Governorate in Southern Lebanon...