- NATURE & ECOTOURISM
- SPORTS & ADVENTURE
- hiking
Falougha, Baabda district
Trail length 16,5 km
North to South
From Falougha to Ain Zhalta
Total ascent 560m
Total descent 936m
Level of difficulty Challenging
South to North
From Ain Zhalta to Falougha
Total ascent 936m
Total descent 560m
Level of difficulty Difficult
From Soha Village resort, walk on the paved road that leads you to the cedar forest and enter the forest by the main entrance. Walk through it to reach the paved road which you cross before taking the dirt road to the cliff. Then continue towards el Mighite plain by way of the dam and the French trenches as well as passing by the site of the old underground military hospital. Cross the Beirut-Damascus highway and continue up the quarry road before taking a right fork. Follow the dirt road, passing the air towers, before taking a left turn down another dirt road. Follow the stream and go through a private orchard of apple and cherry trees before continuing towards another stream. Then follow the road to the Roman bridge, leaving it on your left, and continue straight on before climbing up a goat trail. Follow it for an hour until you reach a hill lake where you make a left turn to arrive at a dirt road. Then go right along it before you leave and take a partially concealed path to the left. Continue down it until you reach a paved road and then make a left turn and continue straight on before taking a dirt road to reach the entrance of the Ain Zhalta nature reserve. The section ends there but you can follow the paved road which will take you to Ain Zhalta village.
Important to know
- There are no difficult passages along this section; the trail consists of dirt and paved roads, water pipes and goat trails.
- This section is completely marked.
- If you plan to walk alone, please inform the LMTA about the dates of your trip at info@lebanontrail.org and ask for the GPS track.
- For your stay, contact the guesthouse or the guide few days before you start your trip.
Getting there
To reach Falougha, follow the main Damascus highway from Beirut to Dahr el Baidar from where a left turn brings you to both towns. The LMT is accessible from all these locations. The roads are paved and public transportation is available to Falougha, Qornayel and Mtein.
To reach Ain Zhalta and Barouk, take the Damascus highway out of Beirut and climb to Dahr el Baidar passing through Aley, Bhamdoun and Sawfar. At Dahr el Baidar, make a right turn and drive through Ain Dara to reach both towns. You can also take the coastal highway south to Damour. From there, take the road to Deir el Qamar and Beit ed Dine. At Maasser Beit ed Dine, take the left-hand fork to reach el Barouk and Ain Zhalta. The LMT is accessible from Ain Zhalta and el Barouk. The roads are paved and public transportation is available.
Source: Lebanon Mountain Trail Association