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Guide >Hiking Trails >

LMT 19 Barouk - Maasser el Chouf

  • NATURE & ECOTOURISM
  • SPORTS & ADVENTURE
  • hiking

Barouk, Chouf district

Trail length 14 km

North to South
From Barouk to Maasser el Chouf
Total ascent 1067m
Total descent 668m
Level of difficulty Very Difficult

South to North
From Maasser el Chouf to Barouk 
Total ascent 668m
Total descent 1067m
Level of difficulty Difficult

Return from Barouk village to the main reserve entry point and go through the gate. You can either walk on the paved road or take the narrow track single-file below it on the right-hand side of the road. Follow this steep track to reach the main paved road near the cut-off track and continue on, keeping the paved road to the right. When you enter Masyaf el Mir forest, head straight to the square before taking a narrow track from near the trash bins. Start your ascent and follow the track up to the Maasser el Chouf reserve entry point where you can either take a car to the village or follow another narrow track to the right (just before the entrance gate) and walk downhill to arrive at Chouf cedar park.

Important to know
- There are no difficult passages along this section; the trail consists of narrow tracks and paved road.
- This section goes through the Shouf Biosphere Reserve.
- This section is not 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 el Barouk and Maasser el Chouf, take the Damascus highway out of Beirut and climb up to Dahr el Baidar, passing through Aley, Bhamdoun and Sawfar. At Dahr el Baidar, make a right turn and drive through Ain Dara and Ain Zhalta to reach Barouk. A left turn in the village puts you on the road leading to Maasser el Chouf. 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 el Barouk/Fraidis. The LMT is accessible from el Barouk and Maasser el Chouf. The roads are paved and public transportation is available to Barouk.

Source: Lebanon Mountain Trail Association