- NATURE & ECOTOURISM
- SPORTS & ADVENTURE
- hiking
Rachaya el Wadi, Rachaya district
Trail length 24 km
North to South
From Rachaya el Wadi to Hasbaya
Total ascent 739m
Total descent 1242m
Level of difficulty Very Difficult (8hrs)
South to North
From Hasbaya to Rachaya el Wadi
Total ascent 1242m
Total descent 739m
Level of difficulty Very Difficult (8hrs)
From Rachaya el Wadi main square, follow the road that leads to the army barracks and Rachaya Castle. Continue along the narrow roads to leave the town and then take a dirt road that will lead you to a footpath. At the end, take a short walk towards the paved road and continue along it for thirty to forty minutes before reaching the hamlet of el Feqaa. Then take a small road to the right in the direction of the goat farm and from there, a footpath that will end at the beginning of the valley. Start climbing up into the valley and continue for an hour along on nice footpath before reaching the top of the hill. Then take the dirt road and follow it between the orchards to Ain Aata village. Go through the village on the paved road and then take the dirt road along the ridge line before leaving it at the point where you take the un-cleared footpath towards the valley as far as the pine tree line. Then go down the dirt road and follow the metal fences, taking the un-cleared path downhill to reach the cleared footpath that leads you into an oak forest. Continue to the dirt road and then turn left and follow it, passing by the hill lake and continuing down to Ain Tenta village. Pass by the village spring and walk through the village to the concrete road. Continue walking down on this road before leaving it at the umbrella pine forest where you can make a left turn on a cleared footpath to the valley. Pass below Ain Tenta cave and follow the path which will lead you across the stream. From there, make your way to the dirt road following an uncleared path under some pine trees as far as the crossroads. Cross the stream and make a right turn on a dirt road than concrete road to the bottom of the valley before going up the paved road to reach Ain Qenia village. Go along the paved road for a few meters and then take the left turn near the petrol station which will lead you down to the town of Hasbaiya. The section finishes at the Chehabi castle.
Important to know
- There are no difficult passages along this section; the trail consists of dirt and paved roads, footpaths 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 Rachaya el Wadi and Hasbaya, take the Damascus highway from Beirut to the Beqaa Valley. Continue on the main highway across the valley to Majdel Aanjar. And before reaching the border post at Masnaa, turn right passing by the village of Sultan Yacoub. At Dahr el Ahmar, turn left to go to Rachaiya or right to continue on southwards to Hasbaya.
Source: Lebanon Mountain Trail Association