Bekaa Valley Excursion: Exploring Baalbek, Anjar & Chateau Ksara with Lebanese Lunch

25 Ratings

Baalbeck

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Embark on a small-group tour from Beirut to the Bekaa Valley, where you’ll explore the ancient Baalbek temple complex, the historic city of Anjar, and enjoy a wine tasting at Chateau Ksara. Indulge in a delicious Lebanese lunch along the way.

Duration: 9 hours

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Temples of Baalbek - The complex of temples at Baalbek is located at the foot of the south-west slope of Anti-Lebanon, bordering the fertile plain of the Bekaa at an altitude of 1150 m. The city of Baalbek reached its apogee during Roman times. Its colossal constructions built over a period of more than two centuries, make it one of the most famous sanctuaries of the Roman world and a model of Imperial Roman architecture. Pilgrims thronged to the sanctuary to venerate the three deities, known under the name of the Romanized Triad of Heliopolis, an essentially Phoenician cult (Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus).
Sayyida Khawla Shrine - The Mosque of sayeda Khawla in Baalbek, Lebanon is erected on the site where Sayyida Khawla, the daughter of Imam al-Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is believed to have been buried. People of Baalbek believe that when the caravan of captives of Karbala passed Baalbek, The daughter of Imam al-Hussein, called Khawla passed away and was buried there.
Stone of the Pregnant Woman - The Stone of the Pregnant Woman is a worked Roman monolith in Baalbek, Lebanon. Together with another ancient stone block nearby, it is among the largest monoliths ever quarried. The two building blocks were presumably intended for the nearby Roman temple complex, and are characterized by a monolithic gigantism that was unparalleled in antiquity.
Umayyad Ruins of Aanjar - The Umayyad Ruins of Aanjar bears outstanding witness to the Umayyad civilization and a good example of an inland commercial centre, at the crossroads of two important routes: one leading from Beirut to Damascus and the other crossing the Bekaa and leading from Homs to Tiberiade. The site of this ancient city was only discovered by archaeologists at the end of the 1940s.
The ruins of Anjar include the walls of the Umayyad palace, harems, a mosque, the great palace of the Caliph, thermal baths, and many pillars which include some elements of the Roman architectural style.
Chateau Ksara - Located in the Bekaa Valley and founded in 1857 by Jesuit Priests, Château Ksara developed the first dry wine in Lebanon. The winery produces approximately 3 million bottles annually, that can be found and purchased in many different countries.

What's Included

Tour Leader
Local guide
Hotel Pick up & Drop off
In-vehicle air conditioning
Lunch at a local Lebanese restaurant

What's Not Included

Gratuities

Additional Information

Embark on a captivating journey from Beirut on a small-group tour that unveils the treasures of the Bekaa Valley region. Marvel at the magnificent Baalbek temple complex, boasting the awe-inspiring structures of Bacchus and Jupiter, among the grandest Roman temples ever erected. Delve into the historic allure of the old city of Anjar, a remarkable testament to Umayyad urban design. Indulge your senses with tastings of red, white, and rosé wines at Château Ksara. This full-day Lebanese excursion covers all entrance fees and treats you to a delectable Lebanese lunch.

Location

Temples of Baalbek

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

5.0

(25 Ratings)

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Curious61985524339

Sep 30, 2023

Worth all 5 stars. - The whole trip exceeded my expectations.. I was collected in time, very friendly guide, and the very informative. Both main visits with a professional archeologist. On top the lunch was excellent. Although hesitant about Ksara, it turned out to be a nice end of the visit to the Beeka valley.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Vacation08993613930

Jan 1, 2023

Excellent! - The journey was excellent and the the support from guide Hassan was great! From the very beginning the tour was picked with information. We were lucky with the weather and guide Hassan transfered a super atmosphere!

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David_s

Jul 13, 2022

Great tour of Lebanon - This was a superb tour. Natasha is an archaeologist and brought many insights from her expertise. She always had something interesting to say as we went along, and the meal was superb too.

Review provided by Viator

473andreeam

Jun 5, 2022

Best of Lebanon - This tour is absolutely amazing. The sightseeing are a must. Paula was our guide. She is fun guide and very accommodating

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Sophienz3147dt

Feb 13, 2022

Breathtaking heritage sites and amazing tour guides - I had an amazing day, the tour was perfect! The heritage sites were breathtaking (especially Baalbek, an absolute must-see since the temple is in so great condition) and the guides were so kind and helpful and could explain so much about the sites in particular and the whole country in general. I would definitely recommend to book this tour, also perfect for solo-travelers. Although I booked the tour only three days in advance, everything went perfectly fine. I was a bit worried the tour might get cancelled because I was the only guest, but it took place anyways and was absolutely worth it.

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Fedra_s

Dec 17, 2021

Very Insightful tour,... - Very Insightful tour, delicious lunch and wine tasting and a friendly tour guide. A visit to Lebanon without a tour to Baalbek is incomplete.

Review provided by Viator

Jasmine_aliaas

Aug 16, 2021

Amazing tour and Awesome guides!!! - Wonderful tour, very nice and knowledgeable tour guides! I really enjoyed seeing Baalbek as it was on my bucket list of places to visit. Albert is very kind and he made our tour become a great experience as he spoke both English and French to accommodate everyone in the group. Charbel also was very knowledgeable and funny. He told us all about the construction of the temples, made our tour so easy and took some pictures for us despite the hot temperatures. I would definitely go back to Lebanon and join Lebanon Tours and Travels again in the future!!! Aliaa

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Karenlaw160

Nov 29, 2020

Absolutely perfect day! - Everything about this tour was perfect! The sites were breathtaking, and the guides were very well informed. It was the perfect balance between being led around, and being free to explore myself. The tour of Ksara winery was a lovely way to end the day, with a tour of the caves followed by a wine tasting. The lunch was authentic Lebanese cuisine, and was absolutely delicious. My driver and main tour guide, Fadi, was amazing, going above and beyond to ensure the day was perfect.

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Cammori

Feb 22, 2020

High-quality tour - This tour was incredible — from the kindness and knowledge of the tour guides to the quality of the lunch and the amazing monuments. Would definitely recommend and go again!

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Cubedude