Layers of history
An important archeological site Overlooking the Roman Stairs, the Qornet el Deir site is enclosed by rocky cliffs on all sides, some over 4 to 5 meters tall, within a natural compound on top of a hill. It appears as an almost round flat space well protected from invaders.
The site consists of many layers of history, left by the people who occupied the location and lived here from the Middle Bronze Age to the Ottoman period.
Qornet El Deir is not only remarkable because of its incredibly long history, but also because of the wealth of architectural features, which means that the communities that have lived here over the centuries had achieved a great deal of wealth and importance, probably also thanks to agriculture.
The hike from the Qehmez entrance towards the site and back is an easy loop of 1,9 km. Ongoing excavations and studies are being conducted since 2017 and the site was listed on the DGA’s list of protected monuments in 2018.
Quick overview
-
Opening days
Open daily
-
Opening times
From 8:00 am till 5:00 pm
-
How to reach
By car/bus/walk:
From Beirut Airport to Qornet el Deir site by private transportation. The total distance is approximately 51 km. You can reach the site by way of an easy hike of 1.9 km - Web
-
Reservation & Price
Visitors need to book the guided tour, lunch and accommodation in advance
Bookings can be done over the phone or through the website
Services
-
Visits
20 Local guides
3 local guards
Kounayna’s guesthouse
Lara Abou Mrad’s guesthouse
1 bakery
Available in
English, French, Arabic
Additional Info
Jabal Moussa Biosphere reserve entrance fee:
4 USD adults over 16
2 USD children under 16
Please gear up with hiking shoes, hiking stick (optional), backpack, energy bars, 1L of water/person, sunscreen
Make sure to inform us in advance if you have a health condition
Suggested periods
- Autumn
- Spring
Visiting Rules
Basic rules:
No hunting
No picking flowers and plants
No smoking or lighting fires
No pets