Biking
Bicycles are available at the Park House in Maasser for use on different trails and roads in the SBR. (See Eco-tourism Packages)
Snowshoeing
Strap on your snowshoes and enjoy a walk through the snow covered cedar forests. Snowshoes are available for participants who want to enjoy this safe sport and can be rented at the Park House in Maasser, or from the Ain Zhalta/Bmohray and Barouk entrances.
Village tours
These tours will allow the tourist to explore typical Lebanese villages and become familiar with archaeological and historical monuments, geological attractions, old houses and traditional cuisine. (See Towns and Villages section)
Adopt a Cedar – Cedars Forever
In an effort to restore Lebanon’s mountains to their original glory the Cedars Forever organization plans to plant hundreds of thousands of cedar trees over a period of 10 years in a barren area of 14 million square meters near the Barouk cedar forest. Individuals and organizations wishing to contribute to the program may do so by adopting a cedar. For $150 a cedar will be planted bearing the name of the person who adopted it.
Local festivals
During September of every year the villages surrounding the Shouf Biosphere Reserve hold various festivals attended by a wide range of visitors and local residents. Local cuisine, traditional products, artefacts, games and outdoor activities are available.
The most prominent of these festivals are held in:
Maasser el Shouf – Jabalna ( ), جبلنا
Mrosti – Mawassem Mrosti ( ), مواسم مرستي
Khreibeh and Botmeh ( ), العشاء القروي
Barouk water festival ( ). مهرجان نبع الباروك
The main objective of the local festivals is to attract visitors and promote the sale of fresh fruits and traditional food products grown in the Shouf area. The local festivals also raise awareness about the need to protect the environment and its precious resources. These festivals are a good example of stakeholder collaboration because they are a cooperative effort organized by the Shouf Biosphere Reserve and village farmers and residents.
The Beiteddine Art Festival
It is one of the leading festivals in the Middle East. It takes place in the magnificent 200-year old Beiteddine Palace built by the Emir Bachir in the Shouf Mountains. Each year, in the months of July and August, the Festival presents outstanding musical and theatrical performances by world famous stars and Lebanese artists.
Museums
Beiteddine Palace Museum: Beiteddine Palace is a 19th century palace in Beiteddine, built by Emir Bachir Shehab. The palace is home to an archaeological and ethnographic museum as well as Byzantine Mosaic museum.
Address: Beiteddine
Marie Baz Museum: this wax museum features the country’s most prominent rulers and politicians.
Address: Deir el Qamar
Moussa Castle: built by Moussa Al Maamari who engraved each stone with decorative figures and different scenes, illustrating village life in the 19th century in Lebanon.
Address: Deir el Qamar