Over the past 10 years, a number of small outfitters have emerged that cater to the outdoor adventure and historical/cultural travel market. Several of these tour operators are embracing the ecotourism ethos, offering trips that will allow you to explore the country’s natural beauty and World Heritage sites on foot, bicycle, and raft while leaving a minimal ecological footprint. Additionally, by arranging for small groups to stay in B&Bs as well as hotels and campsites, visitors get the chance to interact with local cultures, and local communities get the opportunity to directly benefit from tourism.

Small outfitters offer visitors the chance to custom tailor their trips and activities (from high-intensity trekking and mountain climbing, to low intensity hikes and cycling, to educational homestays with local families). They are also flexible in terms of the length of trips and offering different packages for different budgets.

Lebanon’s major tour operators offer a variety of traditional tour packages, ranging from ski programs to shopping and nightlife tours to “highlights of Lebanon” tours. Many also include outbound options to the main attractions in Syria and Jordon. While most large tour operators use comfort and convenience as their main selling point, a few companies are tailoring some of their packages to a more adventurous audience, with hiking, biking, camping, rafting, and caving some of the possibilities. The tour packages include airport pickup/drop-off, hotel, transportation, and meals.