Lebanon Test Tour Spring 2015 MEET Project Part 1 : Shouf and Tyre. 7 days / 6 nights

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1 Lebanon Test Tour Spring 2015 MEET Project Part 1 : Shouf and Tyre 7 days 6 nights Title: Cedars and Faces of Phoenicia Target visitors: Hikers Explorers. Family groups. Type of tour: Organized tour Maximum number of participants: 10 pax Hiking Level: Easy to moderate Location: Shouf Cedars Biosphere Reserve Tyre Coast Nature Reserve Duration: 7 days / 6 nights Season: April to December Type of accommodation: Twin bed rooming at hotel in Beirut Shared rooms and toilets at guesthouses in rural areas WiFi connection: Free at hotel in Beirut free, but occasional connections and limited access in rural areas) Type of transport vehicle: Minivan 9 seats AC, with driver availability and fuel included during the entire trip Implementing TO partner: Responsible Mobilities Price: 1152 Euros / person Price includes: All ground transportation and transfers from airport to hotel and versus, 6 nights B/B accommodation, (2 nights at hotel 3 stars in Beirut 2 nights at guesthouses in villages 2 nights at Inn in Tyre), English speaking Lebanese tour leader, all meals, all activities, entrance fees, local guides, insurance. Price doesn t include: Flight ticket, ticket insurance, airports taxes, visa expenses, personal expenses, alcohol drinks, additional night stays (due to unadequate flight schedule), any other expenses not mentioned in the package details. Package description: On the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon is a very diverse and green country. Join us to discover the land of the Phoenicians. Hike the forests of the trees that made the Phoenician culture possible. Meet the local people in the Shouf Biosphere Reserve, who contribute to the protection of the last cedar forests, symbol of Lebanon. Prepare a delicious Lebanese meal with locally produced provisions. Learn how our ancestors built their

2 Program: boats for fishing, trading and seafaring in Tyre Coast Nature Reserve. Try to spot the endangered sea turtles, and spend a day in the local fishermen boat enjoying fishing techniques and snorkeling to find the underwater archeological remains of Tyre. Day1: Arrival at airport (Different flight timing arrivals) Transfer to Hotel in Beirut (5km) (Provided by ITO to all individual participant) Day 2: Wednesday, April 29 Breakfast at hotel Briefing at hotel Departure to the Shouf Area (45km) Short stop at Deir elqamar (18 th c. National Heritage village) Continue to Maasser eshshouf village (20 km) Welcoming at the Shouf Biosphere Reserve Park House Brief about the MEET project and the SBR Light lunch with the team of the SBR Short transfer to the PA entrance at Maasser eshshouf side (7km) Easy Hiking in the Cedar Forest (7 km; start at 1730m end at 1340m; highest point during hike: 1820m; accumulative difference in altitude 160m; Cedars ) Transfer from elbarouk entrance to the village (5 km) Arrival to the elbarouk Guesthouse Rest and relax Gastronomic activity and dinner and overnight at elbarouk Guesthouse Day 3: Thursday, April 30 Breakfast at elbarouk guesthouse Transfer to The PA at Barouk side (8 km) Moderate Hiking from Barouk to Aammiq Wetland (Protected Area situated at the Eastern side of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve) (15km; start at 1700m end at 800m; highest point during hike: 1800m; accumulative difference in altitude 100m; Cedars Oak Panoramas over the Beqaa valley) Lunch at a local house in Aammiq Afternoon discovery to Aammiq wetlands, part of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve (Introduction to its fauna and flora and geophysical characteristics) Transfer to Kefrayya winery (6km): wine tasting and visit Transfer to elkhreybeh village (25 km) Arrival to elkhreybeh Guesthouse Rest and relax Visit an old Druze Sheikh at his house in elkhreybeh and discover the Druze religion esotericism and its traditional relation to nature conservation. Dinner and Overnight at elkhreybeh Guesthouse Day 4: Friday, May 1 Breakfast at elkhreybeh Guesthouse Transfer to Baadarane village (3km) Discover the old grapes press houses that used to produce molasses, and learn how to produce the typical Aabayas on the weaving loom of a local craftsman. Continue to Nabi Ayyoub Prophet Mausoleum in Niha village (22 km)

3 Moderate Hiking from Nabi Ayyoub to Fakhreddine cave site at the southern entrance of the SBR (5km; start at 1320m end at 1175m; highest point during hike: 1400m; accumulative difference in altitude 120m; Pine, oak, lime rock, cliff and panorama) Picnic lunch during hiking Visit the Emir Fakhreddine cave site located in a steep cliff (very easy and safe access), and discover the Hyrax animal sunbathing on the rocks in its natural environment Road to Tyre (65km) Arrival to Tyre city Check in at Auberge AlFanar in the old part of Tyre Dinner and overnight at Auberge elfanar in Tyre Day 5: Saturday, May 2 Early light breakfast with fishermen Boat fishing tour with fishermen in their traditional felucca boat inherited from the Phoenicians, locally made by local craftsmen on the old harbor, Learn about the different fishing traditions and the way of life of local fishermen, descendants of Phoenician roots as per the AND tests conducted in 2010 by National Geographic Magazine. You might discover the sea turtles swimming in their natural environment around the boat Discover the fresh water sources taking birth in the salty deep underwater of the sea Snorkeling activity, discovering the archeological remains fallen in the water after historical earthquakes that hit Tyre (6 meters deep) Lunch, fish catch of the day prepared with the local fishermen on the boat Meet with the craftsmen who construct traditional fishing boats on the old harbor Shower, rest and change at Auberge Wander in the Old quarter of Tyre leading to the house of the fisherman Dinner at a fisherman house Overnight at Auberge elfanar Day 6: Sunday, May 3 Typical breakfast at the old wakingup souq (Foul and Hommos) Short transfer to the Tyre Coast Nature Reserve Park House (2km) Welcoming at the TCNR Park House Introduction to the PA physical characteristics, their partnership with AlShouf Cedar Association on the MEET project Short transfer to the Conservation area (1km) Walk in the conservation area on the sand dunes and discover the typical vegetation Short transfer to the agricultural area (2 km) Visit the Ras elaain historical water sources and ponds, used here since the Phoenician period Walk to the artificial fresh water pond located near the coast and sheltering a very diversified ecosystem Discover the local fresh water fauna and flora at the artificial fresh water pond Lunch on the wooden terrace overlooking the fresh water artificial pond (prepared by women from the local community Road back to Beirut (80 km) Beirut Down Town City Tour Check in at Hotel in Beirut Dinner at restaurant in Beirut Overnight at hotel in Beirut Transfers start to airport according to flights schedules Day 7: Monday, May 4 Transfer to airport

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