Hiking group crosses Lebanon from south to north to preserve the mountain trail

The Lebanon Mountain Trail Association has organized for the fourth year in a row a month-long hike from the south to the north of Lebanon.       

Through organizing hikes, this association aims at introducing hikers to the incredible biodiversity of the country’s mountain trails and to preserve the pathways on which our ancestors marched hundreds of years ago.       

160 people are participating in this year’s hiking trail, in addition to a unit of the Lebanese Army Mountain Regiment. Seven of these participants are walking the entire pathway.        

The participants are not only Lebanese but include tourists from a multitude of countries.       

Participants are avoiding paved roads as much as possible; they are crossing 10 to 20 km a day and their last stop on Monday was between Hrajel and Afqa.        

The Mountain Trail contributes in introducing participants to historical monuments and natural resources and providing economic benefits for rural communities along the trail; in fact, overnight stays and meals with local families or at small lodges along the trail provide a welcome injection of revenue for the mountain communities.