Jeita Grotto, Harissa & Byblos Tour: 2025 Review & Tips

Planning a trip to Lebanon pretty much means you are looking for that perfect day trip, right? Honestly, there is this one combination tour that just seems to stand out from all the rest. We are talking about the tour that takes you to Jeita Grotto, Harissa, and Byblos, which is, in a way, three of the country’s most iconic sites. To be honest, seeing them all in one go is a really efficient way to get a feel for Lebanon’s incredible variety. You sort of get a massive piece of natural beauty, a high point of spiritual significance, and literally one of the oldest cities on Earth. I mean, it’s a full day that leaves you with so many different feelings and pictures in your head. Anyway, what you get from this experience is a small, concentrated dose of what makes this part of the world so deeply interesting and completely unique. We went on the tour and, well, wanted to share some thoughts so you know exactly what to expect for your own trip in 2025.

A Glimpse into the Underworld: The Jeita Grotto Experience

Okay, so your first stop is typically the Jeita Grotto, and frankly, pictures just do not do it justice. It’s actually split into two parts, an upper and a lower cavern, and you kind of experience them differently. You first take a little cable car up the mountainside, which obviously already offers some great views. For instance, you enter the upper grotto on foot, along a specially made walkway. The scale of the place is, honestly, just stunning; you’re surrounded by these gigantic rock formations that look sort of like they were sculpted by a giant. Some of them are apparently called ‘the mushroom’ or ‘the cauliflower’, which is a little funny given how grand it all feels. The air inside is very cool and damp, and really, the only sound is the gentle drip of water that has been forming this place for thousands of years, you know?

The lower grotto is, well, a completely different feeling. To see it, you actually get into a small boat and float along a silent, dark river that runs through the caves. This part is just a little spooky but in a really cool way. The boat guide, who usually points out formations with a flashlight, often keeps quiet, letting you just absorb the quietness. Seriously, the reflections of the stalactites and stalagmites on the water’s surface are incredibly beautiful. It is like you are floating between two worlds, and that is just a pretty unique sensation. You will likely feel very small in there, in a good way. It’s a kind of reminder of nature’s slow and patient artistry, and at the end of the day, it’s an experience that feels almost prehistoric and completely otherworldly.

Reaching for the Heavens at Harissa

After being deep inside the earth, your next stop is, pretty much, the complete opposite. To get to Harissa, you usually ride a *téléphérique*, which is basically a fancy name for a cable car that goes straight up a mountain. As you go up, you will just get this amazing view of the Bay of Jounieh below you. It is a stunning coastline, and the view, well, it gets better and better the higher you go. The ride itself is actually quite relaxing, a sort of peaceful glide up into the sky. It’s frankly one of those moments where you want to have your camera ready the entire time. As a matter of fact, the transition from the dark, enclosed caves to the wide-open, bright sky is quite a dramatic shift in your day.

At the top, you will find the magnificent Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, and it is honestly a sight to behold. A huge, white-painted bronze statue of Mary stretches her arms out over the bay, and the feeling up there is incredibly serene. You definitely do not need to be religious to appreciate the quiet and the breathtaking panorama, right? You can walk around the base or even climb a spiral staircase to get right up to the feet of the statue for an even better view. Many people just find a spot to sit and think for a bit. The air is clear, you can see for miles, and there is a sort of powerful stillness to the place. Anyway, it feels like a really calm moment, a point in the day to just breathe and take everything in from a bird’s-eye perspective.

Walking Through Millennia in Byblos

Finally, your day usually ends in Byblos, or Jbeil as it is known locally, and this place is just on another level. I mean, it is said to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. As soon as you step into the old part of the city, you literally feel the weight of history around you. You can wander through a Crusader-era castle that, well, stands right next to ancient Roman and Phoenician ruins. It’s that kind of place where different layers of time are all visible at once. To be honest, it is fascinating to see how a modern, living city has grown around these ancient stones.

The old souk, or market, is a series of lovely, stone-paved alleyways that you could easily get lost in. It is full of little artisan shops, fossil sellers, and cute cafes, so it has a really nice, relaxed energy. Obviously, this is a great place to pick up some souvenirs or just sit with a cool drink. From the souk, it is just a short walk to the absolutely picturesque old harbor. You can see small, colorful fishing boats bobbing in the water, with waterside restaurants setting up for dinner. At the end of the day, Byblos feels like a perfect storybook city, especially as the sun starts to set. It’s a wonderful place to just stroll and imagine all the generations of people who have done the exact same thing over thousands of years.

Practical Tips for Your 2025 Tour

Okay, so if you are planning on doing this tour, there are a few practical things you should probably know. First, you should absolutely wear comfortable shoes. Seriously, you will be doing a fair amount of walking, especially around the Byblos ruins and through the souk, you know? And inside the Jeita Grotto, the walkways can be a bit damp. As a matter of fact, it’s also a pretty good idea to bring a light jacket or sweater. The temperature inside the grotto is cool year-round, so even on a hot day, you might feel a little chill in there.

You are seeing nature, faith, and history all woven together. At the end of the day, it’s more than just a tour; it’s a very rich story about Lebanon itself, told in three amazing chapters.

You might want to bring some water with you, just to stay hydrated throughout the day. Your tour might include lunch, but you should probably check that beforehand. In any case, having a bottle of water on hand is always smart. By the way, carrying a little bit of local currency, the Lebanese Pound, could be helpful for small purchases, like a coffee in Byblos or a small souvenir, even though many places accept cards. And naturally, do not forget your camera. Like, every stop on this trip is incredibly photogenic, from the dark caves to the sky-high views and the ancient harbor. You will definitely want to capture those memories. Oh, and sun protection is a good idea, as a lot of your time in Harissa and Byblos will be spent outdoors, pretty much under the open sky.

Read our full review: Jeita Grotto, Harissa and Byblos Tour Full Review and Details
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Book Your Lebanon Day Tour)