All you need to know about getting 'piste' in Lebanon

BEIRUT: A morning of snow on the slopes before an afternoon with your toes dipped in the Med remains the enduring wonder of a Lebanese winter. Lebanon boasts some of the finest skiing in a mostly snow-starved Middle East, and is home to some of its more beautiful ski resorts. 

Lebanon’s top resort is Mzaar: a worldclass destination with 42 slopes and some 80 kilometers of piste between mid December and mid April. Modern ski lifts and the five-star luxury InterContinental hotel is flanked by views of the Bekaa valley to one side and – on a clear day – the Mediterranean on the other. 

Mzaar offers a challenging few days of quality slope to the experienced skier, accompanied by open expanses of off-piste adventure. The snow is also enjoyed by snowboarders, snowmobile enthusiasts and paragliders. 

The resort has much to offer intermediate and beginner skiers, with vast expanses of more gentle slopes at the foot of the mountain range. 

“The ski resort at Faraya [part of the Mzaar resort] is of a good standard with decent prices. I know Lebanese people often complain about the prices but foreigners find them reasonable,” said Alecos Loucaides of Varianos Travel, whose agency sells winter packages to Lebanon mainly to residents of Cyprus and Gulf nations through their website, SkiFarayaMzaar.com. 

The country’s highest resort, and therefore graced with the longest ski-season, is the Cedars – home of the flagship El Cedrus hotel. Three recently installed mountain-top chair-lifts have extended the ski area, which often sees snow cover as early as mid-November. The Cedars resort, just couple of hours drive from Beirut, “combines a venerable skiing experience with an unparalleled cultural one,” says skilebanon.travel website. 

The resort’s T-bar ski lifts, installed by the government in 1953 at 2000 meters, have recently been replaced by three new chairlifts that extend the skiing area considerably, taking skiers to the top of the mountains. The Cedars also cater for cross-country skiers and skidoo enthusiasts, with large expanses of level terrain surrounded by. 

Skilebanon.travel report plans to create a cable-car that will take visitors to the highest peak of the Cedars at 2870 meters, where a new ski station is being built alongside a terrace with telescopes that will be able to observe as far as Cyprus. 

Those with a penchant for the exclusive are often found at The Faqra resort; more commonly known as the Faqra Club among Lebanon’s skiing jet set. The chocolate-box villas or glorified chalets that surround the Auberge de Faqra hotel make up what may be the world’s first private ski resort and club. 

Although the resort was established in 1974, its heated swimming pool, sauna facilities, tennis courts, squash courts and a fitness center still look as modern as they did then, with immaculate surroundings all year round. 

For those looking for a quick day trip, the country’s smallest and lowest resort of Zaarour is the closest to Beirut; located on lower the slopes of the majestic Sannine Mountain. A private slope run by Zaroour Country Club, the resort is known for its excellent cross country skiing. 

Also well know for its cross country skiing is the country’s second highest resort: Laqlouq. The resort roughly lies between 1750 meters and 2000 meters in altitude, surrounded by sharp ridges and crevices. Unlike other resorts, the area surrounding the slopes is nearly free of buildings and construction giving it what skilebanon.travel describe as a more “one-with-nature” atmosphere. 

Down-slope from the popular Mzaar resort lies the quieter Qanat Bakish. The resort is based in one of Lebanon’s best-preserved towns and has become something of a well-kept secret for the discerning skier who prefers top quality snow on a quiet slope to the glamour of the Apres-ski. 

Mzaar may be king of the the snow covered Lebanese mountain for now, but plans to develop a 66-million-square-meter sper-resort atop of the western and eastern peaks of Sannine Mountain may soon shake the ski scene up.