20 most frequently asked questions
about
'Ski and See' holidays in Lebanon
What
level of skier are the resorts of Faraya Mazaar and The Cedars best
suited to?
What
are the lift queues like?
What
is the nightlife like at the slopes?
How
long are transfer times to the two resorts and what is the transport
like?
What
is the ski hire like?
What
happens if weather conditions on the slopes are bad?
What
other winter sports activities are available in the resorts?
What
is the food like and is it expensive?
Are
there any restrictions on the consumption of alcohol?
How
much spending money will we need?
What
is the accommodation like?
How
far is the accommodation from the slopes and what time do the slopes
open?
What
procedures are in place if there is an accident on the slopes?
What
are the minimum and maximum numbers of people you can take in any one
group?
What
is the most commonly spoken language in Lebanon?
What
is the value of the Lebanese Pound to the UK pound?
Can
I use visa card or are travellers cheques preferred?
What
clothes are required?
Will
we need a visa and what inoculations are required?
Do
we need holiday insurance?
What
level of skier are the resorts of Faraya Mazaar and The Cedars best suited
to?
At Faraya if you are an advanced skier, you will find in two days you have skied the best of the resort and will be in search of pastures new. An option here, if looking for a more challenging day, is to take a guide from the ski school to show you other exciting areas and arrange to go ski touring over the back of the resort. Intermediates will have a lot of fun at Faraya and it is also an ideal resort for beginners as the lower slopes are wide, gentle and empty!
The Cedars is very different. The resort is beautiful and the lifts are in a huge basin. If the single chair taking you to the very top of the mountain for the off-piste is not running (as it is owned by a separate company) then advanced skiers may prefer to give the down-hill skiing a miss. If the chair is working then advanced skiers will find the mountain fun but not exactly taxing though it will be challenging for intermediates. For beginners the Cedars is paradise! An alternative suggestion is to cross country ski which is wonderful at the Cedars and equipment easily hired or go on a skidoo trip. The reason we recommend seeing this resort is it is the most famous in Lebanon and the Maronite area it is in is completely fascinating.
Back
to top
What
are the lift queues like?
There are none during
the weekdays. At the weekends it gets busy but we arrange your itinerary
so that you do not ski then.
Back
to top
What
is the night life like at the slopes?
Excellent at the weekends
on Friday and Saturday nights, and very quiet during the week. This is
because both resorts are only an hour from the cities of Beirut and Tripoli
so the locals who are skiing there mid-week will return home at night.
The disadvantage of skiing at the weekend is the lift queues. Everyone
seems to descend on the slopes, where as on weekdays you have the slopes
to yourselves! This is why we make a point of arranging your itinerary
so that the days you ski are not at the weekend! Having said this you
will meet interesting people at the slopes as you are something of a novelty.
Everyone is very friendly and people will strike up conversations assuming
you work in Lebanon. The people you do meet in the evenings mid week will
be largely expats, from Cyprus or Syria.
Back
to top
How
long are transfer times to the two resorts and what is the transport like?
From Beirut to Faraya Mazaar is between an hour to an hour and a half dependent on the traffic in and around Beirut.
The Cedars can be difficult as during the winter the road up to the resort can be blocked. You are best to visit this resort in March or early April. From Beirut the transfer is between two to two and a half-hours. If wishing to do this resort we suggest going from Faraya to the Cedars via Tripoli on the coast and building an extra day into your itinerary to visit this fascinating ancient city.
Dependent on the group size we either use taxis or a 22 seater bus. If the group is 10 or over we use the bus. This is clean and in immaculate condition.
Back
to top
What
is the ski hire like?
This is excellent
and to an international standard. Again if your group is 10 or more we
can pre-book a concessionary rate for you, even if you are not all skiing,
at $10.00 (around £6.50) per day. For the same price you can also
get either cross-country skis in the Cedars, or ski shoes in both resorts.
Hiring can be done right up on the slopes, so you can ski
back to the shop and leave your skis each night without lugging them around.
This is also handy if the weather is suddenly poor and you want to skip
a days skiing and sightsee instead, as you obviously don't need to pay
for ski hire that day.
Back
to top
What
happens if weather conditions on the slopes are bad?
Ski hire is by the slopes, so if it really is unpleasant then there is no need to waste money on the ski hire, instead come back down, phone the agents in Beirut to send up a taxi and guide for you, to take you sightseeing. There will be an extra charge for this, but they can quote you over the phone so you can decide whether you want to go to Byblos, Beirut, Wine Tasting etc. See Sightseeing for suggestions.
Back
to top
What
other winter sport activities are available in the resorts?
In both Faraya and the Cedars you can hire snow boards or snow shoes to go off exploring. In the Cedars you can also hire cross-country skis at $10.00 (around £6.50)per day. Another excitement is the skidoos. This is done well away from the ski slopes in an undulating basin. The hire price is $30.00 (around £20.00) for half an hour. If however you want to take the opportunity to go on a skidoo trip across the mountains, back to Faraya, you must let the agents in Beirut know, so they can arrange this in advance and make sure you get collected! In the Cedars there is a private paraskiing club, which the agents might be able to arrange paraskiing with. If you are interested, could you let them know so it can be looked into to ensure you are happy with the cost etc.
Back
to top
What
is the food like and is it expensive?
The food is heaven!
Great store is put by the 'mezzes' in Lebanon, which have the added bonus
of being well balanced, healthy and appetising as well as vegetarian.
A standard meal will have Hommos (Chickpeas with Sesame cream), Batinjan
(creamed aubergine with a smoky taste), and Lubyeh (yoghurt with garlic
and mint) for dipping savoury bread. This is always accompanied by Tabbouleh,
a salad of parsley, cracked wheat, chopped onion and tomatoes, which is
scooped up with lettuce leaves. Other salads are just green with coriander
and cucumber/and or tomatoes. The main course is normally chicken or mutton
kebabs or a mince dish served with salad and chips. It can also be fish
which is slightly spicy and very good! Fresh fruit usually follows. If
you are going out to a restaurant then there are no limits to what is
on offer and the abundance of it can be quite overwhelming! The local
beer Almaza is delicious and far better than the imported brands. Wine
is also excellent and of a higher proof than in U.K so be warned!
In the ski resort
of Faraya food is expensive. On the slopes for a snack of sandwiches and
a soft drink you are looking at paying out £2.50. If you go for a good
lunch of Pizza and wine this will cost you around £12.00. In the evenings
you will end up paying in the region of £25.00 for a slap up dinner with
alcohol. In the Cedars it is much the same, however the Hotel Chbat that
you stay in does the most fabulous 'home cooking' and this is in the region
of £10.00, but does not include alcohol. Where ever you eat in Lebanon
though you can not fail to enjoy it!
Back
to top
Are
there any restrictions on the consumption of alcohol?
No! At least not
where you will be going! Obtaining alcohol is a problem at Baalbeck but
the Hotel we use, The Palmyra, does serve it, though you will be pushed
to find it anywhere else in Baalbeck. It has also been found to be a problem
in the old city of Tripoli, so we now lunch down by the seaside, instead
of in the city.
Back
to top
How
much spending money will I need?
This depends on what
you want to do. On the days you ski, budget on £50.00 per day and you
won't go wrong. This will cover snacks/lunch on the ski slopes, ski hire,
and passes. (It will also allow for taxis in the evening and get you a
very good Lebanese dinner with alcohol). If you want to hire a ski guide
or do ski school then bring another £20.00 per skiing day. For non-skiers
and days when everyone is not skiing then you will only need to budget
for £25.00 per day as lunch is included on all sightseeing days. Other
things that might tempt you though are skidoos at the Cedars which are
$30.00(around £20.00) for half an hour zooming around (in an area well
away from the ski slopes!) There are also wonderful things to buy in the
souks, scented soaps, silks, gold and beautiful blue glass and silver
work - so the extra money you bring depends on how keen you are on shopping!
Back
to top
What
is the accommodation like?
This depends on your budget. We use a combination of 3, 4 or 5 star hotels. In all cases you have an ensuite bathroom. In Faraya the three star has a shower only. In the Cedars it is a bath and shower as in Beirut. The 4 and 5 stars are of an excellent quality and you will be very comfortable.
Back
to top
How
far is the accommodation from the slopes and what time do the lifts open?
In Faraya Maazar the 3 star is 10 minutes from the slopes, but transport is arranged. The 5 star is on the slopes. The lifts open at 8.00am. They stop running at 3.30pm which means you are back down for tea by 4.00pm.
In the Cedars you are 15 minutes from the slopes in the village of Bcharre. This allows sightseeing to be within walking distance. Again transport is laid on to the ski slopes. The lifts open at 8.00am. If there is little demand they will close at 2.30 - 3.00pm, but this still gives you the best part of the afternoon to come back down and sightsee.
Back
to top
What
procedures are in place if there is an accident on the slopes?
In Faraya Mazaar there is a 12 person rescue team supported by an ambulance for emergency cases always ready at the ski resort. If a serious accident occurs you will be taken down to Beirut. (Do not loose your ski pass as this gives you immediate and free emergency treatment.)
At the Cedars an ambulance will take you down to Tripoli if there is a serious accident.
Back
to top
What
are the minimum and maximum numbers of people you can take in any one
group?
This again depends on how much you want to spend. As the group numbers go up the cost comes down. A perfect number is 10 as that qualifies for group hotel reductions. We do not mix groups.
Back
to top
What
is the most commonly spoken language in Lebanon?
Arabic, but the Lebanese
are amazing linguists and French is the second language. Many Lebanese
speak excellent English, so you will find it a surprisingly easy country
to manage in.
Back
to top
What
is the value of the Lebanese pound to the UK pound?
This varies, but a
good rule of thumb is to say 2500 Lebanese lira (LL), known locally as
Lebanese pounds is the equivalent of £1.00 sterling. Roughly 1500LL is
equal to $1.00. If you bring cash with you, then make it US dollars as
these are used in parallel with the local currency, so you have no need
to change them into lira.
Back
to top
Can
I use visa card or are Travellers Cheques preferred?
Visa card is very
useful in Lebanon and all restaurants will accept them. Travellers cheques
can be used in the hotels as payment and change given back, but this is
more of a lengthy procedure and sometimes a photocopy of your passport
will be requested.
Back
to top
What
clothes are required?
Ski clothes. Non skiers holidaying in the winter months and visiting the resorts still need to bring a thick warm jacket. Down by the coast, when sightseeing it can be lovely and warm, so shirtsleeves and a thin jumper is all that is required, and may be a light jacket/blazer depending on where you want to eat out in Beirut.
Back
to top
Will
we need a visa and what inoculations are required?
Yes you will need
a visa. There are no required vaccinations to enter Lebanon, but it is
recommended that you have preventative shots for polio, tetanus and typhoid.
Back
to top
Do we need holiday insurance?
Yes this is compulsory.
So what
is the next step? -
Book your holiday in Lebanon
