Lebanon Mountain Trail

The Lebanon Mountain Trail was proposed in 2002 by Joseph Karam, president of the US-based consulting company ECODIT, while thinking of ways to develop ecotourism products in Lebanon. Taking inspiration from the Appalachian Trail in the US, he conceptualized the idea with his colleague Karim El-Jisr, and in 2005 applied for grant funding from USAID Lebanon. ECODIT was awarded $3.3 million to implement the project between 2006 and 2008, and to establish the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association (LMTA) to "ensure the long-term sustainability of the trail". In 2021, the German Government in partnership with the International Labour Organization invested $1.1 million in the LMTA to fund maintenance of 590 kilometers of the main trail and side trails. The LMT has been affected by Lebanon's economic crisis and the state of the country, including the Lebanese liquidity crisis, the 2020 Beirut Explosion, and the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a large decrease in tourism. == Thru-hiking ==

Every spring, the LMTA hosts a group thru-hike that covers the full trail in one month. Fastest known times On May 1, 2021, Ali Kedami and Nayla Cortas completed the LMT together in 6 days 12 hours and 15 minutes. Nayla also became the first woman to run the LMT. The previous record of 6 days and 17 hours was set in June 2017 by Patrick Vaughan. == Notable locations ==

• Kadisha Valley • Cedars of God • Mount Lebanon == Sections ==

The LMT is divided into 27 sections, each of which is 9–24 km long and can be hiked in one day: Section 0: Andaket–Qobaiyat • Qobaiyat-Tachea • Tachea–Qemmamine • Qemmamine–Kfar Bnine • Kfar Bnine–Sir Dinniyeh • Sir Ed Dinnieh–Ehden • Ehden–Qannoubine • Qannoubine–Bsharri • Bsharri–Hasroun • Hasroun–Tannourine • Tannourine El Faouqa–Aaqoura • Aaqoura–Afqa • Afqa–Hrajel • Hrajel–Kfar Aaqab • Kfar Aaqab–Baskinta • Baskinta–Mtain • Mtain–Falougha • Falougha–Aain Zhalta • Aain Zhalta–Barouk • Barouk–Maasser • Maasser–Niha • Niha–Jezzine • Jezzine-Aaytanit • Aaytanit-Kawkaba Bou Aarab • Kawkaba Bou Aarab–Rashaya • Rachaya–Hasbaya • Hasbaya–Marjayoun • Ain Ebel == Side trails ==

• Douma side trail • Ehmej side trail • Baskinta side trail • Bkassine side trail ==References==