Mount Hermon
Snow behind the lake.
Hichamelzein — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hichamelzein — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hichamelzein — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Amalmc — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Amalmc — CC BY-SA 3.0
Lake Qaraoun is an artificial lake in the southern Beqaa Valley, created in 1959 by a dam on the Litani, Lebanon's longest river. Snow-capped Mount Hermon overlooks it in spring, and from the heights it looks like a blue patch among the hills. It makes a calm family outing for anyone wanting another side of the Beqaa, away from Zahle and Baalbek. The Albert Naccache dam is 61 m high, the largest in Lebanon. The lake generates power through stations at Markaba, Awali and Jun, and supplies drinking water and irrigation for 27,500 hectares. Its extent changes greatly with the season, and low water can expose an old stone bridge and a mill that lay beneath it. From nearby hills you look over blue water and Beqaa farmland, with Mount Hermon behind. Stone houses and vines stand near the shore, and in dry spells the ground cracks around the old arched bridge, a strange sight that draws photographers. The colours change greatly between green spring and dry summer. It is about 36 km in a straight line from Zahle. A car is the easiest way, and you may find restaurants nearby. Do not swim without checking water safety, and keep away from the dam installations. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel to this area, so check official guidance before planning.
Snow behind the lake.
Arches revealed in dry times.
Blue water and fields.
Near Qaraoun village, southern Beqaa Valley, Lebanon
We advise against it without confirmation, as we cannot confirm the water is safe.
When the water falls in dry seasons, which varies from year to year.