Jeita Grotto : A wonder of nature?

[Lebanese_dream]

Before describing this wonder of Nature, I invite all the members who visited Jeita to share their opinions about the grotto. Your valuable posts will encourage many foreigners to come and discover our beautiful country.

Lebanon offers important archeological and historical settings as well as marvelous natural sites that attract the visitor for the richness of their natural beauty and one of those beauties are Jeïta Grottoes…

Nature has gifted Lebanon with wonders that dazzle your eyes and revive your spirit and its most magnificent are the Grottoes of Jeïta, one of the most impressive pure limestone caves in the world. Jeïta Grottoes never fail to delight and astonish everyone as they carry you to a mystical world full of natural charm and excitement; there you will discover the mystery of the caves with the stalactites and the stalagmites that are characterized by a great sense of shapes and forms sculpted only by the magic hands of nature. In no other part of the Orient can such richness and diversity of natural splendor and fascination be found as in the caves of Jeïta.

The site of Jeïta is similar to a small paradise with various colors of nature and a splendid flower cultivation; its rich verdure and the rainbow of colors as taken from a painting distinguish it.

Situated some 18 kms along the highway North of Beirut, Jeïta Grotto is located in the valley of the Dog River/ Keserwan. It is compounded of 2 galleries:

.The lower gallery which was discovered hazardously in 1836 and opened to the public in 1958; it is crossed by an underground river where you can take a dreamy boat trip to a distance of app 500 m from the 6200 m explored discovering fascinating and extraordinary formations.

.As to the upper gallery, it was discovered in 1958 and inaugurated in 1969; you can marvel on foot at the view of a crystallized castle for a distance of app 750 m from the 2200 m explored.

Jeïta Grotto is the ultimate attraction for Lebanon tourists, businessmen and entire families wishing to relax in the heart of nature and spend memorable moments.

The temperature remains stable in the grottoes for the whole year (16ºC in the lower cave and 22ºC in the upper cave) allowing the visitors to savor the warm climate in wintertime and the refreshing cool climate in summertime.

Schedule of visits to JEITA GROTTO:
In summer : everyday from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. ( except on Saturdays & Sundays till 7 p.m.).
.In winter: everyday from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.

On Mondays it is closed unless it's a national holiday and except in the months of July and August.
The annual vacation is fixed for about 4 weeks during January / February.

Source : www.jeitagrotto.com

JEITA GROTTO

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[Hye4Lebanon]

Thank you Lebanese_dream.

I noticed the directions leading to the attraction as any other attractions in Lebanon is not "Tourist Friendly". One has to figure out how to get there and from what I have seen, its a street "next to the bakery" on the way to Ajaltoun which the average Tourist is not familiar with.

It is to my understanding the operations and maintenance of the Grotto is run (contracted) by a German firm. Any ideas which one?

Recommendations:
Spend some time inside the grotto listening to the drops of water filtered through the walls. Some have taken hundreds of years to make that journey.
Do not touch anything, stay on the very well lit path leading you to the top. Do not rush and no photography.
Try to whisper to your friends and family, keep a very low voice when talking. Its important enough to appreciate the calmness and a very eclectic atmosphere.
Explain to your children what the significance of the grotto is, its not a theme park.
Boat ride is ok, but keep your hands inside so the water is not contaminated.
Best of all, DO NOT CARVE YOUR NAMES!

Cons:
Not wheelchair friendly unfortunately. I which the municipality can do something for the handicapped so they too can appreciate the grotto.

[Lebanese_dream]

Altitude: Approximately 300m
Distance from Beirut: 25km

Getting there: From Beirut, take the Beirut-Jounieh Highway north as far as Nahr al-Kalb, then take the Faraya road for 3 km, where there is a sign-post for Jeita.

Jeita Caverns

The 6200 meter long cavern was discovered back in 1836. Delirious nature in the dephts of the earth. Venimous effervescences of stone. Enormous orchids of pinkish limestone. Mineral mushrooms in fantastic shapes. A petrified animal with a mad, grinning sneer. A journey to Lebanon is worth while for Grottoes of Jeita alone. Of course, there are plenty of grottoes with stalactites and stalagmites in the world, but it would appear that none of them even approach the astounding wealth or the extent of those of Jeita.

Over a distance of 650 meters, on two levels, the lower one in a boat and the upper one on foot, following perfectly made cement gangways, the tourist picks his winding way through darkly forbidding caverns. Sometimes he passes through vast halls the size of a cathedral - some of the grandiose naves seem to contain giant organs or the vast chandeliers of madmen - and sometimes through narrow corridors.

The subterranean river

The lower grotto is full of the noise of water, through which you pass in a boat managed by a mariner skilled at sliding through the maze of rocks. Here reigns a half-darkness which is suddenly penetrated either by a wide area illuminated like a church on feast days or by discreet lights picking out some opulent flower.

From the lower grotto, where you arrive by car, you can take the teleferic to the entrance to the upper grotto for an Alice's tour through wonderland.

The upper galleries

The most striking and most spell-binding is the upper grotto, where there is only an occasional drop of cold water, the result of niggardly drippings which have gone on for thousands of years.The richness of the limestone deposits and the infinite variety of the crystals encourage the visitors to come again to this site permanently all year-round.

http://www.lebanonembassyus.org/tourism/jeita.html

[METALLICA]

I have great memories in Jeita, it's just one my favorite places to visit whenever I'm in Lebanon. Simply a magical place to be.
You feel you're in a different world once you're inside, and like Hye suggested, the natural sounds in the grotto just add to the magic of the venue.

The whole Jeita experience is wonderful, even that tour (outside the grotto) in that tiny train is fun :o)
In conclusion, I encourage any foreigner visiting Lebanon, or any Lebanese who has yet to do so to visit Jeita.

[Lebanese_dream]

Jeita Grotto's map

http://www.jeitagrotto.com/facilities.html

I consider Jeita's grotto one of the best Wonder of Nature that exists in Lebanon! It is a magical place and you feel it everytime you go there not only the first time. In one word: Amazing!

[shadow1]

I have been to it few times and can honestly say it's a world class attraction.

[coralie]

Jeita

Caverns Measureless to Man: One of the world's most beautiful caverns can be found about 20 km north of Beirut. Closed during the war, its touristic facilities is open again to the public. The caverns are visited by boat over a subterranean lake 623 meters long. After many years of exploration, Lebanese speleologists have penetrated 6,200 meters from the entry point of the grotto to the far end of the underground river. The main source of the Dog River (Nahr el Kalb) rises in this cavern.
The caverns of Jeita Grotto, Mount Lebanon are on two levels: the lower caverns are visited by boat over a subterranean lake 2000 ft (623 meters) long, while the dry upper gallery can be seen on foot. These caves and galleries are known to man since Paleolithic times. The action of water has created cathedral-like vaults beneath the wooded hills of Mount Lebanon forming magnificent caverns. The Lebanese speleologists have penetrated about 4.5 mils (7 km) from the entry point of the grotto to the far end of the underground river and about 1.3 Mile (2.2 km) of the upper galleries.

[Cheekie]

Jeita is one of the most beautiful places in the world! I have been there twice and both times I loved it. It's just beautiful and peaceful. Other than the beauty inside the caves, don't forget the beauty that is outside, the greenery, the mountains. Absolutely beautiful, one of God's hidden secrets.

[Lebanese_dream]

This is what you are missing...

[Lebanese_dream]

La Grotte de Jeita

Il existe peu de grottes au monde qui peuvent rivaliser en opulence ou en étendue avec les grottes de Jeïta. Dans ces cavités fréquentées par l’homme depuis le paléolithique où coule la rivière souterraine qui alimente la source principale de Nahr el - Kalb, l’action conjuguée de l’eau et du temps a façonné dans les entrailles des contreforts boisés du Mont-Liban des sculptures et des draperies dignes des plus belles cathédrales. Les grottes de Jeïta sont situées à 20 kilomètres au Nord de Beyrouth, dans la vallée verdoyante de Nahr el-Kalb. Elles sont constituées de deux étages. Les galeries de la grotte inférieure furent ouvertes pour la première fois au public en octobre 1958 et celles de la grotte supérieure en janvier 1969. Pour célébrer cet événement, on organisa dans la grotte aménagée par l’architecte, artiste et sculpteur libanais Ghassan Klink, un concert de musique électronique composé pour la circonstance par le français François Bayle. D’autres manifestations culturelles y eurent aussi lieu, dont un concert du compositeur allemand Karl-Heinz Stockhausen, en novembre 1969.

Depuis leur découverte et leur aménagement, ces galeries, ont demeuré un pôle d’attraction très populaire jusqu’à ce que la récente guerre du Liban ait exigé leur fermeture. Récemment, à l’initiative du ministre du tourisme Nicolas Fattouche, la compagnie allemande « Mapas » a été chargée de la réhabilitation et des travaux de la gestion du complexe qui fut doté des équipements les plus modernes. Les grottes ont été rouvertes au public le 6 Juillet 1995.

VISITE :

Les galeries inférieures : La visite de cette partie de la grotte se fait en canot dans un dédale de stalactites et de stalagmites et de draperies façonnées dans la calcite, dont les formes et les colorations diverses, suggèrent des oeuvres sculpturales ou architecturales baptisées par l’imagination des explorateurs de noms aussi fantaisistes qu’évocateurs. Cette visite ne couvre que près de 600 mètres sur un parcours total de 6910 mètres actuellement reconnu par les spéléologues libanais.

Les galeries supérieures : formées quelques millions d’années avant celles de la grotte inférieure, ces galeries sèches présentent le premier état du site de Jeïta, avant que des conditions géologiques n’aient provoqué le déplacement de la rivière souterraine vers son lit actuel. Un tunnel d’accès de 120 mètres de long permet au visiteur de découvrir, par effet de surprise un paysage de voûtes monumentales, de gours, de piliers stalagmitiques, de colonnettes de toutes tailles, ainsi que des draperies et des concrétions cristallines diverses, dont la beauté n’a rien à envier à ce que l’on peut voir à une quarantaine de mètres plus bas.

FACILITES :

En été, toutes les galeries sont ouvertes au public. En hiver, la galerie inférieure est fermée lorsque le niveau de l’eau devient très élevé. Heures d’ouverture : De 9h. à 18h. du Mardi au Jeudi. De 9h. à 19h. du Vendredi au Dimanche . Elles sont fermées les Lundis, sauf les Lundis fériés. Plus de deux bonnes heures sont nécessaires pour en faire le tour. On visite les galeries inférieures en canots et les galeries supérieures à pied. Pour accéder facilement à l’entrée des grottes, le visiteur peut emprunter soit le téléphérique, soit le train. Une salle de projection climatisée permet au visiteur de regarder un documentaire de 23 minutes sur les grottes.

Ce film est diffusé en plusieurs langues, tous les jours, entre 9h.et 19h. Il convient donc de coordonner votre visite avec l’horaire de diffusion de ce documentaire dans la langue qui vous intéresse. Le site est pourvu de restaurants, de snack bars et de kiosques de vente d’objets de l’artisanat libanais. Les billets d’entrée permettent l’accès aux galeries inférieures et supérieures, au téléphérique et au train, ainsi qu’à la salle de projection. Ils sont exigés à la sortie du site. A noter qu’il est interdit de photographier à l’intérieur des galeries.

source: ambassade Libanaise d'Ottawa Canada http://www.lebanonembassy.ca/fr/jeita.php