Yurt in Lebanon: A Chalet Alternative in the Kobayat Pines ⛺
Our yurts in Kobayat: private bathroom, kitchenette, double bed plus sofa-bed and a terrace in the pines. A yurt in Lebanon for people who wanted a chalet.
A Yurt in Lebanon, Inside the Pine Forest
A quick note first: we run Horizon Pines, a glamping and camping site in Kobayat (Qoubaiyat), Akkar, North Lebanon, and this post is about our own yurts. We have kept it to things you can check for yourself when you arrive.
Our yurts stand inside existing pine forest at about 1,100 metres, just below Mar Gerges Chwita. The site was built without cutting trees, so each yurt sits among the pines rather than in a cleared field, with stone paths and stone terraces linking it to the rest of the grounds. Kobayat is about two hours from Beirut and about 30 minutes from Tripoli. The last stretch of road is a little rough, but an ordinary car manages it, and parking is free inside the gated property.
A yurt is a round structure, and ours are 24 ft across with insulated walls. Six large windows give cross-ventilation, a ceiling fan helps on warm afternoons, and a central skylight lets daylight in and, after dark, frames a patch of sky. Warm LED lighting runs along the roof beams. It is a solid room rather than a tent, which is the main difference between a yurt and the rest of our glamping in Kobayat.
Our Premium Yurts among the pines of Kobayat: the deck, the stone path and the light inside.
A Chalet Alternative in Lebanon: What a Yurt Gives You
Many of our guests first went looking for a chalet. They searched for a chalet in Kobayat, or a cabin in the woods in Lebanon, found us, and booked a yurt instead. That makes sense when you list what a yurt actually has, because it covers most of what people want from a chalet:
A private bathroom. Your own bathroom with a hot shower. You do not share facilities with other guests.
A kitchenette with a fridge. The kitchenette has a fridge, a kettle and a sink: enough to keep food cold, make tea and coffee, and wash up. Guests bring and cook their own food, and most do the main shop before the mountain road. The site also has fire pits and BBQ stations if you would rather cook outside.
Beds for a family or two couples. A real double bed, plus a sofa that converts to a second double. A yurt sleeps 4 adults, or up to 6 when two of the guests are children. Bed linen and towels are provided.
A terrace of your own. Private outdoor seating among the pines, for morning coffee or a slow evening outside.
Power and signal. 24-hour solar electricity for lighting and charging, and good 4G mobile coverage. There is no Wi-Fi, which many guests treat as part of the point.
What a chalet rental usually gives you that a yurt does not is separate rooms: a yurt is one round space, so if you need a door between sleepers, it is worth knowing before you book. For everything else, a yurt works well as a chalet alternative in Lebanon, with the forest right outside the windows.
We are also building chalets at Horizon Pines. They are not open yet and we have no details to share, but you are welcome to ask us on WhatsApp about when they will open.
What makes it a chalet alternative: a real double bed, a kitchenette with a fridge, and a private shower.
Glamping in Kobayat: Seasons, Prices and Booking
We are open in spring, summer and autumn, roughly April to October, and closed in winter. Summer is the busiest time. At 1,100 metres the nights are cooler than on the coast, so bring a warm layer whatever the month. For more on timing, see our season-by-season guide.
A yurt costs $120 per night for stays of two nights or more, or $150 for a single night. The rate is per yurt, not per person, and in US dollars. Check-in is from 3:00 PM (you can arrive as late as 10:00 PM) and check-out is at 11:00 AM; an early check-in or a later check-out may be possible on request. A 50% deposit reserves your dates, cancellations are accepted at least 7 days before arrival, and you can pay in cash, by OMT, Whish, PayPal or Wise.
A few practical points. The tap water is not drinkable, so bring drinking water. Pets are welcome if they are not very noisy; mention them when you book. Quiet time starts at 11:30 PM. The night sky is dark, so the terrace is a good place for stargazing, and the forest paths around the site are the easiest walking.
If you are planning a two-night weekend, our weekend from Beirut post sets one out, and how to choose a glamping stay compares our yurts with our Lotus Belle tents. Guests rate Horizon Pines 5.0 on Google.
Planning a stay? See the yurts or ask us about availability on WhatsApp.
A yurt in the evening, with warm LED lighting along the roof beams.