The Lebanon Mountain Trail 2018 Fall Trek October 12 to October 28, 2018 Hike it. Protect it. Terms, Conditions and Practical Guidelines

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1 The Lebanon Mountain Trail 2018 Fall Trek October 12 to October 28, 2018 Hike it. Protect it. Terms, Conditions and Practical Guidelines Dear LMT Hiker, Thank you for choosing the Lebanon Mountain Trail as your trekking expedition for the Fall Trek You can only register and book your trek (and free bus transportation) online. Please note that - Until August 31, registration is exclusively open for all hikers (including LMTA members) who will walk at least 10 consecutive days. Prior to August 31, any registration for less than 10 days will be deleted. - Between September 1 and September 7 (included), registration is exclusively open for the LMTA members (Supportive or Regular or Life Members) for any number of days (with a minimum of 2 days/ 2 nights). Your reservation should include at least 2 overnights and 2 days. Standalone day hikes will not be accepted. Each hiker must fill in his/ her own registration form and inquiry. Spots are assigned on a first-come first-served basis. For non-lebanese please provide 1) a passport photo and 2) a colored copy of your passport. Please check below our terms and conditions and some practical information prior to your scheduled trip. FEES The Fall Trek 2018 fees are $85/ hiker/ day/ overnight. Fees include: Accommodation All meals (dinner, breakfast and lunch box) Local Guides Tour Leaders Nature Reserves and Protected Areas Entries Transportation of luggage from one section to another Transportation from LMTA office Fridays and to the LMTA office Sundays LMTA Fall Trek Terms, Conditions and Practical Guidelines Page 1 of 5

2 PAYMENT TERMS and CANCELLATION POLICY Full payment must be settled within 7 days from hiker s online registration; otherwise booking will be cancelled. Deadline for booking and full payment is October 5, Payment Mode: Payment can be made online ( or at the LMTA office, Mondays through Fridays from 9 am to 4 pm. Special Discounts: Prior to settling your payment, and to check if you are eligible for a discount, please contact the LMTA office: info@lebanontrail.org or check the fees on LMTA members are eligible for a 10% discount. School and College students are eligible for a 15% discount upon verification of supporting documents. Cancellation and Reimbursement: Cancellation after full payment is subject to a 50% refund only. Cancellation 3 days before the participant s scheduled hike, and in case of no show on the day of the hike, is subject to a 100% charge. Free cancellation is only applicable within the first 7 days from online registration and in case of a force majeure (after discussion with the LMTA). For reimbursement and or cancellation, please contact the LMTA office at info@lebanontrail.org. WEEKEND BUS TRANSFER Free bus service is ensured from: - LMTA Office in Baabda to LMT section on Fridays at 3 pm - LMT section (at the end of the hike) to LMTA Office in Baabda on Sundays pm On Fridays, buses leave the LMTA office in Baabda at 3pm sharp. Please make sure to be at the LMTA office one hour before the departure to ensure proper preparation, last minute settlement of fees when applicable, luggage loading, and briefing. Buses will return to Beirut on Sunday or Monday evenings (see above schedule). Please note that buses might be full during the week-ends. It is important to make sure you book the free bus transportation online when you book your trek. You can ask to be picked up on the way, depending on your location. The LMTA s bus driver is Adib: A secure car parking is available facing the LMTA office in Baabda, subject to parking fees. Each hiker must organize his/ her own transportation when joining the hike on other days. LMTA Fall Trek Terms, Conditions and Practical Guidelines Page 2 of 5

3 DAILY ACCOMMODATION During the Fall Trek, and depending on location and availability, accommodation is offered in guesthouses, hostels, small hotels and/or monasteries. Lodging facilities may offer single and or shared rooms, dorms, double beds, single beds, (bunker beds in few places) and floor mattresses. Rooms can be shared with friends and/or couples. In all accommodations, there are two kinds of sleeping: on beds and on mattresses on the floor, (sometimes on sofas). They are all equipped with sheets, pillows, and blankets. Still, we advise you to bring your sleeping bag. Most of the lodging facilities offer shared bathrooms. Hikers may also be divided into groups to be accommodated in 2 or 3 different lodging facilities in one location/village, depending on accommodation space and vacancy. Dinner and breakfast will be served at the guesthouse or at a nearby restaurant. Food to fill in your lunch boxes will also be available each morning before the hike. Please inform the LMTA team upon booking (and later the team leader) if you are vegetarian, or have allergies to specific foods, and or for any other suggestion or request. The LMTA Fall Trek team and the local host will be attentive to your comfort and will endeavor to offer you the best delicious meals! BAGS and LUGGAGE ONE backpack (for the hike) and ONE personal bag (duffle bag or similar) are enough. There won t be enough space in the bus for big luggage. Remember, the bus will be full on weekends! During the hikes, your extra bag will be transported by the bus or by the local villager s transportation to the next host destination. You will only need to carry your personal backpack during the day. IMPORTANT NOTICE If you have already booked your hike for any number of days, this means that you are a fit hiker and you have been hiking for a while. If not, please consider contacting the LMTA team to get more information about the hiking levels and the daily hiking pace during the Fall Trek. Otherwise you may need to start preparing yourself and walk at least one day per week, 5 hours per day prior to the Fall Trek. The hiking pace during the Fall Trek is moderate (not fast, not slow) with intermediate stops. You will need to be able to follow the pace of the Core Team and tolerate up to 5-7 hours walks (on some sections), as well as the uphill and downhill that are steep on some sections. Please refer to the distance, elevation profiles and difficulty levels before booking. LMTA Fall Trek Terms, Conditions and Practical Guidelines Page 3 of 5

4 The LMTA Association reserves all rights to accept or deny any application at its own discretion. Please make sure you fill in, sign and share the Waiver of Liability with the LMTA via as soon as you book your trek. Download Waiver of Liability at this link: GEAR and EQUIPMENT The most important equipment you should have for one or several hiking days are: Water flask (min. 1.5 ltr.) Lunch box (i.e. tupperware and the like) Hat Good hiking shoes and extra socks (new hiking shoes should be used several times before the expedition) Wind/ Rain Jacket (it may rain and snow in April) Trash bag Insect repellant Sunglasses Sunscreen First aid kit Walking poles Sleeping bag Head light Gaiters (some sections will be probably covered with snow and mud) Kindly check the list of useful equipment on the LMTA website: ZERO WASTE POLICY The LMTA adopts a Zero Waste policy! Our aim is to reduce non-organic waste generated during our month-long hike. Any unavoidable leftover plastic, glass, and aluminum will be collected as much as possible on a daily basis for recycling. We therefore encourage you to say: No to plastic bags for the daily lunch! Please bring your own reusable lunch boxes or buy one from the LMTA office (i.e. Tupperware). No to individual plastic water bottles! Please bring your own reusable water bottle or water bag or buy one from the LMTA office (i.e. SIGG, camel bag). Please note that reusing disposable plastic water bottles during a hike is unhealthy as they are exposed to degadation by the sun. Kindly note that: We advise you to bring 2 or 3 different sizes properly lockable re-usable lunch boxes which fit into your hiking backpack & your appetite! Depending on each guesthouse, lunch will typically LMTA Fall Trek Terms, Conditions and Practical Guidelines Page 4 of 5

5 consist in bread, labneh, cheese, boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, vegetables, fruits, jam/honey and occasionally leftover delicious cooked food from dinner the night before. Make sure you size your water bottles based on your water needs and preferences, potentially carrying 2 refillable ones with you. Some re-usable lunch boxes and re-usable water bottles/camels will also be available for sale at the LMTA office. We count on you to pack consciously in order to reduce unnecessary non-organic waste! CONTACT For any additional information and assistance: Call the LMTA office on us on info@lebanontrail.org Our offices are closed Saturdays and Sundays LMTA Fall Trek Terms, Conditions and Practical Guidelines Page 5 of 5