Canyoning /Nature Extrem Sports

Guardians of the Falls/Toni Issa 4-7-2021

My name is Tony Issa, founder of Guardians of the Falls. I started my path as a guide in an adventure park. I was always intrigued by the outdoors and curious about what’s out there. I had the chance to meet My mentor Banob Gabriel- Owner of B’equipped (IRATA Member no 1/9408), who’s experience as a Canyoning operator exceeds 8 years. He showed me that nothing can limit you inside the canyon. We Started Canyoning by trekking Nahr Ibrahim from one of the main springs in Akoura, all the way to the sea. We found more than 4 Canyons along this river.

Guardians of the Falls started as a group of young people from all over Lebanon who’s aim is to explore and access Canyons and hidden gems in a very responsible and safe manner. We realized as we went along that most of our water streams are littered by humans, even in the most secluded places inside the canyon, we found old tires, agriculture pesticides containers and plastics. We pledged to ourselves that we will clean all canyons that we access with the hope to start awareness campaigns to educate people on how to dispose their trash responsibly. With the economical crises elevating in Lebanon, we decided to start exposing this adventurous experience to everyone, to show the people the beauty of our country, and spread the awareness concerning littering.

Lebanon is well known for the abundance of limestone in its mountains. Therefore, we have a lot of cave formations due to underground water streams carving through the rocks. That same process with rivers forms canyons on the surface.

The equipment needed to spend a beautiful day down a canyon are:

• Harness

• Helmet

• 8 descent device

• Lanyards

• Wet suit

• Canyoning ropes

• Canyoning bags

• Some light snacks (dried fruits, dates, nuts and 1 L of water)

You should never travel through a canyon alone. For safety reasons, a team of 3 (minimum number) is required with the assistance of a rescue team outside the canyon ready to assist you at any time if any emergency occurs. This team should know your arrival time and the estimated time of exiting the canyon.

This activity doesn’t just test your limits and break your fears, it brings you back to the present. You can totally forget about all your daily life worries and focus on the present moment while descending through waterfalls.

Target/Place:

Yahchouch

Governorate: Mount Lebanon

1st possibility: Distortion of the word “hāshūsha”, meaning the agonized and tortured.

2nd possibility: Present form of the verb “hashsh”, meaning suffered and endured.

3rd possibility: Village of pain and agony.

4th possibility: Syriac word meaning the “Suffering god”

All four possibilities refer to pain and suffering. To explain this, one must go back thousands of years ago, to the times of the Phoenicians, whose god Adonis dies in the Valley of Adonis River (Nahr Ibrahim), the river that bounds the village of Yahchouch on the North.

Touristic sites:

Two ancient watermills

Ancient Olive Press

Monastry: Saint Georges (Mar Geryes), inside Jabal Moussa

Church: Saint Simon

Church: Our Lady of Ghochraya (Miraculous)

Cross of Yahchouch

One entrance to Jabal Moussa Reserve in Assnawbar, a neighborhood of Yahchouch

Source of info: Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve. (https://www.jabalmoussa.org/villages)

Yahshoush is home of Elephant Canyon. This Canyon springs from the high mountains of Yahshoush, and reaches the Valley to meet with Nahr Ibrahim next to a 1960 Hydro power plant (Nahr Ibrahim Electricity). It flows all year long, helping the rise of the water level in the main Nahr Ibrahim stream.                                                                 The name Elephant came from the shape and formation of some of the waterfalls. One of them resembles to an elephant or a mammoth skull and another one resembles to an elephant trunk and front feet.             

contact :  (+961) - 70 672100