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Visiting the Jeita Grotto, one of the largest cave systems in the world

05:02 PM Oct 17, 2023 IST | NE NOW NEWS
UpdateAt: 11:36 AM Feb 06, 2024 IST
visiting the jeita grotto  one of the largest cave systems in the world
Image Resource : en.wikipedia.org
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A remarkable location that may rank among the world's wonders, Jeita is yet an exclusive experience. One of the world's most magnificent natural beauties, Jeita Grotto, is tucked away in the highlands of Keserwan, Lebanon.

This limestone cave system, with its gorgeous stalactites and stalagmites, glistening streams, and underground river, is a natural wonder. It is regarded as one of the most exquisite caverns in the world and is one of the most popular attractions for tourists in the nation. You can explore this magnificent place traveling to Lebanon. Middle East Airlines offers several flights to this destination.

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The Spectacular View of Jeita Grotto 

The Jeita Grotto is a complex of nine kilometres' of interconnecting limestone caves. The upper gallery and the lower gallery are the two primary caverns that are open for exploration. While the bottom gallery is accessible by boat on a river beneath the ground, the upper gallery is accessible on foot.

Elongated versions of different minerals are called stalagmites, and they are formed when water drips slowly into a solution. A stalactite dangles from a cavern's ceiling or walls like an icicle. A stalagmite rises from the cavern bottom and resembles an inverted stalactite. Stalactites do not always have corresponding stalagmites, and a lot of the latter might not even have stalactites above them.

About 18 kilometres north of the Lebanese capital is Jeita Grotto, a massive underground karstic wonderland that serves as a water source for nearly a million city dwellers. It is a remarkable location that might rank among the world's speculations, but it is still a private experience.

A walkway that runs through a variety of stalactite and stalagmite formations, exquisitely illuminated to accentuate its inherent beauty, can be found in the upper gallery. The bottom gallery, which is accessible by boat offers visitors a singular perspective as they float along an underground river surrounded by stunning rock formations.

The Crystal Gallery, a portion of the top cave that displays some of the grotto's most amazing crystal formations, is one of Jeita Grotto's most noteworthy attractions. The crystal formations have a distinctive and captivating appearance because they have been evolving for hundreds of thousands of years.

With its stunning stalagmites, stalactites, columns, and curtains created over millennia by the gradual drop of mineral-rich water, the grotto is renowned for its exceptional natural beauty. The stream that runs through the lower gallery makes the place more beautiful.

Prehistoric people lived in the lower cave, but Reverend William Thomson did not discover it until 1836. The disintegration of limestone over millions of years created the solutional karst caves known as the Jeita caves. Rainfall and groundwater infused with carbonic acid disintegrate the limestone. Tectonic force cavity cracks allow water to permeate the rock, expanding the fissures and forming solute caverns within the layers.

The Upper Cave

The upper cave has a small train that takes visitors to the cave. through breathtaking natural surroundings as the gondola carried us over the Nahr al-Kalb (also known as the Dog River). A wide range of crystallised formations, including ponds, draperies, stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and mushrooms, are concentrated in the top cave.

The lower cave

The lower cave's entrance offers breathtaking scenery. Located at the main entrance of the lower grotto, "Guardian of Time," a massive and aesthetically pleasing figure measuring 6.6 metres in height and 65 tonnes in weight, is one of the most striking examples of Lebanese art.

The lower gallery is located 60 metres (200 feet) below the main gallery and has a total length of 6,200 metres (20,300 feet). It is traversed by a calm underwater river and a lake called the "Dark Lake".

There aren't many caves in the world that compare to Jeita's incredible riches or size. Jeita Grotto was a finalist in the "New Wonders of Nature Competition," which sought to discover the world's amazing natural locations because of their exceptional geological significance and natural beauty. Despite not winning, it is still a significant moment in Lebanon.

Find cheap tickets on Middle Eastern airlines 

Use the search to find Middle East Airlines low-cost flights on a travel agent’s website, providing number of passengers, the departure and arrival airports, and the date of travel. Obtain a list of all available flights, with the least expensive at the top. Bookings for round-trip, one-way, and multi-city flight tickets are available online.

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