Return journey for veterans
Our veterans' trip is an 8-day all-inclusive combination trip,
in which the visit to the southern part of the country (Unifil area) with the former posts is the main component, but where you will also see much more of Lebanon and enjoy the delicious Lebanese cuisine. You can optionally make the trip together with a loved one.
Lebanon is a beautiful culturally historic country that you may have seen little of during your deployment, but it is definitely worth visiting.
We organize this veterans' trip with a maximum of 20-22 people to keep the trip affordable, have enough time to visit the places as desired, and also to experience the trip as a group. In addition to spending a few days in the south, as mentioned before, we will visit many other places and sites, including Byblos, Baalbek, Sidon, Harissa, Beirut, etc. Be sure to read the travel reports from previous trips on this website to determine if this is a trip that suits you.
This return journey is based on flying with Transavia. Departure is on Friday afternoon, directly from Amsterdam Schiphol to Beirut, Rafik Hariri Airport.
The costs for this 8-day trip may vary slightly each time, depending on the economic conditions at that time, and can be requested by sending an email to
The travel price does not include airfare. You will book the airfare yourself after we send you a registration form. There will be additional costs for the single room surcharge, alcoholic drinks, polo shirts (for the days in the south), and any souvenirs.
Everything else is included, and we ensure that everything is arranged in advance: all hotel accommodations, all meals including non-alcoholic drinks, unlimited drinking water, luxury coach with a driver, English-speaking guide, all entrance tickets, necessary permissions, and all documents to visit Naqoura (UNIFIL headquarters) and travel through the south, etc.
VVL is not a travel agency. You do not pay extra fees for organizing this trip. The organization of the trip is managed by Bert (1980 post 7-4) and Jeannet Kleine Schaars in collaboration with Georges Farah Travel in Lebanon. They, or Fred (1979 Haris) and Susan van der Ploeg, will accompany the trip as tour leaders.
After arriving in Beirut on Friday evening, we start the trip with two nights in Byblos before visiting the south.
Aleph Boutique Hotel
It is especially nice for the accompanying loved ones to get to know all the beautiful things Lebanon has to offer in this way. The sense of group unity, the hospitality of the Lebanese people, the stunning sites, and the delicious food help everyone to relax.
On the third day (Sunday evening), after visiting the beautiful tempels of Baalbeck, we travel to Tyre, where we will spend 4 nights at the Platinum Hotel, located opposite Tyre Barracks.
Platinum Hotel
The exact schedule of the days and the route through the south will depend on the time needed to visit the posts. We always start on Monday with a visit to Naqoura HQ. Then we visit the former posts and places as desired by the travel group, depending on the possibilities on-site. The last night of this trip will be spent at the Commodore Hotel.
Commodore Hotel
This hotel is located in the entertainment center of Hamra in Beirut, from where we will make a few cultural excursions on the last day.
So, it is an intensive trip with a full program.
Resting can be done during the extensive lunches and after returning home.
We work with a registration list. After a phone call, during which you can express your preferences and ask all your questions, we can put your name on this list. Once the exact date of the trip is known, we will send you a registration form with all the information about the specific trip.
To definitively join the trip, in addition to the filled out form, we will need a copy of your passport, a recent color photo, and the booking confirmation of your airfare.
We need all these documents to request the necessary permissions and documents in a timely manner from the UN and the Lebanese Security Service.
A few months before the trip, we organize a meet-and-greet session. It is very important to attend and get to know each other as a group and discuss the expectations of the trip. The next meeting will be on the first day of the trip, in front of the check-in counter at Schiphol, where we start the journey as a group.
If such a trip appeals to you, do not hesitate to schedule a non-committal phone call by sending an email to