Photo by: Tony Hage

85 km far from Beirut and 18 km from Tripoli, the valley spreads out from Kousba and is divided later into two branches starting from Tourza. Each branch holds the name of a monastery. The first, Wadi Qozhaya reachs Ehden and the second, Wadi Qannoubine, covers Hadath El-jebbe in the south to and up in the Cedars.

An amazing geological work has created this valley as it is known today in its entire splendor. Erosions caused by the passage of the river that this valley was gradually eroded until the formation of this profound gorge with the creation of grottos below.

The most important consequence of this valley, on the natural and on the cultural levels, was the natural formation of these grottos: Jewels of this valley, stemmed from the underground karistic erosion, they immediately became refuge grottos or sacred grottos.
Qadisha grotto, under Bcharreh village, stretches out over more than 778 meters. Dilmass grotto located on a strategic site was used as a watching post through its façade gapped by small openings. El Houriyyeh grotto, witnessed a civilization that used to observe accurate funerary rituals.

Concealing antiquities, flowing down sources, elaborated by circumvolutions and harmonious undulations formed by the rock, sprinkled with stalactites and stalagmites and other calcareous concretions, the entire run down on different colors, some of these grottos offers to the exploratory sight a bewitching view.