Yamouneh lake and nature reserve is located on the north-eastern side of the Mount Lebanon range where Jebel al Makmel meets Jebel al Mnaitra and situated 27 kilometres northwest of Baalbek in Baalbek District, Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, Lebanon. The village has a few hundred inhabitants. It is distinguished by its variety of Juniper trees.
The peaceful remote Yammouneh Nature Reserve is a wide fertile valley surrounded by mountains on all sides and a very popular destination in spring and summer. Its shallow fresh water pools attract a wide variety of flora and fauna. The large Yammouneh Lake is fed by Ain Arbaeen – the spring of the Forty Martyrs.
Yammouneh translates as the “little sea,” because of the Yammouné Lake. On the shore of the lake lie the remains of a Roman temple. Yammouneh is popular for activities like trekking, hiking, camping, picnics and exploration. As well as cross-country skiing can be done here, as during the cold months, snowfall blankets the region turning it into a beautiful winter getaway destination. On the side of the lake, alongside the running water, are some shaded cafes and the few remains of a Roman temple. The small village of Yammouneh is near the south side of the lake.
