Beirut is sociable, but its groups are hard to find from outside: almost all of them organise on Instagram and WhatsApp, and you get in through someone who already goes. The most open door is the weekend hike, where organisers run buses out of the city and a newcomer sits next to strangers for a whole day. These are the groups we could confirm are running, each with the source we checked it against.
New here? Start with these
- 1Liban Trek
A graded hike every Sunday with a bus from Achrafieh, so you only need to turn up.
- 2Beirut Marathon Neighbourhood Runs
Free runs and walks two or three times a week, led in your own neighbourhood.
- 3Maharat Toastmasters Club
Meets every Thursday, open to anyone, and guests visit free.
The week in Beirut
Every session that happens on the same day each week, in Beirut time. Organisers move sessions for the season and holidays, so check their channel before you go.
Monday
- 6:30 PM Dhad Toastmasters ClubBeirut Digital District, Bechara El-Khoury Street
Tuesday
- 6:15 PM Speakers & Leaders ToastmastersAmerican University of Beirut, Bliss Street, Hamra
Thursday
- 6:00 PM Maharat Toastmasters ClubIrshad Islah Mariam Building, Cola
Sunday
- 8:00 AM Liban TrekBus from Hikmeh, Achrafieh (gather at 7:30)
Running clubs in Beirut
Free group runs are the easiest way in: same time every week, every pace welcome, coffee after.
Beirut Marathon Neighbourhood Runs
Public programmeFree community runs and walks of 1 to 5 km, led by volunteer team leaders and supervised by the Beirut Marathon Association, two or three times a week in neighbourhoods including Hamra, Verdun, Zalka and Hazmieh. You register once online and join the group nearest you.
- 2 to 3 times a week, mornings or afternoons — Hamra, Verdun, Zalka, Hazmieh and more
Free
Source: Beirut Marathon Association: Neighbourhood Runs (Nov 2026) · checked Nov 2026
Hiking and outdoor groups in Beirut
Hikes, field trips and desert drives, organised by people who know the terrain.
Liban Trek
Paid group tripsScheduled Sunday hikes across Lebanon, graded by difficulty, plus multi-day treks and winter snowshoeing. The bus leaves Hikmeh in Achrafieh and collects people along the way, so you can come alone.
- Sundays · 8:00 AM — Bus from Hikmeh, Achrafieh (gather at 7:30)
$30 a hike with transport, $20 without
Source: Liban Trek: November 2026 programme (Nov 2026) · checked Nov 2026
Vamos Todos
Paid group tripsGuided hikes, eco-tours and snowshoeing days across Lebanon, often ending with food at a campsite or village. Buses leave from Jdeideh; places sell through Antoine's bookshops and Antoine Ticketing as well as by phone.
- Most weekends — Bus from the Sagesse School car park, Jdeideh
About $60 to $70 an outing, with transport, guides, insurance and a meal
Sources: Lebanon Traveler: Adventure & Cheers with Vamos Todos (Jul 2026); Lebanon Traveler: Jabal Moussa hike with Vamos Todos (Mar 2026) · checked Nov 2026
Public speaking and professional groups in Beirut
Toastmasters clubs and professional networks that meet on a fixed schedule.
Maharat Toastmasters Club
ClubA public-speaking club chartered in 2024 and open to anyone. Guests visit free and are not asked to speak until they want to.
- Thursdays · 6:00 PM — Irshad Islah Mariam Building, Cola
Source: Toastmasters: Maharat Toastmasters Club (Nov 2026) · checked Nov 2026
Dhad Toastmasters Club
ClubA public-speaking club chartered in 2018 and open to anyone, meeting at the Beirut Digital District.
- Mondays · 6:30 PM — Beirut Digital District, Bechara El-Khoury Street
Source: Toastmasters: Dhad (Nov 2026) · checked Nov 2026
Speakers & Leaders Toastmasters
ClubAsk about membership prerequisites
A public-speaking club at the American University of Beirut, chartered in 2005. It may have professional or educational prerequisites, so ask before your first visit.
- Tuesdays · 6:15 PM — American University of Beirut, Bliss Street, Hamra
Source: Toastmasters: Speakers & Leaders (Nov 2026) · checked Nov 2026
Where groups in Beirut actually live
- Where most groups announce their next outing. Message the account to reserve; spots are often limited.
- Organisers take bookings and send meeting points by WhatsApp, and regulars end up in the group chat.
- Event calendars
- Lebanon Traveler's events calendar lists the week's organised hikes with prices and meeting points, and some organisers sell places through Antoine's bookshops and Antoine Ticketing.
- Toastmasters
- Several clubs meet weekly in Beirut and welcome guests; the club pages give the real time and place.
- Weekend mornings, Sunday above all, are when organised hikes leave the city, usually by bus from Achrafieh or Jdeideh before 8:30.
- Hiking is year-round, with snowshoeing in the mountains in winter. Summer evenings move outdoors, to sunset walks and hikes.
The unsaid rules
What residents say about making friends here, and the legal lines a group should not cross.
Check the security picture before you leave the city
The UK government advises against all travel to parts of Beirut, including its southern suburbs, and to parts of the south and the Beqaa, and says the situation can change quickly. Before a hike or trip, check where it goes against current official advice and local news.
Source: UK FCDO: Lebanon travel advice (Aug 2026)
Keep the camera for tourist sites
You can be detained for taking photographs in Hizballah areas, including Beirut's southern suburbs, and the advice is to photograph only at tourist sites. Ask before you photograph people on a group outing.
Source: UK FCDO: Lebanon travel advice (Aug 2026)
The weekend hike is the way in, and you pay for it
Asked whether there is any way to make friends in Lebanon, the top answer on r/lebanon was: join a hiking group, take the weekly bus trip, meet new people every week. Groups here are small organisers rather than free clubs; a day hike with the bus, guide and insurance costs roughly $30 to $70, paid in dollars or at the market rate in lira.
Sources: r/lebanon: Are there really no ways to make friends in this country? (Oct 2025); Liban Trek: scheduled hikes (Nov 2026); Lebanon Traveler: Vamos Todos outing (Jul 2026)
Events hosted by Globe Quest members
None scheduled right now. The groups above are where things are happening this week. If you want to start something of your own, members can post an event and invite people.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
How this list is made
Every group here exists independently of Globe Quest. Each one is listed only when a source from the last 18 months shows it running: the organiser's own page, a dated article or listing, or residents on Reddit. Those sources are named on every card. We do not publish member counts or ratings, because nobody here counted them. If you run a group, use the form above to correct its listing or add yours.
Social clubs and meetups in Beirut
Groups whose whole point is meeting new people.
The Walk Club
ClubLebanon's first social walking club: hour-long group walks at sunset that end with coffee or drinks and conversation. It launched in July 2026 in Dhour Choueir; places are limited and you reserve by email.
Source: Beirut.com: Lebanon's first social walk club (May 2026) · checked Nov 2026
InterNations Beirut
NetworkThe global expat network's Beirut chapter, with official events and member-run activity groups.
Source: InterNations Beirut (Nov 2026) · checked Nov 2026