The Lebanon Mountain Trail, a 275-mile hiking path running the length of Lebanon, was developed in 2006 08 from a variety of existing roads, trails, and paths along with constructed connectors. To raise awareness of the trail and promote conservation in Lebanon, El-Hibri, an experienced mountaineer, here relates her month-long ecotour as she hiked with a core team (frequently supplemented with day and section hikers) and was exposed to traditional foods, Lebanon's iconic cedar forests, the snow-capped mountains that inspired Khalil Gibran, gorgeous waterfalls, and stunning fields of wildflowers. Her trek from guesthouse to guesthouse through rural and mountainous country is beautifully photographed by prolific Middle Eastern photojournalist Schiller. The text is a diary-style collection of vignettes from the hike and lacks the detail or intrigue of a crafted narrative.
Verdict This coffee-table book is primarily a showcase for the numerous landscape photos that will turn your preconceived notions of Lebanon on their head. It beautifully presents the diversity of the rural Lebanese landscape, showing the potential for the Lebanon Mountain Trail and the country's nascent ecotourism industry.

"In 2009, experienced hiker and mountain climber El-Hibri decided to get a group of hikers together to be the first to walk the entire newly designated Lebanon Mountain Trail, traversing the length of the country from north to south. In her diary of their month-long 273 mile journey, El-Hibri recounts the people they meet, the nature they see, and the overwhelming hospitality and beauty of the nation. The narrative is immeasurably enhanced by the stunning photography of Norbert Schiller (Spectacular Egypt), who has captured the essence of the hike, the natural beauty of the trail, and the kindness of the people, resulting in a travelogue epic in distance and intimate in scope. Readers unfamiliar with the Lebanese landscape will be floored by the natural beauty of the country and captivated by El-Hibri's meditative prose and Schiller's luminous photographs. They may well be inspired to start their own hiking expeditions and become advocates for their own natural landscapes."

Impressive... An attractive design incorporates Hibri's flaw-free text with thoughts of such mountain lovers as Kahlil Gibran...The liberal use of Schiller's wonderful images makes A Million Steps a handsome coffee table volume. If anything is going to make you want to hike the LMT, it is this glossy volume with its stunning views of Mount Hermon, Tannourine, and other scenic delights.