Ancient Berber Tour

Small Group Tours:

Unlike most tour companies we have no minimum requirement to take part in our tours.

You can come along by yourself, with a friend, or with a group of friends. However, coming with a friend nearly halves the price of your tour. We believe committing to quality is good for you, for the environment and for the local culture as well.

You can also take part in a group tour if you prefer group tours and if there are groups matching your specifications (date, destinations, etc.) which you can join.

If you are just looking for an operator to put together an itinerary for your private group, then we will be delighted to design a program to suit your needs, regardless of the number of individuals in the group. Just let us know the number of visitors in your group and the kind of services required and we will do the rest.

A rare opportunity to fill your memory card with Tuareg memories.

 

This tour introduces the ancient Berber settlements and sites of Nafousa Mountain, including Yefren, Qasr al-Haj, Jado, Nalut and Ghadames. From Ghadames you will return to Nalut and then continue up the mountain to Kabaw and Gharyan, where you will stay the night in a troglodyte hotel (a cave), before returning to Tripoli via the Leptis Magna, as no Libya tour is complete without a visit to this magnificent city.

 

Upon arrival in Tripoli you will be met by your guide, who will complete the entry formalities for you, and escort you to your hotel. Depending on time of arrival, a quick tour of Tripoli, a visit to the Old City and its bustling souks, dinner in a restaurant, then back to the hotel. If arrival time is in the morning, then you will visit the National Museums as well as the Arch of Marcus Aurelius.

Today you will continue your tour of Tripoli, have lunch, then head for the Berber sites of Nafousa Mountain. You will start the Berber adventure by driving up the mountain towards the ancient town of Yefren; where you will drive along the cliffs of this ancient Berber site to see some of its mountain-top villages, then have dinner, before transfer to a local hotel for the night.

Leaving Yefren in the morning, you will descend down towards the main road and continue the drive towards Qasr Alhaj, to see a fine example of Berber architecture (photo, right); before heading for the strange site of a mysterious earth force, capable of pulling any car, including lorries, up the hill with the engine turned off (see actual photo, right). Explore the strange landscape, take some photos or videos, then back to the main road.

Continue across the flat plain towards Jado: one of the most ancient sites of Jabel Nafousa; before returning to the main road for the drive to Kabaw for the night.

Today you will visit nearby Nalut to explore the ancient castle or granary, the dinosaur museum, the old village of Tuneen, and then a quick tour of the city centre, before leaving the mountain for Ghadames, at the edge of the Sahara.

 

On the morning you will explore the unique Tuareg oasis of Ghadames at the edge of the Sahara, including a visit to the old town, the unique and ancient walled city of the oasis of Ghadames; Jabel Alghoul, and Touneen village. The old town of Ghadames is completely covered (or roofed), with narrow dark labyrinthine passages used by men, while women have their own paths on the connected roofs of the town. Ghadames is also famous for its unique houses with their own style of decoration, employing traditional Berber designs and symbols with red paint on white walls, and further decorated by brass and copper ornaments. You will stay another night in Ghadames.

 

Today you will begin the return journey to Tripoli via Gharyan. Instead of driving along the same road, you will turn off the main road just before Nalut and head up the mountain towards Kabaw, and from there on to Gharyan. Transfer to a troglodyte cave hotel for the night.

Today you will tour Gharyan and then leave the mountain towards Leptis Magna, transfer to the hotel. You will finish the day touring one of the best preserved Roman cities outside Italy, and enjoy a stroll through the ancient streets of this unique and must-see city.

 

Early morning drive to Tripoli, farewell and transfer to Tripoli International Airport.

Watch the sun set over the sand dunes of Ghadames.

How this holiday makes a difference?

We are a Libyan tourism company operating from Libya, we employ local services, and all our camping staff, drivers and desert experts are locals. This means that all operational costs of our tours pour directly into the Libyan economy, and booking your holiday directly with us would make a big difference to all of us in Libya. We provide real experience holidays by arranging for our visitors to meet and mix with the local people, camp and stop anywhere they like, customise their itineraries, attend cultural events and festivals where applicable, and visit local families and try traditional foods. To help preserve and support our local culture and heritage we have provided comprehensive guides and free coverage in our website of local festivals, crafts, industries, rock art galleries, and have created Libya's first online museum of Libyan museums for the world to see and visit, free of charge. Needless to say Libya's archaeological sites are nearly empty most of the time and thus provide a unique and private touring experience. Read more about our Responsible Travel Policy here.

 

Hotels are optional. They will be included in the price if requested. Independent travellers can pick and choose their hotels as they go.

Itinerary Code: AB29
Duration:  8 Days

Hotels in Libya:

If 3-star hotels were requested or included in the price then we normally use the best ones available, like Al Andalus hotel in Tripoli,  Severus hotel in Leptis Magna, and Dar Germa in Germa.

If 4-star hotels were requested or included in the price then we must inform you that these hotels can be found only in Tripoli, Benghazi and one in Ghadames. For example, we can use Alkendi hotel or the Grand Hotel (Alkabir) in Tripoli, or Almanara hotel in Apollonia; but we can use any hotel of your choice and calculate the price accordingly.

We are not affiliated with any of these hotels, and we only recommend those hotels with proven good customer feedback. We also do like the traditional style and Berber designs employed in the construction of  some hotels, like El-Khan and Zumit hotels in Tripoli and the grand Dar Ghadames hotel in Ghadames for their traditional styles that reflect the local culture as well as for their high standards and to allow our visitors to experience something different to the usual hotels.  However, you are always welcome to suggest any other hotel you like, and where there are no bookings requested or confirmed in advance we do allow our  visitors to pick and choose their hotels as they go, after arrival, but availability during season cannot be guaranteed without booking in advance. However, if you are not specific about a particular hotel, then there are plenty of good hotels to choose from.

Camping Sites in Libya:

Camping sites wherever to be found are also locally managed and provide basic services. Where camping sites cannot be found, your guide can either find a suitable and safe place for you to camp, or take you to the nearest hotel that provides camping places for a small fee. Some desert camping sites can be very expensive, up to 250 Libyan Dinar per a tent, and therefore these are often not included in our budget tours.   We do however provide our own tents (small and large) and other camping equipment like mats, mattresses and blankets (all new) for free camping; but we do not recommend sharing nor do we provide sleeping bags, unless on request.

Hostels in Libya:

If hostels were requested in the program, then the quality of the service expected is provided as is. We cannot reserve rooms in hostels as there are no reservation services. Please refer to our guide to hostels in Libya for more information.

Set Your Own Price:

Generally speaking we are committed to providing good tours at reasonable price without compromising on quality. In fact our system allows you the freedom to pay for the quality level you require.

There are various factors that can affect the price. For example, some visitors want 4-star hotels, others want 3-star hotels, while there are those who prefer to use hostels or camp in the open beneath the desert's stars. Some tourists want food included in the price, while others prefer to travel light. The time chosen to visit Libya will also influence the costs, as heavy demand on scarce services tends to push the price up.

Travel companies that offer fixed price tours tend to impose the same services on the whole group, regardless of personal preferences. We are dedicated to offering good-quality services based on personal needs. Once you get in touch with us regarding a particular tour or itinerary, we will contact you to discuss the exact services you require and then set a price for your tour based on those preferences.

This means that it is you who decides the price and not us, simply by choosing to pay only for the services you require.

 

Basic Required Services:

• Libyan visa on arrival
• Airport/border formalities & transfers
• Passport registration
• Guide & his full costs
• Tourism Police (for groups of 5 or more)
• Advertised or agreed itinerary
• Private air-conditioned transport
• Desert transport & expert (where applicable)
• Internal flights (where shown in program)

Extra Services:

• Accommodation in 3-star and/or 4-star hotels
• Accommodation in hostels
• Camping fees and fixed camping sites charges
• Food (full board or half board. Breakfast is included in all hotel prices)
• Museum & archaeological sites entrance fees
• Museum & archaeological guides
• Any other request not listed in the above basic required services list

Price does not include any of the following services:

• Vehicle charges & taxes
• Travel insurance
• Photography fees
• Personal expenditure & souvenirs
• Anything else not specified in the above services list

 

Itinerary Code: AB29
Duration:  8 Days

Cash: full payment is required in Euro on arrival, with the option to pay in advance if preferred. If you cannot pay in Euro, then the next preferred currency is US Dollar or British Pound. The amount shown in Libyan Dinars (if any) is the amount to pay on arrival, converted to Euro currency according to the rates of exchange current at the time of paying.

ATM's: if for any reason you cannot bring cash with you, then you can use your credit card to withdraw cash from ATM's, which are found only in the major cities, airports, like Tripoli and Benghazi, and a few other towns.

Bank Transfer: if you prefer to pay in advance, then we can arrange for you to pay via bank transfer, where you can pay from your bank account directly into our bank account in Libya.

Travellers cheques are becoming part of the past in Libya and can be very hard to find a bank that accepts them. However, when you do find a bank that accepts them, then you need to provide a document showing your name(s) and the list of the cheques' serial numbers, normally obtained from the bank that issued the cheques. If you are bringing any travellers cheques with you, please make sure you obtain this document from your bank.

 

 

Itinerary Code: AB29
Duration:  8 Days

The amount to pay differs from one case to another. You will be notified via email during negotiations of how much deposit you need to pay, if any. Usually there is no deposit to pay.

No deposit or advance payment is required from independent and private travellers as long as there are no hotel bookings required. Hotels in Libya will not confirm bookings without payment. Hostels in Libya do not accept bookings.

For groups arriving together as part of one group organised by another tour operator or a travel agent, then there will be no deposit to pay. Full payment must be made on arrival by the tour leader. If hotel bookings are required, then a deposit to cover the hotel reservation may be necessary, depending on the category of hotels chosen.

No deposit is required from individuals booking a place in one of our group tours if booking is made six months or more before arrival; but if booking is made within six months of travel, then we require a deposit payment to guarantee the tour for the other members of the group.

 

 

Independent & private travellers:

No cancellation fees will be applied to independent and private travellers if they cancel their tours at any time before the start of the visa procedure and where no hotel booking is required.

Group tours:

No cancellation fees will be applied to group tours organised by other tour operators and travel agents. If deposit was made for hotel bookings and for processing large number of visas, then the deposit paid to the hotel and the fees already paid to the immigration department to process the Libyan visa are not recoverable if cancellation occurs after we have applied for the visa.

 

Why do we charge cancellation fees for those who cancel their places in group tours?

• Hotel rooms: the rooms we book are normally twin or double rooms and the prices are charged accordingly. But, if we book a double or twin room for two visitors, then one visitor cancels his or her tour after the arrangements were made, especially near the time of arrival, then the remaining visitor will have to take the room for him/herself, which means we have to pay the remaining balance to the hotel. Because we cannot ask the remaining visitor to pay more after we have agreed a price, the cancellation fee will be used to offset the balance.
  
  
• Processing visas also requires paying money to the immigration department in Tripoli, and requires administration work to collect and check the documents, drive 110 km to the capital Tripoli, hand over the documents, return to the office (in Zuwarah), then return to Tripoli ten days later to collect the visas, and then visit the Tourism Police department for the special permit required, and so on. If you cancel after this process has started, then the cancellation fee will help towards covering these costs.

Booking or Enquiring About Our Tours:

If you need to book this tour or enquire about our tours in general, then please use our secure enquiry form.