Introduction To Our Libya Tours

North Africa boasts some of the finest travel destinations in the world, including the magical Berber Atlas mountains of Morocco, the flat sand beaches of Tunisia, and the great pyramids of Ancient Egypt. But some of these wonderful tour destinations have become uncomfortably crowded and no longer appear to provide an exciting challenge to experienced travellers. Libya, on the other hand, is a new destination, unknown, unexplored, totally unspoiled, and features a number of unique and impressive archaeological and natural sites, including the best preserved Roman city in the world, the most complete Roman theater in the world, the ancient Berber mud castles, some of the best desertscapes of the Sahara, massive sand dunes, palm-fringed kaleidoscopic lakes, prehistoric civilisations predating the Egyptian culture by thousands of years, and, most importantly, hundreds of thousands of prehistoric cave paintings and rock engravings, breathtakingly depicting extinct  fauna and civilisations vividly preserved  across the Sahara's open-air rock shelters and galleries.

Unlike what has been promulgated around news and chat rooms regarding Libyan terrorism it remains a fact that Libyan tourism is fast becoming an established business, and that Libya together with Greenland are among the safest tourist destinations in the world. As an emerging sand, sun and sea destination of the future Libya is truly blessed with archaeological cities and world heritage sites the world has never seen, spanning all periods of history, right from the Stone Age and the  Pleistocene to the Byzantine times and the modern sagas of World Wars. There were a number of improvements and projects relating to tourism in the past years, culminating in relaxing tourist visa restrictions for the citizens of the United States in 2010. The current interim rulers of Libya also pledged to improve the status of tourism in Libya. However, massive amount of work needs to be done, especially in relation to the poor banking system, preservation and protection of archaeological sites, hotel accommodation, tourist amenities, leisure centres, and most important of all road safety.

Planning Your Tour & Choosing Your Libyan Tour Operator

To start planning your tour you need to know a few basic facts about Libya and its archaeological treasures. Ask your Libyan tour operator or travel company to provide you with any information you may require before you make your final decision. You can also spend a few hours browsing this website, making sure you visit our interactive map of Libya to have a general feel about the various regions of Libya and explore the vast distances separating Libyan sites.

Libya is divided into three major regions:

Tripolitania in the west, where you can visit the capital Tripoli's national museum, for a brief insight into the history of Libya; visit some of the Phoenician and Roman sites of Tripoli, Leptis Magna and Sabratha; enjoy the best Libyan beaches of Zuwarah and Farwa; find out more about the new Free Trade Zones, Libyan tourism and the new investment opportunities; and explore the Berber towns and villages of Nafousa Mountain, like Nalut, Kabaw, Jado and Yefren.

Cyrenaica in the east, where you can visit Benghazi, the second largest city in Libya; explore the Greek sites of Cyrene, Tolmeita and Apollonia; see World War Two sites, like Tobruk and Alburdi, where relatives can visit a number of cemeteries and memorials; visit pre-Greek Berber sites, like Slontha, and enjoy the spectacular scenes of the verdant Green Mountain of Eastern Libya, overlooking the Mediterranean.    

Fezzan in the south, where you can visit Ghadames at the edge of the desert, then venture south into the Sahara's secret valleys and mountains for a breathtaking glimpse of Libya's prehistoric civilisations of Germa and Tadrart Acacus (/akakous/); enjoy the fantastic range of Ubari's kaleidoscopic lakes and palm-fringed oases; study, sketch or photograph some of the thousands of prehistoric art sites and shelters; watch the spectacular sun set over the towering sand dunes; and gaze at the dazzling stars of the desert's mythical sky, which makes Fezzan a truly wonderful world of its own.

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The next step of planning your tour is to have a look at the usual programs available, to see if there is anything that meets the eye. Or design your own itinerary from scratch according to your own individual needs and let your tour operator handle the work. You can also let Temehu Tourism Services design a tour for you, or for your group, to meet your requirements and to include only the sites you specify in your enquiry. There is no minimum requirement to take part in any of our private tours, but the cost will be cheaper if you travel with a friend or two; and the visa requirement also changes from time to time.

How much time do I need to see Libya?

The answer to this question depends on how much you want to see. If you want to sample most of Libya, including the best popular sites of the Sahara, then you need at least 40 days. But the average time most tourists spend is between 10 and 15 days. So the best thing to do is pay a quick visit to see what Libya is really like, then if you like it, you can always return for more.

1 - 4 Day Tours

These short trips to Tripoli are ideal for weekends and for those visiting Libya for business, educational reasons, or for a weekend break in Tripolitania or Cyrenaica. We can secure the appropriate visa and have it ready for you, reserve a room for you at one of Tripoli's best emerging hotels, meet you at the airport (or the border), provide full transportation, and assist you in every way to make your weekend a memorable stay.

7 - 10 Day Tours

These tours are suitable for quick visits to selected Greek and Roman cities of Tripolitania and/or Cyrenaica, like Sabratha, Leptis Magna, Cyrene and Apollonia, and some Berber sites, like Zuwarah (on the coast), troglodyte Yefren, Nalut (in Nafousa Mountain), and even as far south as Ghadames ('the Pearl of the Sahara'). Ten days would be ideal to explore the best Roman and Greek sites of Libya. Most tours fall into this category. 

10 - 20 Day Tours

These tours are suitable for full holidays or for exploring Libya's coastal treasures and desert sites. You can either choose one of the popular tours combining Tripolitania and/or Cyrenaica and Fezzan, select your own destinations from these regions, or even spend the whole of your holiday in one place. With at least two weeks in hand, you can visit, in addition to the coastal and mountain sites, the Sahara herself, and venture deep into the Acacus (Akakous) valleys and further south towards the extinct volcano of Was an-Namous. These tours are ideal for those wishing to explore the prehistoric arts of Tashweenat in Acacus and the rock engravings of Wadi Metkhandoush, and relax by the kaleidoscopic lakes and oases of the great Ubari Sand Sea.

1 - Farwah

Duration : 4 Days Tour
Areas Covered : Zuwarah
Destinations:  Tripoli, Zuwarah, Farwah.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (days can be changed if needed). A trip from Tripoli to Zuwarah, quick tour of the city, a short drive to the fishing-village of Abu-kemmash, then a boat-crossing to Farwah, for a memorable two nights camping on the island: swimming during the day and enjoying the spectacular display of stars over a palm-wood fire at night. Farwah is a long and narrow strip of clean sand dunes, covered with small hills of palm trees, overlooking the sea on both sides, and is an excellent place for a weekend by one of Libya's best beaches.

2- Tripolitania

Duration : 3 - 7 Days Tour
Areas Covered: Tripolitania
Destinations: Tripoli, Sabratha, Leptis Magna.

Tripolitania: the region of the three cities: Oea (Tripoli), Zwagha (Sabratha) and Lubdah Leptis Magna). In this quick tour of the region, you will see Tripoli's National Museum, the Red Fort, the Old City, the Martyrs Square and, of course, a short drive along the shores of Tripoli; Sabratha's impressive collection of Roman buildings, busts, columns and temples, like those of Isis and Serapis, magical groves, the theater and the museum; and Leptis Magna's spectacular architectural splendour, like the beautiful Amphitheatre, the colonnaded street, the Gorgon head, the Hippodrome, the Hadrian Baths and the Tiberio Arch.

3 - Cyrenaica

Duration : 4 - 7 Days Tour
Areas Covered: Cyrenaica
Destinations: Benghazi, Tolmeita, Cyrene, Apollonia.

In contrast to Tripolitania as "The Three Cities, Cyrenaica would have been better named *Pentapolitania, from Pentapolis (The Five Cities): Cyrene (Shahh'at), Apollonia (Sousa), Ptolemais (Tolmeita), Taucheira (Tokra) and Berenice (Benghazi). Among the best attractions of Cyrene are the landscape of the area, the Roman tombs cut onto the rocks, the Eastern Basilica, some ancient Greek inscriptions and mosaics, and of course the marvelous Cyrene Museum. Apollonia (Cyrene's seaport) offers a number of great sites to see: the partially submerged harbour, the rock-carved theatre, the Acropolis, the temples of Zeus and Apollo, the Agora, and the Basilicas.

4 - Fezzan

Duration : 4 - 8 Days Tour
Areas Covered: Sahara
Destinations: Tripoli, Sabha, Germa, Wadi Metkhandouch.

Flight from Tripoli to Sabha, quick tour of Sabha, then drive to Tekerkiba for the camp. On the following two days you will explore Germa and its ancient city, then enter Wadi Methkhandoush for some of the most impressive prehistoric engravings of Fezzan.   On the last day, you will see more prehistoric sites nearby, then head back to Sabha for the flight to Tripoli. The tour can be extended for as many days. 

5 - Coast

Duration: 6 Days Tour
Areas Covered: Libyan Coast
Destinations: From, Ras Jdayr to Emsaad.

This drive along the Libyan coast is for car owners who wish to cross Libya from the Tunisian-Libyan Border all the way to the Egyptian-Libyan Border, or vise versa. Travellers without cars can also take this itinerary, if they want to travel mainly along the coast, as we will provide private transport. Duration of this itinerary varies according to individual needs.

6 - Libya

Duration : 10 - 14 Days Tour (customisable)
Areas Covered: Tripolitania - Cyrenaica - Ghadames
Destinations: Zuwarah, Sabratha, Tripoli, Leptis Magna, Benghazi, Tokra, Tolmeita, Cyrene, Apollonia, Nalut, Ghadames

This tour combines some of the most popular destinations from Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Nafousa Mountain, and the Sahara. In Tripolitania you can visit some of the best Roman remains outside Italy, like those of Sabratha and Leptis Magna, and see Tripoli's National Museum for a glimpse of Libya's history and prehistory. In Cyrenaica you will explore the archaeological sites of the Greek period and travel across the verdant Green Mountain. In the Western Mountain, you can visit some of the most spectacular Berber sites and castles and see the Berber way of life, and in Ghadames, the jewel of the Sahara, you will have the chance to see one of the most beautiful places in the entire Sahara.

 

7 - Acacus

Duration : 12 - 15 Days Tour (customisable)
Areas Covered: Tripolitania - Ghadames - Acacus
Destinations: Nalut, Ghadames, Sabha, Germa, Ubari Uwaynat, Acacus Region, Ubari Lakes.

This tour is similar to the one above, as it combines the Phoenician-Roman sites of the Libyan coast with the Berber sites of  Nafousa Mountain, but also it adds the Sahara desert, including the prehistoric art sites of the Acacus region. This is ideal for those wishing to explore the prehistoric art of Tadrart Acacus; relax by the kaleidoscopic lakes and oases of the great sand sea; or study the enigmatic engravings of Messak Settafet and Wadi Metkhandoush.

Food While Travelling In The Desert

Food is optional. Desert food means food during desert travel where 4x4 is required and where there are no shops, like Acacus, Methkhendoush, Hamada and the Lakes. if chosen to be included in the itinerary, desert food will include three meals, soft drinks and 3 litres of bottled water. Breakfast includes the usual bread, cheese, butter, croissants, jam, honey, milk, eggs, tuna, fruit juice, coffee, tea and biscuits. Midday lunch usually consists of light food which is recommended during desert travel, like fresh salad with olives, cucumber and tomatoes, bread, tinned vegetables, beans, tinned sardines, various fruits and soft drinks. Evening meal is normally cooked and consists of soup, and either rice, or pasta with either chicken or meat, with plenty of vegetables, soft drinks and bottled water. Of course, clients can choose to take care of their food during desert tours as well.

This is the kind of food we usually provide during desert tours.

From left: breakfast, fruits and soft drinks, light lunch (cheese, meat, eggs, vegetable, beans, peas, olives, etc.), and finally on the right the evening cooked meal of either meat or chicken with vegetables and either pasta or rice.

Transport:

For independent travellers and individual tourists who have their own vehicles and want to save some money our guide can travel with them. But for those who prefer to travel in private then our guide will have his own transport. For one or two visitors who do not have their own transport we usually use ordinary cars (as in photo, left). For small groups we normally use the Mercedes Benz Vito and the Mercedes Sprinter (middle photo) - one of the most comfortable and safe vehicles on the road; while for bigger groups we use mini buses or coaches. All vehicles are air-conditioned. For desert travel we use air-conditioned 4WD vehicles including Toyota land cruisers, which provide both: comfort and value for money, and luxury four wheel drives, which tend to be more expensive and are provided only on request. Please note that for serious desert drive the Toyota has outperformed all other vehicles including the Hummer, the Land Rover, the Range Rover and the Jeep; all of which easily get stuck in the sand. The maximum number of passengers per a desert vehicle is 3: two in the back seat and one in the front.

If internal flights are used in  our programs then please  keep in mind that domestic flights in Libya, especially those between the smaller airports, like Ghadames, Kufra and Ghat, are always subject to cancellation and delays, and therefore if domestic flights were requested to be used in our itineraries and then were cancelled upon or after arrival, the agreed itinerary will be affected and consequently an alternative land transport would have to be used. Flights between the main airports, namely Tripoli, Benghazi and Sabha, are not normally affected, except the flights between Sabha and Benghazi, which are affected by frequent delays.

Hotels & Camping Gear:

Please refer to our hotels guide for details.

Hotels are optional and will not be included in the price unless requested. Hotel standards and management in Libya can differ, greatly, from those of western Europe. 4-star hotels are not widely available, and mostly found only in Tripoli and Benghazi. For example, in Tripoli we go for hotels with character and traditional atmosphere, like  el-Khan and Zumit, while we use Dar Ghadames in Ghadames. Please note that we are not affiliated with any of these hotels, and we only choose what is best for our visitors. However, you are always welcome to suggest any other hotel you like in your enquiry, and where there are no bookings requested or confirmed we also do allow our visitors to pick and choose their hotels as they go after arrival.

If 3-star hotels were requested , then we normally use the best ones available, like al-Andulus in Tripoli, Severus in Leptis MAgna, Almanara in Apollonia, and Dar Germa in Germa. Budget hotels are also available, some of which do provide clean service.  If hostels were requested in the program then the quality of the service expected is provided as is. Please refer to our guide to hostels in Libya for more information.

During camping we usually provide tents, mats, new mattresses, new pillows, and new blankets; but, like we have said elsewhere, we do not recommend sharing nor do we provide sleeping bags. Of course you can bring all your camping gear with you. The camping sites we use are often come with all the basic services, like toilets, showers, hot water, power source and a small cafe or restaurant. Unlike other Libyan operators, we do not recommend and strongly advise against excessive use of water from the wells found in the desert, as this puts a strain on local resources.