Acacus Trekking 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.

 

 

 

Tailor-Made Trekking Tour:

If you are part of a private group and would like to organise your own trekking tour, then you can submit your route for our team to check and approve, and if it is feasible, then we will get back to you with all the relevant details including prices and all the required information to process the Libyan visa on arrival.

You can walk across the hot sand dunes of the Ubari Sand Sea, from one lake to another; trek along the cliffs overlooking the valleys of the enigmatic Acacus (Akakous); or trek along the prehistoric galleries of Wadi Matkhendoush and explore its hidden rock engravings.

To submit your own trekking tour, please email us at: info(at)temehu(dot)com, or use the above link for our booking form (Book Now), or just use our regular secure enquiry form.

 

This Itinerary:

This trekking tour (see details below) is divided into two parts: the first part uses private transport to take you to Fezzan, via Qasr al-Haj, Nalut, Ghadames, Sabha, Tkerkiba, Germa, Ubari and Awaynat. You will have about 5 days to explore these sites. In the second part  you will start trekking from Awaynat down towards Wan Casa (Kasa) and Acacus, choosing from a number of trekking routes, listed below. We believe it is better if visitors have a say regarding the sites to see, and it is better to discuss the details of the route with the guide and the tour leader after arriving at Awaynat. You can also select the route you would like from the available options listed below.

For a list of other routes, please Acacus Routes.

 

Tour One: Nafousa + Acacus Trekking:

Upon arrival in Tripoli you will be met by your guide from Temehu, who will complete the entry formalities for you, and escort you to your hotel. An afternoon walk along Tripoli's shore, then explore the busy city centre, before your evening meal in a traditional restaurant.

Morning visit to the Assaraya Alhamra Museum for a virtual tour of Libya's history, followed by a walk around the lanes of the Old Medina and its covered souks. Then head for Nafousa Mountain, stopping at Gharyan, Yefren, Qasr Alhaj, before reaching Kabaw for the night.

On the morning you will continue to Nalut, to see the best of the Berber fortified granaries in the mountain, then begin your descent towards Ghadames at the edge of the great Sahara. Transfer to the hotel.

Today you will explore the unique oasis of Ghadames. The town is completely covered (or roofed), with narrow dark streets. You will also visit the small local museum, and the nearby sand dunes, before returning to the hotel.

Today you will begin your journey across the desert towards Sabha in the morning. After a long drive, you will either stay the night in Sabha, or continue to nearby Tkerkiba for the camp.

Today you will begin your trekking adventure across the spectacular landscape of Acacus and its unique valleys and sand dunes. The northern part of the Acacus mountain is known as Awiss (or Awis), and the southern part as Tadrart Acacus. There are several trekking routes for crossing the mountains from the Awiss region to Ghat, the best of which are summarised below. You can either discuss these with your tour leader and the desert expert and decide on the best route to take. Or you can submit your own route for our team to check and approve.

 

Trekking routes across Acacus (Akakous):

• Head for Awaynat by car, then star from the haunted rock fortress of Idinen (or the Fortress of Ghosts. north of Ghat) .
• Awiss   -   Wadi Tin Lanen  -   Tissatin   -    Adar n Dzhalko  -  Alfawwar (hot spring: Arabic Bir Assakhen)
• Wadi Tashwinet (or Tashwinat) - Wan Amil - up Wadi Atkarni - Wadi Tenetfat- Ghat.
• Tissatin -climb to the plateau - Wadi Adar n Dzhalko - al-Fawar (Wadi Tanezuft) - Ghat.
• Awiss - Tihe n Awiss Pass - Wadi In Aghallasham - Wadi Tanezouft - Ghat.
• Starting from Awaynat to Adad - Awis - Ramlet Wan Casa.
• Starting from the Fortress of Ghosts (Cave Aljonoun) - to Maghedet - to Armet.
• Starting from Bir Assakhen (the Hot Well or Spring) - the Grand Arch - Tin Lalen - Wadi Tashwinat - Bir Meningh.
• Trekking the Awbari Sand Sea, crossing from one lake to another. The distances between the lakes vary from 10 km to 45 km. Walking on sand is slower than walking on hard ground.

 

 

Today you will begin your journey back to civilisation and head for Sabha, for the flight to Tripoli, transfer to the hotel.

An early drive to Leptis Magna, to explore this wonderful ancient city. You cannot really visit Libya without seeing Leptis Magna. Return to the hotel in Tripoli.

Transfer to Tripoli International Airport for the flight home, or to the Tunisian border.

Tour Two: Acacus Trekking

1. Arrival at Tripoli airport then transfer to Sabha, hotel.
2. Drive to Ghat, spend the night there.
3. Morning drive to near the Algerian border, lunch, then trekking for 2 hours, over night at the Big Arch in Acacus.
4. Trekking: Tanshel, Ayn Mellel, Eymenang, over night at Wadi Tashwinat.
5. Trekking for 3 hours, lunch, trekking for 2 more hours, over night at Tin Lalen.
6. Trekking: Eghaher Mellen, over night at Talwawt.
7. Trekking: Awiss, over night at Adad.
8. Transfer by car to Tkerkiba,  over night in Tkerkiba.
9. Trekking (3 hours) to Mahrouga, then trekking for 2 hours more, then continue towards lake Gaberoun for the night.
10. Trekking to Umm Almaa lake, Mandara lake, over night near the sand dunes (Arramla), away from mosquitoes.
11. Transfer to Sabha airport for the return flight to the capital Tripoli.
12. Departure & farewell.

Approximate distances between the Ubari lakes:

Tkerkiba - Hofret H'lima > 10 km
Hofret H'lima - Mahrouga > 10km
Mahrouga - Gaberoun > 15 km
Gaberoun - Mafo > 15 km
Mafo - Umm Almaa > about 18 km
Gaberoun - Umm Alh'isan > 30 km
Gaberoun - Fredgha > 28 km
Umm Alh'isan - Attrouna > 11 km
Tkirkiba - Mendara > 15 km
Tkirkiba - Umm Almaa > 17 km
Tkirkiba - Mafo    >    39km
Tkirkiba - Gaberoun > 45 km

 

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.

Hotels in Libya:

Hotel standards and management in Libya can differ, greatly, from those of western Europe, and as a result we will do our best to choose good, convenient and quite hotels wherever we can. We also expect your understanding if any problems occur during your stay in any of these hotels and kindly request from you to let your guide know and deal with the matter politely.

If 3-star hotels were requested then we normally use the best ones available, like Zahrat Alkhaleej or Adoha in Tripoli,  Apollo Tourist Village in Cyrene, Almanara Hotel in Apollonia, and Dar Germa in Germa.

If 4-star hotels were requested then we must inform you that these hotels can be found only in Tripoli, Benghazi and one in Ghadames. For example, in Tripoli, we can use any hotel of your choice, like the Grand hotel (Alkabir), or the Blue Ship, which is located on the seafront, very quite,  near the centre, and well suited for visitors who prefer quite and comfortable hotels with a good sea view. Also we use the unique and excellent Zumit hotel in Tripoli and the grand Dar Ghadames in Ghadames for their traditional styles that reflect the local culture as well as for their high standards.

We are not affiliated with any of these hotels, but we do like the traditional style and Berber designs employed in the construction of these last two hotels and as a result we would like 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,  we also do allow our  visitors to pick and choose their hotels as they go.

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. Desert camping site 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; but, like we said elsewhere, we do not recommend sharing nor do we provide sleeping bags.

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. Please refer to our guide to hostels in Libya for more information.

Single Supplements:

The rooms we book are normally twin or double rooms and the prices are charged accordingly. If you require a single room, then the extra price for the single supplement would have to be added to the price of your itinerary.   If single rooms are available in some hotels, then we will charge you only for that room. But if no single rooms are available, and you still want a single room, then we will allocate you a double room for yourself. This is where the single supplement price would have to be added.

Set Your Own Price:

Some of our featured tours are priced (as this one). However, as we allow our visitors to choose the exact services they want to include in the tour, then it is entirely up to you to set the price you want to pay.

Generally speaking we are committed to providing good service 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.

 

 

The Basic Required Services:

• Libyan visa on arrival
• Airport/border formalities & transfers
• Passport registration
• Temehu escort (guide)
• Tourism Police (for groups of 5 or more)
• Advertised or agreed itinerary
• Private transport (including desert transport where applicable)
• Internal flights (where shown in program)

Extra Services (as required):

• Accommodation in 3-star or 4-star or 5-star hotels
• Accommodation in hostels
• Camping fees and camping sites charges
• Food (full board or half board. Breakfast is included in all hotel prices)
• Museum & archaeological sites entrance fees
• Museum & archaeological guides
• Desert sites entrance fees (like Acacus)
• Any other request not listed in the above basic required services list

Price does not include any of the following services:

• Vehicle costs (cars, bikes, lorries, etc.).
• Travel insurance.
• Photography fees.
• Personal expenditure & souvenirs.
• Anything else not specified in the above services list.

Cash: full payment is required on arrival, in cash, in Euro currency. If you cannot pay in Euro, then the next preferred currency is US Dollar. The amount shown in Libyan Dinars is the amount to pay on arrival, converted to Euro currency according to the rates of exchange current at the time of paying - that is on arrival. Please note that small notes, like 5, 10 and 20, will not be accepted for large amounts, and will be accepted only to complete the amounts that are less than 50.

ATMs: if for any reason you cannot bring cash with you, then you can use your credit card(s) on arrival; but ATMs are found only in the major airports and cities, like Tripoli and Benghazi and a few other towns.

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.

 

 

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.

 

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.

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. See below for details.

 

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. Otherwise the cancellation fees will apply.

 

Group tours organised by other tour operators & travel agents:

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 paid to the immigration department may not be recoverable if cancellation occurs within the period specified in the cancellation fees table.

 

Individuals booking in a group tour:

If you cancel your place in a group tour before 12 weeks before departure, then we will refund all money paid to us. If you cancel within the 12 weeks period before travel, please read our terms & conditions for details on how much you will be charged. This measure is necessary to protect the itinerary of the group so that if one member decides not to turn up the tour will continue as planned.

 

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.
• Guides need to be booked for each tour. If the guide receives an offer from another Libyan company after confirming his assignment with us, and he refuses this offer because we promised him a contract, then he will loose both contracts and end up with nothing if you cancel your tour after the arrangements have been made. The cancellation fee will be used to compensate the guide. This is not a scenario, and it does actually happen now and then.

Booking Confirmation:

To book your place in this tour please use the following booking form. If you have your own group and would like to design your own private group tour, or you are an independent traveller, then please use the Tailored Tours form.