All our tours are 100% customisable: dates, duration and services.
Itinerary: for independent travellers and groups:
Itinerary Code: AT29 Duration: 12
Days
Day 1
Arrival at Tripoli Airport, meet your guide, complete
the visa formalities, then drive towards the city centre for your hotel. Depending
on time of arrival, you may take an evening walk along the lanes of the Old
City, before returning to the hotel for rest.
Day 2
Tripoli: Today you will explore "The Pride
of The Mediterranean",
including visits to the Red Castle, Assaraya Alhamra Museum,
the Arch of Marcus Aurelius,
and Karamanli House. The atmosphere in Tripoli
is very cosmopolitan and the architecture of the city includes styles from many
periods of Libya's history. Dinner in a traditional Libyan
restaurant, before returning to the hotel for the night.
Day 3
Sabratha: morning drive to Sabratha, about 60 km
west of the capital. This town was originally a Berber settlements long before
the Phoenicians made it into a commercial centre. Walking along the streets of
ancient Sabratha, moving from one site to another, you will see the Forum,
the 2nd century Colonnaded Theatre - the most complete Roman theater in the world,
and Sabratha Classic or Roman Museum, housing a number of fine statues and Byzantine
mosaics. Return to Tripoli in the evening, or stay in Sabratha for the night
(depending on hotel availability). To guarantee a night in Sabratha we recommend
the 4-star Dar Tellil Hotel.
Day 4
Leptis Magna: today you will head east towards the
archaeological city of Leptis Magna - the best preserved Roman city in the world.
The city is one of the best sites to visit in Libya, as it provides a unique
travel experience: you will walk along its ancient streets, paved with blocks
of stone, and lined with massive buildings and statues. You will also see the
Triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus - the Berber native of Leptis Magna who developed
the city and went on to become Africa's first Roman Emperor; visit the Museum
of Leptis Magna, with its rare collection of Roman and local sculptures and statues;
and spend the evening taking photos of the ancient city. You can either stay
the night in Leptis, or return to Tripoli.
Day 5
Benghazi: today you will take an early flight to Libya's
second largest city: Benghazi, from where you will begin your exploration of
the Green Mountain, else known as Cyrenaica. You will drive from the airport
towards Teucheira or Tokra, one of the
five cities of the Greek Pentapolis. Then you will continue your journey across
the verdant hills of the Green Mountain towards
Apollonia for the night (Almanara Hotel).
Day
6
Apollonia & Cyrene:
the name Apollonia comes from the Greek Sun-god Apollo. After visiting the site,
you will continue to Cyrene, the ancient capital of Cyrenaica and one of Libya's
five world heritage sites. The city once was very wealthy, largely due to the
export of the silphium plant and other local produce. In addition to the unique
sculpture museum, which houses a number of fine statues and busts, other site
of interest include the massive temple of Zeus (pictured right),
the king of the Greek gods, the Temple of Apollo, the Sun-god, and the mysterious
rock-cut tombs of the city?s necropolis. Return to Apollonia
for the night in Almanara Hotel. (You can stay in Cyrene, but we recommend staying
the night in nearby Almanara Hotel.)
Day 7
Qasr Libya & Slontha: today you
will drive towards the Berber grotto of Slontha, the site of a local, pre-Greek
cult, characterised by carved sculptures and heads. Then continue to Qasr Libya,
the Castle of Libya, visit the Mosaic Museum, before returning to Benghazi for
the evening flight back to Tripoli. (You can also stay the night in Benghazi,
take the morning flight to Tripoli, and then continue to Nafusa Mountain.)
Day 8
Nafusa Mountain:
today you will leave Tripoli and head for Jabal Nafousa. Your first stop will
be Qasr Al-Haj, where you will visit the traditional Berber fortified granary,
before continuing to Kabaw and Nalut for more Berber sites. Night in Kabaw, or
in Nalut (if the only hotel becomes available).
Day 9
Ghadames Sand Dunes Sunset.
Ghadames: after Nalut you will begin your desert adventure
by driving across the sand desert towards the pearl of the Sahara, the
Oasis of Ghadames. Transfer to the hotel for rest. In the evening, you have the
option to visit the sand dunes to watch the glowing sunset over the
hazy dunes (see actual photo below). Back to the oasis for dinner before returning
to Dar Ghadames Hotel for the night.
Day 10
Ghadames: full day in Ghadames: the
roofed city is one of Libya's world heritage sites, and one of the oldest habitable
towns in the whole of the Sahara, with history going back all the way to the
Paleolithic period. With its beautiful mud houses, brilliantly decorated with
red & white Tuareg designs, the old town is one of the best places to
visit in Ghadames. You will also visit Ghadames Museum, visit a traditional Berber
house for a meal, and explore other sites in the oasis.
Day 11
Ghadames - Gharyan: early morning drive to
Tripoli, but instead of driving through the same route, you will drive up the
mountain and then continue across the top of Jabal Nafousa, towards the Berber
village of Tormisa, then continue towards troglodyte Gharyan for the night.
Day
12
Tripoli: today you will drive to Tripoli, transfer to the airport
for departure & farewell.
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.
Itinerary Code: AT29 Duration: 12 Days
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. Coming with a friend nearly halves the price of your tour.
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.
Accommodation
Itinerary Code: AT29 Duration: 12 Days
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
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 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.
Prices & Services
Itinerary Code: AT29 Duration: 12 Days
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 of some services like hotels.
Travel companies that offer fixed price tours tend to mandate the same services on the whole group, regardless of personal preferences. We are dedicated to offering 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 by choosing to pay only for the services you require.
Basic Services:
Libyan visa on arrival
Airport/border formalities & transfers
Passport registration
Guide & his full costs
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
Payment
Details
Itinerary Code: AT29 Duration: 12 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.
Deposit Payment:
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 three months or more before arrival; but if booking is made within three months of travel, then we require a deposit payment to guarantee the tour for the other members of the group.
