After decades of isolation Libya is opening up to reveal an unspoilt destination of wonderful diversity. This tour has been tailored to give you a sample of the many different cultures and landscapes of Libya. Travelling southwards from the coast, through the mountains to the great Saharan desert, you will see how modern Libya has been shaped by the cultures of ancient North African, Saharan and Arab peoples. The trip will commence in the capital, Tripoli, with its ancient medina and bustling market life. From there it is a short journey to visit the splendours of the ancient Roman city of Sabratha situated on the coast overlooking the Mediterranean. You will then travel through the Jebel Nefusa mountain range, rich in Berber culture and on towards the desert-bound city of Ghadames. You will visit ruined castles, ancient granaries, troglodyte dwellings and stand in awe of the magnificent sand dunes of the Sahara. Your journey will then take you to Benghazi and from there you will explore the Eastern area of Libya known as Cyrenaica. You will visit some of the finest ancient Greek sites of the Pentapolis including Apollonia and Cyrene, both of which overlook the sea and are shaded by eucalyptus and cypress trees. The final leg of your journey will be spent exploring the wonders of Leptis Magna and the exquisite mosaics of Villa Sileen. This is an adventurous cultural 12 day tour and you will be accompanied throughout by a good Libyan guide and onsite guides.
Day 1 Depart London
Depart the UK on a non-stop three and a half hour flight to Tripoli where you will meet your local guide. A meal in one of Tripoli’s lively restaurants will mark the start of the journey.
Overnight 4 * Hotel in Tripoli
Day 2 Ruins of Sabratha and Qasr al Haj
Your first morning in Libya will be spent at the site of Sabratha, which is tucked into the coastline about an hour’s drive to the West of Tripoli. Together with Leptis Magna, Sabratha is said to be one of the most well preserved and extravagantly appointed ancient Roman sites in the world today, and boasts one of the finest theatres of antiquity. After lunch in a local restaurant you will start the drive southwest into the Jebel Nefusa mountain range to visit Qasr al Haj: an extraordinary circular and enclosed fortified granary. Although Qasr means castle in Arabic these structures weren’t used as forms of defence but as protection for the local crops. In the early evening wind your way up an escarpment to a sprawling Berber village called Yefrin for the night.
Overnight 3* Yefrin Hotel
Day 3 Berber culture in the Jebel Nefusa
You will depart in the early morning and travel through the Jebel Nefusa, a landscape of barren mountains and rocky escarpments, home to Libya’s Berber community (also known as the Imazighen). The first stop will be Tormeisa – an abandoned stone village situated on a rocky outcrop overlooking the sahel al Jefara plain. There are many tunnels, oil presses passageways and rooms to explore as well as a mosque. You will then drive on to Kabaw; a charming Berber community that nestles on a hillside with a wonderful granary marking the focal point of the village. Lunch will be taken nearby and the journey continues south in the afternoon where the mountainous terrain starts to give way to the epic harshness of the Sahara that stretches from Northern Libya to the heart of the African continent. Arrive in Ghadames in the early evening and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight 4* Hotel Ghadames
Day 4 Ghadames the jewel of the Sahara
Ghadames is one of the most extensive ancient caravan trading towns anywhere in the Sahara and a highlight of the tour. You will be taken on a guided tour of the now deserted old town on the first morning of your stay, wandering through labyrinthine alleyways, tropical gardens and old squares. In Ghadames women led a life of concealment; their domain was the house, which they decorated intricately with red paint and they did not come down to street level except at prayer time. Only a network of interconnecting roofs allowed them to move about freely from house to house. A traditional lunch will be cooked in one of the old houses. Relax or browse the shops in the afternoon and early evening, drive into the desert to visit the ruined remains of Ras al Ghoul surrounded by sand dunes and overlooked by the dunes of Tunisia and Algeria. Dinner in the desert (weather permitting) before driving back to the hotel for the night.
Overnight 4* Hotel Ghadames
Day 5 Nalut
You will return to Tripoli along a different route through the Jebel Nefusa stopping at Nalut for a picnic lunch (weather permitting). Nalut is the biggest Berber community and houses an exceptional Berber granary that teeters on the edge of a mountain with fantastic views overlooking the plains beneath. The Qasr is the focal point of the village and the houses, oil press, and mosque only fell empty in c.1960 when new Nalut was constructed around it. The local community have worked hard to keep the local traditions alive with craftsmanship and many of the rooms open showing the pottery storage containers that kept barley, dates and oil. The journey is long and you will arrive in Tripoli in the early evening in time for dinner in a local restaurant or your hotel.
Overnight 4 * Hotel in Tripoli
Day 6 Tripoli
Today will be spent at your leisure in Tripoli relaxing after the previous days’ long journey. There will be an optional medina tour in the afternoon for those that want it and sites will include the Gurgi mosque, The Karamanly House and site of the previous British consul. Lunch will be taken at your leisure and you will meet again in the evening for dinner.
Overnight 4 * Hotel in Tripoli
Day 7 Benghazi, Tolmeitha and Qasr Libya
In the morning transfer to the airport to take a one hour flight direct to Benghazi where you will be met by your local driver and transferred on into Eastern Libya – the area known as Cyrenaica. Drive to Tolmeitha, formerly Ptolemais, and one of the last of the Pentapolis to fall to the invading Arab armies in the 7th century. Lunch will be provided in the shaded garden prior to a guided tour around the site. The excavated areas of the city date mainly from the 1st and 2nd centuries BC and the whole site is spread out over a wild landscape set in from the coast in the shadow of the Jebel Akhdar. In the afternoon you will visit Qasr Libya where you will see some of the best collections of Byzantine mosaics in the country. Transfer to Susa for a two night stay.
Overnight 4* hotel in Susa
Day 8 Cyrene
The ancient city of Cyrene was founded in the 7th century as a colony of the Greek island town of Thera, Cyrene became the premier city of the Greek Pentapolis and its remains are an enduring testament to the great civilisations that flourished along the Northern Libyan coast. The views from many of the ruins are sensational, overlooking the coastal plains, small villages, Italian farmhouses and the distant Mediterranean. Wild flowers and pine, thyme and rosemary trees cover the site and some of the fountains still gurgle with the plentiful water. A journey down a long winding escarpment past Greek and Roman tombs will take you back to the hotel in the late afternoon.
Overnight 4* hotel in Susa
Day 9 Apollonia
The site of Apollonia is a short walk from your hotel. Built to serve as the port of Cyrene, some of the ancient harbour lies submerged beneath the sea; when the water is clear it is possible to make out the shapes of walls and buildings. There are several churches, a small theatre carved into the rocks and public baths. In the afternoon you will drive back to Benghazi for the evening flight back to Tripoli. (Dinner either in Benghazi or Tripoli depending on time of flight). You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Tripoli.
Overnight 4 * Hotel in Tripoli
Day 10 Magnificent Leptis Magna
The entire day will be spent at Leptis Magna, an hour and a half drive from Tripoli. The site is extensive and, after a guided tour there will be time to absorb it at your own pace. Benefiting from the patronage of the founder of the African dynasty of Roman emperors, Emperor Septimus Severus (b. 146), Leptis Magna was a city of extraordinary imperial extravagance – and is still a place of immense splendour. The sands that swept over the site in early modern times prevented pillaging and preserved its glories. The day will also include a visit to the spectacular amphitheatre – a great picnic spot.
Overnight in 3* Hotel near Leptis Magna
Day 11 Villa Sileen
Revisit Leptis Magna in the morning. Then drive a short distance to view the exquisite mosaics at Villa Sileen (if open – currently under restoration). Transfer back to Tripoli stopping if you like, at one of the many honey, olive oil and rosewater stalls along the way. If there is time, take a stroll of the old medina exploring the mosques, souks and attractive narrow streets, stopping for mint tea in Green Square, the central gathering place for Tripolitaneans and the entrance to the market. Your farewell dinner will be taken at a good Tripoli restaurant.
Overnight 4 * Hotel in Tripoli
Day 12 Tripoli museum and departure
In the morning you will have the chance to visit Tripoli’s ‘must-see’ museum. It houses an extensive collection of artefacts from all periods of Libya’s rich history, including one of the world’s most renowned classical art collections. The many galleries contain mosaics, statues and other works of art from each of the sites visited during the week as well as a gallery devoted to the life of Colonel Muammar Qaddaffi. Lunch (depending on time of flight) before transferring to the airport for the flight home.
COSTING
Flights including tax (with British Airways)
Approx £375 per person (please note prices may rise due to seasonal fare changes)
Land Arrangements (based on 4*hotels where possible)
£2110 per person (On a group of 5-9)
£1780 per person (On a group of 10-14)
Leaders and Guides: The cost includes an experienced Simoon Travel guide as well as an English speaking local guide and onsite guides.
Includes: Transport
Meals
One return domestic flight (Trip – Benghazi – Trip)
Accommodation in hotels as starred
Visa Process
Passport registration
Entrances to all sites and Museums
Water in vehicle
Excludes: Personal Travel Insurance (we can provide this)
Single Supplement £350 per person (for the whole journey)
Gratuities (information will be provided)
Passport translation (£55 per passport)
Photography at sites (small fees at sites)
Drinks and other personal expenses throughout the trip
Services in hotels
Transport to/from UK airport
Passport and Visa: A visa is required and Simoon Travel will need your passport in order to process a Libyan visa. Please note, holders of an Israeli border stamp or visa will not be admitted into Libya. You must have a valid passport that is not due to expire until at least six months after the date of return from Libya.
Please note itinerary may be subject to change
