Audley in Libya
Tourism may have taken off in Libya in the last two or three years, but it is still very much in its infancy. However, thanks to strong Italian links there is a good amount of experience around and things will certainly improve.
Traditionally people have travelled to Libya on organised group tours partly because visas were until recently only available for groups rather than individuals. We provide both group and individual travel to Libya. Individual travel, particularly to the desert, is more expensive as the cost of guides and 4×4 vehicles is being shared by fewer people. However individual travel does offer the greatest flexibility and the best chance to bond with those Libyans accompanying you on your trip. Travel is either by coach, minibus, saloon car or 4WD and you will always have at least a driver and a guide with you. For trips to the desert there will also be a cook.
Accommodation
Hotels, like guides, have not yet all caught up with the boom in visitor numbers. There is also some distance between our interpretation of what constitutes a four or five star hotel and the official Libyan grading system. There is only one genuine five star hotel in the country, in Tripoli, but it is very expensive. Most of the accommodation we use is of a reasonable standard – clean, comfortable and the best available. We have also sought out, where possible, hotels with local character rather than bland, government hotels. In the desert, accommodation is a mixture of basic fixed camps, and proper camping. Once again it is essential that you travel with an open mind and accept that tourism is a new business. Hopefully you will enjoy the advantages of the situation, when you talk to locals who are genuinely fascinated by foreign cultures or at the market place when you are not outrageously overcharged as happens in many tourism-based economies.
Guiding
Tourism in Libya has expanded dramatically in the recent past and as such many services have yet to catch up, particularly hotel and guiding standards. It is a requirement of the Libyan authorities that all visitors are accompanied by a guide but there are insufficient well educated multilingual guides. The accepted situation is that your accompanying guide is there to smooth the way with officials and to direct your driver; they can usually provide you with some local information and some history but they are not historians or archaeologists, nor necessarily multilingual, so a certain amount of patience and understanding is required of you. A local guide will be found at each major historical site to aide your understanding, but you may also find a guidebook invaluable.
Local Culture & Etiquette
Libya is Islamic and appropriate respect needs to be shown. However unlike the other countries in the brochure, it has not had massive amounts of contact with the outside world so etiquette on dress and behaviour needs particular attention. Ramadan also has a much greater effect on the visitor here and we would not recommend travelling during this period. For more information on these aspects of visiting Libya, please contact one of our Libya specialists.
You should also be aware that it is inappropriate and unwise to discuss politics or religion whilst in Libya. However, this does not change the fact that Libyans are a hugely hospitable and friendly people, and will seek to talk to you and learn more about you at any occasion: you may even be lucky enough to be invited to someone’s house for tea or a meal. Take these invitations up as it will be a special experience and a real insight into just how hospitable the Libyans are.