Libya Travel Highlights - Trips & Tours

Libya

Ancient Ruins
Whether admiring some of the best-preserved ruins anywhere in the former Roman or Greek worlds, wandering through ancient Saharan trading posts, or pondering on the fate of the Garamantian civilisation that died out almost overnight, Libya's ancient ruins will be a major reason for your visit to the country.
Ancient Ruins
Classical History
The Greeks and Romans had a heavy presence in North Africa, largely confined to the fertile coastal strip. In the east, the Greeks had a strong presence in the cities of Cyrene, Apollonia and Ptolemais, whilst in the west the Roman cities of Leptis Magna and Sabratha are some of the most impressive found anywhere.
Classical History
Desert Safaris
With the fantastic rock art of the Sahara and the dunes and oases of the Ubari Sand Sea, the only way to get around is in a self-supported 4WD expedition. The solitude is a major draw, and because it's so far from any towns or cities, the night sky is brilliant with stars.
Desert Safaris
Oases
In the Ubari Sand Sea lie a series of lakes that fulfil every childhood fantasy of a desert oasis. Hidden deep amongst sand dunes, palm trees fringe limpid pools that perfectly reflect the clear blue skies.
Oases
Rock art
The oldest rock art in Libya dates back 12,000 years, through to more recent pieces about 2,000 years old. The older pieces tell of a more fertile time when giraffe, elephants, hippos and fighting cats roamed the landscape: a bizarre contrast with the stunning desert scenery that now surrounds the area.
Rock art
Saharan Cities
Although relatively accessible today, Ghadames was once a watchword for hostile cities on the fringe of the Sahara that traded in gold and slaves arriving from across the desert.
Saharan Cities

North Africa & the Middle East

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Highlights of Libya

Amble around the traditional villages in the Berber Heartlands
Between Tripoli and Ghadames is a stronghold of Berber culture with traditional fortified villages, granaries and troglodyte dwellings.
Amble around the traditional villages in the Berber Heartlands
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Browse the medina in Tripoli
The medina remains a bustling place and is a great place to while away a few hours in Tripoli. The copper-makers' souq is noisy but is a good place to see artisans at work and if you are after souvenirs, there are plenty of handcrafted baskets, carpets and fine textiles on sale.
Browse the medina in Tripoli
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Explore the rock formations in the Akakus Mountains
It's hard to know what is more impressive in the Akakus mountains - the vast rock formations and desert scenery or the rock-art stretching back 12,000 years.
Explore the rock formations in the Akakus Mountains
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See the ruins of Leptis Magna
Arguably the most extensive Roman city in the world, Leptis is filled with arches, collonaded streets, forums and theatres. At the very top of any to-do list for the visitor to Libya.
See the ruins of Leptis Magna
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Spend time at the theatre in Sabratha
One of the several impressive Classical cities in Libya, Sabratha is best known for its theatre. Restored by the Italians it gives a remarkable idea of how a Roman theatre looked.
Spend time at the theatre in Sabratha
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Stay overnight in the Ubari Sand Sea
Following a few hours of dune driving, which is exhilarating and sometimes slightly terrifying, you set up camp for the night. This is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the solitude of the desert and watch the stars.
Stay overnight in the Ubari Sand Sea
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Explore the ruins of Cyrene
Cyrene combines an attractive set of Roman ruins with an amazing location looking out over a fertile plain to the Mediterranean sea.
Explore the ruins of Cyrene
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Visit the museum at Qasr Libya
The museum at Qasr Libya holds the mosaics lifted from a nearby Byzantine church laid between AD 529 and AD 540, and the most beautiful in the country.
Visit the museum at Qasr Libya
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Wander around the UNESCO World Heritage site in Ghadames
The old part Ghadames ,which is surrounded by a wall, has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Here you’ll find a tranquil old city made of mud, lime and palm tree trunks.
Wander around the UNESCO World Heritage site in Ghadames
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Our country specialists have travelled the length and breadth of Libya - here are a few of their favourite things to do

Throughout its years as something of an international pariah, intrepid visitors continued to visit Libya; now that a rapprochement has taken place, the trickle has become a steady stream.

For those in the know, there is absolutely no surprise in this: the outstanding Classical ruins and breath-taking desert scenery have long been one of the worst-kept secrets of the travelling world.

Exploring Libya

It is perhaps for places like Leptis Magna that Libya is best known: the most extensive and best preserved remains of a Roman city anywhere, while nearby Sabratha has a wonderful seaside location and one of the most remarkable examples of a Roman theatre.

Over to the east, the Greek cities of Cyrene, Ptolemais and Apollonia give an equally valuable insight into the Hellenistic world. Smaller sites, they are fantastically atmospheric and attractively situated.

Heading south into the desert through Berber subterranean settlements and fortified mountain villages, the mighty Sahara is reached, and it too is filled with surprises - rock-art tells of a time when the area was a fertile land of elephants and giraffes.

It also offers the traditional beauty of the desert - the gentle slopes and steep crests of dunes as far as the eye can see, punctuated only by palm-fringed oases with deep still lakes.

Popular Places to visit in Libya

{1A93B9DE-5E9C-482D-AE17-075E8B833740}Cyrenaica

Old Roman cities are fairly well represented all over North Africa, but nowhere is there a site of Greek ruins more impressive than Cyrene. Not only does it have a fantastic setting overlooking the Mediterranean, but the site is only partly excavated.

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