Introducing Libya
Travel Alert: Border areas with Sudan, Chad, Niger and Algeria are potentially dangerous. Check Safe Travel for current government warnings. Read this article by Lonely Planet author Anthony Ham, for up to date travel advice.
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Libya is a crossroads of history, continents and ancient empires. Home to the Mediterranean’s richest store of Roman and Greek cities – Sabratha, Cyrene and, above all, Leptis Magna – each of which is overlaid by remnants of Byzantine splendour, it’s a place where history comes alive through the extraordinary monuments on its shores. Every corner of cosmopolitan Tripoli resonates with a different period of history. It’s where the Sahara meets the Mediterranean.
Libya is also home to Africa’s most exceptional and accessible desert scenery. The Sahara engulfs over 90% of the country, offering up vast sand seas the size of small European countries. Visit the enchanting oasis towns of Ghadames and Ghat, where the caravans once showcased the riches of Africa. Marvel at palm-fringed lakes surrounded by sand dunes in the desert’s heart. Be bewitched by extinct volcanoes, such as Waw al-Namus, where black sand encircles multicoloured lakes. Go deeper into the desert and experience Jebel Acacus, one of the world’s finest open-air galleries of prehistoric rock art.
One important point to note is that visits to Libya can only be made as part of an organised tour. While those of you accustomed to travelling independently would probably love the chance to do so in Libya, remember that Libya is a vast country and on a tour you’ll be able to cover so much more territory than you otherwise could. Remember also that organised groups can be as small as a party of one (plus guide) and with most tour companies you can design your own itinerary.
Last updated: Jul 28, 2010
Tips & articles
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Libya: travel books to read before you go
24 August 2010
This excerpt from Lonely Planet’s Libya guide provides a selection of travel literature to get you in the mood for...
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Visit Libya, North Africa’s destination-in-waiting
26 July 2010
Libya just became a whole lot easier to visit, at least if you’re a US citizen. Four years after the...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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TC
by martinbreidenbach 5 replies, last post 03 September 2010
Can you still not use travellers cheques in Iran? Thanks
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Anyone one want to join me on my Libyan Sahara Trip in November 2010?
by mateosh40 0 replies, last post 30 August 2010
I'm hoping someone will join me on my trip to the Libyan Sahara both for the company and to save on the cost. Azgar Tours is organizing…
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Whats the current situation in Libya?
by bannedagain 7 replies, last post 02 September 2010
In 2009 i looked into visiting Libya, but from what i could find out, i needed an organised tour, which seemed pretty expensive, and as…
Hotels & Hostels in Libya
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Zumit Hotel
Tripoli -
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Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel
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Funduq al-Kebir
Tripoli
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Libya
Our Top Picks For Libya
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1 Tripoli
World-class museum, evocative medina, Italianate architecture and the best restaurants in the country
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2 Leptis Magna
Unrivalled Roman ruins from one of the greatest cities of antiquity
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3 Nalut
Fairytale Berber architecture and old town perched atop the Jebel Nafusa
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4 Sabratha
Splendid Roman city with the finest theatre in existence
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5 Waw al-Namus
Black volcanic sands and multicoloured lakes in the Sahara's heart
Fast Facts about Libya
- Borders
Tunisia (Ras Adjir) and Egypt (Amsaad) open; Algeria, Chad, Sudan and (usually) Niger closed to non-Libyans
- Visa
Arranged as part of organised tour; can be picked up on arrival. Arabic translation of passport's details page required.
- Time
GMT/UTC +2
- Telephone
Country code 218; international access code 00
- Money
Libyan dinar (LD); US$1 = 1.23LD
- Seasons
Hot (June to August), wet (March and October), dry (rest of the year)
- Area
1.8 million sq km
- Population
5.5 million
- ATMs
Becoming more widely spread
- Capital
- Budget
US$50 to US$100 per day
- Languages
Arabic, Italian, English
Our favourite Libya Blogs (beta)
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Travelling in Turkey – More Greek and Roman Ruins than Italy and Greece!
Blog: Vagobond.com - 29 July 2010
Again, not a lot of time to write, but we are having a wonderful time in Turkey. From cruising the Bosporus to marveling at the Iskander Kebap in Bursa, this trip has been filed with adventures stretching across the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea, and soon the Aegean Sea, and of course a bit of [...]
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Fade to Black (Roll Credits)
Blog: Africa Attraction - 16 March 2010
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The Worst Day in Africa... Ever! (Part 2)
Blog: Africa Attraction - 19 December 2009
According to their website, the good people at the Libya Tourist Board are hoping to attract over 1.5 million tourists in 2010. Or something along these lines – I’m not really one for fact checking. This is all very well, there’s some good stuff to see in Libya, but 1.5 million tourists is a rather ambitious target considering that it is such a pain in the scrotum to get into the damn country.
