Excursion: short walking tour of modern Tripoli.
Highlights: Algeria Square, and Martyrs Square
Meals: lunch, dinner.
Arrive in Tripoli and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a short walking tour of modern Tripoli, including Algeria Square with its impressive mosque (once a cathedral), and Martyrs’ Square, the lively heart, and central hub of the city.
Overnight in Tripoli.
Excursion: Sabratha with local Sabratha guide, Tomb paintings of Janzour (if open)
Highlights: Sabratha theatre
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
We leave Tripoli for the day, heading west along the coastal road to Janzour where we visit the Janzour Museum and go underground to see the catacombs with their tomb paintings. We continue to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sabratha, originally founded in the 4th century BC. It later fell under Greek influence before Rome took hold in the 1st century AD.
The most spectacular monument is the Theatre, featuring 108 Corinthian columns rising to a height of twenty metres above the stage. Below the stage you will see marble friezes depicting mythological figures including, inter alia, the Three Graces, the Judgement of Paris and the Nine Muses. We also see the Punic Mausoleum of Bes, the Temple of Antoninus, the Temple of Zeus, the Court of Justice and the great Roman Forum.
Excursions: Qasr Al-Haj & Qasr Nalut
Highlights: The old Berber qasrs of Qasr al-Haj and Nalut
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Today, we leave Tripoli and drive into the Berber heartland of the Jabal Nafusa.Our first stop will be at Qasr al-Haj to visit the most beautiful Berber granary qasr (castle) in Libya, and it’s no wonder that Dan Cruickshank chose this imposing 13th century fortress, circular in build, as one of ”The World 80 Greatest Treasures” in his recent BBC TV series.
We continue to Nalut to visit another Berber qasr situated on the edge of an escarpment. This impressive granary castle, with its narrow passageways, is of a different design to that of Qasr al-Haj. We continue to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ghadames, known as the ”Jewel of the Sahara”, where we stay for two nights.
Excursions:
Ghadames old city (UNESCO), guided by a local Ghadames guide. Short desert 4×4 tour, to visit Ras al-Ghoul and watch the sunset.
Highlights:
Ghadames Old Town, Sand Dunes of the Grand Erg. Lunch in a Traditional House
Meals: breakfast, lunch(traditional), dinner
Entering via the ancient gateway of Bab al-Burr, today we explore the labyrinthine streets and enclosed passages of Ghadames’ old town, once inhabited by the tribes of the Bani Wazid and the Bani Walid. Renowned for its distinctive architecture, we visit the various small squares, the old mosque and a madrasa (Koranic school), see the fruit and vegetable gardens and view the ancient system of irrigation. Lunch will be taken in a richly decorated traditional house in the age-old manner, sitting on the floor eating from commmunal dishes. We climb on to the roof of the house to see where the women, forbidden to wander the streets alone, would use the rooftops as a thoroughfare.
We also visit Ghadames museum with its historical and ethnographic displays. Later in the afternoon, we climb aboard four-wheel drive vehicles to visit Ras al-Ghoul (Summit of the Ghost), the remains of an ancient Roman fort before heading for the sand dunes of the Grand Erg Oriental, bordering the countries of Libya, Algeria and Tunisia to watch the sunset. Overnight in Ghadames.
Excursions: Kabow, Tormisa & Gharyan
Highlights: Kabow qasr, Abandoned village of Tormisa, Troglodyte house of Gharyan.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Leaving Ghadames early moring we head back into the Jabel Nafusa to visit another ancient qasr at Kabow before driving to the abandoned village of Tormisa with its stunning clifftop views. Continue to Gharyan to visit a troglodyte house and the pottery stalls for which the town is famous. Road mileage today: 570kms
We overnight in Tripoli.
Excursion: National Museum of Libya, Tripoli old city
Highlights: Arch of Marcus Aurelius
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Full day sightseeing in Libya’s capital city, known as the ”White Bride of the Mediterranean”. In the morning, we visit the wonderful National Museum which includes one of the finest collections of statuary and mosaics in the world. The walled old town of Tripoli encloses, arguably, the most charming medina in all of North Africa.
After lunch in an old town restaurant, we’ll explore the warren of streets and alleyways, including the bustling souks, each devoted to a different trade, the historic house of the 18th century governor Karamanli, the Karamanli Mosque, the 16th century Dragut Mosque, burial place of the famous pirate of that name, the 19th century Gorgi Mosque, the 18th century former British Consulate, the former Turkish Prison, now a school, St. George’s Orthodox Church, the 19th century Ottoman clock tower and the sole surviving building of Roman Oea, the 2nd century Arch of Marcus Aurelius. Overnight in Tripoli.
Excursions: Leptis Magna (UNESCO), guided by a local Leptis Magna guide.
Highlights: Leptis Magna Theatre, Amphitheatre, Baths, Imperial Forum and the Market.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Full day excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Leptis Magna, the largest and best-preserved Roman city in the world that came to prominence in the 2nd century AD under its native son, the Emperor Septimus Severus. Following his reign, the city fell into decline until revived by the Emperor Justinian in the 5th century AD at which time it fell under Byzantine rule. The vast site is truly spectacular: the sites include the triumphal Arch of Septimus Severus, the Hadrianic Baths complex, the Palaestra (Athletics Ground), the Nymphaeum (Temple of Nymphs), the huge Imperial Forum, the Basilica, the Arches of Tiberius and Trajan, the Theatre with its beautiful backdrop against the Mediterranean Sea, the Sanctuary of the Divine Emperors, and the Market with its unique kiosks which, at the time of construction, were a groundbreaking design in the Roman world.
In the eastern section of Leptis Magna we will see the Circus and enormous Amphitheatre with seating for over 15,000 spectators. We will visit the vast arena, and see the gladiators anterooms and animal enclosures. En route back to Tripoli, if open a visit will be made to the 2nd century Villa Sileen, the home of a wealthy Byzantine that was discovered in 1974. The wall paintings portray scenes such as gladiatorial combat and chariot racing while the mosaics display river scenes that include sea nymphs, birds and animals. Picnic/lunch box for lunch. Road mileage today: 280km
Excursions: No excursions planned.
Highlights: Free time for relaxation, shopping or exploring independently within the agreed arrangements.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch.
Today is your final day in Libya, with free time to relax, enjoy some last-minute shopping or explore more of Tripoli at your own pace.
At the agreed time, we collect your luggage from the hotel and transfer you to Tripoli Airport. Our team will assist you with the departure arrangements and see you safely on your way home.
Departure from Tripoli.
This trip is available
Don’t forget to apply for your visa.
More information
These accommodations have been visited by our travel specialists and give an impression of where you will stay during this trip. Because we can deliver 100% customization, it is always possible to adjust it to your wishes!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Libya Travel Agent department:
Libya is a country undergoing a gradual process of stabilisation, and conditions can change over time and from one region to another. For this reason, we continuously monitor and update our information on the local situation, with particular attention to the areas included in our itineraries and the hotels and services we use.
Our guides and local team are focused on the safety and well-being of our clients throughout their tour and excursions. We regularly assess local conditions and avoid travelling to areas that, based on the information available to us, are considered unsuitable or unsafe at that time. Where necessary, we may adjust the itinerary in response to local circumstances.
We strongly recommend that all travellers visiting Libya prepare thoroughly before departure and remain informed about the current security and travel conditions relevant to their itinerary.
Comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended, including appropriate medical, emergency evacuation and repatriation coverage.
Travellers should review the available official travel advice, consider their own circumstances and make their own informed decision regarding travel to Libya.
A Libya tourist visa is required to enter West Libya. We provide our travellers with an official invitation letter and the required sponsor documents to support their Libya visa application.
Once you receive these documents, you can apply online through the official Libyan e-visa platform.
If you prefer, we can also handle the Libya tourist visa application on your behalf through our visa service. This can make the visa process easier and more convenient when planning your Libya tour.
For more information about the Libya tourist visa requirements for East and West LIbya please visit our Libya Tourist Visa page.
Each group is accompanied throughout the tour by Tourist Police offers, and an English-speaking tour leader who coordinates the daily program and assists you throughout your journey.
At the highlights of Sabratha, Ghadames and Leptis Magna you will be accompanied by an English-speaking local site expert who provides detailed historical and cultural information about the monuments and archaeological sites.
The tour leader is responsible for coordinating the overall program, while the site experts provide in-depth knowledge and specialist interpretation at each major site.
Four-star hotels are included wherever available; otherwise, we use carefully selected three-star hotels.
Our hotel partners are carefully selected based on several important quality criteria, including service, location, hygiene, available facilities and parking options. We work with trusted accommodation partners to ensure a comfortable and pleasant stay throughout your tour.
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+31 6 57 54 12 05
info@tourslibya.com
Abu Kamash road, Zuwarah, Libya
