Libya holidays, Sahara tour
| country: | Libya |
| location: | Sahara Desert |
| departures: | 2008: 7 Oct, 21 Oct, 4 Nov, 18 Nov, 30 Dec 2009: 10 Mar, 24 Mar, 7 Apr |
| price: | From £999 - £1049 (11 days) including flights, from £799 - £819 excluding flights. Price depends on departure date. Local payment US $200 |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
The Libyan Sahara is truly one of the world's great wilderness areas. Our journey begins on the Mediterranean coast at the impressive remains of Leptis Magna. Then it penetrates the harsh desert interior as we travel south by 4WD to the Akakus Mountains and beyond.
By day we explore the legacy of the ancient peoples who once lived in this barren land, while at night we camp wild amidst some of North Africa's most spectacular desert scenery.
Leptis Magna and Berber villages
At Leptis Magna, the amazing Phoenician city later developed by the Romans, we find one of the best preserved ancient cities anywhere. Stunningly located on the shores of the Mediterranean, the ruins are deeply evocative and well worth the full day we allow to visit.
Later we head south Qasr al Haj and the cliff-top villages of Tornisa: it is a chance to witness the traditional way of life of the Berber people.
Deep in the Sahara - Ancient Rock Art
From Sebha we begin our exploration of the Sahara, the largest desert on earth. Arriving at the small oasis town of Ghat, we wander through the atmospheric and well preserved brick medina (walled city) imagining the arrival of camel caravans from across the desert in years past.
Next we head towards the Akakus, a mountain range known for its beautiful red sand and extraordinary rock formations. Amongst these mountains are some of the finest rock paintings in North Africa dating back to 8000 BC, an era when this landscape was grassy savannah rather than sand desert of today.
Germa & Salt Lakes of Dawada
At Germa, capital of the Garamantian Empire whose warriors successfully repelled the Roman invasions, we discover an ancient trading centre that once formed the link between Equatorial Africa and the Mediterranean coast.
Later we encounter the surreal sight of the Dawada Lakes. A series of eleven lakes seemingly dropped in the middle of the desert. Finally camping in the dunes of the Ubari Sand Sea, we enjoy for the last time the tranquillity of the desert before flying back to Tripoli.
Group size is approx. 12 to 16
Price includes 4 nights hotel, 7 nights camping, 11 breakfasts, 8 lunches & 7 dinners, tour leader, driver(s), cook.
Price excludes insurance (single trip insurance cost is £37).
Travel is by 4WD, on foot, coach and flight as itinerary.
Be prepared for some rough off-road driving and quite basic camp conditions in the desert.
By day we explore the legacy of the ancient peoples who once lived in this barren land, while at night we camp wild amidst some of North Africa's most spectacular desert scenery.
Leptis Magna and Berber villages
At Leptis Magna, the amazing Phoenician city later developed by the Romans, we find one of the best preserved ancient cities anywhere. Stunningly located on the shores of the Mediterranean, the ruins are deeply evocative and well worth the full day we allow to visit.
Later we head south Qasr al Haj and the cliff-top villages of Tornisa: it is a chance to witness the traditional way of life of the Berber people.
Deep in the Sahara - Ancient Rock Art
From Sebha we begin our exploration of the Sahara, the largest desert on earth. Arriving at the small oasis town of Ghat, we wander through the atmospheric and well preserved brick medina (walled city) imagining the arrival of camel caravans from across the desert in years past.
Next we head towards the Akakus, a mountain range known for its beautiful red sand and extraordinary rock formations. Amongst these mountains are some of the finest rock paintings in North Africa dating back to 8000 BC, an era when this landscape was grassy savannah rather than sand desert of today.
Germa & Salt Lakes of Dawada
At Germa, capital of the Garamantian Empire whose warriors successfully repelled the Roman invasions, we discover an ancient trading centre that once formed the link between Equatorial Africa and the Mediterranean coast.
Later we encounter the surreal sight of the Dawada Lakes. A series of eleven lakes seemingly dropped in the middle of the desert. Finally camping in the dunes of the Ubari Sand Sea, we enjoy for the last time the tranquillity of the desert before flying back to Tripoli.
Group size is approx. 12 to 16
Price includes 4 nights hotel, 7 nights camping, 11 breakfasts, 8 lunches & 7 dinners, tour leader, driver(s), cook.
Price excludes insurance (single trip insurance cost is £37).
Travel is by 4WD, on foot, coach and flight as itinerary.
Be prepared for some rough off-road driving and quite basic camp conditions in the desert.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Tripoli. |
| Day 2: | Tripoli sightseeing; fly Sebha. |
| Day 3: | Visit Germa and continue to Wadi Methkandoush. |
| Day 4: | Drive to Wan Kaza via rock carvings. |
| Day 5: | In the Akakus mountains; viewing ancient rock art. |
| Day 6: | Continue through the Akakus mountains. |
| Day 7: | To Tweiwa. |
| Day 8: | Visit Dawada Lakes. |
| Day 9: | Drive through Ubari Sand Sea to Sebha; fly to Tripoli. |
| Day 10: | Optional visit to Leptis Magna & Villa Sileen. |
| Day 11: | Fly London. |
travellers' tales
Visiting 5 World Heritage Sites in Libya with virtually no other tourists anywhere in sight was the hightlight. Also sleeping wild in the sand dunes of the Sahara. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
 The Libyan Sahara is truly one of the world's great wilderness areas. On this tour we use local leaders and local guides, especially at the major sites and little-visited routes that we visit. This provides local employment and so directly benefits the local communities. Our main accommodation is camping, which is very low impact in the desert, staying at fixed campsites and using safe and well equipped four wheel drives. As waste disposal facilities are extremely limited in the areas we travel to on this tour, we encourage all of our passengers to reduce the amount of disposable items and packaging on goods that they take with them. As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |