Explore Libya 5 Days/4 Nights
Tripoli, Sabratha, Jebel Nafusa, and Leptis Magna
Overview
TRIPOLI IS JUST a FEW HOURS flight from Europe via Tunis. With its souqs, squares, Italianate streets, and a huge choice of cafes, shops, and places of interest, it is the perfect base for a short sojourn in Libya. The magnificent Roman sites Leptis Magna and Sabratha are also within easy reach. Full board package for 4 days and 3 nights including visa support. Accommodation is at Al Seel Hotel or similar. Transportation is normally by an air-conditioned saloon car or minibus. It is a unique destination not worth passing up…
Explore Jebel Nafusa, this is the heartland of the Berber people who claim descendancy from the original inhabitants of Libya and maintain a strong cultural and linguistic identity in this rugged part of the country. Remains of ancient Berber architecture dot the landscape, reflecting a lifestyle that was prevalent until only a couple of decades ago.
5 Days/4 Nights
Price on request
Tour highlights
Tripoli – Sabratha – Jebel Nafusa – Leptis Magna
Discover the cultural and historical depth of Tripoli, a modern city filled with remnants of a
grand pastEnjoy a full day at the magnificent coastal site of Leptis Magna, one of the largest and best-preserved Roman cities in the world
Uncover the beauty of Sabratha, which is one of the most visited historical sites in Libya
Take in the indigenous Berber heartlands, which offers an alternative view of Libya’s varied
historical influences and adds significantly to your understanding of the country
Itinerary
Marhaba “Welcome” to Libya – you are warmly welcomed by our Meet & Great manager and after clearing Custom and Immigration, you are transferred to Al Seel hotel or similar. The drive gives you a first glimpse into the life of the people who live in the capital city.
Meet your local English-speaking guide at the hotel. He will inform you about the tour. Lunch and then the tour begins.
We drive to Tripoli´s II WW Cemetery, which contains 1,369 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 133 of them unidentified. There will be also a visit to an old Christian church and much more. Later with your guide, you will get an impression of this fascinating city with its long and changing history. (L. D)
Today you visit the outstanding site at Leptis Magna, one of the greatest ancient sites in the world. It was originally a Phoenician trading port and prospered for nearly 1000 years before Vandal invasions and sandstorms brought its downfall. In its heyday during the reign of Libyan Emperor Septimius Severus, it was second only to Rome and housed over 100,000 people. This vast city remained buried for some 1300 years, and it was not until the 1920s that a major excavation by Italian and Libyan archaeologists revealed the limestone and marble wonders that we explore today. We return to Tripoli for dinner. Overnight at Victoria hotel
Driving 70 km south of Tripoli city you face a formidable wall of hard rock. That is Jebel Nafusa. The mountain rises abruptly from the desert plain of Jefara to a
height of over 750 meters, with the highest peak of a modest 968 meters. The mountains are awe-inspiring, bare, rugged, savage and without vegetation, however, the fertile plains on the mountain high plateau are full of olive, fig, fruit trees, and vineyards.
This is a fascinating excursion to Jebal Nafusa the heartland of the Berber people of Libya, with a visit to the magnificent 12th century fortified granary of Qasr al-Haj (chosen as one of the World’s 80 Greatest Treasures in a recent BBC series).
Continuing to Tormeisa to see Fantastic views from this deserted and ancient stone village of Tarmeisa, clings to a narrow rocky outcrop overlooking a stunning down off the escarpment over the Sahel Al Jefara, with its hundreds of valleys heading northwards. Then you continue driving to Yefren a beautiful place to visit, comprising several mountains divided by deep valleys and truly magical groves and little jungles and cliffs that give the city its unique edge.
Continue to Gharyan which lies at the foot of the plateau Nafusa mountains, 50 miles (80 km) south of Tripoli, Gharyan was on the trade routes both south to Fezzan and over the Nafusa Mountains. By 1884 the Ottomans had established a mayor and town council in Gharyan.
It was considered the center of Libyan resistance against the Italian invasion early20th century.
Gharyan has a population of 85,219 making it the biggest city in Jebel Nafusa. Olive oil processing, flour milling, carpet weaving, and pottery making are the main occupations.
Its famous troglodyte caves are a major attraction for tourists. The root “Ghar”, in the name Gharyan, means “cave”. The caves were dug vertically down into the rocky ground. We return to Tripoli and overnight at Victoria Hotel. (B,L,D)
After breakfast, you visit Sabratha. Amongst all the coastal sites, Sabratha stands out as the most beautiful. A World Heritage Site, Sabratha was founded by the Canaanites (6th c. B.C.), ruled by Carthage, Phoenicia, Numedia, and then Rome in 46 B.C. The site offers a majestic collection of public buildings, arenas, temples of Liber Pater, Serapis, Isis, and Hercules. Tripoli ” Oea” (the bride) of the Mediterranean is the capital of Libya.
Later you explore 20th century Italian Tripoli. Basically, your exploration of Tripoli’s 20th-century Italian architecture heritage will take you through three neighborhoods. Immediately south of Martyrs´ Square is the heart of the early 20th-century Tripoli. Dinner in a local restaurant and overnight at Victoria hotel. (B, L, D)
After breakfast, transfer to Mitiqa International Airport for your flight after an unforgettable tour. (B)
Services Included
Airport assistance and transfer from/to Tripoli Mitiga International Airport (MJI)
Transfer by a private air-conditioned vehicle
Accommodation
All meals
Transportation
English speaking local guide
Entrance fees to all museums and sites
Services Not Included
Visa approval fee through the Department of Passports to visit Libya. This fee must be paid in advance before submission
International Flights (We can issue 2-way tickets through Tunis, Istanbul, or Cairo on request)
Extra services in hotels such as phone calls, laundry, and room service…Etc.
Services are not specifically stated in the itinerary
Personal spending
Libyan embassies visa fees