Carol Turner
Carol worked with the explorer John Blashford-Snell as his PA and expedition coordinator, concentrating her work on the wild elephants of North India and... Read More
Libya Travel Guide
Benghazi
The second city of Libya, Benghazi is a bustling port and commercial centre. This stretch of Mediterranean coastline has seen many invaders, from as far back as the sixth century BC. More recently in WW II the city saw over a thousand bombs fall upon it, causing great damage. This now modern city, with luxury hotels and up to date facilities is the ideal from which to explore the Cyrenaica region.
Cyrene & Apollonia
The Greek ruins at Cyrene are only partly excavated have a fantastic setting in the beautiful Akhdar Mountains, looking out in direction of the Mediterranean Sea. Wandering around the remains, with a green and fertile valley below, and a forest on the hill above, it is not difficult to imagine life here 2,500 years ago when it was a wealthy, important city. Cyrene’s port, Apollonia is 18 km away and is on a beautiful part of the coast.
Al Bayda
Al-Bayda is the best base for those exploring the great ruins of Cyrene and Apollonia. Cyrene's port, Apollonia is 18 km away and is on a beautiful part of the coast. The town itself has a number of colonial-style buildings, and an influential Islamic university. It lies on a high ridge of the Green Mountains, 30 km south of the Mediterranean Sea. Much of the economy is reliant on agriculture, of which the region is famous for its apples, grapes and shmari fruit.
Sebha
Once the capital of the Fezzan, Sebha is an important regional town. Still a major Saharan transportation hub motor caravans from Algeria, Niger, Chad and even Tunisia pass through Sebha on their way to the Mediterranean Sea. Local agriculture is quite diverse, producing barley, wheat, onions and dates although much of the town's food and water must be transported from other oases. A few sections of the old quarters still stand, with mud-brick houses and covered alleyways. The old Italian Fort Elena rests on a nearby hill, and is used as a military base. Sebha is also known as the town where the Libyan leader, Mu'ammar Gadhafi, was educated.
Tripoli
On the shores of the Mediterranean sits Tripoli, the Libyan capital, and buried beneath lies Oea, which together with Sabratha and Leptis Magna give the western province its Roman name of 'tripolis' or Tripolitania - 'the land of three cities'. Fanned by the sea breeze, Tripoli enjoys a pleasant temperature year round, making it a joy to explore. The old whitewashed walls, some of which date from the fourth century, enclose the old Medina. It is the most northerly point of Tripoli, with the sea lapping at two of its sides. The architecture of this old city has a European influence, with many iron balconies and wooden window shutters. Although damaged in World War II, during the Italian occupation, the old city has remained mostly intact.
Leptis Magna
Leptis Magna on the Mediterranean Sea coast is considered to be the most attractive archaeological site in Libya and one of the best preserved ancient cities in the world. The city was founded by the Phoenicians in the 5th century BC and reached its zenith under the Romans in the 3rd century AD. As the birthplace of the Emperor Septimus Severus (ruled 193-211AD) much money was spent on the city creating an architectural masterpiece, much of which remains today due to being covered by the desert sand for centuries.
Ghadames
Known as the 'pearl of the desert', the ancient city of Ghadames was an important stopping off point on the trans-Saharan caravan route. An ideal location between Timbuktu and the Mediterranean coastal cities of Libya, Ghadames grew into a large town. Standing in an oasis, the whitewashed mud brick city of Ghadames is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognising the oldest pre-Saharan city as an outstanding example of a traditional settlement. Its desert architecture is unique.
Tobruk
Tobruk has a long history stretching back to the Greeks who colonised it before it became a Roman fortress town guarding the frontier of Cyrenaica. Later it was an important way point for traders travelling along the coastal caravan route. It became infamous however during the Second World War as the site of intense armoured fighting between the Axis and Allied forces. Today Tobruk is still an important port but the most poignant sights are the war cemeteries on the outskirts of town. On the 10th April 1949 the Allied garrison was attacked by Rommel's Africa Korps who laid siege to the town for 240 days.
Acacus Desert
The Acacus is the name given to the mountainous region of Libya’s south-western Sahara. An officially designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Acacus region offers spectacular desert and mountain scenery. There is a large variation of landscapes, from differently coloured sand dunes to arches, gorges, rocks and mountains. Major landmarks are the arches of Afzejare and Tin Khlega. Although this area is one of the most arid of the Sahara, there is some vegetation, such as the callotropis plant.
It is well know for its rock art and paintings extend back 12,000 years depicting the development of human societies and the animal life that was once abundant in the Sahara, such as giraffe and elephant. Travel in this remote area is invariably in 4WD vehicles and offers the perfect opportunity to step back into pre-history.
Libya Travel Information
Visa Information
UK Passport holders need a visa to enter Libya.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the end of your tour, and it must have at least one blank page for each visa required.
Please ensure the passport details we hold for you are correct.
Please note it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa documentation when starting your tour. Country entry regulations can alter daily and it is always best to check with the relevant embassies for any changes.
The Libyan visa is issued on arrival at Tripoli Airport but must be pre-authorised. Therefore we need to send a scanned copy of your passport photo-page to our Libyan partner to arrange this. We will send you a copy of the Libyan visa authorisation a few days before you travel. PLEASE ENSURE YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR EMAILS AND A PRINTER, OR A FAX MACHINE AT THIS TIME AND THAT WE HAVE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS.
The Libyan authorities now require all visitors to obtain an Arabic translation of their passport details page stamped into their passport. Although at the time of writing this requirement has been officially withdrawn, our experience has shown that Libya can change its entry requirements without warning, and this has caused problems in the past with people being able to get their visa. Therefore we strongly recommend that you obtain this official Arabic translation in your passport before you depart the UK. You can either obtain this yourself or use a visa services company such as:
Travcour (UK)
Tempo House
15 Falcon Road
Battersea
London SW11 2PJ
Tel: 020 7223 5295
Fax: 020 7738 2617
Email: info@travcour.com
Website: www.travcour.com
Insurance:
Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours.
You should be aware that many standard insurance policies may not cover you adequately for all aspects of a Wild Frontiers trip and so we strongly recommend that you purchase a suitably designed insurance policy.
One such policy is the "Wild Frontiers" policy underwritten by Ace European Group Limited (ACE " firm reference 202803), which is available to EU residents (which excludes Norway & Switzerland) through our website or via the insurance company direct on 0845 345 3456. Under this policy there are two different levels of cover available.
Standard policy: a comprehensive travel insurance policy that provides cover for all Wild Frontiers activities, including trekking up to 6,000m. This policy does not provide cover for travel to areas where the FCO is advising against all or all but essential travel.
Elite policy: provides the same comprehensive level of cover as the standard policy. In addition the Elite policy also provides cover for travel to areas where the FCO is advising against all or all but essential travel. The policy will not provide cover for any claims arising from or relating to the reasons why the FCO is advising against travel.
If purchasing the Elite policy you also have the option to extend the cover provided by the policy to include cover for claims arising from a terrorist act in an area where the FCO is advising against travel. You can add this cover to your policy when purchasing online or over the telephone.
These policies are only available to those travelling on a Wild Frontiers holiday.
For more information and to purchase your policy online please visit the Insurance section of our website.
The cover is underwritten by Ace European Grou
Health and Vaccinations:
There are no mandatory immunisations for travellers to Libya though you should be up-to-date with Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A.
We also recommend:
• A dental check-up prior to travelling.
• You inform us now of any pre-existing medical conditions or medication.
To be on the safe side you can also check on www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk
Tour Leaders
Holly Hunt
At three years old on the West Coast of Ireland Holly decided she wanted to live with lions in Africa.
By 27 she had held addresses on the foothills... Read More
Marc Leaderman
Narrowly escaping the "lawyer, doctor or accountant" stereotype career that is the fate of many London sons, Marc taught English in Romania & Japan... Read More
Tom Skipwith
As a baby being taken around India on the back of a motorbike by his travel-crazed parents, the adventure bug was firmly embedded and a nomadic soul was... Read More
