Libya Tours and Travel

Day 1 – Tripoli

• Arrive at your convenience to Libya’s capital city, Tripoli. We recommend flying with Libyan Wings, EgyptAir or Turkish Airlines. Libyan Wings flights depart from Tunis, Tunisia — EgyptAir flights depart from Cairo, and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul. These are the most reliable flight operators to Libya.
• You will be transferred upon arrival to our centrally located hotel in the centre of Tripoli.
• If you arrive in the morning, lunch can be arranged at a restaurant close to your hotel
• You’ll first explore around Martyrs’ Square – previously known as Independence Square under Gaddafi, built by the Italians during the colonial rule, on the evening of the 21st August the Libyan rebel groups took control of the area during the 2011 Battle of Tripoli and started referring to it as Martyrs’ Square to dissociate the square from the Gaddafi government.
• Visit the newly reopened and highly anticipated National Museum of Libya, home to collections spanning more than 5,000 years of North African history, making it one of the richest archaeological museums on the continent. The museum showcases artifacts from Libya’s Phoenician, Greek, Roman, and Islamic past, reflecting the country’s role as a crossroads of civilizations. Closed for 14 years following the uprising against Gaddafi, the museum reopened symbolising both cultural preservation and Libya’s gradual return to the world stage.
• Visit Jamal Abdul Nasser Mosque – it was first constructed as a cathedral in the 1920s during the Italian Libya colonial era, and converted into a mosque during the 1970s under Gaddafi’s instructions.
• See the former Italian built post office which is now converted to the Municipality of Tripoli and a nearby outdoor cafe with a stunning courtyard.
• Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Tripoli

Day 2 – Tripoli – Sabratha – Tripoli

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before exploring the Red Castle of Tripoli which is the most famous landmark of the city. It dates back to the time of the Phoenicians and was later painted red following the Spanish invasion of 1510. The total area is 13,000 square meters and there are several buildings and courtyards within the castle walls to explore. You will be shown the exact spot where Gaddafi stood to give public speeches to the crowds on Green Square.
• Wander through the Medina, where the old city’s labyrinthine streets are filled with treasures such as the Banco di Roma building, Ottoman-era mansions, an ancient Roman arch, and among other more contemporary Tripoli attractions.
• Visit the Othman Clock Tower built in the 19th century. It shares a resemblance to the Dolmabahce Clock Tower in Istanbul.
• Drop by the Karamanli house that was built in the second half of the 18th century, during the reign of Ali Pasha Karamanli, and was used by Yousuf Pasha until his death. The house was restored in the 1990s.
• Explore many of the souls that are hidden in the old town, previously the connection between the trans-Sahara trading routes within Tripoli vilayet and southern European Merchants ships. This is your chance to find some unique souvenirs such as local handicrafts, the Green book and other propaganda related to the Gaddafi regime.
• Visit the Old British Consulate that was originally built in 1744 as a residence for Ahmad al Karamanli, the ruler of Tripoli. He donated it t the British Consulate who used it until the 1940’s. Today it is a scientific library.
• Enjoy a lunch in Tripoli before heading two hours northwest to Sabratha. Sabratha is one of the most important historical sites in Libya as the city dates back to 5000 BC and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Phoenicians and Romans previously used Sabratha as a seaport.
• Here you will visit the Sabrata Theatre which dates back to 175CE and could hold up to 5,000 spectators. Return to Tripoli for a traditional Libyan feast for dinner and overnight in Tripoli

Day 3 – Tripoli – Jebel Nafusa – Gharyan – Tripoli

• After breakfast, drive two and a half hours southwest of Tripoli to Jebel Nafusa, a mountain that rises abruptly from the desert of Jefara to a height of over 968 meters. This is the heartland of the Berber people of Libya
• Here you will have the opportunity to meet a local family and be invited into their centuries-old troglodyte home.
• Drive onwards to explore Tarmeisa. Tarmeisa is an ancient stone village which clings off a narrow, rocky outcrop overlooking (and offering a great view of) the Sahel Al Jefara.
• Arrive in Gharyan and enjoy a lunch in town. Gharyan was considered the centre of Libyan resistance against the Italian invasion in the early 20th century. The locals here protested strongly against Gaddafi.
• Spend time exploring the 12th century fortified granary of Qasr-al-Haj.
• Return to Tripoli and enjoy a dinner and overnight in the capital.

Day 4 – Tripoli – Leptis Magna – Tripoli

• After breakfast at the hotel, drive two hours east to Leptis Magna. Originally a Phoenician trading port that prospered for over 1000 years before the Vandal invasions and sandstorms marked its downfall. During the reign of Libyan Emperor Septimius Severus, it was the seance only to Rome with a population of more that 100,000. The city was buried for 1300 years before it was escalated by Italian and Libyan archaeologists in 1920.
• You will visit parts of the former glory city such as the Grand Arch entrance, saunas and baths, a track ’n field, markets, the famous Amphitheatre that could sit up to 10,000 spectators. YPT considers it the most impressive colosseum you may ever come across. Gladiators battling panthers and public executions took place here.
• Enjoy lunch at a local Libyan restaurant.
• Return to Tripoli stopping at Villa Sileen along the way, which belonged to an ancient wealthy Roman family.
• Enjoy a farewell dinner at a restaurant in the city and enjoy shisha. Speak with your local guide about what life is like in Libya since the fall of Gaddafi.
• Overnight in Tripoli.

Day 5 -Tripoli and departure

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.
• Check out of the hotel and transfer to Tripoli International Airport for your flight home.