Libya Tour: Gaddafi’s Legacy

Tuesday 10^th November – Tunis, Tunisia – Tripoli, Libya

Morning

• Arrive at your convenience into Tunis – the capital city of Tunisia which is well connected with flights from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
• Group members will meet at Tunis–Carthage International Airport at 7:00am to check into Libyan Wings YL801 departing Tunis at 9:20am and arriving at Tripoli 11:30am. YPT can arrange return tickets for €350. All group members must arrive into Tripoli on this flight according to tourist regulations set by the Libyan ministry.
• Arrive and go through immigration. Meet with local tourist police and guide to be transferred to hotel centrally located in the city

Afternoon

• We’ll have lunch at one our favourite spots in the city and begin our walking tour of Tripoli.
• We’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 21^st 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

Wednesday 11^th November – Tripoli – Sabratha – Tripoli

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• We’ll begin by exploring the Red Castle of Tripoli – the most famous landmark of the city. It dates back to the Phoenicians; the fort was later painted red after the Spanish invasions in 1510. The total area is about 13,000 square meters and there are several buildings and courtyards inside the castle’s walls. You’ll also be shown the exact spot where Gaddafi stood to give public speeches to the crowds on Green Square.
• Wander through 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 – this 19th century Ottoman Clock Tower which shares a resemblance of to the Dolmabahce Clock Tower in Istanbul
• Drop by the Karamanli house – 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 during the early 1990s and became known as Tripoli Historical Exhibition.
• Arch of Marcus Aurelius – built in 163 AD, the triumphal arch of Marcus Aurelius is Tripoli’s most impressive ancient monument. It stands at the intersection of the Cardo and Decumanus and marks the exact centre of the Roman city.
• Explore many of the souqs that are hidden in old town – these souqs were previously a connection between the trans-Sahara trading routes within Tripoli vilayet and southern European Merchants ships.
• This will be your chance to buy some unique souvenirs, such as local handicrafts, as well as things related to the former Gaddafi regime, such as the Green Book and various propaganda.
• Visit the Old British Consulate – originally built in 1744 as a residence for Ahmad al Karamanli, the ruler of Tripoli. He donated it to the British Consulate, and it continued to serve that function until 1940. Since the 1990s it has housed a scientific library.

Afternoon

• Lunch in Tripoli and begin making our way towards 2 hours northwest to Sabratha – one of the most important historical sites in Libya. The city dates back to 500BC and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Phoenicians and Romans previously used Sabratha as a seaport.
• Visit the Sabratha Theatre – dated back to 175CE and could hold up to 5,000 spectators.
• Return to Tripoli for a traditional Libyan feast for dinner.
• Overnight in Tripoli

Thursday 12^th November – Tripoli – Jebel Nafusa – Gharyan – Tripoli

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive 2 and a half hours southwest of Tripoli to Jebel Nafusa – this mountain rises abruptly from the desert of Jefara to a height of over 968 meters. This is the heartland of the Berber people of Libya.
• Meet and greet with a local family and be invited into their centuries-old troglodyte home.
• Drive onwards to explore Tarmeisa – an ancient stone village which clings off a narrow rocky outcrop overlooking a spectacular view of the Sahel Al Jefara.

Afternoon

• Arrive in Gharyan and 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 where they suffered heavy bombardment by the Gaddafi forces. As of May 2011, the Gaddafi’s forces had shut down the water system and blocked food supply to the town. Rebels stood their ground and continued fighting against any resistance which finally led them to victory against countless tanks, artillery guns and snipers.
• Today Gharyan has a population of over 85,000 and produces olive oil, flour, carpet weaving, and pottery. The locally famous Troglodyte caves were dug vertically down into the rocky ground.
• Visit the 12th century fortified granary of Qasr al-Haj – an impressive place to explore.
• Return to Tripoli with dinner on arrival
• Overnight in Tripoli.

Friday 13^th November – Tripoli – Leptis Magna – Tripoli

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive two hours east to Leptis Magna – it was originally a Phoenician trading port and prospered for over 1000 years before the Vandal invasions and sandstorms brought its downfall. During the reign of Libyan Emperor Septimius Severus, it was second only to Rome with a population of over 100,000. The city remained buried for some 1300 years and it was not until the 1920s when a major excavation by Italian and Libyan archaeologists revealed the limestone and marble traces we’ll explore.
• We’ll visit various 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, and what YPT considers the most impressive colosseum you’ll ever come across built along the sea with hidden tunnels to completely discover. Gladiators battling panthers, and public executions took place in this very spot.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local Libyan restaurant.
• Return to Tripoli stopping at Villa Sileen which belonged to an ancient wealthy Roman family.
• Dinner at a local restaurant in the city where we will get a chance to converse with our local guide over shisha about what life in Libya is actually like since the call of Gaddafi, and what it was like before.
• Overnight in Tripoli

Saturday 14^th November – Tripoli – Tunis, Tunisia

Morning

• Breakfast in the hotel, check out of hotel and transfer to Tripoli-Mitiga International Airport to depart at 8:10am on Libyan Wings YL800 arriving back into Tunis at 8:20am.
• For group members continuing on to Algeria, we recommend booking and boarding Tunis Air departing Tunis 12:20pm and arriving 1:40pm on flight TU374. Flight cost not included.