SCHEDULE & COST:
Dates: April 13 – 19, 2024
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights
Number of participants: 6 – 12
TRAVEL PROGRAM: tour to Libya
Day 1. April 13, 2024 (Saturday). ARRIVAL IN TRIPOLI
Morning arrival in Tripoli, capital of Libya. Transfer to the hotel.
Tour around Old City of Tripoli, where we visit the old quarters linked to the Main Square and Marcus Aurelius Arch. If the National Museum is open, we also visit it.
Overnight in Akakous Hotel in Tripoli.
Meals included: lunch
Accommodation included: Akakous Hotel
Recommended flights:
— EgyptAir from Moscow via Cairo, departure from Moscow on April 12 at 16:55, stopover in Cairo 9 hours 40 minutes, departure from Cairo on April 13 at 7:00 am, arrival in Tripoli on April 13 at 9:45 am,
— morning flight from Tunis or Istanbul with Libyan Wings or Ghadamis Air, with arrival in Tripoli no later than at 10 am on April 13,
— any other flight from any city arriving in Tripoli no later than at 10 am on April 13.
Day 2. April 14, 2024 (Sunday). TRIPOLI — QASR AL HAJJ — NALUT — GHADAMES (620 km)
Today we drive south-west, to Sahara region, in order to reach the old city of Ghadames on the border with Algeria (620 km, 10 hours drive).
On the way we visit Jabel Nafusa and Qasr Al Hajj.
Then we drive through town of Nalut, where we can visit Gaser Nalut.
Late arrival in Ghadames. Night in hotel Dar Ghadames.
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
Accommodation included: hotel Dar Ghadames
Day 3. April 15, 2024 (Monday). GHADAMES
Spend the day visiting Ghadames, an ancient caravan center situated at the edge of the Sahara near the borders of Algeria and Tunisia. This Berber town of unique architecture, palm groves, and gardens is an oasis that forms part of the sub-region of Gharian. It offers the traveler the warm hospitality of the Berber people and a unique perspective of day-to-day life that has not changed for centuries. We will discover unique homes built of mud, lime and palm tree trunks in the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This unique design keeps the houses cool during hot days and warm during cold nights. In addition, the rooftops are all connected to allow the women to get around without being seen by men.
Enjoy lunch at a traditionally decorated house, then head to the dunes by 4x4 vehicles for a beautiful view of the Sahara surrounding Ghadames and watch the spectacular sunset.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Accommodation included: hotel Dar Ghadames
Day 4. April 16, 2024 (Tuesday). GHADAMES — GERYAN — TRIPOLI (645 km)
Farewell to the old city of Ghadames, the sister city of famous Agadez in Niger and Timbuktu and Djenne in Mali.
Early departure back to Tripoli (645 km, 10 hours driving).
Halt in Geryan for very short visit of the city.
Dinner served in Tripoli.
Overnight in the hotel Akakous in Tripoli.
Meals included: breakfast, dinner
Accommodation included: Akakous Hotel
Day 5. April 17, 2024 (Wednesday). TRIPOLI — LEPTIS MAGNA – TRIPOLI (240 km)
After breakfast, we drive some 120 km east of Tripoli to spend the day exploring the spectacular ruins at Leptis Magna, one of the greatest ancient sites in the world. Originally a Phoenician trading port during the 7th century BC, it prospered for nearly 1000 years before Vandal invasions and sandstorms led to its downfall. This vast city remained buried for some 1300 years until the 1920's when a significant excavation by Italian and Libyan archaeologists revealed the limestone and marble wonders that we explore today.
Lunch served on site.
Drive back to Tripoli. Overnight in the hotel Akakous Hotel in Tripoli.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Accommodation included: Akakous Hotel
Day 6. April 18, 2024 (Thursday). TRIPOLI — SABRATHA — TRIPOLI (160 km)
After breakfast, head west of Tripoli (80 km) to Sabratha, a fantastic historical city that dates back to 500 BC. The Phoenicians used this UNESCO World Heritage Site as a port and trading post. Explore the Theatre, probably the most popular site in Sabratha, as well as the Baths and Temples.
Drive back to the capital. Overnight in the hotel Akakous Hotel in Tripoli.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch
Accommodation included: Akakous Hotel
Day 7. April 19, 2024 (Friday). TRIPOLI — RETURN FLIGHT
After breakfast, transfer to the airport of Tripoli in order to catch the return international flight.
Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: no
Recommended flights:
— EgyptAir to Moscow via Cairo, departure from Tripoli on April 19 at 10:45 am, stopover in Cairo 5 hours 30 minutes, departure from Cairo on April 19 at 19:00, arrival in Moscow on April 20 at 1:30 am,
— morning or evening flight to Tunis or Istanbul with Libyan Wings or Ghadamis Air, with departure from Tripoli any time on April 19,
— any other flight to any city, departing from Tripoli any time on April 19.
* The order of visits and excursions can be modified according to local conditions (i.e. state of roads, security conditions etc.). If some visits and/or tours could not be done due to external conditions, they will be replaced when possible.
** The participant of expedition to Libya must be motivated to be respectful to the culture of local people, be aware of the objectives of the trip and possible program changes depending on weather or road conditions, security conditions and any other reasons, be able to adapt to the new environment and culture.