Libya Travel Forum

I'm just tentatively thinking about a holiday in Libya around the beginning of October. (Tripoli/Leptis Magna and surrounds.) I naively planned to book a flight only and go armed with the Lonely Planet, but that doesn't look feasable from what I've read in this forum. Has anyone actually managed an independant holiday? Is it an expensive country to visit?(Food, accommadation etc)

Thanks very much!

Hi,
Been travelling around Libya 2 years ago, so not fully up to date what the current situation is... At the time you weren't allowed to travel by yourself, had to have a guide with you all the time. There were some control posts on major roads, where he had to hand over some travel docs. The explanation he gave me, was that this makes Libya very safe, they always know where you are, so you can't get lost and they had some bad experience with tourists stealing or vandalizing ancient sites.
I normally don't do organised tours, prefer my own thing, but despite of it had a fantastic time. It's a beautiful country with lots of things to see. Definitely go to Tripolis and Leptis, but try to fit in Ghandames as well, amazing place!
The tourist infrastructure outside the main sites/cities was (and probably still is) quite limited, with not much choice in restaurants or accomodation. But you get rewarded by visiting a country, that's not ruined by mass tourism. No hassling in the bazar of Tripolis for example!
Libyans are very friendly people, keen to change the picture the world has got of their country.

Hi

Did you see my posting just below yours re travelling companion in October? The trip for 2 weeks for 2 works out around PStg 1500 each - all costs covered. Interested?

Tourist visas are only issued in blocks of 4 or more but if you can get a Libyan tour company to add your name to to their list it is quite possible to get around independently. I've been twice to Libya now (accompanying my husband and getting my visa through business contacts) and each time have done a lot of sightseeing on my own or just the two of us - exploring Tripoli on foot and either by negotiating with a taxi driver to take us off for the day or getting a car and driver to go where I wanted. It's not necessarily the cheapest way to do it - a tour may well be cheaper and you may feel more comfortable at times within a small group, for example, eating in restaurants, than as a woman on your own. We paid a taxi $120 for about 6 hours to visit the towns of the Jebel Nafusa - Qasr al Hajj and Gharyan. A three day journey down to Ghadames (I went on my own with a driver and used local guides) cost me about $600 - everything included - but I had a wonderful time.
Libya is not a particularly cheap country, western standard (not necessarily 4 or 5 star!) hotels particularly are expensive and very heavily booked .
There is quite a bit of talk currently about the authorities checking the monetary requirement for visitors on a tourist visa - it was $500 but for some ocuntries it is now $1000.

Hi,
as already stated by STEPH25UK, Libya is definitively a country to see. We returned two weeks ago from a 12 days trip, which was organised by a German agency and included everything (flights, hotels, food, drivers, guides, fees etc.)at Euro 2500 p.p. My wife and I were considered as a "groupe", btw groups of 5 and more in addition need a security guide which " makes Libya save".
You need to have an arabic translation of your passport, an official invitation and have to show USD 1,000 p.p. in cash to show when entering the county. We had the money with us, but nobody asked us to show them. The local guides stated that this is not required from tourists, our agngency (and the Lufthansa webpage) does not confirm this - Thus doubtful situation.
You can't rent a car in Libya! Road signs are rare and ALL in Arabic! And friendly speaking, you have to get used to their way of driving. There are various control posts, where papers had to be handed out to the posts, the driver/guide managed that for us.
Hotels were clean and OK, maintenance however seems to be an unknown word in Libya. Most of them I would consider as 3 - 4 stars, except the one we had in Gdames. Restaurants, the guides brought us to, were always good, large variety of food (fish and meat) - About the individual prices I can't really comment, as it was included for us. (I only can say: the gas is cheap! 8 Eurocents per liter!) The things we bought were cheap: water and bananas.

People were VERY friendly, - no bagging - got along well with english and french.

There are no queues at the touristic sites and its really a pleasure to visit all these wonderful places.
I think, Gdames is a must, as well as Leptis, Sabrata, the area AROUND Bengasi (very green)and Cyrene.

Have fun!

hi.Libya is safe country.every thing is cheap.for more information this is my email ( elbaccushmoktar@yahoo.com ) we can talk at yahoo messenger.

hello there.

My name is Yousef othman

I just wanted to tell you that visting libya is not that expenive. Im from Libya and used to be in the UK and i would say th Uk is more expensive than here. if you would like to come I can orgnize a trip for you.

thank you

hello there.

I just wanted to tell you that visting libya is not that expenive. Im from Libya and used to be in the UK and i would say the Uk is more expensive than here. if you would like to come you would engoy it (inshallah) .

thank you