Tailormade Holidays to Libya

Deep in the Sahara Desert, you take a few steps away from the jeep, miles from the rest of the world. Alone in seemingly endless rocky deserts, you have space almost unimaginable at home. As you ascend the dunes ahead, something appears, a fresh colour amongst the yellow sands and the dark rocks – it is the shimmering turquoise of an oasis. This is the joy of Libya – an authentic and largely unseen other world, less than four hours away from these shores.

“Great fires erupt from tiny sparks” - Libyan proverb

Fire is a poignant symbol of Libya, home of a sandy tract of scorching Sahara desert, tempered only by the cool of oases dotted around the south. Libya’s appeal is its mystique and authenticity. A generation ago, exploring this country would have been scarcely imaginable – today, tourists are trickling in for the first time, discovering dramatic landscapes and rich history.

The Roman remains of cities such as Leptis Magna and Sabratha are as beautiful as any in the region, while evidence of the ancient Greeks can be found in sites such as Apollonia and Cyrene to the east. The country also plays host to heartlands of the traditional Berber peoples. And the history of the region long predates the Romans, too – rock art can be found in the depths of the deserts which point to a time when the land was fertile and home to elephants and giraffes, ostriches and camels.

From deep in the Acacus to looking over the Mediterranean Sea from the capital Tripoli and all that lies in between, there are extraordinary, unspoilt experiences possible in this fascinating country.

Explore some highlights of a trip to Libya:

- Tripoli - Libya’s capital, a intriguing coastal city whose origins go back to the seventh century BC

- Leptis Magna - A prominent Roman city, fabulously-preserved to the east of Tripoli

- Sabratha - Another World Heritage Site complete with a breathtaking Roman amphitheatre by the sea

- Ubari Sand Sea – Where the remarkable desert dunes are interrupted by saline lakes fringed with palm trees

- Acacus Mountains – An extraordinary mountain range protruding out from the Sahara, with prehistoric art on the rocks

- Tormisa - An abandoned Berber village with magnificent views over the surroundings

- Gharyan – A village of underground houses used by the Berbers to cope with the heat of summer days and the cool of winter nights

- Cyrene and Apollonia – Two of the best examples of the ancient Greek presence on the eastern side of the country

- Ghadames – A remarkable whitewashed oasis city on the edge of the Sahara

- Villa Silin - Byzantine Villa rich in mosaics looking out on the Mediterranean Sea