Libya Explorer

The Peregrine Adventures Libya Explorer tour is definitely going ahead – yay!

To do:

• Update my Where Next page (now below)
• Scan and email a full colour scanned copy of my passport to Peregrine so that they can sort out an ‘approval’ letter from the Libyan Authorities
• Email details of my occupation to Peregrine
• Contact Travcour to arrange for an Arabic transcript of my passport
• Book flights and email the details to Peregrine

Where next?

• Destination: Libya
• Why: somewhere I want to experience before Gaddafi eventually goes, plus they have amazing Roman, Greek and Phoenician remains, a stunning coastline, atmospheric ancient towns, deserts and oases.
• When: April/May 2009
• How: Peregrine’s Libya Explorer tour

Itinerary

• Day 1 (Sat) Arrive in Tripoli and transfer to hotel.
• Day 2 Visit Jebel Nafusa and the Qaser of Kabaw en route to Ghadames.
• Days 3-4 Full day in Ghadames, including the museum, the old town and afternoon tea in the sand dunes. Visit Nalut and return to Tripoli.
• Day 5 Full day at Leptis Magna.
• Day 6 Visit Sabratha. Fly to Benghazi.
• Day 7 Visit Cyrene and Apollonia.
• Day 8 Visit Qasr Libya. Fly to Tripoli and then on to Sebha.
• Day 9 Explore Germa and Ghat. Overnight in Aweinat.
• Days 10-11 Two full days to explore the Acacus mountains. See rock paintings and engravings.
• Day 12 More time to explore Acacus area in the morning. Return via Aweinat to Tikarkiba.
• Day 13 Explore the desert lakes. Fly to Tripoli.
• Day 14 Trip ends in Tripoli this morning (Fri).

Google map

View Larger Map

Information

• Wikipedia: Libya, Tripolitania, Tripoli, Eljabel Elgharbi (Jebel Nasufa), Ghadames, Nalut, Leptis Magna, Sabratha, Cyrenaica, Benghazi, Cyrene, Apollonia, Cyrenaica, Qasr Libya, Fezzan, Sabha (city), Germa, Al Awaynat, Jebel Uweinat, Tadrart Acacus, Ghat, Ubari, Erg (landform), Tuareg (collected together in my Libya, April/May 2009 Wikipedia book)
• Wikitravel: Libya, Tripoli, Leptis Magna, Ghadamis / Ghadamès, Benghazi
• FCO travel advice: Libya
• BBC country profile: Libya
• Lonely Planet: Libya
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Cyrene, Leptis Magna, Sabratha, Ghadamès, Tadrart Acacus (rock art)

Books to read

Listed in order of desire to read rather than real likelihood of being able to read:

• Difficult and Dangerous Roads: Hugh Clapperton’s Travels in Sahara and Fezzan 1822-1825 – H. Clapperton, John Wright (Compiler) (Currently unavailable on Amazon)
• South from Barbary: Along the Slave Routes of the Libyan Sahara – Justin Marozzi
• Libyan Sands: Travel in a Dead World – Ralph A. Bagnold (Currently unavailable on Amazon)
• Wind, Sand and Stars – Antoine Saint-Exupery
• A History of Modern Libya – Dirk Vandewalle
• In the Country of Men – Hisham Matar
• Plus (inevitably) Libya (Lonely Planet Country Guide) – Anthony Ham

Weather

Forecasts (www.accuweather.com)

• Tripoli, Libya
• Zuwarah, Libya (similar to Sabratha / Sabratah)
• Cyrene, Libya
• Benghazi, Libya
• Sebha, Libya
• Home (for comparison):London, United Kingdom