Guided tours to the former Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Young Pioneer Tours are now offering fully guided and security-conscious Libya tours for 2024 and 2025 at regular intervals.
Tours to Libya have been a particular interest of YPT for years and as the situation has slightly stabilised since the fall of Gaddafi and the Second Libyan Civil War our travel partners in Tripoli have deemed it relatively safe for tours to resume to the State of Libya, formerly known as the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya during the Colonel Gaddafi era.
Libya Tours – Group Tours to Libya
For safety and security reasons, our group tours to Libya are led by both a YPT guide, a local expert guide and police officers from the Ministry of Tourism.
We are in constant communication with our local partners in Tripoli and deem whether the group tour or private group tour is safe to go ahead or not depending on the local security situation on the ground.
Libya
Libya Tour: Gaddafi’s Legacy February 25th – March 1st 2025 – €1795
Libya Tour: Gaddafi’s Legacy – November 12th – 16th 2024 – €1795
Below are two sample private tour options.
4 nights, 5 days: Tripoli, Sabratha, Jebel Nafusa, and Leptis Magna
6 nights, 7 days: Tripoli, Ghadames, Sabratha, Jebel Nafusa, and Leptis Magna
Libya Tour Itinerary – 4 nights, 5 days
Day 1 – Tripoli
Morning
- Arrive at your convenience into Tripoli – the capital city of Libya which have regular connections from Tunis, Istanbul, and elsewhere in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
- YPT can arrange your flights with Libyan Wings departing Tunis at 9:20am and arriving at Tripoli 11:30am – optional cost.
- Arrival and transfer will be arranged for you from the airport to your hotel centrally located in the city
Afternoon
- Depending on the time you arrive, lunch can be arranged at a nearby restaurant to the hotel.
- You’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 21st 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 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.
- Visit Tripoli’s WWII cemetery – here contains 1,369 Commonwealth burials, and 133 unknown soldiers. There’s an old Christian church nearby too.
- Stop by the Tripoli International Fair – founded in 1927 and is considered to be the oldest trade fair in Africa. The so-called Fiera Internazionale di Tripoli was one of the main international fairs in the colonial world and in the 1930s was internationally promoted alongside the Tripoli Grand Prix as a showcase of Italian Libya.
- Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Tripoli
Day 2 – Tripoli – Sabratha – Tripoli
Morning
- Breakfast at hotel
- 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
Day 3 – 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.
- Stop by a makeshift Victory monument – leftover tanks from 2011 have been used to make a monument to honour the uprising.
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.
Day 4 – 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 you’ll explore.
- You’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 Ampitheatre 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 you 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
Day 5 -Tripoli and departure
Morning
- Breakfast in the hotel, check out of hotel and transfer to Tripoli International Airport depending on your flight out.
- YPT can arrange your Libyan Wings flight departing at 8:10am arriving back into Tunis at 8:20am.
Independent Tours to Libya
While there are no independent tours to Libya as such, independently-minded travellers to Libya can arrange bespoke Libyan travel through us.
For independent Libya travellers, we can also arrange to see places not on the set itinerary, again within reason. Safety is paramount on all of our Libyan tours, so local advice always takes precedence over preference, with much of Libya at war, or quite simply not open at all to foreigners.
Libya Tours – How to get a Libyan Visa
As of March 2024, Libya launched a new Libya tourist e-visa scheme which makes visiting Libya a lot more accessible for tourists wanting to explore the country.
For specific inquiries about how to obtain the e-visa to Libya please get in touch with us. Please note we can only arrange visas to Libya for tourists who have booked a guided tour with us. There are no visas for independent travellers to Libya.
Note – Libya Tours are not scheduled to take place during the election. We do not envisage the elections having a negative impact on Libya tours, but this is something we will be constantly monitoring.
Libya FAQs
Since Libya is infamously difficult to travel to for tourism, few tour guides exist to help you plan your trip to the country. However, we’ve managed to curate the best team of cultural and local experts, ranging from experts on Libyan history to local tour guides who know the hidden secrets of the country to help you explore all that it has to offer.
All of our local guides on our Libya tours speak English, or a translator is provided. For independent tours to Iraq, guides speaking other languages can be arranged. Additionally, all of our tours are curated by our expert YPT staff with years of experience in the region, and many of our tours are led by western YPT guides who also speak Arabic and specialize in the region.
All of our local guides on our Libya tours speak English, or a translator is provided. For independent tours to Iraq, guides speaking other languages can be arranged. Additionally, all of our tours are curated by our expert YPT staff with years of experience in the region, and many of our tours are led by western YPT guides who also speak Arabic and specialize in the region.
We provide full visa support to help you get your Libyan tourist visa. We recommend not planning trips outside of your country of residency in the month before the tour, as you will have to submit your passport to the Libyan embassy in your country of residency 2-4 weeks before the tour start date. There is an option to expidite this. Contact us for more information.
While Libya has numerous instances of armed violence due to its nature as an almost-failed state, travelers are considerably more safe on a guided group tour, as we work with well-informed guides who are experts in the day-to-day security situation.
We’ve operated group tours to Libya since the end of the COVID pandemic, and our tours have always gone smoothly. However, it is important to note that Libya is truly an “off-the-beaten track” destinations, and itineraries are always subject to change dependent on moment-by-moment security updates.
We’ve operated group tours to Libya since the end of the COVID pandemic, and our tours have always gone smoothly. However, it is important to note that Libya is truly an “off-the-beaten track” destinations, and itineraries are always subject to change dependent on moment-by-moment security updates.
Libya uses the Libyan dinar. One USD is equal to slightly less than 5 Libyan dinar.
There are no functioning ATMs in Libya that support foreign credit cards. Therefore, it is essential to bring cash to the country.
While Libya is officially a strict, Muslim country, the last 10+ years of conflict and political unrest have left the country largely in shambles, with no functioning constitution that lays out the exact religious policy of the state.
However, most people are still practicing Muslims, so it is important to dress and behave respectfully while traveling there.
However, most people are still practicing Muslims, so it is important to dress and behave respectfully while traveling there.
All tourists in Libya need to be escorted by a local guide for safety. Beyond that, there isn’t a big difference in the treatment of tourists depending on gender, and our local guides often work with solo female travellers. As long as you are with a group or a local guide and follow all safety instructions, this can be a fascinating destination for solo female travelers to explore somewhere completely new.
Women must dress modestly, which means their shoulders and knees must be covered at all times. Make sure the fabric of your clothes is not see-through and not super tight.
To further clarify sleeveless shirts, short dresses, loose tops, short bottoms, crop tops and miniskirts, bikinis are strictly not allowed. However, you can wear the shoes of your choice – trainers, sandals, heels or open toed footwear.
When entering mosques or other holy sites women must wear a headscarf so best to always have one prepared in your daypack throughout your tour.
For men, trousers must be worn at all times. Singlets are not allowed but short sleeved shirts are fine. Displaying visible tattoos can cause some concerned looks so best to cover up.
To further clarify sleeveless shirts, short dresses, loose tops, short bottoms, crop tops and miniskirts, bikinis are strictly not allowed. However, you can wear the shoes of your choice – trainers, sandals, heels or open toed footwear.
When entering mosques or other holy sites women must wear a headscarf so best to always have one prepared in your daypack throughout your tour.
For men, trousers must be worn at all times. Singlets are not allowed but short sleeved shirts are fine. Displaying visible tattoos can cause some concerned looks so best to cover up.
Alcohol is strictly prohibited in Libya. On our tours, we tend to enjoy Libyan nightlife with shisha and tea at a local cafe, which is the preferred form of non-alcoholic nightlife.
Homosexuality is illegal under Libyan law. Arrests are very rare, but they have happened in the period under Gaddafi.
That being said, LGBTQ indivudals exist in every country in the world, and many LGBTQ travelers have traveled to Libya.
Public displays of affection, regardless of one’s sexuality, are very frowned upon. We advise all participants, whether homosexual or heterosexual, to restrain from public displays of affection out of respect for the culture.
LGBTQ travelers can safely travel in Libya, but it is important that all travelers maintain common sense in restraining public displays of affection. You can always ask your YPT guide if you have any specific questions about what you can and cannot do in Libya.
That being said, LGBTQ indivudals exist in every country in the world, and many LGBTQ travelers have traveled to Libya.
Public displays of affection, regardless of one’s sexuality, are very frowned upon. We advise all participants, whether homosexual or heterosexual, to restrain from public displays of affection out of respect for the culture.
LGBTQ travelers can safely travel in Libya, but it is important that all travelers maintain common sense in restraining public displays of affection. You can always ask your YPT guide if you have any specific questions about what you can and cannot do in Libya.
Toilets in your hotel and at restaurants are western styled toilets. In rural locations they mostly squat toilets. It’s best to prepare your day trips with toilet paper, or wet wipes.
Absolutely. Locals are very curious about foreign visitors and those that approach usually know a bit of English to keep a conversation going.
