From world-class Roman ruins to mystical caravan cities built in staggering, massive deserts, Libya is a real off-the-beaten-track country filled with wonderful sites which have been barely explored by travelers.
In 2011, however, a series of peaceful protests against dictator Gaddafi escalated into a civil war that isolated the country even more from the rest of the world.
Since 2021, however, the situation in the west of the country has improved, and that’s why Against the Compass decided to start running tours in Libya.
Our Libya tours focus on the highlights the country is famous for but also, we are the only travel company that puts a strong focus on the political part, the crisis, and the unfortunate war, key elements to understand the Libya of the 21st century.
With our Letter of Invitation, you’ll be able to apply at your nearest embassy.
We only run expeditions to areas we believe are safe, and the western part of Libya is relatively stable.
We can apply for almost any nationality, but US citizens can’t join our Libya group tours. However, they can come to Libya on a private tour.
There are very, very few travel companies that offer tours to Libya, so our Against the Compass expeditions sell out fast!
Typically, our group expeditions are 7-day trips, which also include Misrata and Gadhames.
The meeting point is Tunis International Airport, and flights from Tunis to Tripoli are always included.
These are all our upcoming tours to Libya
International flights Tunis to Tripoli (round-trip), with Libyan Wings or similar.
Letter of Invitation (needed for the visa)
Accommodation
Clearance for all checkpoints
Private transportation and driver around Libya
Breakfast and 1 main meal
English-speaking knowledgeable local guide
Entrance fees to all sites listed in the itinerary
Airport transfers in Tripoli
Do you want to travel solo, or with a group of friends?
From a 3-day tour visiting epic Roman sites such as Sabratha and Leptis Magna to a 1-week Libya tour venturing into the caravan city of Gadhames, we are able to design any sort of adventure based on your needs, 365 days a year.
If you can’t afford a private, solo trip, we can also help you find other partners to travel with.
When do you want to travel to Libya
We will design the perfect itinerary based on your needs
From which embassy will you apply for your visa?
Here’s the standard 7-day tour we offer on most of our expeditions.
Day 1 – Arrival in Tripoli
Day 2 – Leptis Magna (overnight in Misrata)
Day 3 – Misrata
Day 4 – Jebel Nefusa (overnight in Ghadames)
Day 5 – Ghadames
Day 6 – Gharyan and back to Tripoli
Day 7 – Sabratha and departure
4-5 weeks before the beginning of the trip, we will apply for a Letter of Invitation (LOI), which takes around one week to process.
Note: Canadian, British, and Australian passport holders should apply for the LOI 8 weeks before the beginning of the trip.
What about Americans? It’s a gamble, sometimes they get the LOI, and sometimes they don’t, and that’s why we can’t accept them in our group expeditions but, if you hold an American passport, we can organize you a tailored, private adventure, no problem, just be aware that you might not get your visa on time.
You will have to take the LOI to the embassy in your home country. Usually, they grant the visa in only one day, but sometimes, it can take up to 3-4 days, depending on the embassy. Moreover, some embassies require your physical presence, while others allow you to mail your docs.
We can offer you guidance, assistance, and tips but at the end of the day, applying for your visa at the embassy is your own responsibility.
We can apply for almost any nationality, except for US citizens.
They can come to Libya, but their LOI approval is a gamble, it’s very random. Sometimes they get it within one month, sometimes 6 months, that’s why we can’t accept Americans in our groups, but we can organize a private tour.
International flights from Tunis to Tripoli are included in the price. This means that you only need to worry about getting to Tunis.
There are daily flights to Tunis from many destinations in Europe, especially Paris, London, Madrid, and Frankfurt.
We only run expeditions to areas we believe are safe but be aware that most Governments advise against all travel to Libya.
From a local perspective, the situation in western Libya has improved a lot – that’s why we run tours there – but be aware that you will be traveling under your own responsibility.
Either you are joining one of our trips, or you are traveling by yourself, you might want to look for proper travel insurance. Against the Compass has been a partner with IATI for several years already, recommending it to all readers, as well as covering all Joan Torres’ personal trips.
We like it because It covers all the countries where the FCDO advises against all travel, it offers budget plans and covers all sorts of adventure activities.
Against the Compass readers can benefit from a 5% discount.
Get a quote here to claim your discount