Get In Touch
Request more info or book a tour.
Fill in the form and we'll get back to you in no time!
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 has been going on ever since, isolating the country even more from the rest of the world.
Today, nevertheless, the situation in Libya has improved dramatically, and with a peace agreement signed between the parties involved, we are finally adding the eastern part of Libya to the itinerary.
January 28th to February 5th, 2027
€2750
9 days
Tour leader to be confirmed
Note that we always keep the itinerary flexible, and it may be subject to change, depending on the political situation.
1 – Jan 28th: Arrival + Tripoli
2 – Jan 29th: Leptis Magna
3 – Jan 30th: Tarmisah & Gasr Al-Hajj
4 – Jan 31st: Ghadhames
5 – Feb 1st: Nalut and back to Tripoli
6 – Feb 2nd: Sabratha
7 – Feb 3rd: Fly to East Libya
8 – Feb 4th: Apollonia & Cyrene
9 – Feb 5th: Tolomeita, Benghazi and back to Tunis
Meet early morning at Tunis Carthage International Airport
After going through a lengthy immigration process, check-in at the hotel and go for a hearty, Libyan meal.
Old city of Tripoli: The Arch of Marcus Aurelius, Gurgi Mosque, Al Nakah Mosque, the gold bazaar, the Martyr’s square, and Italian colonial buildings.
Overnight in Tripoli.
Day trip to Leptis Magna.
Founded in the 7th century BC by the Phoenicians and later expanded by Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, the ruins of Leptis Magna are absolutely outstanding, first league Roman ruins built on the shore of the Mediterranean.
We will take our time to visit the site – around 3 hours – followed by a good Libyan meal.
Evening and overnight in Tripoli.
Morning flight from Tripoli to Al Baida
After lunch, visit the ruins of Apollonia in Susah
Evening and overnight in Al BaidaOn day 3, we will be driving to Ghadames, a 600-kilometer ride, but we will break the journey by visiting several highlights along the way.
Berbers compose around 5% of the total Libyan population and Jebel Nafusa is their heartland. As you may know, Berbers are the indigenous ethnic group, in North Africa before the Arabs came.
Visit Qasr al-Hajj, one of the finest examples of Berber architecture, a giant granary from the 12th century.
Visit Tarmisah, an ancient village with stunning views of the valley.
Overnight in Ghadames.
Visit the Old City of Ghadames, a UNESCO World Heritage site, a giant Saharan city composed of hundreds of entangled lanes, packed with mosques and historical houses.
Lunch in a traditional house and then, deep into the desert, climbing the sand dunes from where you can see the Algerian border.
A group of real Tuaregs will make us tea while waiting for the sunset.
Overnight in Ghadames.
There’s going to be a long ride ahead of us but we will stop in a ruined, ancient Berber city named Nalut.
Overnight in Tripoli.
Sabratha is smaller than Leptis Magna but most travelers prefer Sabratha because you can see the Mediterranean from anywhere in the ruins, plus it features the best Roman theater.
On the other hand, Sabratha was also taken by ISIS, the heritage of which can still be seen in some of the damaged buildings.
After visiting Sabratha, we will check out one of Libya’s finest beaches, made of white sand and the most crystalline water ever. Possibility of swimming (only men, though).
Overnight in Tripoli
Please note that the order of the East Libya itinerary may change depending on the national flight schedule, which we won’t know until very close to the departure date. There are two possible destinations to fly into in eastern Libya, Benghazi and Al Bayda.
For itinerary convenience, we prefer flying into Al Bayda, but if there are no flights available on that specific day, we will fly into Benghazi.
Either way, we will fly to eastern Libya on day 7 of the tour. Depending on the arrival time, if we fly into Al Bayda, we will have time to visit the ruins of Apollonia in Susah. If we fly to Benghazi, after checking into the hotel, we will stroll around the city.
Overnight in Benghazi/Al Bayda.
Full day in East Libya, visiting the highlights located east Al Bayda, outstanding Greek and Roman ruins of Cyrene and its ancient port of Apollonia.
Founded by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, Cyrene became one of the most important cities of the ancient Mediterranean, later flourishing under Roman rule.
Overnight in Al Bayda.
On the way to Benghazi, we’ll stop in Tolomeita, the ancient city of Ptolemais, founded during the Hellenistic period and later expanded under Roman and Byzantine rule. It used to one of the major cities in the Cyrenaica region.
Then, we’ll make our way to Benghazi International Airport, where we’ll catch our international flight to Tunis, probably the 6 pm flight with Berniq Airways.
End of the tour.
e-visa and fees
Domestic flight Tripoli to Al Baida
8 nights of accommodation (twin shared)
Clearance for all checkpoints
Breakfast + main meal
Private transportation across Libya
English-speaking local guide
International tour leader
Entrance fees to all sites listed in the itinerary
Airport transfers
January 28th to February 5th, 2027
€2750
9 days
Tour leader to be confirmed
For security reasons, the name of the hotels we stay will only be shared upon booking your spot.
The price of the tour includes accommodation in a twin room.
If you are a solo traveler, you will share the room with another like-minded traveler from the group.
If you want a single room, you will have to pay an additional €195.
Today, it’s possible to apply for an e-visa; you don’t need to visit the embassy.
However, the e-visa portal is full of bugs and doesn’t work properly. It always presents a lot of difficulties, so since we don’t want to miss any deadlines, we’ll apply on your behalf.
This is included in the full price, including the visa fees.
No, not anymore.
We can accept almost any nationality, including US citizens.
Any foreign traveler who wishes to travel to the area of Libya controlled by Benghazi has to pay an entry fee of €510.
We aren’t getting any commission on this; we also have to pay it, just like any other tourist.
The best way to get to Tripoli is via Tunis.
Flights to Libya are not included in the final price but we’ll book them for you and fly all together on the same flight.
This means that you only need to worry about booking your flight to Tunis.
There are daily flights to Tunis from many destinations in Europe, especially Paris, London, Madrid, and Frankfurt.
We limit our tours to a maximum of 12 people.
To secure your spot on the tour, we require a deposit.
We accept payments in both Euros and US dollars. All details will be shared upon booking your spot.
Information about the risks and dangers of the trip:
The traveler is expressly informed that the activities included in the travel itinerary are adventurous and/or take place in conflict zones, which entail dangers and imply the risk of physical, and psychological injuries, and/or death for the traveler.
Due to the characteristics of the destination and/or activities, the specific risks and dangers of the trip are, by way of example but not limited to, those listed below:
War; terrorism; political instability; arbitrary detentions, gunfire in the activity area; and/or violent crime.
Regarding the potential dangers of the destination, travelers are advised to consult the travel recommendations for the destination country provided by their country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For example, in the case of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), these recommendations can be accessed on the following link: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/libya
FCDO has advised against all travel to Libya since 2014. The local security situation is fragile and can quickly deteriorate, with intense fighting starting without warning.
Yes. If you want to join any of our expeditions, you must purchase travel insurance.
We recommend IATI Insurance.
Why do we recommend IATI?
Against the Compass has been a partner of IATI for a very long time. We personally know their CEO and marketing team, and we collaborate regularly, so in the unlikely event that something happens, we know exactly what to do.
Moreover, IATI Insurance covers all the countries where the FCDO advises against all travel, something that most insurance companies don’t.
You can also benefit from a 5% discount by purchasing it through the link below.
Get a quote here to claim your discount
Can I use a different company?
Yes, you can, as long as your insurance covers the destination you’re travelling to.
Please check our General Conditions.
However, specific conditions might apply depending on the destination. Example: when the trip includes airfare.
Full details will be shared upon booking your spot.