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The Sahara has long been beyond the edge of the map, and perhaps nothing is more exciting to a traveler than exploring in a place previously proscribed. In the long tradition of Mountain Travel Sobek exploratories to remote destinations around the world, we led the first-ever American adventure travel trip to Libya in April 2004.

Our active itinerary is exclusive and rewards the true explorer with an unforgettable desert experience. After surveying the archaeological sites of Leptis Magna and Sabratha, reputed to be the finest Roman ruins outside of Italy, you'll head into Libya's southern desert to explore and hike amid its spectacular infinite landscapes, wild rocky massifs, and huge sand dunes, including areas where no other groups have traveled. Thanks to our expert team's knowledge and skills, we can go to rarely seen sites where less experienced travelers hesitate to venture. Along the way you'll have the opportunity to meet Tuareg tribes and explore extraordinary prehistoric rock art sites testifying to the once green and rich past of the Sahara.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the Sahara in fully self-contained 4x4 vehicles where no other groups travel - a true adventure!
  
• Visit Leptis Magna and Sabratha, the best preserved Roman archaeological sites outside Rome
  
• Venture into little-traveled areas where several fantastic rock art sites are revealed

Day 1 - Meet in Tripoli, Libya.

Day 2 - Drive along the palm-lined coast to Sabratha, with its Greek-inspired architecture set against the blue backdrop of the Mediterranean. Return to Tripoli and visit the museum, famous for its mosaics and its displays recounting Libyan history. Evening flight to Sebha

Days 3-7 - Drive to the Ajjer part of the Libyan Desert. Leaving the road, we drive through the sand to the Tassili of Arem N’Oudaden, from where we drive and walk with our camels through areas of eroded sandstone peaks and plateaus, sand dunes, wide plains, and canyons—a geological fantasyland sculpted by wind and time. By foot and vehicle, you’ll explore ancient sites of rupestrian rock art paintings, including the famous Eher Cave, which presents some of the most elegant human and animal representations of its kind, and Wan Regaya, with its particularly fine depiction of a rhino. We may be able to make new discoveries of other rock art sites as we explore on foot and in our vehicles.

Day 8 - Leave the eastern part of Tassili N’Ajjer and drive to the Ubari Lakes, navigating through the sand dunes of the Unari erg (erg is the Arabic name for the great sand seas of the Sahara).

Day 9 - Visit the Ubari Lakes, an oasis in the middle of the desert, then drive to Sebha via the village of Germa, the ancient capital of the Garamantes region. Evening, flight to Tripoli.

Day 10 - Explore the Phoenician site of Leptis Magna, which once rivaled Rome in splendor, wealth, and architecture. We’ll spend the day exploring this immense city, considered the best Roman site in the Mediterranean. Evening flight to Benghazi.

Days 11-12 - Visit several Greco-Roman sites along the northern Libyan coast, including Taucheira (also known as Tocra), Ptolemais, Apollonia, and Cyrene—all part of the five ancient city-states known as the Pentapolis. In the 4th century b.c., Cyrene was considered the preeminent city of the Greek world. Today it’s one of the cultural highlights of any visit to Libya. Return to Benghazi on Day 12 and fly to Tripoli.

Day 13 - Depart Tripoli.

Detailed Itinerary - LIBYA: Libya Desert Adventure

To get a copy of our detailed Itinerary for LIBYA: Libya Desert Adventure you can:

1. Email us your itinerary request at sales@mtsobek.com

2. Or call us at 1-888-831-7526 (USA and Canada) or (510) 594-6000

We’ll email you a copy (Word or Acrobat document), fax, or mail you the itinerary as you prefer.

Photo Credits
©Douglas Butler