Libyan   wonders

Forged out of the North Africa coastline, Libya is a country of tremendous variety, full of contrast offering classical cities and desert lovers an opportunity to discover some of the greatest Roman- Greek cities in the world and the astonishing vistas of the Sahara desert.

On the coastal band of the Mediterranean See close to the capital Tripoli stand the breathtaking Roman cities of Tripolitania " Three- cities, Oea -Tripoli, Leptis Magna & Sabratha " while further east in the stunning area of the Green Mountain " Aljabel Al-Akhdar " are the magnificently preserved Greek relics of Cyrenaica , " Cyrene, Apollonia, Ptolemais , Tukrah and Berenica ".

For Sahara desert lovers, Fazan desert and the mountainous region of Tadarart Acacus of the Libyan Sahara offer an unassailable attractions with its huge sand dunes and wild, engravings and prehistoric cave paintings of various styles scattered throughout almost all the valleys , representing the various cultural groups that lived there during those long periods of prehistory…

Tripoli
Phoenician Oea, the capital and main port of Libya is a modern city with a population of about 1 million. Its old city " The Medina " is at its center, next to the harbor on a site continuously occupied since the arrival of Phoenician 500 BC Although no relics of the Phoenician settlement remain, there are traces of Roman times including the Arch of Marcus Aurelius (163 AD) constructed entirely of marble. Other sites of interest include Assaraya Al-Hamra Castle with the wonderful National Museum, built in the 1st century , and the old medina notable for Roman column embedded in each corner building. The medina contains interesting ancient buildings dated back to 17th century, souks and mosques, of which the interior of Karamaly Mosque is particularly spectacular.

Location: 123 km. east of Tripoli


World famous and one of the most extensive archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Originally a Phoenician port founded at the start of the 1st millennium BC to trade with the Germantes from Fazan region, Under Roman influence from the fall of Carthage in 146 BC, Leptis Magna was annexed to the Empire in the 1st century AD and became one of the most beautiful cities in the Roman world, specially during the reign of Septimus Severus (193-211 AD), who was born in the city ( Leptis is the best example of Severan urban development ). After the Arab domination in the 7th century ,the desert sand took possession of the site .1982 as the site added to the world Heritage list, excavation work started. Today a total of 30 major monuments: Hadrian's baths, the Forum, the Severan basilica, the port, the Liber Pater, Rome and Augusts Temples, the market place and the theatre have been restored. Renovation of the 15000 seat amphitheatre is almost complete.
Among the many sites of interest at Leptis Magna are the Septimus Severus Arch, the Sports Ground, the Nymphaeum, the Hadrianic Baths, the Colonnaded Street, the Severus Forum, the Severus Basilica, the Theatre, the Harbor, the Circus, the Temples of Liber Pater, Rome and Augustus, the Arch of Trajan and the Market.

Location: 72 km. west of Tripoli, 140 miles south-east of Djerba (Tunisia)

Settled in the late 6th century BC by the Phoenicians, Sabratha's development as a Roman city began in the latter half of the 1st century AD. It reached its peak in the 1s t and 2nd centuries AD, particularly during the reign of Septimus Severus, who was born in nearby Leptis Magna. Much of the city was destroyed by earthquakes during the 4th century, and it never fully recovered from a devastating earthquake which took place in 365 AD. The major of Sabratha monuments were built at the height of the city's prosperity in the 2nd & 3rd centuries A.D. The theatre is the most remarkable of these, with its colonnaded stage wall on three levels and its low reliefs in pink and white marble, directly facing the sea !!.

Other monuments and areas of interest include the Temple of Liber Pater, the Basilica of Justinian, the Mosaics of the House of Jason Magnus, the Capitolium, the Temples of Serapis, Hercules and of Isis

Location: 230 miles app. south of Djerba (Tunisia), 170 miles app. south-west of Tripoli.

Nalut, located on an escarpment reached by a series bends as you drive up Nafussa Mountain , Nalut is the site of a fascinating grain store, 200 years old , , comprising hundreds of chambers was used by families to store oil and grain .
 

Location: 630 km. south-west of Tripoli

 

Described as the Pearl of the Desert, Ghadames is a beautiful oasis town located on the edge of the Sahara close to the border with Algeria and Tunisia. The old town of Ghadames is very picturesque, famous for its unique architecture and its labyrinthine streets.
Interesting sites include the cultural museum, the Traditional House richly decorated in local style, the Great Mosque, and the Main Square once used as a slave market.
Outside of town is to be found Ain al-Dibbane a salty lake but very attractive for a swim in hot days . There is also huge sand dunes area for those who would like a taste the spirit of the Sahara.
Ghadames is the starting point for the overland desert route to Ghat traveling 3 days 4wd alongside the Algerian border.

Location: 1550 km. to the South of Tripoli " 2DAYS DRIVE".

A Tuareg desert town located deep in the Libyan Sahara at the entrance of Acacus Ghat was a famous trading post for caravans crossing the desert, and a thousand years ago was an active town.
Ghat may be reached by either a tarmac road from Sebha around 585 km. or through the Sahara-rout from Ghadames alongside the Algerian border,
 

3 Days 4wd driving time.
Best time to enjoy your visit to the region is from Nov. to the begging of Apr.
Yearly festival takes place in Ghat during the last week of Dec. gives an experience of colorful ritual of Tuareg life, music, song and dance.

Location: South-western corner of the Libyan Sahara, east of Ghat.


An officially designated natural museum, the Tadrart Acacus region offers spectacular desert and mountain scenery. Rock paintings that extend back to 12,000 years shows the development of human societies and the animal life that was once abundant in the Sahara, such as Giraffe and Elephant.
Acacus travel is by 4WD vehicles and nights are spent camping under the stars.
Tours to the region do not take place between May and August due to the intense daytime heat.
To get to the Acacus , either you take the tarmac road as far as Ghat, the usual base for expeditions to the region, or experience even more desert travel on a 3-day drive through the Sahara from Ghadames to Ghat alongside the Algerian border.

A visit to the Acacus is a never-to-be-forgotten experience.

Prehistoric Rock Engravings


8000 years ago, the Sahara was not like the scorched desert of today. It was a lush savannah, inhabited by Crocodiles, Ostriches, Giraffes, and hunter-gatherers who lived comfortably…
Mathendous excursion offers a great opportunity to explore its gallery depicting hundreds pre-historic engravings of animals, birds and arcane symbols. The carvings are skillfully and beautifully executed which must have months to cave without the aid of metal tools!.

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