Itinerary - Departing Saturday 12th Dec 2009
Depart from London late morning for the three hour flight to Tripoli and on arrival join our touring coach for the one hour journey along the Mediterranean coast to the small town of El Khums. Overnight stay in a local hotel and an early start the next day for our visit to Leptis Magna, when the morning light offers the best opportunity to photograph this spectacular site. We return to Tripoli in the afternoon and join a short flight to the small town of Sebha and continue our journey for a further two hours by off-road vehicles into the heart of the desert. The camp provides comfortable accommodation with private bathroom facilities for each tent.
The meteor shower radiant (the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to originate) will have risen at sunset and will be almost directly overhead for the peak of the shower at midnight. We have a two night stay at the camp, with local trips to the famous salt lakes in the area during the day, and a second opportunity to observe the meteors on the following night.
Click here for more on meteors.
Our final full day gives time for a visit to an oasis before joining the flight to Tripoli for an overnight stay in a hotel before an early morning flight back to London on Wednesday 16th December.
Price £995 per person (twin share).
Price includes flights to Tripoli, hotel or camp accommodation as indicated, local flights to Sebha, ground transfers and transportation, local guides and all meals from Saturday evening to Wednesday breakfast, visa charge is not included. (more pictures of the camp
http://ubari.magiclibya.com/#home )
Leptis Magna
During the golden age of Rome, Leptis Magna was the third largest city in the Roman Empire, with a population of around 100,000 inhabitants.
Now it is the best-preserved ancient city in the world and was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1982. Excavations were started during the Italian occupancy in the 1920s but only about 10% of the original area has so far been excavated as a 5-meter layer of sand covered the city. Leptis Magna has the most theatres, thermes, basilicas, and market places on Libyan soil and these consist of rare and valuable marble and are of a size that may only be rivalled by the remains to be found in Rome.
The Urabi Sand-Sea
Vast sand dunes dominate the south west part of the country, with the shifting sands rapidly engulfing roads and tracks. This spectacular barren landscape is broken by the occasional oasis, often with a large salt water lake. Local guides will take you to the points of interest in the area, including some ancient cave paintings and carvings.
Special Note
This trip is an adventure... Libya has been isolated for several decades and the tourism infrastructure is underdeveloped and frequently lacks an understanding of the expectations of modern travellers. You will be going to a remote, wild place with an ambience that matches the raw display of nature’s fireworks. If you approach the experience with an open mind and an acceptance of minor irritations of delays, misunderstandings, breakdowns and the like, you will get much from the trip.
Libya Visa
Our agents in Libya will arrange a "visa on arrival" for members of the group, the current cost is €45 per person. You will also require an Arabic translation of the personal data page in your passport - will will provide details on how this can be obtained before you travel. It is also a requirement that your passport does not have an Israeli stamp in it (we can advise on this if required).
Photos of Leptis Magna © Brian McGee