2 weeks thru Libya?
 

we'll be driving thru Libya for two weeks in november, entering from Tunisia and exiting into Niger from Al Gatrun. does anyone have a highly recommended route they can suggest? it seems like there are highlights in both the far SW (Ghat, Jebel Akabus) and the SE (Waw en Namus), as well as the Lake Gabrun region in the center of the country. it seems like it would be crazy to try to hit all of this in just two weeks. any suggestions?

thanks in advance for any advice.

-tom

Tom,

Have a look at www.overlandcruiser.info / Overland. You will find there a description of a route across Libya, including a map, that we covered in 2001. You can start from Leptis Magna and then work down the map, to the lakes and further south to the Akakus. Crossing the Ubari Sea of Sand was also an interestinfg experience. It took us about two weeks, including the trip back north to the coast.

------------------
Roman (UK)
www.overlandcruiser.info

[This message has been edited by Roman (edited 29 July 2004).]

Hi Tom.
I think two weeks it´s enough time to travel the west part of Libia, and even more if you are not going back to Tunis.
We did this trip in November 2001:
Ras-ajdir, Nalut, Ghadames, Ghat, Jabal Akakus, Awbari, Sabha, Leptis Magna. All of it in two weeks.
The ancient roman city of Leptis Magna is unique, and i think it´s worth it.
So, After Leptis you could go to Ghadames and drive the piste south to Ghat (you will find everithing on this great piste: sand, rocks, dry lakes...). Then to the Akakus ( a must in Libia) and up to the Gabraun Lakes that will put you close to the piste that goes to Al Katrun.


Nice trip,

Jorge

HiTom,

I'm heading down that way about the same time, travelling overland with my girlfriend en-route to South Africa (from UK).

We reckon we'll enter Libya early November, and also want to spend a couple of weeks. But then we'll go onto Egypt.

Still struggling a bit with Libyan visas / guides at the moment, so any tips you can share? Keen to hook up for any of it if that works with you. Maybe share guiding costs? Drop me a line if interested; nandgsouthbound@yahoo.co.uk

Cheers,
Nigel

[This message has been edited by Nigel and Gina (edited 23 August 2004).]

Jorge:
Ha sido una agradable sorpresa saber que has hecho la ruta de Libia hace dos años.
Creo que voy a ir este Diciembre-Enero pero por lo que he leido hasta ahora y teniendo en cuenta que voy sola, la mejor opcion sea ir en viaje organizado desde aqui. Se te ocurre algo para evitarlo ? Crees que puedo ir hasta Tunez y desde alli entrar y si merece la pena? Que pasa entonces con el visado y los costes del guia obligatorio?
Te agradeceria tus comentarios.
Elena. Mi mail figura en mi "profile".

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Hola Elena. Me temo que tu e-mail no figura en el profile. El mío es jmayalde@teleline.es, escríbeme y te cuento.

hi jorge:

thanks much for the suggestions. looks like a great route. i am ordering Russian 1:1mil maps for these routes, but was wondering if you can recommend any Russian 1:500 000 maps that we should definitely get for visiting any of these spots.

thanks,
tom

regarding those russian maps....

apparently they are being printed by a european publisher , 'cos they didnt have any kind of copyright on them (they were made for the Soviet Union ) and after the CCCP fall , they became "un-copyrighted" . As far as I heard- they freely distributable.

ITs the bit at the right (where that TTQV ads , and touratech ads , the grid ,and that silly info etc. ) the one with copyright .but the map itself apparently is free to be copied ,

HAving said that , the web is full of copies of these maps , scanned in the greatest resolution , ready to be printed for a few quid every A1 sheet at your local printingShop.

The whole Africa is around 1500 Mbytes compressed , and maps ussually are aroudn 5-6 Mb.

Have a nice day.

Hi Tom,

I´m sorry but I cannot recommend you any russian maps just because we didn´t use any of them and I don´t know much about them.
The maps we used were the aeronautical ONC´S.

Nice trip,
Jorge.

Hi Tom,

Myself and my girlfriend Beccie, are also intending to do this trip begining end of October\begining of November and are keen to hook up with other people doing the same.

We are currently in Southern Italy, around Bari and will be looking to cross over to Tunisia for an extended break to give the car (Landy 110 300 Tdi...she's called Habibi)a final going over, and us a lounge in the med' before we leave Tunisia. We expect to leave Italy in about a week - 10 days.

We are having our visa completed by the Embassy in London and had already completed all formalities prior to our trip in Europe. They have confirmed that we only need to DHL our passports to them a week before we want to enter.

The info I've just seen today about possibly being able to get a visa at the border would make this less necessary...possibly.

Our current thinking is to travel

Ghademes - Serdeles. (prefered)

Derj - Idri (possible)

Jebel Akakus.

Lake Gabrun\Wadi Mathendous.

Sebina - El Gatrun.

El Gatrun - Agadez (The Marlbro Route)

Do you have any info re Guides\ prices for any of this. I'm in two minds about trying to follow smugglers thro Niger.

Looking forward to hearing from you and\or others doing the same.

Paul