Libyan Agencies - carnets etc

Guys
Reply to Yves and Charles

I hear what you say, however, Arkno tours pissed around with me last year and didn't have an escort waiting for me...Libya was transversed alone

Carnet - I can't believe you both when you say a carnet is not required - I was told by four differnt groups that I could not enter Libya without one, and I tried, pretending I had no carnet - the border remained closed, until I produced the magical document....

I will check with the agency I'm dealing with this week and see what they have to say; it is not Arkno tours that I am working with specifically because they were not good for me.

To all the other Libyan agencies that may be reading this email - can you all please contact me off-forum first, then we can negotiate the situation?; you have my email. If not it is desertfox@orange.net The situation is still confusing, so a straight answer would be welcome!



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Renate

[Jose Brito]

Hi,

I've never been to Libya, but from what I've read in several forums, the bureaucratical demands of Libya change very frequently. Therefore, you may found contradictory responses from different people who visited Libya in different times.

Good luck,
José

[Susan Johnson]

Hi Renate

I agree with José, the rules for entry into Libya were very restrictive when we were there in 1997. But your nationality made a big difference to the rules, so Germans and Italians were virtually unrestricted, whereas we Canadians had to be escorted all the way through!

Since then the rules loosened up, but recently have been tightened again. So it is possible that carnet rules have changed as well.

We have been discussing the situation with several Libyan tour companies, and I would very much like to hear about your experiences before recommending any of these agencies to travellers. For example, you say Arkno has not been helpful. If you find your current agency is helpful, please let us know, either via this forum or via the feedback form. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/form/feedback.shtml

BTW, we don't put our e-mail address on the site anymore. We get enough spam as it is!
But you can always reach us via the Feedback form.

Good luck.

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Susan Johnson

"It matters not what goal you seek
Its secret here reposes:
You've got to dig from week to week
To get Results or Roses."
Edgar Guest

'One world, two wheels'
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com


[This message has been edited by Susan (edited 28 August 2002).]

[Jasper]

We crossed into Libya in March this year with Arkno tours. We had our own visa problems initially, not Arknos fault at all, and this involved 2 visits to the border at Ras Adjir.

On both occasions Arkno were there as promised, they were helpful, freindly and knew the score. We had a carnet from ADAC but this was not used as the Libyans issue their own carnet at the border along with insurance. We paid Arkno $200 for everything, number plates, agency fees, insurance and carnet.

We then received 50 dinar back in Sollum when we crossed into Egypt, around $32, so it cost us appox. $170 total.

Arkno were great, we were through the border in 1 hour and off. It was worth the money.

Jasper

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A Journey of Hope
www.expeditionjasanne.co.uk
www.fugroseastar.com

[Yves]

Hello,
I just received a report of german(?) people who enterd Libya with SARI, (www.sarilibyatravel.com) and once in Libya traveled free without an escort (in August)!
Unfortunately I don't have more details like how many cars etc.

One more thing regarding missed rendez-vous at the border (e.g. Arkno): sometimes it happens that tourist arrive late at the border, several hrs after the time arranged for the rendez vous. I such a case you could not expect the guy to wait for you, they might like to have lunch/dinner at home... Probably missed rendez-vous were too frequent so that Sari now have set up a std. schedule: 10:00-18:00 on Thuesday.

The latest "official" news from Sari dated 24.8.02taken from www.liben-tours.de are:
- invitation 95 EUR / person
- escort in Libya for every group required, 30 EUR/Day (exc. food, transport, accomodation); 150 EUR/day all included.
(--> the last point is contradictions to the report I mentioned above so I suppose ther might be the possibility to negociate this with Sari)

Bye, Yves

[Toby]

As a bit of a veteran of the Raz Adjer border crossing (5 times) I can safely say that you buy Insurance, Carnet and plates from the Libyan Authorities there, having changes the requisite quantity of $US at the 'Sahara Bank' situated in a shed opposite the customs. Whether you have a European carnet or not. They need the hard currency. A few of the staff speak English and over the years have become more and more helpfull. Jasper's $200 for everything sounds about right, and pick up LD50 on the way out, deposit on the plates.