Security Update Libya.

[Roman]

Geoff

Very interesting trip. Your website is not clear how you are planning to get into Libya. Via Malta or Sicily? This doesn't sound right. Anyway, avoid Ras Adjir and go south to Dehiba.

Hotels in Libya are still a problem - prices went up but accommodation is even more basic. If you can avoid spending the night in Tobruk, try a funduq in M'Said before the border. Sirte is worth a visit but do not expect a warm welcome, unlike most of other places to the east (Adjdabya was great). Wild camping was never a problem, only once we were approached by the local militia who were just curious why we were there.

On arrival in Egypt watch out for the kids from the UNHCR refugee camp at the border nicking stuff. It makes sense to get a fixer for a tenner (GBP, not EGP) to navigate you through the organised chaos. And be prepared to have one bag with your private belongings inspected on an x-ray machine, even though all your other bags can go unchecked.

Hope it helps.

[geoff0911]

Thanks Roman,

We will be going Sicily, Tunisia and then into Libya. Dehiba sounds far more promising by all accounts!!!

Thanks for the heads up with the kids. Do you have any heads up for a border fixer in Egypt or is it a case of find one there?

Thanks mate

[Roman]

Geoff,

At the Saloum border post you don't look for fixers - they will be looking for you. Just pick one who seems to act agreeably and has some English. There will be a small crowd following you anyway but you should ignore them. Do not let them touch your paperwork, only take you from one official to another and help you with filling out the forms. BTW, say hello from us to the fat man dealing with your carnet. You may also bump into a young officer dealing with you visas who speaks reasonable English (the rest of them don't or can't be bothered beyond "welcome to eezheep"). His office is next to the desk where they check your name in dozens of books listing undesirables (they once tried using computers but the last NEC broke down some twenty years ago). All in all, if you are lucky, you may get through this rigmarole in three - four hours. And when you get the last document stamped and think the worst is over, you are wrong - you have only entered the country!

to Eezheep!
-

[chris.perjalanan]

Has anybody got news depending the availability of tourist visas and a price ?? How hard is it to obtain visas in Cairo or Karthoum ? Would be in Cairo in about 2 month.

greetings from Nairobi
chris

[Chris Scott]

As I understand it, tourist visas are only issued to fly-ins with organised tours - and there aren't too many of those at the moment.

Expensive business visas with 'fake' invites may be a loophole, but I presume some government ministry sanctions it and it's what has worked so far. And anyway most overlanders are engaged in swift and edgy transits rather than tourism in the pre-revolution sense.

See this thread for transit visa in Cairo - it took some persistence, I believe.

Ch

[paul1962]

Hi Geoff - I suppose with all that backing behind you -you had somebody 'arrange' to get your Libyan visas?
Would be interested to know how you obtained them though, as am going through the process of trying to get one myself, for travel early November, although I am doing my ride fairly unsupported, mostly self funded, on a Honda XR125L (about 5 to 6 times quicker than my pushbike that I was using until a gammy knee got in the way)

Can't say the London consulate was teribly helpful - was advised to sort it out when I got to Tunisia! - but think the girl on the phone didn't quite get it - so have sent them a nice letter, along with letters of endorsement from my supporters - Federation Aeronautique Internationale, International Gliding Commssion, British Gliding Association (Patron Duke of Edinburgh), Royal Aero Club of Great Britain (president Duke of York, patron HM The Queen) -see if it gets me anywhere. My contact in Libya given by the FAI doesn't seemed to have worked out as well.

ps Chris: phone number has changed for London consulate- is now 020 30069 890 - press button for visa section - general enquiries get's you nowhere apart from an answer machine. Don't know if fax number has changed -forgot to ask- sent letters by post.

Temhu agency was quoting 195 quid for a business visa + £55 when you got to border for plates etc. - but no gaurantees of wnat may happen at Tunisian side of border - believe some people had difficulty with the northern crossing point? Stated that the travel and transit visa's where only available for 3/4 weeks - seems there was a reversal of policy by someone, somewhere.

Chris P. Don't know about the Egyptian border- or coming into Libya that way - just hope I don't get stung as badly as the guys going through the ports from Turkey.

Seem's that there are quite a few people trying to get through Libya over next few months- be great if we could all assist each other with contacts etc.

Ride and Glide: Africa Cape to Cape? (still a work in progress)

[geoff0911]

Hi Paul,

Tourist visas to Libya have been stopped recently and although they will come back on line (Libyan Airlines have opened a route to Manchester today!!) nobody knows when so we have had to go through the expensive Mission visa route. It seems any of the tour companies are pretty standard in their fees for visas but we have been dealing with Basha who have been really good. They dont have a website but i will check with our guy there to see if he minds me putting his email address up.

Any more tips or info from anyone would be gratefully received.

Geoff

[Roman]

Originally Posted by geoff0911

(Libyan Airlines have opened a route to Manchester today!!)

Geoff,

According to BBC thay have been banned from flying to EU countries until November: BBC News - EU bans Libyan airlines over safety concerns


Their website says nothing about the Man route (latest news is dated 05 January 2011) and does not show any available flights.

What's the story?

[geoff0911]

Here you go mate, as of today it says:
Libyan Airlines restart flights to Manchester | Libya Herald

[paul1962]

Just be informed by a UK based Visa agency (who didn't really inspire me with confidence, as I seemed to know more than them just through looking through these forums) that the Libyan embassy (consulate) are advising not to travel through Libya, until at least after December. Just wondered, before I finaly commit to the expensive Business Visa route, is it really that bad and how everyone else was getting on, with plans for travelling through the country?

[geoff0911]

Hi Paul,

Just replied to your PM mate.

Geoff

[ilesmark]

Think the Libya situation needs to be watched carefully - BBC News - US ambassador 'killed in Libya'

[geoff0911]

Dear all,

On the 22nd we are going to depart on a motorbike expedition form UK to Dubai via Libya, Egypt and Saudi (Visas sorted) for Help for Heroes.

If there is anyone on here that is currently in Libya or Egypt that could let me have a current brief on the situation that would be extremely useful.

Thanks in advance.

Geoff

[Cam Johnson]

Hi Geoff,
I'm currently in Tripoli and can report that it is pretty much business as usual for us, for now. Depending on what develops over the next few days we are expecting to carry on our operations as usual with a few security measures put in place. We will not travel between our operational areas for the next couple of days. We have offices in Zintan and Misurata. Our fuel reserves are dusted off and food/water supplies have been checked.

Seems like some idiots have done some real damage in Benghazi and much of our national staff believe this to be seriously bad for the new state of Libya. An effective local security force could've stopped the situation well before it escalated but the police in Libya have no real power/authority.

Anyway, have a look at some of my previous posts in this thread, which should bring you up to speed security-wise, at least you'll be up to date on my opinions on security.

What is your itinerary? I'll be glad to help out where I can mate.

Cheers,
CJ.

[geoff0911]

Hi CJ,

Many thanks for the info. We are currently working on a couple of contingency plans at the moment to see what we can come up with as we have had Libya visas suspended for our our safety!!
I will give you an update when i can. A week to go and now gone a bit manic!!!

Thanks mate.

Geoff