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Budrina
HY all I am Budrinna of past years , hope to resume travel activity , actually all closed but many libyans are now bikers and 4x4 lovers.
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I was in Libya (west) in late 2017 and early 2020. On both occasions it is a hassle compared to before, and absolutely requires a business visa (obtainable in London, for a huge fee, assuming all the invitations are in order). There are definitely easier places to go to right now. What has changed since early 2020 is something I cannot speak for, but at least then, it was feasible. On both of those occasions I came in from Tunisia, and out to Tunisia.
In 2020 we drove to Sabratha, Tripoli, Leptis Magna and Misrata, and back. In 2017 we did the same + Sirte + Sabha + Ghademes. |
Hello, everyone! I've just been informed by a Libyan tour operator that tourist visas are now being issued again! They've told me this change is so recent that they can't say yet whether it will be VOA or not and what the cost will be (though surely much cheaper than the phoney "business visas" that tour companies were charging some $350-$500 for).
I've also been told that the Tunisia-Libya boarder is confirmed to be open. Unfortunately, you still need to book a tour package and be accomanied at all times by a police escort, though. The tour operator tells me he doesn't see this changing anytime soon, as this was also the case for tourists before the war. |
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It's one thing to travel to Libya as a tourist when you go in and out by air and stay at a hotel or (better even still) stay with friends or family. Those kind of travellers are the ones who can reasonably get excited about tourist visas being issued again. It's an entirely different matter for those of us who are interested in doing a land border crossing and riding or driving 100s of kilometers across the country unaccompanied. There is still a civil war ongoing in Libya, different parts of the country are controlled by different groups, and there is no truly national police or military organization to provide security to motorists. Libya is a great place, but until a single national government is established that is able to effectively govern the entire country, it's not a place to be doing individual unescorted motor travel in. Michael |
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I have been experimenting with the Gaia GPS recently on their free trial. It seems Gaia has quite a following in SW Libya, with many tracks posted publicly. I suppose this doesn't mean much for the forum, but I thought people might find it interesting.
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Which tour operator is this? |
libya
hi,
does anyone get the new e-visa on line for Libya ? how much is it ? thanks |
You need an invitation letter from an authorized agency inside Libya. They will provide answers to all your questions.
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y êtes-vous allé très récemment ? apparemment plus besoin de tout ça avec le visa électronique ....
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Thanks to Ed G for pointing me to this British RTW youtuber who is approaching Sirte right now (in video time - may have been weeks ago) on her pushbike, having come from Oran in Algeria.
Loads of checkpoints, some escorts and secret police, but also loads of hospitality from passing drivers. I believe she got her visa in Algiers with help from the Libyan Cycling Club and is hoping to get to Egypt. https://www.youtube.com/@helsonwheels/videos https://www.instagram.com/hels.on.wheels/ and all the rest In video time she is about to reach the line where - afaik - the GNU territory ends and the LNA begins, which will be interesting. I presume the visa is not valid for both territories? Recent doc https://www.gov.uk/government/public...025-accessible https://sahara-overland.com/wp-conte...524_mam996.png |
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She was escorted to the GNU-LNA checkpoint (as are all vehicles, afaict), waited three hours and was then escorted onwards with tighter security for 30km and put under 'hotel arrest' in Sirte (for her own protection). You get the feeling security is tighter in the LNA with continuous escorts, unlike some days in the GNU. She mentions a French pushbiker who did the same in 2024. He had great trouble even getting in from Tunisia, then spent 7 hours at 'Sirte 30' and after all that and 1800km, was not allowed into Egypt. I read that Sallum is only open to Libyans and Egyptians (ie: locals, like many Saharan borders). Iirc, even in the Gadaffi era Sallum crossing was often on and off (especially westbound). But there's also something to be said for a 'harmless' woman on a bicycle getting through (with escorts) where a foreign moto or jeep might not. FYI, with info supplied by Helen D, I have updated my Libya page for the first time in years. https://sahara-overland.com/libya-2/ |
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