Hi Alipro,

It was for this reason I posted my passport to Jaap in Switzerland. It would have taken a couple of days for the return trip to London for me (Edinburgh). In the UK someone must turn up in person with the passport. They will post it back if you provide a courier envelope (three days processing).

Mat

Al Jazeera and BBC World News are two, among others, that provide such coverage: unfortunately, there are other news media that have no interest in the area since the western nations stopped bombing the country.
Maybe you get too much news from Murdoch??

I think it is a common occurrance for travellers in areas of conflict to be met, and greeted, with great enthusiasm by the local inhabitants, if only because it provides an instance of normality (in this case = a type of tourism) within a less-than-otherwise-favourable situation.
In short, it provides a type of hope to those swept up within the turmoil.

Hi Dave,

Yes, I agree with you. But it is not just the turmoil and hope for normality, it's anticipation of the positive changes that will hopefully result from the revolution. The Libyan people have been under the control of Gaddafi for so long, that there is genuine excitement about the future, it's just that establishment of a stable and well functioning state is very slow. Riders coming through is a glimpse into the future (hopefully), and everyone is very keen to accelerate that process.

Mat

Thanks for that - it's all part of the "Arab Spring" and, yes, it's early days for all of the nations in the middle east (and westward - we don't hear so much, right now, about Tunisia via our own media, but I am sure in my own mind that there is lots going on there).

A main theme in recent press reporting here has been the issue of Benghazi "doing it's own thing" and, potentially, going it's own way.
What price an "East Libya" and a "West Libya" a la south and north Sudan?

The media have also covered the fact that Gaddafi was such a pervasive, despotic ruler that there is currently no structure in place since he was deposed/killed; no (national) government structure, no police, no army, nothing (Iraq is such a model of course, but hopefully there will be differences for the end state in Libya).

With no government SW Libya is getting closer to declaring autonomy.
No police, no courts, no border guards, no military means everything is left to local militias.
So they want a federation, with Sebha capital for the Fezzan.
Benghazi goes further and wants indepencence. Libya is set to become three countries.
IPS – Southern Libya Awaits Another Spring | Inter Press Service

You guys are crazy.. well done Kiwimat , that pic with Lybian armed militia on bike speaks well..

I would have a new topic for this Saharian subject , but not here..

I just want to ad ; I´m in Italy now planning my Sahara trip , start before year end.. I was thinking about Libya regardless situation (not sure yet , Egypt seems easier , I´m on foot..) beside I need no Egypt visa and Libyan embassy at Rome no answer phone or email since a couple of weeks me trying..

Eventually I´ll contact one of the visa service guys in ur posts and see if something can be done from here (..or at arrival ?)

What about those ferries from Greece-Turkey to Egypt (only passenger) , any trustable news ?

Ahoy

Hey Aprillo. Yes I went to the embassy in Canberra. You can get it the same day. Just bring everything you need. Make sure you tell them how and where you will be entering otherwise theyll give you one for entry at airport.

After completing my ride through Africa I can without a doubt say that Libya was in my top two countries. Do not be afraid to travel through, the friendliness of the people is overwhelming, you will not be disappointed. Don't listen to the media reports and go see it for yourself.

Hi,

I'm planing on going in September.
What does it take to get a visa?
I've read about a translation of the passport into Arab and a kind of certificate from a Libian travel agency?

How did you manage?

Regards,
David

We can still help with your visa - send me an email!

(not a private message)

Travel safe, Sam.

…or go to the first post of this thread or see here.

AFAIK, the Arabic translation stamp requirement was dropped even before the revolution.

Ch

Hello,

I just stepped over this, very recent update found here: Temehu

Tourist Visa:

The Ministry of Tourism has finally decided to start issuing tourist visas to foreign nationals wishing to visit Libya. The decision was taken in a meeting between the minister of tourism and Tripoli's immigration officials on the 26th of December 2013 [1]. Officials at the ministry of tourism have confirmed the news to us on early January 2014. The good news was also confirmed by the ministry's media coordinator to Libya Herald [2]. In a separate development Solidarity Press has reported [3] an agreement between the Libyan and Tunisian ministries of tourism to begin the activation of tourism in Libya and Tunisia. The representative of the Tunisian Office of Tourism in Tripoli, Mr. Ezeddin Alqarami, was reported to have said that the agreement relates to the preparations made for the year 2014, which will be a "promising year" for both countries [3]. The New Visa Procedure: the new regulations require a scanned copy of your passport to be sent to your chosen operator or visa provider and a list of the sites to be visited (the route). The visa approval will be available within 48 hours of the application being presented (if all goes well). The approval can be used to obtain the visa on arrival, as before, without the need to visit the embassy.


This sounds very promising.

David

Just be careful: As much as I know Turkish Airlines does not accept these visa on arrival (at the airport) but insists you must have the visa in your passport upon departure from Istanbul. Of course these considerations are obsolete for overlanders who arrive at land borders - provided the new regulations include this species of tourists ...

Greetings,
Achim

I took a while to read through the Temehu news section. I find it credible what they are saying in the summary of the current situation: "Although tourist and business visas are currently being issued to foreign visitors wishing to visit or transit Libya, we strongly advise against all but essential travel to Libya".

This comes from the mouth of a travel agency!

And then, in the same paragraph, they go on to say something completely different, though rather strange:

"The Berber Tuareg (sic!) of the Sahara say it is safe for tourists to visit the desert, despite the continued violence in and around Sabha and Kufra." Berber Touareg?

In a word, I wouldn't trust anything the officials are saying or doing because it makes no sense: you can't pretend it's business as usual by opening the borders for tourism because those who are keen on travelling to Leptis Magna or a weekend break in Tripoli will not come for fear of being shot. To woo people like us the Libyans do not need to splash half of their annual budget on travel shows, like the World Travel Market in London, and tempt us with a promise of a cheap and quick border crossing with tourist visa. It must be some cunning internal political game, and - as usual - if you can't figure out what it's all about, you can be pretty sure is only about money. Well, given the scale of corruption in Libya these days .....

I must say the announcement of tourist visas sounded a little premature or optimistic.
My original thought was someone is annoyed that the money being charged for business visas is not ending up in the correct pockets, but how much money can that be these days, even with real businessmen?

NB. Tuareg are ethnically Berbers - known to themselves are Imazighen or 'the free' and all speaking a very similar language. One of many sources. 'Tuareg' and 'Berber' are outsider labels, possibly like our 'gypsy'.

Ch