Travel to Libya — everything you need to know
When to go to Libya?
- October – April — Coolest period : Pleasant coastal temperatures (15–25°C). The best time to visit the ancient sites. Desert bearable from November to March (10–20°C).
- May – September — Mediterranean and desert summer : Extreme heat on the coast (35–40°C) and in the desert (45–50°C). Frequent ghibli (scorching sandy wind). Not recommended.
Weather in Libya
Check the weather city by city, starting with Tripoli.
- Tripoli: daytime highs from 18 to 34 °C depending on the season, 27 mm of rain per month on average.
- Sebha: daytime highs from 19 to 39 °C depending on the season, 1 mm of rain per month on average.
What to do in Libya?
Libya is home to some of the best-preserved ancient sites in the Mediterranean world: Leptis Magna (UNESCO), Africa's most complete Roman city, Sabratha with its theatre facing the Mediterranean, and Cyrene, the Greek city (UNESCO). The Fezzan and its Sahara dunes (Ghadamès oasis, UNESCO) complete a country of astonishing archaeological wealth. Security situation is highly unstable — travel is discouraged.
Leptis Magna — The Rome of Africa
Leptis Magna (UNESCO) is one of the best-preserved Roman sites in the world: forums, baths, triumphal arches, an amphitheatre and a theatre practically intact beneath the Libyan sand. The birthplace of Emperor Septimius Severus, who transformed it into a city of marble in the 2nd century. An archaeological spectacle without equal.
Highlights : Forum of Septimius Severus and triumphal arch, Roman theatre of Leptis Magna (2nd c.), Amphitheatre and Roman harbour basin.
Sabratha — Theatre on the Mediterranean
Sabratha (UNESCO) is an ancient Phoenician and Roman city whose theatre, with its three-tiered colonnaded façade facing directly onto the Mediterranean, is one of the finest in the ancient world. A central funduk with preserved mosaics and a forum.
Highlights : Theatre of Sabratha (2nd c.) — three-tiered façade facing the sea, Temple of Liber Pater and mosaics, Sabratha Archaeological Museum, Roman forum and judicial basilica.
Ghadamès — Sahara oasis
Ghadamès (UNESCO) is a Libyan Sahara oasis on the Algerian and Tunisian border: its interconnected white houses with covered passageways allow people to move around town sheltered from the sun, its centuries-old labyrinthine streets, and its leather craftsmanship. The Berber 'pearl of the desert'.
Highlights : Old town of Ghadamès (UNESCO) — covered passageways, Palm trees and gardens of the oasis, Sunset over the surrounding dunes.
Cyrene — Greek city of Cyrenaica
Cyrene (UNESCO) is a Greek colony founded in the 7th century BC, capital of Cyrenaica: its Temple of Apollo (the largest in ancient Africa), the rock-cut Greek necropolis, and the preserved Hellenistic agora set in a spectacular mountainous landscape on the foothills of the Djebel Akhdar.
Highlights : Temple of Apollo at Cyrene (6th c. BC), Rock-cut Greek necropolis, Hellenistic agora and Roman forum, View of the Mediterranean from the Djebel Akhdar.
Travel budget for Libya
In normal times (before the conflict), Libya was an affordable destination. Today, tourism is virtually non-existent and prices vary greatly depending on the controlling authority in each area. Figures given here are indicative, for a period of stability.
- Backpacker : 50–80 €/j — Guesthouse + local food + shared transport
- Comfort : 120–180 €/j — 3★ hotel + restaurants + 4x4 + guide
Practical tips for travelling to Libya
- Flight from Paris : Via Tunis (Tunisair), Cairo (EgyptAir) or Istanbul (Turkish Airlines). No direct flight.
- Safety : MAJOR WARNING: travel is formally advised against throughout the country (red zone on government advisories). Active armed conflict in many regions.
- Visa : Visa required — procedures very complex during the conflict. An invitation from a local agency is often required.
- Currency : Libyan dinar (LYD). Dual exchange rate (official / black market). Cash essential.
- Language : Libyan dialectal Arabic. Foreign languages are rarely spoken — an English- or Arabic-speaking guide is necessary.
- Electricity : Type C/L (European and Italian) — 127/230V. Frequent power cuts.
- Health : Medical infrastructure severely degraded. Medical evacuation insurance essential. Antimalarial treatment not necessary (desert region).
- Tap water : Not drinkable — bottled water essential.
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