Several millennia of history unfolds on this remarkable 15-day adventure. From Cairo we journey across the top of Africa, witnessing the influence varied cultures have had over thousands of years. Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs have all left their indelible footprints on this awe-inspiring part of the world. Insights into more recent history are gained at WWII sites like El Alamein and Tobruk that we visit along the way, before reaching the ancient Greek cities of Cyrene and Apollonia. Benghazi is a pleasant town with great architecture. Leptis Magna never fails to impress and is without doubt one of the most magnificent and well-maintained Roman cities in existence. Sabratha is less visited, but nonetheless also an other fine ancient Roman city. Tripoli itself is a buzzing Mediterranean city - a place where the fusion of cultures means you may overhear Arabic being spoken while sipping on a cappuccino.
Itinerary
| Day 1 |
(Sat) Arrive Cairo and transfer to hotel. |
| Day 2 |
Drive to Alexandria. Visit museum and catacombs. |
| Day 3 |
Excursion to battlefields and museum at El Alamein en route to Marsa Matruh. |
| Day 4 |
Drive from Marsa Matruh to Siwa. |
| Days 5-6 |
Full day at Siwa. Optional jeep safari into the Great Sand Sea. Return to Marsa Matruh. |
| Day 7 |
Depart Marsa Matruh and cross the border at Sallum. Continue to Tobruk. Visit the Commonwealth Cemetery, the World War II trenches and the site of the Australian Fig Tree Hospital. |
| Day 8 |
Drive along the coast to Derna and explore the older part of town. Continue to the Byzantine churches at L’Atrun and Ras Al-Hilal. Arrive Al Beyda. |
| Day 9 |
Visit Apollonia and Cyrene. |
| Day 10 |
Drive through Jebel Akhdar to Qasr Libya. Continue to Benghazi. |
| Day 11 |
Long drive to Sirt via Medinat Sultan. Stop to see the Philaeni Brothers Monument. Overnight at Zliten. |
| Day 12 |
Visit Leptis Magna and continue to Tripoli. |
| Day 13 |
Visit Tripoli Museum and Medina, including Arch of Marcus Aurelius, Gurgi Mosque, Old British Consulate and Karamli House. Afternoon free. |
| Day 14 |
Morning trip to Sabratha. Afternoon free. |
| Day 15 |
Tour ends in Tripoli after breakfast (Sat). |