How safe is driving in Libya?

Not very safe!!

Disturbing news reported recently by the Libyan Ministry of Public Security states that "60 People Dead, 123 Seriously Injured in 263 Car Accidents in Libya in One Week", between the 19th and the 26th of July 2008. Causes include high speed, reckless driving, cell phones and breaking traffic laws and regulations. These figures become more disturbing when one considers the small number of the Libyan population.

In Europe driving is an advanced aspect of European culture; while in Libya, likewise many similar countries, driving is still way behind. Foreign drivers not used to driving in Libya need to bear in mind:

One: Lack of total availability of road signs, and if found, mostly would be in Arabic and therefore of no use to tourists and foreign visitors. If Libya truly needs to open its doors to international investors, then English needs to be incorporated across Libya.

Two: The inability of the police to enforce traffic laws across thousands of miles of roads, which prevents some drivers from observing basic driving regulations.

Three: The occasional Libyan wind-blown sand can render visibility very poor, and in many respects it is like driving in thick fog.

Four: Stray animals, like camels, especially at night, can be dangerous.

Five: The impossibility to anticipate the foolishness of some drivers, regardless of whether you are in Europe or Africa, always calls for vigilance.

Six: Driving to desert areas, like Ghadames, at night can be risky, owing to the sudden build-up of sand mounds in the middle of the road; during the day, these can be easily spotted from a safe distance - don't drive at night!

Can Journalists Visit Jamahiriya?

Yes, journalists can get a Libyan visa:

Libyan tour operators are not allowed to issue visas for journalists. If you are a journalist and want to visit Libya, then you must do this at the Libyan embassy in the country of your residence, in person.

It is then up to the embassy to grant or refuse the visa, but, as pointed out by Reporters Without Borders, foreign journalists can now get a visa more easily than before and that the department of relations with the foreign press claimed to have issued between 1000 and 1500 visas in 2005.

Visiting journalists need a permit, obtained from the information ministry’s foreign media department. Even with a visa at hand, you must have confirmation from Libya that your visit is expected. Be warned that once inside do not attempt to interview any official unless you have a prior authorisation from the department of relations with the foreign press, unless you want to report from "inside"!

Passport Arabic Approved Translation

Passport Translation

A recent Libyan Law, passed on the 11th of November 2007, requires all visitors to Libya to have an Arabic translation of their passport’s bio data page, which contains biographical information about the passport holder. If you live in the UK, the Identity & Passport Service (IPS):
http://www.ips.gov.uk./passport/travel-libya.asp) can add a stamp providing blank fields in Arabic. Job one done. Job two: this blank stamp, now needs filling with your bio-data in Arabic script, only by a Libyan-embassy-approved translator!

Visitors of each country should then contact the Libyan Embassy to enquire about approved translation service providers. Please bear in mind that hundreds of tourists were refused entry to Libya despite having Libyan visa, because their passports did not carry an Arabic translation (full article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7092589.stm).

Imagine how easy it would be if the approval is confirmed by an approved interpreter working inside the embassy itself: he can read the foreign page, read the Arabic translation, and say yes: they are the same, stamp the visa, and off you go! Lets us hope the Libyans will relax their restrictions, one day!

Can I travel without a guide in Libya?

The law says visitors must be travelling with a representative of the tour operator:

Another problem we encountered is that some of our visitors wanted to travel alone in Libya. According to Libyan law, a tourist must be accompanied, at all times, by a Libyan representative of the chosen tour operator, from entry to exit. But individual visitors (or a couple) can travel alone only in the capital Tripoli; the law is generally relaxed about this, as Triploi is a cosmopolitan city and no one would notice that you are a tourist, unless you attract attention yourself.

However, having a guide does not mean that your freedom is curtailed or restricted, as you can go anywhere within your specified destinations. For example, if you say you want to visit Zwara, then once you are in Zwara you can go anywhere you like, and think of your escort (or guide) as a friend whom you can ask for directions while driving. It is suicidal to drive into the Sahara without these guys (or guides).

Moreover, in groups of more than four, a representative of the Libyan Tourism Police will also join the convoy, in his (or their) own vehicle, of course. This was said to protect tourists from terrorists.

If you managed to travel alone, please share your experience with us by leaving your comments here.

Can I go any where I like in Libya?

Not, yet!

You must specify the exact sites and cities you would like to visit in Libya during your intitial enquiry or booking your holiday. According to Libyan law, the visa is granted to visit the sites specified before arrival. Therefore, in order to avoid disappointment, it is important that tourists specify the exact cities and sites they would like to visit before arrival. Once a tourist chooses the right destinations, then she or he cannot visit other destinations when they arrive in Libya. Some Libyan Tour Operators were ordered to close down by the Libyan government because they deviated from the planned route. Please study your destinations carefully and plan your route accordingly before you send us your list of chosen sites and cities, as we cannot, and no one can, change this. Stopping at other places in your route is, of course, a different matter. What is not allowed is changing the actual planned route.