Libya Attracts Adventure Tourism Enthusiasts 0 9

Over the past two years, Libya has actively and purposefully promoted itself as a tourist destination, aiming to attract foreign travelers.

Recently, James Wilcox, the founder of the adventure tourism company Untamed Borders, conducted his first tour to southern Libya in 14 years.

The devastating six-year civil war and the ongoing sporadic clashes since the ceasefire in 2020 have made much of the North African country off-limits to tourists.

But attitudes are changing. The Libyan government is taking steps to open its doors to international guests, and tour companies are adding routes across the country. Although Libya remains a complex and potentially risky destination, tourism is on the rise.

In 2024, the country introduced an electronic visa system, simplifying what was once a lengthy and bureaucratic process. Previously, obtaining a visa required a trip to the embassy and months of waiting, but now it is an online application that is usually approved within a couple of weeks.

Restoration work on key tourist sites has been completed, and new attractions are opening. Last month, after a 14-year hiatus, the renovated National Museum in Tripoli reopened, and with the assistance of UNESCO, a large-scale restoration of the Old City of Tripoli with its sandy-colored houses and bazaars has been carried out.

Work has also resumed on key construction sites, including the Al-Andalus tourist complex in Tripoli, which features hotels, a yacht marina, and shopping centers; the project had been on hold for the last 14 years.

Meanwhile, events are being held to attract guests, including a desert rally in Wadi al-Hayat that took place earlier this year.

A new national airline is being established to improve connections to international destinations.

Tourists Return to Libya for the First Time in a Decade

These changes are already yielding results. In the first half of 2025, the number of visitors to the country increased by 60 percent compared to last year, reported Minister of Tourism and Crafts Nasr El-Din Al-Fazzani.

According to the government, 282,000 people visited key archaeological sites in Libya, such as Sabratha and Lepcis Magna, in the first half of 2025.

The increase in tourists is also attributed to a period of relative stability in the country, which has opened up areas of Libya that have been inaccessible for more than a decade, explains tour leader Wilcox.

In November, Untamed Borders organized its first tour to the Sahara Desert in southern Libya in 14 years, visiting sites including UNESCO World Heritage sites in Jebel Akakus, the Ubari oases, and the desert town of Ghat.

They also stopped in Ghadames, a whitewashed desert town on the border with Tunisia and a UNESCO site.

Untamed Borders has also resumed individual tours to eastern Libya, including visits to Benghazi, the ancient ruins of Apollonia, and UNESCO World Heritage sites in Cyrene.

Over the past 12 months, the company has recorded a 200 percent increase in bookings across the country compared to 2024. Preliminary bookings for 2026 are already higher than they were two years ago.

Tourists in Libya Are Accompanied by Police

Despite improvements in services and infrastructure, traveling in Libya remains challenging.

This includes the permits and approvals required for obtaining visas, security issues, and logistics in remote areas, explains Wilcox.

One condition that travelers need to be prepared for is the necessity of being accompanied by security service personnel or a police escort.

"Usually, these guys are happy to travel to the specified locations, and the only real issue is that they have a agreed-upon route," says Wilcox.

"If it needs to be changed, you have to submit a request, so it’s not very easy to change plans on the fly."

Didier Goudan, a French lawyer living in Portugal, joined Wilcox on the tour to southern Libya last year.

He has been to many adventure destinations, including Afghanistan and Iraq, but this was his first time in Libya.

"I really like Muslim countries; I always have a very good experience there. The people are very nice, hospitable, and friendly," he says. "Many of my colleagues have been to Libya, including working there in the 80s and 90s. They always liked it and said it’s a great country."

Although police escort may sound alarming, Goudan says their officer was unarmed and in civilian clothes, and was generally present to ensure everything went smoothly.

"There are checkpoints on the roads during the trip, and if we are asked too many questions or the situation becomes complicated, the police can help," he says.

"The police officer in the north, in Tripoli, turned out to be a very nice person. He had never been to some of the places we visited, so he was excited and took pictures with us."

Libya Still Appears on Government 'Do Not Travel' Lists

Another organizational issue when traveling to Libya is insurance. The country still appears on 'do not travel' lists from many governments. For example, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to Libya except for the cities of Benghazi and Misrata.

This means that travelers have to look for specialized travel insurance companies with policies that cover such cases, as most standard insurances are invalid if you travel to an area with a government warning. However, according to Goudan, this rarely deters him from traveling to a particular country.