Best Tourist Places to Visit in Ghat, Fezzan, Libya, Northern Africa, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Ghat, Fezzan, Libya, Northern Africa, Africa

Ghat is a city and the administrative centre of Ghat District in the Fezzan region of the Northern African country, Libya. Located in the southwestern part of the nation, Ghat is a renowned tourist destination, mainly famous for its prehistoric rock paintings and mountain ranges Tadrart Acacus and Tassili N’Ajjer surrounding Ghat. Koukemen is a historic fort and popular tourist attraction in the city of Ghat. Ghat is situated between 24°57′ N latitude and 10°19′ E longitude, 668 meters above sea level and around 1300 km southwest of the national capital of, Tripoli.

 

History of Ghat:

In its long and grand history, Ghat played various roles, including as Trans-Saharan trade route’s important terminal point and as the seat of the Fezzan region. Ghat also witnessed the rule of the Kel Ajjer Tuareg federation, Garamantian Empire and Roman Empire in the past.

 

How to get Ghat?

Ghat Airport is located around 20 km north of the midpoint of Ghat city. The airport handles flights from Tripoli, served by Libyan Airlines and Sabha, served by Ghadames Air Transport.

Ghat can be reached by bus from most southwestern Libyan cities, including Sabha and Awbari.

Minibuses are mainly used for local travel in Ghat and in addition to minibuses, visitors can also hire car or bike from the local travel agency for comfort and convenient travel.

 

Food and Shopping in Ghat:

Ghat is a city with many traditional shops with a wide range of local specialties like handicraft products, leather bags and woodcarvings. Ghat’s traditional restaurants are also famous among visitors.

 

Things to do in Ghat

  • Exploring desert
  • Shopping
  • Walking

 

Tourist Attractions in Ghat:

 

Koukemen:

Koukemen is the fortress of Ghat and most important tourist attraction in Ghat. Although the fort is partially ruined, Koukemen draws a large number of tourists throughout the year for its historic importance. It is advised visitors to refer a guided tour for easy exploration of the fort.

 

Tadrart Acacus:

Tadrart Acacus or Acacus Mountains are a mountain range in the Sahara Desert region near the city of Ghat. It is widely popular for prehistoric rock paintings and engravings and these characteristics led Tadrart Acacus to gain place on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. Paintings and carvings at Tadrart Acacus depict elephants, ostriches, camels, giraffes and many other attractive pictures.

 

Desert areas of Ghat:

Ghat is surrounded by eye-catching desert landscapes. There are also many prehistoric rock paintings in the mountain ranges of Ghat.

 

Ghat Airport:

Ghat Airport is a landmark site, situated around 20 km north of Ghat city centre. The airport is frequented by both locals and visitors for its nice surrounding environment and beautiful construction.

 

List of other places of interest near Ghat include:

  • Waddan
  • Old town of Houn
  • Sokna
  • Sirte
  • Sabha
  • Martyrs’ Square in Tripoli
  • Arebi Dive Center in Tripoli
  • Tripoli’s Red Castle in Tripoli
  • Pottery Stalls of Gharyan in Tripoli
  • The Arch of Marcus Aurelius in Tripoli
  • Tripoli’s Jamahiriya Museum
  • Tripoli’s Medina

 

Best time to visit Ghat:

The best time to visit Ghat depends on visitors’ interest, although the most popular time to visit Ghat is from November to May.

 

Hotels in and around Ghat:

Ghat houses very few upgraded hotels with selected facilities and services. So tourists can take the suggestion of referring the national capital Tripoli’s hotels to enjoy memorable hospitality services and hotels in Tripoli (around 1300 km from Ghat):

  • Al Waddan Hotel
  • Alkhaleej Hotel
  • Sahara Libya Hotel
  • Four Seasons Hotel
  • JW Marriott Hotel Tripoli
  • Ben Yedder
  • Villa Otman Hashaishe
  • Kafila Hotel
  • Dar Ghadames Hotel
  • Al Waha Hotel
  • Al Mahary Radisson Blu Hotel
  • Corinthia Hotel Tripoli
  • Haroon Hotel
  • Attawfeek Hotel
  • Sara Guardian Hotel

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Houn (Hun), Fezzan, Jufra, Libya, Africa

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Houn (Hun), Fezzan, Jufra, Libya, Africa

Hun, also called Houn, is a town belonging to the Fezzan region of Libya, lying around 259 meters above sea level. It is the administrative centre of the Jufra District. Hun is well known for the “International Autumn Tourism Festival”, which generally takes place in the month of September annually. The city of Hun is surrounded by widely spread sand dunes, date palm trees and black basalt mountains. Hun is situated around 620 km southeast of Tripoli, the capital of Libya. Hun is geographically positioned between 29°07′16″ N latitude and 15°56′25″ E longitude.

 

History of Houn:

There is no exact theory about the foundation of Hun. The recorded history of Hun starts with the Turkish rule in what is today’s Hun probably in the 17th century. Hun also came under the Italian rule in the 20th century, and then Hun served as the capital of Territorio del Sahara Libico region of Italian Libya.

 

How to get Hun?

There is an airport in Houn but that is mainly used military purposes. Ghardabiya Air Base in Sirte is the nearest major airport to Houn, located around 270 km northeast of the heart of Houn. This airport is catered by Air Libya Tibesti, Libyan Airlines and Tunisair with scheduled flight services from Tripoli.

Houn is connected to the cities of Sirte towards the north and Sabha towards the south by public bus services.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Houn:

Houn is culturally rich city with an annual event ‘International Autumn Tourism Festival’, which organized at the end of September. International retail outlets and food corners are less in number in Houn, but the city houses numerous upgraded shops and restaurants.

 

Things to do in Houn:

  • Visiting historic part of Houn
  • Traditional shopping
  • Hiking

 

Tourist Attractions in Houn:

 

Waddan:

Waddan is the nearby town of Houn, situated around 23 km east of Houn. It is a town with many historic attractions dating from the Turkish and Italian rule. Its ruined ksar and many mosques are also popular among tourists. There are many tour operators in Houn offering tour of Waddan.

 

Natural attractions in Houn:

Houn is a city with many natural attractions that are located on the outskirts of the city. Natural springs and date palm trees are the few examples for Houn’s abundant natural attractions.

 

Old town of Houn:

Like Libyan cities, Houn was built several times by many European and Arab empires. Those areas are still good in condition and have become famous as picnic spots and sightseeing points.

 

List of other places of interest in and around Houn include:

  • Sokna
  • Sirte
  • Sabha
  • Tripoli’s Medina
  • Martyrs’ Square in Tripoli
  • Arebi Dive Center in Tripoli
  • Tripoli’s Red Castle in Tripoli
  • Pottery Stalls of Gharyan in Tripoli
  • The Arch of Marcus Aurelius in Tripoli
  • Tripoli’s Jamahiriya Museum

 

Best time to visit Houn:

Generally from November to May is the best time to visit Houn (Hun) in Libya, when the remains pleasant and supportive for outdoor activities.

 

Hotels in and around Houn:

Houn is home to an upgraded hotel and a hostel, except this, modernized hotels are difficult to find in Houn. To find more facilitated hotels, visitors are advised to drive towards the national capital, Tripoli. The below list includes hotels in Tripoli (around 620 km from Houn):

  • Burj Almadina Hotel
  • Hotel Al Mehari
  • Aldeyafa Hotel
  • Diplomatic Hotel
  • Bab Al Bahr Hotel
  • Janzour Tourist Village
  • Adhahra Palace Hotel
  • Rixos Al Nasr Tripoli
  • Four Points by Sheraton Tripoli
  • JW Marriott Hotel Tripoli
  • Four Seasons 2
  • Four Seasons Hotel
  • An-Naher Hotel
  • Sahara Libya Hotel

Places to Visit in Ghadames, Nalut, Tripolitania, Northern Africa, Africa

Places to Visit in Ghadames, Nalut, Tripolitania, Northern Africa, Africa

Ghadames, also spelled Ghadamis, is a town situated in the Nalut District in the Tripolitania region in the Northern African country, Libya. It is located in the northwestern part of the country, around 330 meters above sea level, around 460 km southwest of Tripoli, the capital of Libya. Ghadames lies near the border of Algeria and Tunisia with Libya, between 30°8′ N latitude and 9°30′ E longitude. The historic part of Ghadames was declared as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1986 for its rich architecture and historic significance. Ghadames also houses a museum and an airport.

 

History of Ghadames:

The documented history of Ghadames begins with the Roma rule in the area in the 1st century BC and then Ghadames was called by the name Cydamus. After Romans leaving Ghadames during the Crisis of the Third Century, the Muslim Arabs occupied Ghadames during the 7th century. Ghadames also noted itself as a base for the Trans-Saharan trade in the history.

 

How to reach Ghadames?

Ghadames Airport is the airport serving Ghadames, situated around 20 km east of the city centre. This airport is catered by Libyan Airlines  with scheduled flights from the national capital Tripoli.

Ghadames also has good connectivity by bus to its neighboring cities, including Nalut. Visitors can rent car from the local travel agency for airport travel and sightseeing purposes.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Ghadames:

Berbers is the predominant ethnic group in Ghadames and there is also a museum in city showcasing their culture and history. Modern shops and restaurants are limited in Ghadames but one can find many traditional options.

 

Things to do in Ghadames:

  • Visiting museum
  • Exploration of old city
  • Traditional shopping
  • Walking

 

Places to see in Ghadames:

 

Old Town of Ghadames:

The Old Town of Ghadames is the first preference of tourists coming to the city Ghadames. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring a spring water pool, dwellings and mosques. Tourists are suggested to take a guided tour for the easy and complete exploration of the old town.

 

Ghadames Museum:

The Ghadames Museum is centered on exhibiting the history and culture of Berbers, who are the dominating ethnic group of Ghadames. The museum also holds many objects showcasing the importance of local wildlife.

 

Ghadames Mosque:

The Ghadames Mosque is most important religious site, landmark as well as tourist attraction of Ghadames. Generally mosques are not allowed for non-Muslim visitors but its exterior beauty is great to see during night under light. It is must a watch.

 

Ghadames Airport:

The Ghadames Airport is situated around 20 km away from the city centre, can be reached by bus, car and taxi. The airport is situated 341 meters above sea level and has 3,600 meters’ runway.

 

List of other places of interest in and around Ghadames include:

  • Tripoli’s Medina
  • The Arch of Marcus Aurelius in Tripoli
  • Martyrs’ Square in Tripoli
  • Tripoli’s Jamahiriya Museum
  • Arebi Dive Center in Tripoli
  • Tripoli’s Red Castle in Tripoli
  • Pottery Stalls of Gharyan in Tripoli

 

Best time to visit Ghadames:

Throughout the year is best, especially from November to May is the most preferred time to enjoy the tour of Ghadames.

 

Hotels in Ghadames:

Being a popular tourist destination, Ghadames houses some nice tourist favor hotels with upgraded amenities. Those hotels are generally available for advance booking and it is advised for visitors to book hotels well in advance prior to reaching the city to avoid difficulty in finding hotels during high season. In below list, the first 5 hotels are in Ghadames and the rest of hotels are located in the capital Tripoli (around 460 km from Ghadames):

  • Ben Yedder
  • Villa Otman Hashaishe
  • Kafila Hotel
  • Dar Ghadames Hotel
  • Al Waha Hotel
  • Al Mahary Radisson Blu Hotel
  • Corinthia Hotel Tripoli
  • Haroon Hotel
  • Attawfeek Hotel
  • Sara Guardian Hotel
  • Al Waddan Hotel
  • Alkhaleej Hotel
  • Sahara Libya Hotel
  • Four Seasons Hotel
  • JW Marriott Hotel Tripoli

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Derna, Libya, Tripoli, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Derna, Libya, Tripoli, Africa

Derna is a Libyan city, situated in the eastern part of the country, around 1300 km east of the national capital, Tripoli. It belongs to the Derna district in the Cyrenaica region. Derna is a city with diverse geographical features like beaches, desert and mountainous areas. Derna geographically coordinates with 32°46′ N latitude and 22°38′ E longitude. Derna is a popular tourist destination with numerous manmade and natural attractions like Byzantine Church, Ras Tin Beach, Derna Waterfall and Jewish Synagogue.

 

History of Derna:

Derna is called by different names in different languages, Darnis and Darne in Greek, Darnis and Derna in Roman and Derneh and Terneh in Arabic languages. In its long and grand history, Derna came under the rule of many European powers, including the French and the Greek.

 

Connectivity to Derna:

The closest major airport to Derna is Al Abraq International Airport in Bayda. The airport is located around 90 km west of Derna and operates flights from Tripoli, Tunis, Istanbul, Alexandria and Jeddah.

There is a direct road link from Derna to Bayda, which is served by regular buses and minibuses. Derna’s road connectivity also extends to the national capital, Tripoli.

The local transportation of Derna is catered by buses, taxis, rental vehicles like cars and taxis.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Derna:

Derna is a perfect example of genuine Islamic Architecture with many renowned historic mosques and squares. The city is also home to many prominent football clubs, including Al Afriqi and Al Shallal.

Derna is home to an old market, where handicraft products are colorful and cheap. Derna also houses many traditional and modernized restaurants.

 

Things to do in Derna:

  • Exploring beaches
  • City tours
  • Visiting churches

 

Tourist Attractions in Derna:

 

Mosques in Derna:

As a Muslim dominated city, Derna houses numerous historical and modern mosques that are spread up all around the city. Al-masjeed al-ateeq is the oldest mosque in Derna and another notable mosque in the city is Masjeed AZ-zawiyah.

 

Churches in Derna:

Like the rest of Libya, Derna also witnessed the rule of many European powers in the past. There are many churches in the city dating from that period that are still good condition and most important of them are Byzantine Church and Catholic Church.

 

Maydan Assahabah:

Maydan Assahabah is the most important square of three major squares in Derna. This square is mainly used for demonstrations and is also one of the most important landmarks as well as tourist attractions of Derna.

 

Ras Tin Beach:

Ras Tin Beach is one of the recommended places to visit in Derna. It is a spectacular beach on the Mediterranean coastline offering a wide range of water sport activities, including swimming. There are also many restaurants and cafes serving beach.

 

List of other places of interest in and around Derna include:

  • Sahhaba Graveyard
  • Old Medina
  • Souq al Kharraza
  • Dark Souq
  • Attiq Mosque
  • Souq al Farda and Khidra
  • Piazza Derna
  • Jewish Synagogue
  • Piazza Hamra
  • Ibrahim Istaa Omar
  • Derna Valley
  • Omar Faiek Shennib Street
  • Piazza Attair

 

Best time to visit Derna:

Generally during the months between December and May is best to enjoy the tour of Derna in Libya.

 

Hotels in and around Derna:

There are hotels limited in number in Derna, so below is provided hotels in Al Bayda (around 90 km) and Benghazi (around 280 km). Visitors are advised to hire a car to travel between these cities as buses are irregular.

  • Marhaba Hotel in Al Bayda
  • Al Manara Hotel in Al Bayda
  • Loalot Alkalig Hotel in Al Bayda
  • Alnoran Hotel in Benghazi
  • El Fadeel Hotel in Benghazi
  • Juliana Hotel in Benghazi
  • Tibesti in Benghazi
  • Alraha Inn in Benghazi
  • Uzu Hotel in Benghazi
  • Al-Wahat Hotel in Benghazi
  • Alraha Inn in Benghazi
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