Libya in 2017/2018?
 

Just wondering if anyone has any information / experience with gaining a visa to cross Libya? Is it possible? Just wanting to get from Tunisia to Egypt without shipping into Egypt. Any news?

Thanks,
Jordan

Well...

As with all areas of Noth Africa which have remained inaccessible for several years or even decades, there always needs to be someone who tries it again for the first time...

Things seem to have quietened down a bit since IS was kicked out of Sirte, but the problem is that most of the ongoings of what is practically a low key civil war never reach the mainstream news, and there is no first-hand information on what it's really like there. To my knowledge the Libya/Egypt border is still closed to all foreigners (much like the Egypt/Sudan border on the Red Sea coast), so even if you do manage to make it through the country you are stuck at the other end.

There are a few people who visited Libya recently, but only Tripoli and surroundings. This is a report on an american guy who made it for New Year's this year: Libya – Ramblin Randy. Another american made it to Leptis Magna in May (trip account in comment to photo): https://www.facebook.com/53383668009...838206/?type=3. All this shows that with determination and keeping your ear to the ground it is possible to get in and travel about, but you need to be well prepared and of course there is an element of risk, but this may also be said of taking the tube in London...

I see no one replied to your earlier 'Ferry to Egypt' question buried in Trip Transport section.
I have now: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...859#post570778
Or just see the Egypt sticky above.
Last trouble-free tourist transit was in 2014. Things have got worse since then.

I read IS are still around, but just somewhere else.
Islamic State shifts to Libya's desert valleys after Sirte defeat | Reuters
Libya: ISIS makes comeback by claiming attack south of Sirte - MENASTREAM

Its part of my day job to monitor security situations and I have been keeping an eye on Libya. I would say it is a long way from being a 'safe' destination at this point, but there are signs it is moving in the right direction. As Chris says, ISIS is still there but along the Med coast, most have gone into hiding or have moved south into the deep desert. The Libyans, like the Tunisians and Egyptians have little tolerance for Islamic extremists...it is one of the few things they all seem to agree on. You could probably get across the country along the Med coast if you kept very low key, have the language skills and were prepared to live on the edge a bit. But the border issue might be the biggest obstacle.

Thanks very much for your responses guys,
I have in the end spent a great deal of time trying to arrange a visa as I was willing to follow a med route but in the end all three embassies I contacted - Australia, German and English were entirely unwilling to be helpful and in the Australian case out right amused at what I was considering.
Thanks regardless,
Jordan

I got a visa sorted a few years ago no problem. Try these guys
Tidwa Travel & Tours, Visa, Hotels Trips Libya Tunisia Morocco Egypt

@KevOK
 

The issue is not so much the visa (can be arranged with determination as several recent examples show), but the sealed border on the Libya/Egypt side. Not much point going along the Med if you cannot get through and need to come back.

So much for the dust settling...
 

My experience from a couple of months ago was that the visa was not terribly easy to get, and was only finalised at the 11th hour and that I was limited to Tripoli/Leptis Magna only. Sabrathra was considered far too risky to visit. The land borders were closed I was told, to foreigners on business visas (the only visa available for now I believe, which was EURO 600 per person). The security situation even in Tripoli was very 'hairy', and not at all a feeling of security. I can only imagine that things are significantly worse further East and South - a real pity. I heard back just a few days ago that business visas are suspended for foreigners, at least via the agency I used, because of heightened government paranoia following a shooting at the airport in Tripoli.

In all fairness, I think in the light of news leaking from Libya it is not so much paranoia as a rather sensible precaution...

I have spent some time trying to organise a crossing of Libya and failed even using a contact who has been organised these crossing for many years, so based on that doing a crossing is certainly a no go at present.