Berber Homeland and Ghadames

Tour overview

It is highly recommended that anyone visiting Libya for the first time include Ghadames as part of their travel plans. The Nafusa Mountains are one of the most scenic areas in Libya. This is the Berber homeland where Berber culture and language still thrive.

We take you to Gharyan, famous for its pottery and home to some superb troglodyte dwellings. Built underground, these dwellings were a refuge from cold winters, hot summers and invaders. 

We go on to Yefren, where the old town sits on a crag and offers an immense panoramic view over the coastal plain. This region is one of strong impressions and colours. Attractive villages lie hidden in these mountains.

The fortified granaries of Qasr Al Haj, Kabaw and Nalut are among the finest examples of Berber architecture in existence. Built in the 12th to 14th centuries, they are all amazingly well preserved and some still are in use. Nalut old town, also clinging precariously to the mountainside, offers views of the surrounding countryside, as does Tarmeisa near Jadu, with its ancient stone village, rebuilt in 1205. It is in an excellent state of preservation. To enter the village, you cross a drawbridge, built to ward off invaders. Tunnels lead to the underground houses.