If you’re planning an extended trip in Libya, you will likely visit Ghadames. The city is divided between the Old Town, which was abandoned in the 1980s due to lack of plumbing and difficult access to clean water, and the new town, which is where most businesses and current residences are located. The city’s Old Town is well-worth the long drive from Tripoli (driving is currently the only way to get here). The Old Town is not only striking with its stark white triangular architecture, decorated on the inside with intricate bright-red patterns, but it has a fascinating history and many interesting technological features. A tour of the Old Town usually takes around 2-6 hours, depending on your pace, preferences, and whether you plan to eat lunch in one of the local homes. This leaves about half a day remaining in Ghadames if you are not driving back to Tripoli right away. The following is guide for spending your time in Ghadames.
Where to stay:
There are only a few hotel options in Ghadames. The hotels really are not bad, but you will need to remember that you are in a small town in the middle of the desert in North Africa. Below is our best recommendation for where to stay, but send us an email at [email protected] if you’re curious about any of the other hotels in Ghadames.
Dar Al Ghadames
Re-opened in 2004 by one of Gadaffi’s sons, this is Ghadames’s “only 4-Star hotel”. This is a nice hotel, but I personally struggle to see where the 4 stars come from. The rooms themselves are beautiful with local embellishments, but they are fairly basic (the knockoff “Smasuang” TVs are a nice touch though with a good selection of local channels). Wifi is only contained to the lobby, and even there it can be unreliable if too many people are trying to connect. The complex is also huge, meaning your room could be a good distance from the lobby. The first time I stayed here, my room felt like it was a 10 minute walk from reception, and the many staircases and confusing signs leading up and down made me feel like I was trapped in an MC Escher drawing. It’s all part of the experience! There are no elevators, so those with any walking difficulties or heavy bags will want to request a room on the first floor closer to the lobby. The buffet style breakfast will typically include stewed vegetables, eggs, bread, and a variety of sides like sliced cucumber and local sesame paste.
Where to Eat:
Pizza Abbas
One of our favorite restaurants in Ghadames is Pizza Abbas. This is a casual and bare bones place, but they make a pretty great pizza. One of the favorite local toppings is tuna with green peppers, tomatoes, black olives, and cheese. You can also get chicken, vegetables, or just cheese, making it a good option for vegetarians. The guys that run the place are super cool and it’s a comfortable place to eat inside. There are only a few tables but there is usually room to eat inside as most of their business seems to be take out. This place can have a lot of orders going, so it can be a good idea to call ahead with your order, even if you’re planning to eat there. A meal here will cost between 10-30 LYD.
Al-Tih Sandwich Café
Another great easy, quick, and inexpensive option is Al-Tih Sandwich Café. This is a basic fast food joint, serving sandwiches, burgers, shawarma, and sides like fries. There are even some local sandwich styles, like burger with scrambled egg and special sauce, to try. A meal here is going to be 5-20 LYD.
Have a traditional meal arranged in Old Town
You can also arrange to eat lunch or dinner in one of the homes in Old Town. This will usually involve tender chicken, beef, or lamb, with rice or couscous. Libyan couscous is dry, not brothy, but pleasantly flavorful. Lunch will be a big portion, as this is the largest and most important meal of the day in Libya. Any meal will also be served with soup and salad- Libyans will make sure you do not leave hungry. A meal like this in Old Town is on the higher end for Libya, costing around 50-80 LYD ($10-$15 USD).
Shopping:
Most of the shopping in Ghadames can be found on the main street that runs through town. On this street, you can find small convenience and grocery stores for food items and even a store with local souvenirs and crafts (you can also find local handicrafts sold in a couple of the homes in old town). The main street shops are open fairly late, so if you are getting into town late in the evening (even past 10pm), you should still be able to find something open. There is also a very well-stocked pharmacy with a knowledgeable pharmacist who speaks some English on the main street, which can be a good place to stock up on traveler meds for a decent price!
One of the local specialties I would recommend purchasing to take home or try locally is Ghadames date syrup. This thick, dark red liquid is made from local dates and is flavorful but not too sweet. It is great for dipping bread in, or drizzling on a peanut butter sandwich, ice cream, or even a salad.
Post Office:
For those who like to send postcards or collect stamps, there is a post office in Ghadames. This office has a great variety of older stamps, and even some from before the 2011 revolution! You will need 6 stamps to send a basic postcard, costing 2.5 LYD total for 6 stamps (no, that does not really make sense mathematically, but that’s what it costs). The office is only open on weekdays and does not keep very regular hours. You should be fine if you arrive between 9am-noon.
Old Town:
Of course, you’re likely in Ghadames because you want to explore Old Town. As a foreign tourist, you will need to be accompanied by a guide and tourist police anyway, but even if those requirements go away, it is still best to explore Ghadames with an experienced guide. The streets become quite a labyrinth, with some parts being completely pitch black, even during the day. It would be very easy to get lost on your own, both in the winding covered walkways below, or on the maze of identical rooftop walkways above.
Definitely check out the coffee shop located in the courtyard in the center of Old Town. This is a great place to try local tea with peanuts or almonds. It can be very bitter, and definitely requires sugar! The floating nuts round out the flavor and provide a tasty, if wet, snack at the end of the cup. You can also get a small bowl of delicious local dates to pair with your coffee or tea.
Outside of Ghadames:
About a 20-30 minute drive from Ghadames are a collection of massive Saharan sand dunes. You will need experienced local drivers to take you here in 4x4s. Many of the local drivers here have been driving on these dunes since their teenage years, and they can do some expert tricks, making hopping in the back seat for some dune-bashing a thrilling experience! The dunes are also an excellent place to watch the sunset, and even roll or “snowboard” down the sandy hills.
If you’re visiting the dunes, consider arranging a Taguella demonstration- the Tuareg tradition of cooking a round flat loaf of bread in the sand. The main Haji who keeps this tradition alive in Ghadames used to have a big tent near the dunes but could no longer keep it up and running after tourism was cut off after the revolution. He is a local legend though and his bread is delicious and made with an interesting process. When else will you eat bread cooked within the sands of the Sahara?
Also located a little less than 10km from town are the ruins of an ancient Roman fortress- Ras al Gule. There is not much left remaining, but you can still see the basic structure of the fortress. You can also climb up the fortress’s large hill and have a great view of the surrounding Sahara, including a view of the tri-point with Tunisia and Algeria.
If you’re planning a trip to Libya, check out our Libya Destination Guide! Need more help planning your trip or arranging a tour? Send us an email at [email protected] . Of course, we also have group tours to Libya and you can check those out here .
