Overland region

The Murzuq Erg and the Acacus by 4x4: local guides and trips

Dunes and rocky massifs in the Tadrart Acacus
Photo: Luca Galuzzi, CC BY-SA 2.5

The south-west of Libya, in the Fezzan, holds the Tadrart Acacus east of Ghat and close to the Algerian border: a mountain range of arches, gorges and prehistoric rock art, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. Further east lie the engravings of Wadi Mathendous, the oasis lakes of the Ubari sand sea at Gaberoun and Um al-Maa, the ruins of Garama, once capital of the Garamantes, and the Murzuq Desert, an erg of about 58,000 km² beside the oasis town of Murzuk. Here are the local guides who work in the area and the trips that cross it.

1 local guide and 1 trip in the Murzuq Erg and the Acacus on GuideMeet.

On the map

  1. Ghat Ghat — Town. Oasis town just east of the Algerian border, a stronghold of the Kel Ajjer Tuareg and a terminus of the trans-Saharan trade. Pictured: the fortress on Koukemen hill. 24.9594, 10.1758 · Google Maps
  2. Acacus Mountains Acacus Mountains — Rock art. Mountain range east of Ghat, stretching north from the Algerian border for about 100 km, with dunes, arches, gorges and prehistoric rock art; a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. 24.8333, 10.3333 · Google Maps
  3. Afzejare Arch Afzejare Arch — Rock formation. One of the main landmarks of the Acacus: a natural arch standing among the dunes, also written Fozzigiaren. 24.6842, 10.6339 · Google Maps
  4. Uan Muhuggiag — Archaeological site. Rock shelter in the Tadrart Acacus, on the bank of Wadi Teshuinat, inhabited from at least the 6th millennium BC to about 2700 BC; the Tashwinat mummy was found here. 24.9000, 10.3667 · Google Maps
  5. Awis — Rock formation. Rock arch named Awis in the northern part of the Acacus, one of the many arches that erosion has carved in the range. 25.3380, 10.5472 · Google Maps
  6. Wadi Mathendous Wadi Mathendous — Rock art. Prehistoric site on the Messak Settafet escarpment, with Neolithic engravings of elephants, giraffes, aurochs, wildcats and crocodiles, dated to about 6000 BC; also spelled Methkandoush. 25.7634, 12.1704 · Google Maps
  7. Ubari Ubari — Town. Oasis town and capital of the Wadi al Hayaa District, between the Messak plateau and the dunes and lakes of the Idehan Ubari. Pictured: dunes of the Idehan Ubari. 26.5833, 12.7667 · Google Maps
  8. Gaberoun Gaberoun — Lake. Oasis with a large, very salty lake among the dunes of the Idehan Ubari; the ruins of the old settlement lie among the palms on the north-western shore. 26.8031, 13.5353 · Google Maps
  9. Um al-Maa Um al-Maa — Lake. Oasis lake in the Ubari sand sea, near Gaberoun and the Mandara lakes; the name means 'mother of water'. 26.7096, 13.3333 · Google Maps
  10. Germa Germa — Archaeological site. Ruins of ancient Garama, capital of the Garamantes, a Saharan people whose power peaked in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. 26.5440, 13.0640 · Google Maps
  11. Murzuq Desert — Dunes. Erg of about 58,000 km² in south-west Libya, named after the town of Murzuk; in its western part huge 'draa' dunes alternate with smooth basins. 24.7500, 13.0000 · Google Maps
  12. Murzuk Murzuk — Town. Oasis town on the northern edge of the Murzuq Desert, a stop on the old north-south trade route across the Sahara; the fortress is in ruins. Pictured: the mosque. 25.9136, 13.9169 · Google Maps

Local guides in the Murzuq Erg and the Acacus

Overland trips in the Murzuq Erg and the Acacus

When to go

Average highs at Ghat reach about 40 °C from June to August; October to May is the milder season, with very little rain (about 8 mm a year at Ghat). Government advisories warn against travel to most of Libya, the Fezzan included: read your government's official advice before planning anything.

Before you go

Photo credits

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, under the licences shown.

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