NEED TO KNOW
LOCATION Jebel Acacus is around 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Ghat in Libya
DATING FROM 12,000 BC to AD 100
DAYTIME TEMPERATURES Jan: 55°F (13°C); Apr: 77°F (25°C); Jul: 88°F (31°C); Oct: 76°F (24°C)
Tucked away in Libya’s remote southwestern corner, the Jebel Acacus region (also known as Tadrart Akakus, tadrart being the Berber word for “mountain”) is home to one of the world’s greatest collections of prehistoric art. There are thousands of rock and cave paintings here in a wide range of styles, dating from 12000 BC to AD 100 and showing changing ways of life in the Sahara, along with depictions of local flora and fauna.
The area’s fantastical desert scenery is another major attraction, with sweeping sand dunes, rock arches, the stumps of eroded mountains, and a labyrinth of twisting wadis (dry river valleys).
Practical Information
Getting There and Around
Fly to Libya’s capital, Tripoli, then take an onward domestic flight to Ghat (575 miles/ 925 km away). Domestic transfers must be arranged through a Libyan tour operator.
When to Go
The cooler winter months (Oct–Feb) can be surprisingly temperate, although nights can be teeth-chatteringly cold.