Places to Visit in Kufrah, Al Jawf, Northern Africa, Africa

Places to Visit in Kufrah, Al Jawf, Northern Africa, Africa

Kufra, also spelled Kufrah, Kofra and Cufra, is the largest district of the Northern African country, Libya. Al Jawf is a town and the administrative centre of Kufra District, lying at an elevation of 382 meters. Kufra occupies around 483,510 sq. km area of southeastern Libya and borders the Egyptian New Valley Governorate, the Sudanese Shamaliyah and North Darfur states and the Chadian Bourkou-Ennedi-Tibesti Region.

History of Kufra:

The name Kufra is a modified form of the Arabic term kafir, which is generally used to call non-Muslims. Unlike other Libyan regions, Kufra had not seen the rule of the external powers until it fell under the reign of the Arab Bedouin tribe of the Zuwayya in the nineteenth century. Kufra was conquered by the Italians by the 1930s and ultimately Kufra got emancipation from the fist of Italy on 1947 when Libya’s independence was declared.

How to get Kufra?

There is an airport in Kufra with scheduled flight services from Benghazi and Tripoli, catered by Libyan Airlines. Kufra is situated around 1700 km away from Tripoli International Airport, where flights to many important international destinations, including Rome, Istanbul and Dubai, are available.

As it is located in an isolated region, Kufra has direct road connectivity from the national capital Tripoli, and other Northern Libyan cities.

Food and Shopping in Kufra:

Visitors can be seen both traditional and modernized shops and restaurants in Kufra but plastic money is generally not accepted in such shops and restaurants. So visitors are suggested to bring local currency for hassle free shopping and dining.

Things to do in Kufra:

Desert tour
Shopping
Walking

Tourist Attractions in Kufra:

Sahara Desert:

As Kufra is situated in the middle of the Sahara Desert, most tourists coming to Kufra choose desert tour as their first preference. Tour can be arranged through a local tour operator or visitors can explore the beauty of the desert with the aid of the locals.

Kufra Airport:

The Kufra Airport is located few kilometers away from the heart of the town of Kufra, lying around 417 meters above sea level. Flight services are scheduled, not frequent, although the airport gets rush by visitors for its nice location and lovely environment.

Al Jawf:

Al Jawf is the major town of Kufra district and last point of major road connectivity in Southeastern Libya from Northern Libya. The town is situated in the Kufra basin’s largest oasis. Al Jawf has facilities of Municipal Park, Outdoor Squash Court and Soosi Hospital.

List of other places of interest near Kufra include:

Tripoli’s Jamahiriya Museum
Arebi Dive Center in Tripoli
Tripoli’s Medina
The Arch of Marcus Aurelius in Tripoli
Martyrs’ Square in Tripoli
Tripoli’s Red Castle in Tripoli
Pottery Stalls of Gharyan in Tripoli
Ghadames Mosque
Old Town of Ghadames
Ghadames Museum

When to visit Kufra?

The best time to visit Kufra depends on tourists’ interest, if they want to enjoy beauty of Desert, from November to May is the best and advisable time.

Hotels in and around Kufra:

There are very few hotels located in Kufra, which makes visitors to head towards Northern Libyan cities to find upgraded hotels to have healthy hospitality services. Generally there are no frequent buses running between Kufra and Northern Libya, so one can hire car for convenient travel. Some nice hotels in Benghazi (around 1000 km from Kufra) and Tripoli (around 1700 km from Kufra):