Jebel Akhdar

The Jebel Akhdar rises behind the Cyrenaican coast in two steps to around eight hundred metres and catches enough rain to carry juniper and cypress woodland, cultivated terraces and grass, which in a country that is more than ninety percent desert makes it exceptional. The Greek cities were founded here for exactly that reason. Wild flowers cover the ground in spring, and the temperature is markedly cooler than the coast below.

History

Records of the Egyptian New Kingdom describe large populations of metalworkers with towns and plentiful livestock to the west, most plausibly in the Jebel Akhdar, and the Greeks brought farming to its valleys when they founded colonies here around 600 BC, among them Cyrene (Wikipedia, Jebel Akhdar (Libya)).

What you'll find

• The woodland - juniper and cypress forest, unique in Libya at this extent.
• The two steps - the terraces rising from the coast to the plateau.
• The spring flowers - the ground cover that follows the winter rain.
• The Greek foundations - the cities placed here for the rainfall.

When to go

March to May is the green season with the flowers out. October to November is the other comfortable window. Winter brings rain and cold on the plateau.

Before you go

Grazing and clearance have reduced the woodland considerably. Facilities across the region are limited. Travel in Libya requires arrangements through a licensed operator.

Nearby

Cyrene is on the plateau, and Wadi al-Kuf cuts through it.

Key facts