From the Mainland to the Island

Coast line of Hammamet A street in Medina in Sousse Amphiteater of el Djem decorative dishes in Houmt El Souk in Djerba Sidi Bou Said The Great Mosque of Kairouan Troglodyte house in Matmata View of mountain oasis Chebika, Sahara desert

Description

Program

Day 1:
Tunis - Hammamet (80km - 1.5hrs)
Upon arrival at the Tunis–Carthage International Airport, you will be met by your professional guide and driver and transferred to your accommodation in Hammamet. Spend the rest of the day relaxing in the hotel facilities or head outside to explore the area and in the evening enjoy delicious dinner at your hotel. Overnight in Hammamet.

Day 2:
Hammamet - Kairouan - Tozeur (395 km - 6hrs)
After breakfast, you will be picked up at approximately 8 am. This day will start with the transfer to Kairouan. Take a walking tour with your guide through the old Medina of Kairouan to the Great Mosque of Kairouan, located in the middle of the Medina and built by the Arab general Uqba Ibn Nafi in 670 AD. The site attracts thousands of local and international visitors for its magnificent architectural and spiritual value. The next visit is to the impressive ancient engineering site of the Aghlabid basins, where two large water basins and a few cisterns have survived the passing of centuries as they helped conserve and distribute decades of scarce drinking water resources. After lunch in Kairouan, head south via Gafsa to arrive at the city of palm trees Tozeur at around 6 pm. Overnight in Tozeur.

Day 3:
Tozeur - Matmata (216km - 3hrs)
After breakfast spend the rest of the day at leisure enjoying hotel´s facilities. After lunch, make your way out of Tozeur through the biggest salt lake in the country, Chott el Djerid, with an outstanding never-ending view of white and pink mirages, also used as a filming site for Star Wars. Arrive at Douz, the “gateway to the Sahara”, enjoy some free time, or an optional camel ride. Continue to Matmata and arrive around 6 pm for overnight.

You can also go on an optional excursion in the morning which is available on site. Optional activities starting at 8 am: Take 4x4 ride through the desert and the occasional dry salt lakes to arrive at the stunning mountain oasis of Chebika and Tamerza Canyon. Or choose another 4X4 ride to visit the site of the Star Wars filming location found in the middle of the Sahara Desert, only a couple of minutes from Tozeur. Overnight in Matmata.

Day 4:
Matmata - Djerba (140km - 3hrs)
You will start your day around 8 am and drive to Matmata. The area contains one of the best-preserved, still inhabited troglodyte houses, carved by Tunisian Berbers in the middle of the surrounding earth. A filming site of the Star Wars movie is also open for visitors in Matmata. Your next stop is the Island of Dreams, where you will start with lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch you will discover the downtown area of the Island, Houmt Souk, renowned for being the attraction of the locals for daily shopping and containing colourful souks, and also colourful neighbourhood such as the Djerba Hood, a street in which artists from all over the world gathered in 2014 and created beautiful graffiti art pieces. The day will finish with a check in at your hotel around 6 pm. Overnight in Djerba.

Day 5:
Djerba - Guellala - Djerba (50km - 1hr)
Enjoy your breakfast and be ready around 8 am to move into a different culture located in Djerba, equally significant for its history, in the Jewish hood, the center of which is the Synagogue of El Ghriba in the village of Erriadh. 20 synagogues were once present in Erriadh, one of which is today a site of pilgrimage for many visitors from all over the world. The synagogue is a modest building when seen from the outside, but has a fascinating interior, richly decorated by colorful windows and tiles, and very well preserved authentic furniture. It is most fascinating to know that today Djerba is home to around 1400 Jewish people, living in harmony on the island along with Muslims, reunited under the Tunisian patrimony. After lunch, you will head to Guellala, from the Berber name Iquallalen, meaning potteries and renowned for pottery making, an activity practiced since centuries and defining the main economic base for the locals then and until the present day. Head back to your resort at around 6 pm for dinner time. Overnight in Djerba.

Day 6:
Djerba - El Djem - Sousse (430km - 5.5hrs)
After breakfast around 8 am, the tour heads towards El Djem home of the Roman amphitheatre of El Djem, the second largest Roman Amphitheatre, built around 18 centuries ago, and still today exceptionally well preserved. The site was mainly used for spectator events, namely gladiator battles. Have lunch in a local restaurant in El Djem. The day will finish by a short walk in the leisure harbour of Port El Kantaoui, where you will have opportunity to purchase some souvenirs or simply enjoy the scene while sipping some Tunisian coffee or fresh juice. Head to your hotel at around 6 pm for dinner and overnight.
Overnight in Sousse.

Day 7:
Sousse - Sidi Bou Said - Carthage - Tunis (150km – 2hrs)
Today starts with a transfer around 8 am to the picturesque Sidi Bou Said after breakfast at the hotel. This charming village is known for its white walls and indigo blue windows and doors, and features dazzling views over the Mediterranean Sea, set at an altitude of over 100 metres high. Your next stop is at the neighbouring archaeological site of Carthage, located on a magnificent coastline. Although the ancient city was destroyed by the Romans, this UNESCO World Heritage Site features excavations of homes, baths and sewage systems. The other significant site in the area is the Carthage amphitheatre, built towards the first century AD and later rebuilt by the Romans. The theatre today hosts some 30,000 visitors at the yearly International Music Festival of Carthage. After lunch, head towards downtown Tunis to visit the Bardo National Museum, renowned for its rich collection of mosaics and located in an old Beylical castle in the middle of the old city of Tunis. The day is concluded with a visit and free time in the ancient Medina of Tunis before you head to Gammarth around 6 pm to check in to your hotel and have dinner. Overnight in Tunis.

Day 8:
Tunis
After breakfast, and depending on your flight time, you will be transferred to the airport and assisted for departure. (Depending on your flights' times, lunch is included either on your arrival day or on your departure day).

Price includes

- Operated with an English, French, German, Italian or Spanish-speaking local guide on a shared basis on days 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
- 7 nights’ accommodation
- Meals: 7 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 7 Dinners
- Shared transportation as indicated in the itinerary
- Inbound/Outbound shared transfers from/to Tunis-Carthage International Airport
- All entrance fee and activities indicated in the itinerary: Great Mosque of Kairouan visit (Day 2); Matmata troglodyte habitations and Houmt Souk in Djerba(Day 4); Synogogue of Ghriba and Guellala in Djerba (Day 5); El Djem town tour, Roman amphitheatre of El Djem visit, Port El Kantaoui visit (Day6); Sidi Bousaid village visit, Carthage city tour, Bardo National Museum and Medina of Tunis visit (Day 7)
- Meet & greet at Tunis-Carthage International Airport (Day 1)

Price does not include

- Tips or visa fees
- International or domestic flights
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities
- Drinks during the meals
- Any type of personal or travel insurance
- Other services not clearly indicated in the price includes

Itinerary

Accommodations provided in each place