Best of Tunisia

Start our tour in Tunis, the modern bustling capital of Tunisia. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Tunis at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Tunis International Airport (TUN), which is around 30 minutes from the hotel depending on traffic. For those arriving before 7pm our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception and head of for dinner, should you wish. Due to the late arrival of many flights into Tunis, the welcome meeting will take place on the morning of day two.

As well as being a modern dynamic city, Tunis still retains its distinctive Arab flavour with colourful souks crammed with everything from crafts, household wares to spices and baklava. Following this morning's welcome meeting, we head out on foot on a walking tour of Tunis' historic medina, with its labyrinth of streets and alleyways in the heart of the old city. The medina contains over 700 monuments, mosques and palaces including the stunning Ez-Zitouna mosque which we view from the outside. We then visit the recently reopened Bardo national museum. Housed in a grand palace, the Bardo is home to a rich collection of artefacts, over 1000 mosaics and treasures, collected through the ages from sites across Tunisia. We continue to Sidi Bou Said on the coast perched on a cliff, where scarlet bougainvillea cascade over the white and blue walls of the narrow streets, and colourful shops overflow with carpets, pottery and jewellery line the winding streets. After lunch at a restaurant with panoramic views looking out onto the Gulf of Tunis, we will explore this picturesque village, returning to our hotel early evening.

After breakfast we drive to ancient Carthage, located in the Sidi Bou Said neighbourhood. Founded around 1000 BC, Carthage grew to be the most important and powerful trading centre on the Mediterranean. The mighty fleet of hundreds of armed ships was an efficient deterrent against invaders for many centuries. Its geographical situation as the gateway to Africa (today only six hours by boat from Sicily), meant that it was a crucial strategic post which the Romans fought hard to attain. After the third and final Punic war the Romans sacked Carthage in 146 BC, destroying much of the old town. Today many of the ruins date from the Roman period but we'll also see the two ancient Punic harbours, once the very foundation of Carthaginian prosperity as well as the Punic tophet, the Antonin baths, the amphitheatre, residential areas and the acropolis of Byrsa. In the afternoon we depart the Tunis region, driving south to Kairouan, the holiest city in Tunisia, which retains a strong spiritual feel. It is also the birthplace of great poets and doctors of religious law, echoing the traditional Islamic link between Art and Faith.

This morning we take a sightseeing tour of Kairouan. We start by driving to the Aghlabid Pools and walking up to the stunning Abou Zomaa mosque followed by a visit to the Great Mosque of Kairouan, the 4th holiest Islamic centre after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Originally constructed in the seventh century, the mosque has a myriad of columns and arabesque bas reliefs surrounding an immense marble courtyard. Heading through the imposing archway in the walled ramparts, we enter the labyrinth of the old medina and covered market. Here traditional crafts such as copper and silver engraving, carpet weaving and saddle making are carried out by skilled craftsmen. This is a good place to stop for a coffee scented with rose water or try a local delicacy 'makroudh'. They are small wheat cakes soaked in honey and stuffed with dates. Bidding Kairouan farewell, we will continue our journey south, travelling through vast olive tree plantations and passing through small villages where Tunisian rural life unfolds in much the same way as it has done for generations. Tozeur, our base for the next two nights, is an oasis town and is the capital of the south. In recent years Tozeur has become a busting tourist destination. During your free time here you may wish to visit a street market as this is the place to pick up some exotic bargains but you must be sure to barter!

Heading into town our tour leader will give us a brief orientation tour of the town and medina after which the rest of the day is free to relax and soak up the atmosphere of Tozeur or enjoy the facilities of the hotel. There is an option to explore more of the area should you wish. Join a two and a half hour 4 WD tour to visit the Star Wars movie film site at Mos Espa in Nefta followed by a visit to Ong Jmel, a striking sandstone rock formation with a panoramic backdrop of the salt flats. We also offer a three hour 4 WD tour to Sidi Bouhlel canyon in de Dghoum National Park, the tour includes a short walk in the canyon. During the excursion we will also visit Tozeur oasis, the settlement around the oasis uses a distinctive traditional architecture. During our visit we will witness how bricks are produced, a key element in the construction of these desert dwellings. Finally we will visit the oasis and Eden park, with its date plantations and banana groves where we can learn more about the production of these desert delicacies and visit the small museum. Please see the 'budgeting' section below for more details.

This morning, we cross the vast 3400 square kilometre Chott-el-Jerid salt flats, the largest in the Sahara, along the way we visit an artesian well where fresh groundwater is forced to the surface under pressure from the sediment below. We continue the oasis town of Douz, breaking for lunch. Transferring to 4 WD vehicles, and taking just enough luggage for our one-night stay in the desert, we drive out into the vastness of the Sahara where we spend the night in a desert camp. Climb the sand dunes behind the camp or enjoy a sundowner as the sun sets over the dunes. This evening, enjoy a delicious dinner served under the magnificent night sky. With virtually no light pollution this is a great spot for star gazing, with quiet locations around the camp to enjoy the blanket of stars above. We'll stay in a camp with spacious well appointed twin share and single tents, ten of the tents have simple ensuite toilet attached, where we need more than ten tents, we will use additional tents with shared facilities. Blankets and pillows are provided. During the winter months, it can get cold in the desert so warm clothing is recommended. Dinner is included and there is a licensed bar that serves alcohol. There is no Wi-Fi signal at the camp, it's the perfect location to switch off, immersed in the tranquil setting amongst the sand dunes.

Departing our desert camp after breakfast, we drive in 4 WD's through the sand dunes and open plains of the desert, retracing a route back to Douz where we are reunited with our vehicle. Our destination today is Sfax, making a stop in the tiny stone village of Tamezret, perched on a hill with the pink and blue mountain of Djebel Tabaga in the distance. Matmata is our next stop with its distinctive 'invisible village' first recorded in the 4th century. Camouflaged by the sandy pockmarked landscape and situated within craters, you can find around 50 or so underground dwellings. Home to one of the oldest Berber tribes, many of the caves are still in use today. Circular pits with vertical walls have been dug out of the sandstone and a sunken courtyard created with tunnels cutting into the walls to form caves and rooms. This subterranean home is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Continuing to the coastal town of Sfax, our hotel tonight is a modern resort style property. Dinner is included and there is a licensed bar that serves alcohol.

Stepping back in time this morning, we will pay a visit to the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage site of El Djem, the best preserved Roman Amphitheatre in North Africa. One of the largest of its kind in the world, this stunning monument to Roman glory once echoed to the sounds of gladiatorial contests and chariot races. El Djem was capable of seating 27,000 spectators although now has a capacity of around 500. We will have a guided tour of the site and have lunch near by (lunch is not included on this day). Continuing north along the Gulf of Tunis coast, our overnight stop is in Sousse where our tour leader will accompany us on a walking tour of the UNESCO protected medina. Dinner is included tonight at the hotel.

Departing Sousse after breakfast we head to Dougga and the Andalousian city of Testourand, one of the best preserved Roman archaeological sites in North Africa. The site itself sits within a fertile valley surrounded by olive groves. The main attraction is the imposing 3500 seat theatre built in the 2nd century, there are ruins from several periods in history some pre dating the Roman era with temples, well preserved streets and cisterns that were built to meet the ancient cities ever growing demand for water. Given how complete the site is, you really get a feel for how life must have been almost 2000 years ago. Please note there is very little shade in Dougga so its worth being prepared with a hat and sun cream, the site is still being excavated, sturdy footwear is recommended. We will aim to get to Dougga by lunch time to allow a full afternoon to explore the site. Late afternoon we continue to Tunis, there is the opportunity to head out for a farewell dinner together.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Tunis There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Tunis at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Tunis International Airport (TUN), which is just over 30 minutes from the hotel depending on traffic.