10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS TOUR PACKAGE
DAY 1: TUNIS AIRPORT – SIDI BOU SAID - TUNIS
Arrival to Tunis airport, welcome and assistance.
Visit of the town of Sidi Bou Said, much loved by painters, where we will have a short walking tour.
Transfer to the hotel in Tunis capital. Check in at Carlton 3* hotel. overnight.
DAY 2: TUNIS – BARDO – MEDINA – CARTHAGE – TUNIS
After breakfast, visit of the world-famous Bardo Museum in Tunis, which has the finest collections of Roman mosaics in the world. There are also some interesting Early Christian mosaics which introduces the manner in which Christian art developed.
Next, we go for a short orientation tour by foot of the old Medina. Tunis is made up of two enclaves, the old town or Medina and the new town, built by the French as their administrative headquarters, a role it continues to fulfill today for modern Tunisia. The Medina was founded by the first Arab conquerors and it is full of monuments from both the Arab and Turkish periods, not least the Great Mosque built by the Aghlabid dynasty in the eighth century AD.
Free time for lunch and continuation to the site of ancient Carthage. Founded by Phoenician traders from the Levant as a trading depot en route to south-west Europe, it eventually became an independent and powerful entity in its own right.
This aroused Rome’s long-term enmity and there followed the famous Punic Wars which eventually saw Carthage’s total destruction. Subsequently re-founded by the Romans we will look over what remains of both cities. This will include the Byrsa Hill where Carthage was founded, c. 814 BC according to Roman sources; a site featuring the characteristic Tophet Graves of the Carthaginians; and the Archaeological Park centered on the Antonine Baths. We’ll visit as well the Second World War American cemetery in Carthage.
Back to the hotel Carlton Tunis 3*. overnight.
DAY 3: TUNIS – EL HAOUARIA – KORBOUSS – KERKOUANE – KELIBIA – NABEUL – HAMMAMET
This day the peninsular of the Cap Bon will be explored. In fact the region where life is based on farming, fishing and tourism, is known for being one of the richest parts of Tunisia.
The purpose is to see as many different aspects as possible by going to El Haouaria: El Haouaria is best known for supplying local red and yellow sandstone which was used in the building of Carthage. The best quality stone was at the lower levels, hence there are tunnels up to 100 feet long. The Carthaginians and later the Romans had to dig down to get the lower rocks and haul them out of the shafts. The huge blocks were shipped by barge and were usually covered with stucco to prevent the stone from weathering away. The stone from El Haouaria was also used for building tombs and has been found in some as old as the 6th century BC.
Drive to Korbous Short stop to take pictures and admire the view of the Mediterranean Sea.
Continue to Kerkouane: a unique site, the only one that Romans did not use after destroying the city.
After lunch drive to Kelibia: a typical fishing port since the Carthaginian era and the proof is the castle overlooking both the coast and the inland.
Transfer to Hammamet Check in at Khella 3* hotel. overnight
DAY 4: HAMMAMET – KAIROUAN – TOZEUR
After breakfast departure to Kairouan, a purely Arab city filled with outstanding examples of the finest Islamic architecture in Tunisia: the Great Mosque of OKBA, the oldest place of worship in North Africa, and the mausoleum of Sidi Sahabi, a companion and a disciple of the Prophet Mohamed. We will see the impressive pools, built in the 9th century to collect and store winter rainwater. Then into the Medina (old town), the ancient market place encircled by 11th-century walls. Then a walking guided tour through workshops bakeries magnificent houses and religious monument Stop in Kairouan and panoramic visit to Islam Holy City. Continuation to Gafsa, Free time for lunch and departure to Tozeur.
On our arrival in Tozeur, it soon becomes quite clear that the main attraction of this desert city is its vast oasis. This oasis covers about ten square kilometers which has been planted with some 400,000 palms and is fed by 100 springs. We check in at the hotel in Tozeur.
We’ll have some time to relax then do some exploration of this very interesting and unique town. We will take a horse-drawn carriage into the oasis. We will learn about the date harvest and have the opportunity to sample some local dates or date wine “Legmi”, the medieval town with its distinctive desert architecture & decorative brickwork. Return to El Mouradi Tozeur 4* hotel, dinner and overnight.
DAY5: TOZEUR – CHEBIKA – TAMERZA – ONG JEMAL – TOZEUR
This morning, we will drive to the Mountain Oases of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides by 4X4. Located amidst the rugged outcrop of the Atlas Mountains, not far from the Algerian frontier, these date back to Roman times, when they were military outposts to control the caravan trade. In Chebika, we take a walk to see the Berber village, waterfalls and the spring of the water, we continue to the picturesque village of Tamerza, with its spectacular sightseeing made famous in the film, The English Patient.
Return to Tozeur for lunch and depart for an adventure trip by 4X4 to visit the “Ong Jemal” among the sand dunes, and the desert site of one of the Star Wars films (episode 1 and 2 and Lars farm episode 2, 3 and 4.) Back to the hotel of stay in Tozeur. Dinner and overnight.
DAY6: TOZEUR – CHOTT EL JERID – DOUZ – MATMATA
After breakfast, drive across the Chott el Jerid, the Great Salt Lake, the barrier between the Sahara and fertile North. If we are lucky, we may see some mirages on the horizon. Arrival to the town of Douz called also the “Gateway of the Sahara”. Visit of the local market and free time to explore the Desert of Douz. Here you have the opportunity (optional) to have a camel ride passing through deserted landscape and picturesque sand dunes, Ultra- light airplane or motor glider, Car cross or buggy trip in the Sahara.
Free time for lunch and continue to Matmata of Star Wars notoriety, but more importantly, center of the most extensive number of traditional troglodyte pit homes in the region. The Berber people built these simple underground dwellings to escape the extremes of weather and any unwelcome invaders, to get a feel for troglodyte living. We will visit one of these dwelling caves, where scenes from the Lars homestead in Star Wars were filmed.
Check in at Diar El Barbar 4* star hotel. Dinner and overnight
DAY7: MATMATA – CHENINI – DOUIRET – KSAR OULED SOLTANE – KSAR HDADA – TATAOUINE
After breakfast, departure to Matmata of Star Wars notoriety, but more importantly, center of the most extensive number of traditional troglodyte pit homes in the region. The Berber people built these simple underground dwellings to escape the extremes of weather and any unwelcome invaders, to get a feel for troglodyte living. We will visit one of these dwelling caves, then visit the hotel Sidi Driss, where scenes from the Lars homestead in Star Wars were filmed.
Another interesting area with a special landscape and architecture is not far: Medenine and Tataouine known for the Berber tribes and the Ksour, the old granaries used by the nomadic Berber tribes to store their goods from food to olive oil, wheat and barley.
The city of the dinosaurs, that’s how Tataouine is called sometimes but certainly it’s the place where the most beautiful and authentic Berber villages are still standing on the top of the hills and mountain summits.
Free time for lunch in Tataouine and continue to visit the village of Chenini and the village of Douiret both situated on the top of the local mountains.
Drive to Ksar Ouled Soltane and Ksar Hdada, two old majestic granary very well preserved with its Ghorfas beautifully superimposed.
Check in at hotel Sangho Tataouine 3*. Overnight
DAY8: TATAOUINE – GABES – EL JEM
After breakfast, departure to the maritime oasis of Gabes, the spices capital in Tunisia. Visit of the spices market and continues toward El Djem to visit the largest and most spectacular Roman amphitheatre in North Africa, the remains of the Roman villas in the town and the archaeological museum.
Check in at hotel Julius El Jem. Overnight
DAY9: EL JEM – MAHDIA – MONASTIR(RIBAT) – SOUSSE
After breakfast departure to Mahdia One of the most beautiful cities in Tunisia, Mahdia is located between Sousse and Sfax and has many interesting historical sites, including the ruins of the old Punic city (preexisting on the site of Mahdia), the Fatimid port, the first mosque Fatimid, built in the 10th century, and the Ottoman fort in the 16th century.
drive to Monastir to visit the mausoleum that houses the Tomb of Bourguiba, father of modern Tunisia. Than continue to discover the Ribat is a complex multi-layered building with a warren of passages and chambers to explore. It shares, however, its general plan with the Ribat of Sousse, a monumental entrance on the east side; a central courtyard surrounded by several storeys of cells; a first floor prayer hall on the entrance wall; and a watchtower in the southeast corner.
continue to the coastal town Sousse. Where we’ll visit the old Medina a UNESCO World Heritage and the Marina of Port El Kantaoui.
Check in at Riadh Palms 4* hotel. Dinner and overnight.
DAY10: SOUSSE – TUNIS AIRPORT
Breakfast in the hotel.
When time permitted, departure transfer to Tunis airport.
**End of our services**
Services included:
- Hotel accommodations on Bed and Breakfast on Day 1,2,3,and 8
- Hotel accommodations on Half Board on Day 4,5,6,7 and 9
- Entrance fees to sites and museums included in the program
- The services of a licensed English speaking guide
- Transportation by vehicle with air-condition
- 4x4 car for the excursion to the oasis mountains of Chebika & Tamerza and the desert of Ong Jemal “Star War sites”
- All local taxes
Services not included:
- Visa application
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities like camel ride in Douz, quad bike...
Features
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Duration: 10 Day(s) / 9 Night(s)
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Language: ENGLISH
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Category: Multi days tours
