Tunisia Discovery Tour: A Real Chance to Experience Tunisian Culture (Ancient and Modern)

  Tunisia

• Other Cities in Tunisia: 
Tunis,  Kairouan,  Sousse,  Tozeur

Dates: Please Contact Us for more information

Description: This tour will give you an opportunity to visit the best sites and will give you the chance to discover the hidden charm of Tunisia.

A real opportunity for you to experience Tunisia culture both ancient and modern, and to discover the mysterious troglodytes houses of the Berbers , the vast Sahara desert and the most important archaeological and historical sites in Tunisia.

Highlights:
Day 1: Arrive in Tunis
Upon arrival at the Tunis airport assistance and transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free. Dinner and overnight in Tunis.

Day 2: Tunis-Carthage Bardo-Sidi Bou Said -Hammamet
Depart to the ancient city of Carthage founded by a Phoenician princess, visit of the Byrsa Hill with its vestiges of Carthaginian and Roman buildings, and the Antonine Baths, a huge Roman bath complex on the edge of the Mediterranean.

Continue to Sidi Bou Said; Andalous village; for a stroll through narrow streets lined with whitewashed houses with blue shutters and doors.

Next visit of the Bardo Tunisia's National Museum with it's archaeological collections including the world's largest collection of Roman polychrome mosaics. It is housed in a 19th century Beylical palace, and was the first museum to be founded in Africa National Museum , then free time at the Médina (old town ). At the end of the day, departure for Hammamet dinner and Overnight .

Day 3: Hammamet Kairaoun-Sbeitla-Gafsa
Depart to Kairouan, This city remains a purely Arab city filled with outstanding examples of the finest Islamic architecture in Tunisia: Visit the Great Mosque, the oldest place of worship in North Africa, and the zaouia, or tomb complex, of Sidi Sahab, a companion of the Prophet. We will see the impressive pools at Aghlabid Basins, built in the 9th century to collect and store winter rainwater. Then free time to stroll into the medina(old town), the ancient marketplace encircled by 11th-century walls. Continue to Sbeitla to view its remnants of the Roman Empire. The small town of Sbeitla is the site of the ancient city of Sufetula and possesses some of the best preserved Roman temples anywhere. In addition to temples dedicated to the Roman gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, the site also has 2 early Christian basilicas and an extensive bath complex with a remarkably sophisticated system for heating the floors.Continue to Gafsa ,dinner and accommodation at your hotel.

Day 4:Gafsa-Chebika-Tamerza Mides-Tozeur
Morning at leisure or you can take an optional 4WD excursion: It's a discovery extra (USD) tour to the mountain oases, where many of the scenes of "The English Patient" were filmed.

You'll drive south into some of the country's most spectacular mountain scenery, visit the mountain oasis of Tamerza, along with Mides and Chebika, In ancient days the village of Heike was called Ad speculum after the Roman troops who communicated by mirror. The towns were flooded in 1969 in freak torrential rains and were later abandoned. The original villages are now "ghost" towns. These villages continue with the old tiered oasis-style of cultivation of crops vegetables are grown under pomegranate and orange trees which in turn are grown under date palms.

Arrive in Tozeur, visit the old town little changed since the 14th century when it was built. This quarter is famous for the unique decorative architecture in brick with exuberant towering facades patterned in bas-relief zigzags.

Dinner and accommodation at your hotel. After dinner you can enjoy an optional (USD) visit to the museum of Tunisian traditions in the Dar Cherait complex.

Day 5: Tozeur-Nefta-Chott El Djerid -Douz Medenine-Djerba
After breakfast we'll travel to the small, remote town of Nefta. This peaceful oasis, with a crater-like depression planted with palm trees in its centre, is crowned with the white domes of numerous Zaouias (holy sanctuaries). We'll visit the old quarter with its distinctive architecture and observe, through ancient doorways, the looms and rugs that provide a living for most of the people. Continue to cross the Chott El Jerid.This chott (flat, dry salt lake) is the largest in Tunisia, this region is also well-known for its "Desert Roses".

As we arrive in Douz; a typical desert village, the gate of the Shara, here you have the opportunity (optional USD) to have a camel ride passing through deserted landscape and picturesque sand dunes. Departure for the troglodyte village of Matmata where dwellings are built like craters in the middle of the desert. The primitive looking homes were designed to maintain moderate temperatures throughout the year, cool in summer and warm in winter and were an ingenious hideaway from the enemy. Proceed to Medenine to visit the ghorfas, ancient wheat granaries built in the rocks. Departure by the roman road to Djerba, Island with the typical architecture of the white menzels, visit of the most pleasant facets of this adored island in Guellala and Houmt Souk, the island's capital, experience the ancient tradition of pottery making. Dinner and accommodation at your hotel.

Day 6: Djerba-Gabes-El Jem-Monastir-Sousse/Port El Kantaoui
After breakfast, departure from Djerba by ferry, arrive to Gabes, the main attraction in the city centre is the souk (Souk Jara) area where locals sell fruit and vegetables, spices, dried fish and mounds of green henna for which the city is renowned, visit of the souks and market spices. Continue via El Mahres, a small fishing town, short stop. At El Jem (ancient Thysdrus) visit the largest and most spectacular Roman amphitheatre in North Africa and the best preserved in the world. This colossal edifice (classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which seems to rise out of nowhere, was designed with seating for 30,000 people and is similar to Rome's Coliseum. In the small archaeological museum, see the gorgeous collection of mosaics. Visit the remains of Roman villas behind the museum. From El Jem, we drive to Monastir where you will admire the Bourguiba Mausoleum.Continue along the coast to Sousse. Dinner and accommodation at your hotel.

Day 7: Sousse/Port El Kantaoui
Enjoy this day at your leisure (Breakfast Dinner and overnight)(You may explore on your own pace the city of Sousse or the modern seaside resort (Marina) of Port El Kantaoui.

Day8: Departure
Transfer to the airport in Tunis for your departure flight.

This Program is open to American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, South African and Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Tunisia Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Tunisia Discoveries's Mission Statement: We offer different Tunisia itineraries and Discovery Tours that give the chance to experience Tunisia culture both ancient and modern, a real chance to discover the vast Sahara desert and the most important archaeological sites in the country. We are skilled at designing Private tours to meet specific interests and budgets. We can customize itineraries for any size group for any type of tour throughout Tunisia to meet your requirement

Year Founded: 2008