Tunisia is a land of ancient history, striking beauty and the complex, and contradictory experiences of a modern state with deep roots in Mediterranean history and culture.  Enjoy the colors and culture of this beautiful land of seashores, Roman ruins, desert kasbahs, and exceptional cuisine. This trip is available weekly for private groups.  Review the Tunisia Photo Album for inspiration.

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Day 1 Arrive in Tunis, Tunisia

Welcome and transfer to the hotel, a luxury boutique hotel in downtown Tunis near the Medina of Tunis.  In the late afternoon, start the exploration of Tunis with a walk through part of the old medina.  Dinner and overnight at the Tunisia Palace.

Day 2 Medina of Tunis

Explore in depth the Medina of Tunis, the largest in North Africa (larger than Fez, Morocco or Cairo, Egypt) where we will stroll through the various souks and monuments including palaces being restored and traditional homes illustrating the way of life and customs of the nineteenth century Tunis.  Enjoy lunch at the restaurant Escheick serving traditional Tunisia food.  Wander more through the souks to find spices, carpets, brass, and wood.  See the exquisite craftsmanship of Tunisia’s artisans and discover the traditions and cultural heritage of Tunisia in the various libraries and bookstores.  Enjoy dinner at the renowned Dar el Jeid restaurant.  Overnight in the hotel.

Day 3 Bardo Museum - Carthage - Sidi Bou Said

In the morning visit the Bardo museum, considered one of the richest museums in the world.  Housed in one of the former Husseinite palaces, it encloses all the treasures of Tunisian history; from prehistoric times to the Punic civilization, the Roman era, Christian times, Muslim civilizations up to the 20th century, featuring the world’s largest collection of mosaics.  Lunch at your leisure, perhaps at Phoenix Carthage.  In the afternoon walk through Carthage, a World Heritage site, the oldest Phoenician settlement in North Africa with monuments, the renown Anthonin thermes, the Tophet at Salambo, the Amphitheater, the Punic ports and the Acropolium.  On the way to Sidi Bou Said, visit the WWII Cemetary. 

Stroll through the charming 17th century village of Sidi Bou with immaculate white and blue houses with colorful shutters and doors.  Stop in art galleries, and try a babalouni, a light and crisp Tunisian style doughnut with traditional Tunisian mint tea with a view overlooking the gulf of Tunis.  Dinner at Restaurant Dar Zarrouk and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 Testour - Dougga - Kairouan

Depart Tunis on the way to the ancient city of Dougga, one of the best preserved Roman cities in Africa, also a Unesco World Heritage site.  Dougga is built on an elevated site and was the capital of Punic and Roman states.  After lunch in Thugga, continue to Kairouan, the holy city of Tunisia with impressive Islanic monuments dating to 670 AD.  Walk at leisure through the souks, taste the traditional local pastry stuffed with dates and learn about the savoir-faire of women making rugs.

Check in a private dinner at La Kasbah Hotel in the heart of Kairouan.  This hotel epitomizes the classic Arab-islamic architecture of Kairouan.

Day 5 Kairouan - El Djem

Experience the morning light on the ninth century great mosque of Oqba ibn Nafi, an important Islamic reference point in architecture.  Continue to El Djem’s spectacular amphitheater that dates from 238 AD and is the second largest

in the world next to Rome.  Visit the newly opened small museum and the excavations behind the museum with preserved mosaic floors.  Enjoy lunch at le Bonheur before returning to Kairouan for dinner and overnight at La Kasbah. 

Day 6 - Journey to the Sahara - Tozeur

After breakfast, drive to Tozeur, an oasis town rising from the sands of the Sahara desert for an afternoon arrival.  Visit the Belevedere of Tozeru with 300,000 palm trees and over 400 hot and cold springs.  Check in at Dar Cherait Ottoman Palace, an architectural jewel reminiscent of 1001 nights’ dreams.  The beautifully tiled Moorish bath are unusual and beautiful.  After dinner visit the Dar CVheralet museum with partially outdoor galleries and luxurious decorations and gardens characteristic ofNorth African life.

Day 7 Mountain Oases

Depart to Mellaoui to visit the Selja gorges (depending on the availability of the Red Lizard Train).  The train belonged to the Bey of Tunisia, an ancient Ottoman ruler of Tunisia.  With six wagons, including the Bey’s own wagon, the train takes you to discover the famous and otherwise inaccessible Selja gorges.  Continue by four wheel vehicle to the oasis of Tamerze for lunch and exploring the mountain oases

of Mides and Chebika, perched in granite mountains above the Sahara, used frequently by filmmakers in search of Biblical landscapes.  Dinner and overnight at dar Cheraiet.

Day 8 Douz - Matmata - Djerba

After breakfast, cross the dry salt lake of Chott el Djerid where mirages of forests and cities appear on the horizon.  Arrive in Douz, “gateway to the Sahara”.  This quiet oasis village is home to the Festival of the Sahara and features a daily camel market.  After lunch at Sahara Douz, depart to the Berber village of Matmata and its famous troglodytes, homes built underground as protection from heat.  Berber Ksours are among the most exciting places to explore in Tunisia.  ONe of these fabulous Berber villages with its pitted lunar landscape was the setting for the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars.  Continue to the island of Djerba, land of the Lotus-eaters in Homer’s Odyssey.  Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9 Island of Djerba

Visit the Ghriba synagogue, built in the 6th century BC, one of the holiest Jewish places that hosts annual pilgrimages of Jews from all over the world.  This synagogue also holds one of the most ancient Torah’s in the world.  Continue to Houmt Souk, the island’s capital, for a chance to experience local markets, crafts and foods, the Museum of Arts and Traditions in Sidi zitouni and the village of Guellala for its potteries.  Lunch at your leisure and the afternoon free for relaxing or shopping.  Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 Tunis Airport and Out

Transfer to Djerba Airport for a flight to Tunis and connections for international flights.  Optionally, spend the day in Carthage or Sidi Bou Said before an evening flight home or to Istanbul for an extension to Turkey.

For more information or assistance planning a custom trip to Tunisia, please contact Silk and Stones Travel.

To plan your trip, please read the Application, Terms and Conditions, and the Resources and Packing List pages.

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Photos courtesy of Promo Tunisia