Go off the beaten track in Tunisia and head north to discover a different face of this diverse and historically rich country. On this five-day trip, you will have an easy going, yet exciting opportunity to enjoy a fascinating natural escape and discover a wide range of archeological treasures. This tour is operated in a small group of up to 8 passengers.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Tunis: Tunisia’s laid-back capital boasts beautiful Islamic architecture and neighbours the famous ruins of Carthage.
Bizerte: Historically rich, one of the oldest cities of Tunisia with its picturesque old port and wide sandy beaches.
Dougga: This ancient city has remained incredibly preserved over centuries, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Day 1: ARRIVAL TUNIS (25 Km – 1 hr)
Upon arrival at the Tunis–Carthage International Airport, you will be met by your professional guide and driver and transferred to your accommodation. 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 Tunis.
Day 2: TUNIS – UTIQUE – BIZERTE (110 Km – 2.5 hrs)
Begin your day with breakfast at the hotel. After that, you will be picked up at around 8 am and head towards downtown Tunis to visit the Bardo National Museum, renowned for its rich collection of mosaics and built on an old Beylical castle in the heart of the old city of Tunis. Following the visit of Bardo, you will leave the capital driving towards the north to visit the site of Utique, an ancient Phoenician and Carthaginian city located near the outflow of the Medjerda River into the Mediterranean, between Carthage in the south and Bizerte in the North, which is the northernmost city in Africa and where you will have lunch in a local restaurant and spend the rest of the day discovering the city with your guide. Arrive at your hotel for check in at around 6 pm and devour your dinner in the hotel.
Overnight in Bizerte.
Day 3: BIZERTE – SEJNENE – TABARKA (140 Km – 2.5 hrs)
This day is all about natural escape. After breakfast, you will be picked up at around 8 am. The moment you leave Bizerte, you will continue on a road crossing vast green fields, mountains, barrages and an occasional panoramic view on the Mediterranean Sea. Your first stop will be in Sejnene. Famous for its unique pottery style and colors, this small village is internationally renowned for the clay designing done by its women artisans, an art that exhibits the Berber details through its structure and colors. Your next and final stop for the day will be Tabarka, a city colored not only by its nature and architecture but also by its cultural heritage of Berber, Punic, Hellenistic, Roman, Islamic, Genoese and Turkish origin. The town is dominated by an offshore rock, from which you can see all of Tabarka and its surrounding area. Lunch will be served in a local restaurant in Tabarka, and the rest of the day will be dedicated to the visit of its fort and its needle-shaped rocks falling over each other until they reach the sea, its old port and the village and local coral shops. Arrive at your hotel for check in at around 6 pm.
Overnight in Tabarka.
Day 4: TABARKA – AIN DRAHEM – BULLA REGIA – DOUGGA – OUDHNA – TUNIS (300 Km – 4.5 hrs)
This day highlights the historical and mainly the archeological experience of the roundtrip. You will be picked up after breakfast at around 8 am to start with the visit of Ain Drahem. Its name derived from the Roman language and it is describing the sulfurous hot springs where you will also see ruins of Roman Baths. Your next stop is Bulla Regia, in which you will have a unique experience exploring a complete and well-preserved infrastructure of a Roman city and underground buildings that were once used by the Romans as elegant homes far from the heat. Your next stop is yet another archeological richness in the area, qualified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997 for being the best preserved Roman small town in North Africa. Its main highlights are the Libyco-Punic Mausoleum, the capitol, the theater, and the temples of Saturn and of Juno Caelestis. You will have lunch in Dougga and continue to your last archeological stop; the site of Uthina before making your way to Tunis. Uthina is significant for its half-way dug theatre seating 16 thousand spectators. Arrive at your hotel for check in at around 6 pm.
Overnight in Tunis.
Day 5: CARTHAGE – TUNIS DEPARTURE (25 Km – 1 hr)
Last but not least, at around 8am and before your departure, you will make the visit of the indispensable ruins of Carthage, capital of the Carthaginian civilization and the trading hub of the Middle East in ancient history. At the agreed time of pick-up, you will be taken to the airport for your return flight. (Depending on your arrival and departure flights, the first and last day itineraries may vary and lunch is either included on the first or last day of the roundtrip).
Comfortable and light clothing is the most suitable for travelling in Tunisia though a warm jumper and jacket are advisable in the cooler months. Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or skimpy clothing when visiting religious or official buildings. Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.