TUNISIA DISCOVERY TOUR 6 DAYS/5 NIGHTS
DAY1: TUNIS AIRPORT – HAMMAMET – HAMMAMET YASMINE
Arrival to Tunis airport. Welcome and assistance by our guide.
Transfer to Hammamet. Visit of the Port Hammamet Yasmine. Short stop and walking tour in the Medina of Hammamet Yasmine. Check in at hotel Laico Hammamet 5*. Dinner and overnight.
DAY2: HAMMAMET – KAIROUAN – GAFSA - 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. Check in at hotel El Mouradi Tozeur 4*. Dinner and overnight
DAY3: TOZEUR – OPTIONAL BY 4X4 TO CHEBIKA, TAMARZA “ONG JEMAL” - CHOTT EJERID – DOUZ
This morning, we will drive by 4X4 to the Mountain Oases of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides. 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.
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.). Drive to Douz via Chott Ejerid. Short stop at the salt lake to take a photo then continue to Douz. Check in at the hotel El Mouradi Douz 4*. Dinner and overnight.
DAY4: DOUZ – MATMATA – MAHRES – EL JEM - SOUSSE
After breakfast, drive to Matmata and visit of a Berber family in Matmata and then depart 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 amphitheater in North Africa, the remains of the Roman villas in the town and the archaeological museum.
Free time for lunch and continue to the coastal town Sousse. Where we’ll visit it’s old Medina and the Marina of Port El Kantaoui. Check in at hotel Riadh Palms 4*. Dinner and overnight
DAY5: SOUSSE – PORT EL KANTAOUI – CARTHAGE – SIDI BOU SAID - TUNIS
After breakfast, visit of the Medina of Sousse and the Marina Port El Kantaoui than drive to Tunis
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. Nearby is the very handsome coastal town of Sidi Bou Said, much loved by painters, where we will have a short walking tour.
Departure to Tunis. Check in at hotel El Mouradi Gammarth 5*. Dinner and overnight
DAY6: TUNIS – BARDO – MEDINA – TUNIS AIRPORT
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. Departure to Tunis airport.