Highlights of Tunisia

10 days - from $1650

Sublime Tunisia – seek out Roman ruins, seaside villages, lush oases, medieval cities and the rolling dunes of the Sahara

Many people associate Tunisia with package beach holidays, but it offers the adventurous traveller an extraordinary array of treasures to uncover. We begin by exploring the cosmopolitan capital, Tunis, with its extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage listed medina (old city), labyrinthine alleys and winding streets. We also visit the excellent Bardo Museum, which houses a brilliant collection of mosaics and Roman statues, and the famous ancient city of Carthage. Our next stop is the well preserved and beautifully located ancient Roman city of Dougga, before arriving in Kairouan, a holy Islamic city with a stunning mosque and fascinating medina. Continuing south, we explore the mud brick oasis town of Tozeur, before crossing the Chott el Jerid salt lake to Douz, home to many Berber people and other desert tribes. A camel ride in the rolling dunes of the Sahara Desert at Ksar Ghilane showcases the majesty of the landscape, before we continue on and visit the troglodyte town of Matmata. Mahdia, a charming seaside village, is a wonderful place to relax and explore, and El Jem, home to Africa’s most impressive ancient amphitheatre, offers insights into the might of the Roman Empire.

Highlights

• The troglodyte Berber villages of Matmata - the set for 'Star Wars' mythical planet of Tatooine
• Tozeur's 250,000 palms
• UNESCO World Heritage-listed Roman amphitheatre of El Jem
• The fourth holiest site in Islam - UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kairouan
• Sidi Bou Said Andalous village and UNESCO World Heritage-listed Carthage - the oldest Phoenician settlement on the North African coast
• Bardo Museum's mosaics and Roman statues
• Camel ride in the Golden Triangle near the oasis village of Douz
• Mahdia’s medina and 16th Century Borg el-Kebir fortress
• A night in the Ksar Ghilane oasis

Itinerary:

Day 1: Tunis2: Tunis3: Carthage - Sidi Bou Said - Tunis4: Dougga - Kairouan5: Kairouan - Tozeur6: Douz - Ksar Ghilane7: Matmata - Mahdia8: Mahdia9: El-Jem - Tunis10: Tunis
Included:

• The services of Peregrine’s expert English-speaking local leader throughout the tour, and professional local guides at some sites.

• Sightseeing (including entrance fees where applicable): Tunis -  Bardo Museum and the largest medina in North Africa; UNESCO World Heritage site of Carthage; Sidi Bou Said Andalous village; UNESCO World Heritage site of Dougga - one of the best-preserved Roman cities in Africa; fourth holiest site in Islam - Kairouan, including 9th century Great Mosque of Oqba Ibn Nafi and medina; mud brick oasis town of Tozeur - Dar Charait Museum; Chott el Jerid salt lake; Douz - the gateway to the Sahara; troglodyte dwellings at Matmata; Mahdia fishing village - 16th-century fortress of Borg el-Kebir; and the Roman amphitheatre at El Jem.

• Camel ride in the Golden Triangle, made up of three oases.

• Visit to the dunes and hot water spring of Ksar Ghilane to spend the night in comfortable tents in the midst of the desert.

• Arrival transfer.

International flights, departure taxes, visas, insurance, other meals not listed, any optional tours or activities during free time, camera fees, excess baggage charges, tips and items of a personal nature.