Tunisia Explorer

Salam! Welcome to Tunisia. Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, has two main sections – the 19th-century ville nouvelle grid (created by French colonialists) and the 8th-century medina, where all alleyways lead to the Great Mosque. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe head out to sample some specialties like lablabi (chickpea soup), tajine (different from the Moroccan version), or if you have a sweet tooth, bambalouni (deep-fried doughnut).

Stroll the streets of the Tunis Medina (Old Quarter), the largest in North Africa. Walk through the twisting alleyways, passing shops overflowing with goods, where the smells of spice and essential oils fill the air. Explore the specialty souqs that make up the Medina markets, like the perfume makers' souq or the Grand Souq des Chechias, where the iconic blood-red felt hats are made. Enjoy lunch in the medina, then head to Carthage, the 9th-century UNESCO World Heritage site, to see the vast Antonine Baths, the Roman Amphitheatre and the Punic Ports, which hark back to the glories of a bygone era.

This morning, make your way to Sidi Bou Said. This village high above the Mediterranean makes for incredible photo opportunities, with its white walls and blue shutters. Then, visit the Baron d'Erlanger Palace and wander the cobbled streets lined with cafes and artisanal shops. Then, continue to Sadika for a glass-blowing workshop. This boutique was opened by a local woman who studied to be a master glassmaker in Murano, near Venice. When she returned from Italy, she dedicated her life to bringing back blown glass in Tunisia, an activity that had been abandoned since the 14th century. Travel to the Gammarth stables and horse riding club, where you’ll sit down with a local family for a cooking demonstration of traditional Tabouna bread (clay oven) and three Tunisian dishes – brick a l’oeuf, grilled salad and Tunisian salad with a glass local Tunisian wine. This afternoon, you’ll have free time to explore the streets of La Marsa. Perhaps try an Arabic coffee with a kaak warka (traditional ring-shaped pastry) or shop in the many local Tunisian boutiques. Later, travel to Kairouan – the fourth holiest site in Islam.

After breakfast, head out to explore Kairouan. Visit the 9th-century Great Mosque of Oqba Ibn Nafi – an important example of Islamic architecture. Many of the columns throughout the complex were taken from the ruins of cities like Carthage. Walk through the serpentine streets of the local medina and get a tasty sample of makroudh (a traditional local pastry stuffed with dates). Then, visit the carpet museum. You’ll also learn about the traditional trade of rug-making from a local women’s cooperative. Tunisia has a rich tradition of weaving rugs – in the 19th century, the daughter of the Ottoman governor was the first person in Kairouan to weave a carpet using wool. The tradition continued, making Kairouan the capital of carpets. You’ll then have free time for lunch – ask your leader for the best spots for local street food!

Explore the palm-lined oasis town of Tozeur this morning. Sitting in the middle of the desert, this used to be an important stop on the Bedouin caravan route.Then, take a walking tour inside the oasis, meet a sharecropper and see a demonstration of date growing and harvesting. Stroll through the 14th-century medina, admiring the architecture and restored brickwork of the city, then maybe keep exploring with a visit to the Dar Charait Museum – an ethnographic museum depicting scenes of traditional Tunisian life. The rest of the day is free for you to explore however you like. Maybe hit the mountains on a 4WD tour of the surrounding oases, which film buffs may recognise from 'The English Patient'. See the mountain oasis of Tamerza, along with Mides and Chebika, and maybe even see some set pieces left over from the filming of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

This morning you’ll head to Douz, travelling across Chott El Jerid – the largest Salt Lake in the Sahara – and taking in the green and pink hues. When you arrive, have some lunch in the centre of Douz at a restaurant close to the central market. Taste some local specialties out on the terrace and bask in the sun. After, head to your campsite by coach, then meet your camel drivers for a brief lesson in desert etiquette before your 2-hour trek into the Sahara. You may choose to ride a camel or walk alongside the caravan during the approximately 2-hour Sahara excursion. Walk or ride back to the camp before sunset, where you’ll be treated to a cooking demonstration of cous cous and desert bread, before settling in for a peaceful night under the stars.

Enjoy breakfast among the undulating dunes of the Sahara and spend the morning soaking in the incredible landscape before the drive back to Douz. When you arrive, you’re free to spend your evening how you wish. Maybe head to the Sahara Desert Museum and learn some more history about this incredible part of the world.