10-Day Tunisia: Coast, Roman Interior, Sahara & Ksour
Ten days takes in the north coast the shorter circuits skip — Bizerte and the cork forests at Tabarka — and, in the south, adds Nefta, the ksour of Tataouine and the ridge village of Chenini.
Duration
10 days / 9 nights
Departure
Tunis
Group
up to 5 people
Sites
20
Two more days buys both ends of the country. In the north, Bizerte's old harbour and Tabarka's Genoese fort on its rock, with cork oak forests in between — a green, wet Tunisia most visitors never see. In the south, past Douz, you continue into ksour country: Tataouine's fortified granaries and Chenini stacked along its ridge.
Between them is everything the shorter circuits carry — Carthage, Dougga, Kairouan, Sbeitla, El Jem, the Chott crossing and a night at Ksar Ghilane. Ten days, one vehicle, no fixed pace. Accommodation each night is confirmed with your dates when you book.
What you see
Carthage — the Punic capital Rome destroyed and rebuilt — baths, ports and villas above the sea
Sidi Bou Saïd — a clifftop village of blue doors and whitewashed walls above the Gulf of Tunis
Tunis Medina — a UNESCO-listed maze of souks, mosques and palaces, still trading as it has for centuries
Bizerte Old Harbour — the oldest port in Tunisia, its fishing boats still moored under the kasbah walls
Tabarka — a Genoese castle on a rock, cork forests behind and coral diving offshore
Bulla Regia — a Roman town that built its villas underground, mosaics still on the floors
Dougga — the best-preserved Roman town in North Africa, standing almost alone in the hills
Testour — founded by Andalusian exiles, its minaret carrying a clock that runs backwards
Kairouan — Islam’s fourth holy city, built around the Great Mosque and its vast cisterns
Sbeitla — a Roman forum with three golden Capitoline temples standing side by side
El Jem Amphitheatre — one of the largest Roman amphitheatres ever built, and among the best preserved anywhere
Medina of Sousse — a walled Aghlabid port town whose ribat and great mosque still face the sea
Tozeur — a desert oasis of patterned brickwork, its palm grove fed by hundreds of springs
Nefta — a Sufi oasis town above the Corbeille, a bowl of palms below the houses
Chott el-Jerid — a salt lake so flat and bright it produces mirages across the whole crossing
Douz & the Dunes — the gateway to the Sahara, where the tarmac stops and the erg begins
Ksar Ghilane — a hot-spring oasis at the edge of the great dunes, reached where the tarmac gives out
Tataouine — the town of fortified granaries that lent its name to the Star Wars desert planet
Chenini — a Berber village stacked on a ridge, cave houses around a white hilltop mosque
Matmata — Berber pit dwellings carved into the earth, familiar from the Star Wars films
The circuit, day by day
Day 1Pick-upFrom your hotel or the airport, at a time that suits you
Day 1CarthageThe Punic capital Rome destroyed and rebuilt — baths, ports and villas above the sea
Day 1Sidi Bou SaïdA clifftop village of blue doors and whitewashed walls above the Gulf of Tunis
Day 2Tunis MedinaA UNESCO-listed maze of souks, mosques and palaces, still trading as it has for centuries
Day 2Bizerte Old HarbourThe oldest port in Tunisia, its fishing boats still moored under the kasbah walls
Day 3TabarkaA Genoese castle on a rock, cork forests behind and coral diving offshore
Day 3Bulla RegiaA Roman town that built its villas underground, mosaics still on the floors
Day 4DouggaThe best-preserved Roman town in North Africa, standing almost alone in the hills
Day 4TestourFounded by Andalusian exiles, its minaret carrying a clock that runs backwards
Day 5KairouanIslam’s fourth holy city, built around the Great Mosque and its vast cisterns
Day 5SbeitlaA Roman forum with three golden Capitoline temples standing side by side
Day 6El Jem AmphitheatreOne of the largest Roman amphitheatres ever built, and among the best preserved anywhere
Day 6Medina of SousseA walled Aghlabid port town whose ribat and great mosque still face the sea
Day 7TozeurA desert oasis of patterned brickwork, its palm grove fed by hundreds of springs
Day 7NeftaA Sufi oasis town above the Corbeille, a bowl of palms below the houses
Day 8Chott el-JeridA salt lake so flat and bright it produces mirages across the whole crossing
Day 8Douz & the DunesThe gateway to the Sahara, where the tarmac stops and the erg begins
Day 9Ksar GhilaneA hot-spring oasis at the edge of the great dunes, reached where the tarmac gives out
Day 9TataouineThe town of fortified granaries that lent its name to the Star Wars desert planet
Day 10CheniniA Berber village stacked on a ridge, cave houses around a white hilltop mosque
Day 10MatmataBerber pit dwellings carved into the earth, familiar from the Star Wars films
Day 10ReturnDrop-off at your hotel
Included
Private air-conditioned vehicle, your group only
Driver speaking French, English, Italian, German and Arabic
Fuel, tolls and parking
Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Fixed price agreed up front, no deposit
Not included
Site entrance fees
Lunch and drinks
Licensed guide (optional)
Personal spending and tips
Places on this trip
Carthage UNESCO
The Punic capital Rome destroyed and rebuilt — baths, ports and villas above the sea
Grand Tunis
Sidi Bou Saïd UNESCO
A clifftop village of blue doors and whitewashed walls above the Gulf of Tunis
Grand Tunis
Tunis Medina UNESCO
A UNESCO-listed maze of souks, mosques and palaces, still trading as it has for centuries
Grand Tunis
Bizerte Old Harbour
The oldest port in Tunisia, its fishing boats still moored under the kasbah walls
Bizerte
Tabarka
A Genoese castle on a rock, cork forests behind and coral diving offshore
Jendouba
Bulla Regia
A Roman town that built its villas underground, mosaics still on the floors
Jendouba
Dougga UNESCO
The best-preserved Roman town in North Africa, standing almost alone in the hills
Béja
Testour
Founded by Andalusian exiles, its minaret carrying a clock that runs backwards
Béja
Kairouan UNESCO
Islam’s fourth holy city, built around the Great Mosque and its vast cisterns
Kairouan
Sbeitla
A Roman forum with three golden Capitoline temples standing side by side
Kasserine
El Jem Amphitheatre UNESCO
One of the largest Roman amphitheatres ever built, and among the best preserved anywhere
Mahdia
Medina of Sousse UNESCO
A walled Aghlabid port town whose ribat and great mosque still face the sea
Sousse
Tozeur
A desert oasis of patterned brickwork, its palm grove fed by hundreds of springs
Tozeur
Nefta
A Sufi oasis town above the Corbeille, a bowl of palms below the houses
Tozeur
Chott el-Jerid
A salt lake so flat and bright it produces mirages across the whole crossing
Tozeur
Douz & the Dunes
The gateway to the Sahara, where the tarmac stops and the erg begins
Kébili
Ksar Ghilane
A hot-spring oasis at the edge of the great dunes, reached where the tarmac gives out
Kébili
Tataouine
The town of fortified granaries that lent its name to the Star Wars desert planet
Tataouine
Chenini
A Berber village stacked on a ridge, cave houses around a white hilltop mosque
Tataouine
Matmata
Berber pit dwellings carved into the earth, familiar from the Star Wars films
