Seven days is the point at which Tunisia stops being a highlights trip. It is enough for Carthage and the Tunis medina, the Roman cities of the interior, Kairouan, El Jem, and the Sahara with a night in the south — without spending two of the seven days recovering from the driving. Tunis to Douz is about 426 km, so a week is what lets you cross the country and come back at a sane pace.
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The shape is a loop: north to south by the inland roads, then back up the coast. Nothing is driven twice and the long days fall where the scenery pays for them.
The medina in the morning, when the souks are working; Carthage and the Antonine Baths after lunch; Sidi Bou Saïd at the end of the day, when the village empties. All three are within twenty kilometres.
Two Roman sites in the north-west, the town of Dougga and the underground villas of Bulla Regia, with Testour on the road. Dougga is about 96 km from Tunis in a straight line.
South through the holy city of Kairouan and the three temples at Sbeitla to the oasis at Tozeur. The longest day, with two stops that are each worth an hour or more.
Chebika, Tamerza and Mides in the morning, then the Star Wars film sets near Ong Jemal in the afternoon.
Across the salt lake causeway to Douz, with the camel ride into the dunes at the end of the afternoon.
North by the underground houses of Matmata, then to the amphitheatre at El Jem. A long day; the amphitheatre is the reward.
The ribat and the medina at Sousse, then back to Hammamet or Tunis for the flight.
A week does not reach Djerba, the ksour and ridge villages around Tataouine, Cap Bon, or the north coast at Bizerte and Tabarka. Each of those is worth two days and needs a longer trip: the circuit prices run from €1,118 for seven days to €1,589 for ten, per vehicle. The plan above is close to the 7-day Roman Cities & Sahara tour, stop by stop in the 7-day guide.
Three things. Two hotel nights in the south, not one. Days 3 to 5 are the desert; a single night there turns the dunes into a drive-past. Not enough time at El Jem and Dougga. Both reward an hour more than the timetable allows, so leave slack on days 2 and 6. Summer. The plan is for October to April; in July and August the south is at 40°C or above and the middle of the day is best spent indoors.
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For the north, the Roman interior and the Sahara, yes, comfortably. It is not enough to add Djerba and Tabarka as well without cutting something.
North to south and back: Tunis and Carthage first, then the Roman cities inland, Kairouan and El Jem on the way down, two nights in the south for the Chott and the dunes, and the coast on the return.
No. The country is small enough to drive — around 500 km from Tunis to the desert. A private vehicle for the week costs less than the flights would and stops wherever you want on the way.
Tunis or Hammamet for the first night, Tozeur for two nights so the mountain oases and the film sets do not have to be rushed, Douz or a desert camp for the dunes, and the coast at the end. Nights in the south are the ones worth getting right.
Yes, and it is the better season for the desert. Days are pleasant, nights in the south are cold, and the Roman sites in the north are quiet. Bring proper layers for the evenings in Tozeur and Douz.
Only by cutting something. Djerba is a long further leg to the south-east of the desert circuit, so a week that includes it drops either the mountain oases or El Jem. Ten days makes it comfortable.
Distances are straight-line, measured between the coordinates on our map of the sites; road distances are longer. Prices are per vehicle and come from the same database the 33 tours and 1,392 transfer fares.
