Venture beyond the beaches to Roman ruins, ancient medinas and Saharan sand dunes

Tunisia is a gentle introduction to North Africa, with its friendly Berber people and temperate climate. We traverse this diverse country from the Mediterranean to the Sahara, visiting spectacular Roman sites, mountainous fortified kasbahs and the shady forests of the north. We visit Kairouan, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the area around Matmata, which is home to a number of troglodyte dwellings, (a dramatic landscape often used by Hollywood!) Heading south, the Chott el Djerid salt lake appears mirage-like against the sand and we enjoy the unforgettable experience of a camel trek into the Sahara to sleep amongst the silent dunes.

Itinerary:
Day 1 Start Tunis.
Day 2 Visit to Sidi Bou Said, the Phoenician trading port of Carthage and the Tunis medina. Afternoon visit to Bardo museum.
Day 3 To Andalucian city of Testour and Roman ruins at Dougga. Continue to the mountain town of Le Kef.
Day 4 Visit Roman site of Makthar. Drive on to Kairouan to visit the great mosque.
Day 5 To Sbeitla to visit the Roman ruins; to Tozeur and the edge of the Sahara.
Day 6 Red Lizard train excursion through spectacular scenery. Visit the palm-filled oases of Tozeur and Nefta.
Day 7 Drive across the salt lake of Chott el Jerid. Visit Kebili and Sahara desert museum. Camel trek. Overnight camping in desert.
Day 8 Visit troglodyte homes at Matmata. Lunch in Sfax medina. To Tunis, visiting the immense El Jem amphitheatre en route.
Day 9 Finish Tunis.