From the oases to the Sahara, at your own pace
Thirteen days from Kairouan to the dunes of Douz and Ksar Ghilane, then Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and Hammamet: by motorhome, with your own car or by car with a driver, always accompanied by a guide.
Overview
A complete itinerary from the north to the deep south: Kairouan the holy city, the Roman remains of Sbeitla and El Jem, the mountain oases around Tozeur, the dunes of Douz and Ksar Ghilane, then Tunis, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and Hammamet. Stages range from 130 to 360 km, with rest days.
The highlight: a night in the heart of the Sahara. Your vehicle stays safely in Douz, and 4x4s take you to a camp in the middle of the dunes, with drinks around the fire, dinner and traditional music.
Three ways to do this tour:
- With your motorhome: every night, an equipped campsite (electricity, water, waste disposal).
- With your car: at each stage, we offer you selected accommodation (hotel, guesthouse or gîte).
- By car with a driver: you arrive by plane, a car with a driver is waiting for you and accompanies you throughout the tour.
You choose your dates. We take care of the ferry: we book your crossing with your vehicle at a negotiated rate, from Italy (Genoa, Civitavecchia, Palermo), France (Marseille) and also from countries without a direct link to Tunisia, such as Greece, with an organised connection. On arrival in La Goulette, our team welcomes you and helps you with the formalities.
Excursions into the uninhabited desert areas beyond Douz and Ksar Ghilane depend on authorisations from the ONTT (Tunisian National Tourist Office). If access is closed on your dates, we adapt the itinerary and let you know in good time.
The route on the map
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrival in Tunis · Borj Cedria
Arrival at the port of La Goulette (customs formalities) or at Tunis-Carthage airport. Welcome by our team, handover of the roadbook and first night south of Tunis. 50 km.
Accommodation: Borj Cedria - Day 2
Borj Cedria · Kairouan
Departure for Kairouan, former capital of the Aghlabids. Discover the medina, the Great Mosque and the carpet workshops. 150 km.
Accommodation: Kairouan - Day 3
Kairouan · Sbeitla · Gafsa
Stop at Sbeitla, ancient Sufetula: triumphal arch, forum and its three temples, baths and theatre. Continue on to Gafsa. 230 km.
Accommodation: Gafsa - Day 4
Gafsa · Mides · Chebika · Tamerza · Tozeur
Mountain oases day: the Mides canyon, the spring and waterfall of Tamerza, the perched Berber village of Chebika. Arrival in Tozeur. 180 km.
Accommodation: Tozeur - Day 5
Nefta · Ong Jmel · Tozeur
The vehicle has a rest day. Half day by 4x4: the oasis of Nefta, Ong Jmel and the Star Wars sets. Return by horse-drawn carriage and visit of the Dar Cherait Museum.
Accommodation: Tozeur - Day 6
Chott el Djerid · Douz · night in the Sahara
Crossing of Chott el Djerid to Douz. Your vehicle stays safely in Douz. In the afternoon, 4x4 transfer to a camp in the dunes: drinks by the wood fire, dinner and folk music. 130 km.
Accommodation: Night in a tent in the Sahara Meals: Dinner - Day 7
Douz · Ksar Ghilane
Return by 4x4 to Douz after breakfast, then drive to Ksar Ghilane, an oasis on the edge of the Grand Erg Oriental, with its hot spring. 150 km.
Accommodation: Ksar Ghilane Meals: Breakfast - Day 8
Ksar Ghilane
Free morning by the hot spring. In the early afternoon, a dromedary or quad ride for sunset over the dunes.
Accommodation: Ksar Ghilane - Day 9
Ksar Ghilane · Matmata · El Jem
Long stage north, with a stop in Matmata to visit a troglodyte house. Arrival in El Jem at the end of the day. 360 km.
Accommodation: El Jem - Day 10
El Jem · Mornag
Visit of the El Jem amphitheatre and its mosaic museum. Drive to Mornag, at the gates of Tunis. 190 km.
Accommodation: Mornag - Day 11
Tunis: Bardo and medina
A day of guided visits: the Bardo Museum, then the medina of Tunis (UNESCO), the Zitouna Mosque and the souks.
Accommodation: Mornag - Day 12
Carthage · Sidi Bou Said
The ruins of Carthage, then the white-and-blue village of Sidi Bou Said and its view over the Gulf of Tunis.
Accommodation: Mornag - Day 13
Hammamet · departure
Morning in Hammamet: fortified medina, kasbah and Christian cemetery. Return to Tunis, then embarkation in La Goulette or return flight. 35 km.
Price
Included
- Tour guide throughout the tour
- Welcome on arrival and detailed roadbook
- 12 nights: equipped campsites (motorhome option) or accommodation offered by the agency: hotels, guesthouses or gîtes (car and driver options)
- Half day by 4x4 Nefta / Ong Jmel and return by horse-drawn carriage
- 4x4 transfer, night in a tent, dinner and musical evening in the Sahara
- Dromedary or quad ride in Ksar Ghilane
- Visit of a troglodyte house in Matmata
- Guided days in Tunis, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and Hammamet, with transport
- Option with driver: car and driver for the 13 days
Not included
- Ferry crossing (optional, at a negotiated rate) or international flights
- Fuel, tolls and vehicle maintenance
- Meals not mentioned
- Travel insurance and vehicle insurance
- Tips and personal expenses
Photos
They trust us
Tour operators and agencies we work with.
