Special for Christmas/New Years Holiday Season!!!

December 22, 2001 - January 1, 2002

Day 1: Saturday, December 22-Tunis
Arrival, welcome and assistance at the airport. You will be transferred from the airport to your hotel in central Tunis. The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure to rest and/or recover from your flight. This evening, there will be an orientation dinner with your fellow tour participants. Overnight in Tunis. (D)

Day 2: Sunday, December 23-Tunis/Tabarka
Morning orientation of the capital, including a visit to the Bardo Museum. Housed in a former palace of the Bey, the Bardo Museum holds the world’s largest collection of Carthaginian tiles and mosaics, as well as many artifacts that reflect the ancient civilization. From the Bardo, you drive to the suburbs of Tunis where you will tour Carthage, the most famous of Tunisia’s ruins, though as you will see in the days to come, hardly the most impressive. From Carthage you proceed to the nearby village of Sidi Bou Said, where you will have time to walk through some of this picturesque village, whose architecture was largely influenced by Andalusian settlers of the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Lunch will be out along the seacoast. Following lunch, you depart the Tunis region and drive approximately two hours to the northwest corner of Tunisia, through scenic country roads and cork forests, eventually arriving at Ain Draham, a small village in the heart of the cork forests. Your hotel tonight is reminiscent of a hunting lodge, and often serves as a base for the European hunters who come to the region in the winter to hunt wild boar. Dinner and overnight in Ain Draham. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Monday, December 24-Tabarka/Bulla Regia/Dougga/Le Kef
A woman gathering wheat in central Tunisia.
Monday is “market day” in Ain Draham. You will have the opportunity to see a typical market catering to the locals. Following your visit to Ain Draham’s market, you continue with a scenic drive through the cork forests and small mountain range of the Khroumerie region. The architecture in this region is centered around the small village of Ain Draham, with the region being more reminiscent of parts of Switzerland, than anywhere else in Tunisia. It is also the only region of the country that receives snow. You eventually arrive to Bulla Regia, one of the largest Roman sites in Tunisia. Dating from the fourth century, BC, Bulla Regia has beautifully preserved underground villas, built to provide an escape from the hot summers. From Bulla Regia, you drive through beautiful scenery and changing topography, eventually arriving to Dougga. Known in Roman times as Thugga, Dougga is Tunisia's largest Roman site, covering some sixty acres. Dougga was known as the city of temples, with its existence thought to date back to the 4th century B.C. From Dougga, you drive west to the hilltop town of Le Kef, your base for the night. This small, hilltop town with its winding streets is off the tourist route. You might enjoy wandering the streets of this picturesque town. Dinner and overnight in Le Kef. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Tuesday, December 25-Makthar/Haidra/Sbeitla
This morning you will have a brief tour of Le Kef before heading southeast to Makthar. Known in Roman times as Mactaris, the town became a place of refuge for many Punic refugees following the fall of Carthage in 146 BC. The site has a small, but impressive museum housing a collection of neo-Punic stelae. Your touring continues through the country roads, heading south through the countryside, with late morning/mid-day arrival to Sbeitla. Known by its early Punic name, Sufetula, this impressive site seems to be in the middle of nowhere. During Roman times, olive trees were cultivated in this region and provided a flourishing olive oil export trade to Italy. After exploring the site, you continue in a southwest direction, eventually arriving to Tozeur, an exotic oasis town. Dinner and overnight in Tozeur. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Wednesday, December 26-Tozeur
After breakfast, you will have the opportunity to explore the oasis of Tozeur and learn a bit about oasis life. Following this, you depart for an excursion via 4x4 vehicles, which take you to the mountain oasis villages of Chebika and Tamerza. Upon your return to Tozeur, the remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure to explore the town and its souk, or to enjoy the amenities of your hotel and sunset in the desert. Prior to dinner, you will have a visit to the "Dar Cherait" museum in Tozeur, which provides a look at Tunisia's culture and its people. Dinner and overnight in Tozeur. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Thursday, December 27-Douz/Matmata/Jerba
You depart early today. After breakfast, you drive east, crossing the Chott El Jerid, Tunisia's "salt lake" and arrive to the desert village of Douz. Today is “market day” in Douz, which is the reason for getting an early start, as the Douz market is probably the most colorful of all of Tunisia’s markets. “Market day” in Douz serves the locals, who come from various regions of the desert south. From there, you continue on with a stop in the village of Matmata, known for its unusual troglodyte dwellings. After seeing some of this unusual architecture, continue towards the coast and then the ferry crossing to the island of Jerba. Dinner and overnight in Jerba. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Friday, December 28-Jerba
A shopping district in Sousse.
Today, you will start the day by exploring the island, including stops in the pottery village of Guellala and a visit to the "Ghriba" synagogue in Hara Saghira, which is one of the synagogues that belongs to the ancient Jewish community of Jerba...a community that dates back some 2500 years. Continue to Houmt-Souk, the main market town on the island of Jerba. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to enjoy Jerba. Dinner and overnight in Jerba. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Saturday, December 29-Jerba/Sfax/El Jem/Sousse
This morning your drive takes you back to the mainland and then north along the coast. You will have the opportunity to stop in Sfax, Tunisia’s second largest city and the largest walled city in Tunisia. While Sfax is primarily an industrial town and not on the tourists’ route, you will have the opportunity to walk through the souk in Sfax, as it is very much one serving the local population. Following your rather brief stop in Sfax, you continue en route to El Jem, one of the largest roman coliseums in existence. After exploring the coliseum and the nearby museum of El Jem, you drive north to Sousse. Upon arrival in Sousse, the remainder of your day will be at y our leisure, with your base being at a seaside hotel. Dinner and overnight in Sousse. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Sunday, December 30-Kairouan/Hammamet/Tunis
This morning you will have the opportunity to visit the small, but impressive Sousse Museum, followed by a walk through the old town of Sousse, within the walls of the ribat. You then leave Sousse and drive approximately one hour west to Kairouan, Tunisia’s holy city and said to be the site of the first mosque in Africa. During medieval times, Kairouan rose to become an important center for trade and crafts, due to its presence on the route of pilgrims going from Andalusia and other North African points, en route to Mecca. Following your visit to Kairouan, you return to Tunis via an inland route, with a stop on the way at Thuburbo Majus, a scenic Roman town. Late afternoon arrival in Tunis. Dinner and overnight in Tunis. (B,L,D)

Day 10: Monday, December 31-Tunis
This morning you will have a walking tour the historic heart of Tunis, the medina. You will have the opportunity to walk through the labyrinth of streets, providing an opportunity to learn about the urban architecture, some of which dates to the 7th century. You will then have the remainder of this last full day in Tunisia to explore on your own, the many alleyways of the souk, the shops of the medina. You are also welcome to return to other part of the city or simply enjoy walking around central Tunis. Lunch is independent, with many dining options available. Your guide will be happy to make suggestions. Your farewell New Year’s Eve dinner will be in an interesting setting. Overnight in Tunis. (B,D)

Day 11: Tuesday, January 1, 2002-Tunis departure
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight. (B)

Cost: $2,495
Includes:

• Price is based on double occupancy in deluxe/first class hotels. ($395 single supplement applies)
• All touring, entrance fees, baggage handling and all meals as indicated.

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