Phoenicians to Berbers This all-inclusive land package offers an in-depth exploration of Tunisia. From the extensive Roman ruins of central and northern Tunisia to the exotic landscapes of the south, from the island of Jerba to the oases of the southeast, the Discovery tour offers a diverse Tunisian experience. Due to the nature of this tour and some of the venues visited, space is limited! Reserve early! Remember, these dates represent the "land" dates in Tunisia.

Itinerary October 12-23, 2001

11 nights

1st Day-Tunis, Friday, October 12
Arrive in Tunis and transfer to hotel in central Tunis. Rest and relaxation from flight. Afternoon orientation. Welcoming dinner in local restaurant. Overnight in Tunis. (D)

2nd Day-Tunis, Saturday, October 13
Morning orientation of the capital, including a visit to the Bardo Museum. From the Bardo, you drive to the suburbs of Tunis where you will tour Carthage, the most famous of Tunisia's ruins, but 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 drive into the city to visit the historic part of Tunis, the medina. You will have a walking tour to get a sense of some of the architecture, followed by an opportunity to browse within the alleyways of the souk. Late afternoon return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Tunis. (B,L,D)

3rd Day-Thuburbo Majus/Sousse-Monastir/Mahdia, Sunday,October 14
The colors and exotic tastes in Tunisia are endless
Morning departure south of Tunis along an inland route, with your first stop being Thuburbo Majus, an old Roman city. After exploring Thuburbo Majus, you drive towards the coast and then south, arriving after an hour or so to Tunisia's third largest city, Sousse. You will have a walking tour of the old town of Sousse, seeing the ribat and the scale of this walled city, as well as an opportunity to see the small, but impressive mosaic museum in Sousse. From Sousse, you continue south along the coast with a brief stop in Monastir, the hometown of Tunisia's independence leader and first president, Habib Bourguiba. From Monastir, you continue south to the small, historic town of Mahdia. You will have an orientation of Mahdia, with the remainder of the afternoon at your leisure. Overnight in Mahdia. (B,L,D)

4th Day-El Jem/Sfax/Jerba, Monday, October 15
This morning, you drive a short distance inland, arriving to El Jem, known in Roman times as Thysdrus and noted for its amphitheater, which is similar to the coliseum of Rome. Following your exploration of El Jem, you continue south into the Sahel region, known for its olive growing. You arrive in Sfax by late morning. An industrial city and Tunisia's second largest town, the medina of Sfax has retained its authentic atmosphere. As Sfax is not a city catering to tourists, the original character of the medina is retained, so much so that it was used as the film set for the "Egyptian market scenes" in the film, The English Patient. After having an opportunity to explore Sfax and have some lunch, you continue south along the coast, with a late afternoon arrival to the ferry crossing which will take you to the island of Jerba. Overnight in Jerba. (B,L,D)

5th Day-Jerba, Tuesday, October 16
This morning you will begin with an island tour. Jerba (sometimes spelled: Djerba)was a port of call to the Phoenicians and a port where Ulysses and his men were detained on their return from Troy. Jerba's island location has always provided its people a simple and peaceful lifestyle, which continues today. Jerba is also the home of one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. You will visit the Ghriba synagogue and get a glimpse of this ancient community, as well as the picturesque village of Guellela, known for its pottery production. Lunch will be in the main market town of Jerba, Houmt Souk. Following lunch, you will have the opportunity to explore the souk in Houmt Souk, followed by the drive to your seaside hotel, approximately ten minutes away. The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure to enjoy the amenities of your hotel, or for those who prefer, you may remain in Houmt Souk and return on your own by taxi to the hotel. Dinner and overnight in Jerba. (B,L,D).

6th Day-The Ksour Region/Jerba, Wednesday, October 17
Today you depart early for your ride into the south of Tunisia where you will visit the Ksour region, named for the distinctive style of architecture that is found in the villages of this region. Time seems to stand still in the Ksour, as you will see when you visit villages such as Tatouine and Chenini. Lunch will be in one of the villages and your day ends back in Jerba, where you can choose the option of enjoying an evening of Tunisian folklore in one of the hotels. Overnight in Jerba. (B,L,D)

7th Day-Matmata/Douz/Oasis Region, Thursday, October 18
Early morning departure westward, with a stop in Matmata, a region of troglodyte (underground dwellings) homes. You continue west via Kibili to Douz, a town amidst the dunes and after stopping in Douz, you continue west via the Chott-el-Jerid, Tunisia's salt lake, arriving in Tozeur in the early evening for dinner. Overnight in Tozeur. (B,L,D)

8th Day-Tozeur/Oasis, Friday, October 19
Morning visit via 4-wheel drive vehicles to the mountain oases of Tamerza and Chebika, with the exotic contrasts of barren hills juxtaposed with waterfalls and palm groves. Return to Tozeur, visiting Tozeur's oasis, with the remaining afternoon at leisure to enjoy lunch and relax by the pool or explore Tozeur's old town. Evening tour of the Dar Cheraiat Museum. Dinner and overnight in Tozeur. (B,L,D)

9th Day-Sbeitla and the Tell Region/Kairouan, Saturday, October 20
Morning departure from Tozeur to Matloui, for a ride through the canyons aboard a 19th century train and the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful landscapes of the gorges. Continue eastward via Gafsa, with an afternoon arrival in Sbeitla, known in Roman times as Sufetula. Sbeitla is one of Tunisia's most impressive ruins. From Sbeitla, you continue east to Kairouan. Overnight in Kairouan. (B,L,D)

10th Day-Kairouan/ Dougga/Le Kef, Sunday, October 21

Visiting Dougga, with over sixty acres of amazing ruins in northwest Tunisia. Leading this group is Tunisian archaeologist, Dr. Nejib Ben Lazreq
Morning tour of Kairouan, followed by a drive through the scenic country roads, eventually leading to Dougga, Tunisia's largest Roman site. Dougga, covering some sixty acres, was known as the city of temples and its existence is thought to date back to the 4th century B.C. From Dougga, you drive to the west to the scenic hilltop town of Le Kef (El Kef in Arabic). The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure to wander this small town of windy streets. Overnight in Le Kef. (B,L,D)

11th Day- Bulla Regia/Ain Draham/Tabarka/Tunis, Monday, October 22
You begin your day with a scenic ride to the Roman city of Bulla Regia. As with Dougga, Bulla Regia is quite expansive with interesting examples of underground architecture, as well as well preserved mosaics. Following your tour of Bulla Regia, you return to Tunis via scenic roads, arriving mid-day. The remainder of the day in Tunis is at your leisure. You are free to enjoy lunch in one of Tunis's many dining options, do last minute shopping or revisit sites in Tunis on your own. Your farewell dinner will be in a nice setting. Overnight in Tunis. (B,D)

12th Day-Tunis/USA, Tuesday, October 23
Morning transfers to the airport for your respective departures to the US via European gateways, arriving late the same day. (B)

Price: $2,595

Price 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.
• Round-trip air from the US is not included. Air fare is additional. T unisUSA will be happy to assist in these arrangements.

Tour Date

November 12-23, 2001.

© Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000 TunisUSA, Inc. - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Graphic design: Carriage House Design.
Site Maintenance: CyberDyne Systems, Inc.
This page last updated at 12/10/00; 4:48:45 PM.
The URL for this page is: http://www.TunisUSA.com/tours/tunisia/regular/discovery.html
Webmaster: webmaster@tunisusa.com