Tunisia Tour: Carthage, Dougga, Kairouan and the Sahara Small Group Tour in 8 Days

Arrive at Tunis-Carthage Airport, where our airport staff and your driver will greet and assist you and transfer you to the hotel in Tunis, the capital city of this beautiful country and its greatest metropolitan area. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure, relaxing or exploring the beautiful surroundings. In the evening indulge in a delicious dinner.

Begin your day with breakfast at the hotel and a transfer to the picturesque Sidi Bou. This charming village is known for its indigo blue windows and doors, white walls and, set at an altitude of over 100 metres high, it features dazzling views over the Mediterranean Sea. Your next stop is at the neighbouring archaeological site of Carthage, located on a magnificent coastline. Although the ancient city was destroyed by the Romans, this UNESCO World Heritage Site features excavations of homes, baths and sewage systems. The other significant site in the area is the Carthage amphitheatre, built towards the first century AD and later rebuilt by the Romans. The theatre today hosts some 30,000 visitors at the yearly International Music Festival of Carthage. After a tasty lunch, head towards downtown Tunis to visit the Bardo National Museum, located in an old Beylical castle in the middle of the old city of Tunis, and renowned for its rich collection of mosaics. Continue with a visit and free time in the ancient Medina of Tunis before you head to the Hammamet area to check in to your hotel. Lunch and dinner is included.

Have a delicious breakfast at the hotel before you head towards another one of Tunisia's rich archaeological sites. Dougga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, awarded for containing the best-preserved small Roman town in North Africa. The site contains the heritage of a variety of civilisations, such as Roman, Punic and Byzantine. Its most significant monuments are the exquisite Roman Capitol and Theatre. After a local lunch, transfer to Kairouan, the ‘capital of Islam' in Tunisia. On arrival, check in to your hotel. Lunch and dinner are included.

After breakfast, take a walking tour with your guide through the old Medina of Kairouan. Visit the Great Mosque of Kairouan, located in the middle of the Medina and built by the Arab general Uqba Ibn Nafi in 670 AD. The site attracts thousands of local and international visitors for its magnificent architectural and spiritual value. Then visit the impressive ancient engineering site of the Aghlabid basins, where two large water basins and a few cisterns have survived the passing of centuries as they helped conserve and distribute decades of scarce drinking water resources. After lunch, head south via Gafsa to arrive at Tozeur, the city of palm trees. Lunch and dinner are included.

Start with a delectable breakfast at your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure, relaxing, exploring the surroundings on your own, or joining an optional tour. Lunch and dinner are included.

After breakfast, on the way out of Tozeur, visit the centre of this small town and spot the intricate architectural designs on the façades of the houses. Then drive through the biggest salt lake in the country, Chott el Djerid, admiring the outstanding never-ending view of white and pink mirages, also used as a filming site for Star Wars. On your arrival to Douz, the ‘gateway to the Sahara', indulge in a delicious lunch and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Lunch and dinner are included.

Have a tasty breakfast at the hotel and head towards the old village of Matmata. The area contains one of the best preserved, still inhabited troglodyte houses, carved by Tunisian Berbers in the middle of the surrounding earth. A filming site of the Star Wars movie is also open for visitors in Matmata. The next stop is at the village of El Djem, home of the Roman amphitheatre of El Djem, the third largest Roman amphitheatre in the world, built around 18 centuries ago, and exceptionally well-preserved up to this day. The site was mainly used for spectator events, namely gladiator battles. After a local lunch in El Djem, continue to the Mediterranean town of Sousse for your last night in the country. Visit the high-end leisure harbour of Port El Kantaoui accompanied by your guide. Enjoy the relaxing surroundings while sipping on Tunisian coffee or fresh juice and shop for souvenirs. Lunch and dinner are included.

Begin your last day with a delightful breakfast at the hotel before transferring to the airport, with assistance for departure. Breakfast included.

This tour makes a full circuit of Tunisia. After a night in Tunis you visit the Bardo National Museum, Sidi Bou Said and Carthage, then stay in Hammamet. The Roman city of Dougga comes next, with its capitol and theatre, on the way to Kairouan. In Kairouan you visit the Great Mosque and the Aghlabid basins. Two nights in the oasis town of Tozeur follow. You then cross the salt lake of Chott Djerid to Douz on the edge of the Sahara. The road north passes the cave houses of Matmata and the Roman amphitheatre at El Djem. The last night is in Sousse. Guides speak English, French, German, Italian or Spanish and the tour is shared with other travellers. Seven nights in 4-star and 5-star hotels, seven breakfasts, six lunches, seven dinners and the entrance fees are included. Departures are every Monday.

• Travel Insurance
• Personal Expenses
• Gratuities
• Optional Activities / Highlights
• Meals and drinks not specifically stated as included

Visa fees. Local hotel tax. Personal expenses. Porterage and gratuities. Optional excursions as noted in the itinerary: 4X4 ride to Chebika, 4X4 ride to Ong Jmel, Camel ride in Douz. Meals and drinks not mentioned in the programme. Any type of personal or travel insurance

Price per person sharing a double room. Single rooms on request. The land arrangements are confirmed by the supplier, TUI Tunisia, within two working days of booking. The 4x4 rides to Chebika and Ong Jmel and the camel ride in Douz are optional and paid locally. A local hotel tax is paid at each hotel. Check the entry rules for your passport before booking.