12 Days Tunisia Tour – Roman Ruins, Sahara Desert, Berber Villages, and Mediterranean Coast

Arrive at Tunis–Carthage International Airport, where your guide will meet and transfer you to your hotel. Depending on arrival time, visit the Bardo National Museum, home to the world’s finest Roman mosaics, and then walk through the Medina of Tunis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with souks, palaces, and mosques.

Check in to your hotel in Tunis and enjoy a welcome dinner. Overnight in Tunis.

After breakfast, travel to the ruins of Carthage, once a powerful Phoenician capital and later a Roman stronghold. Explore sites such as the Antonine Baths, Byrsa Hill, Punic ports, and Tophet Cemetery.

Continue to Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia’s picturesque blue-and-white town perched above the Mediterranean. Stroll the cobbled streets, visit art galleries, and sip mint tea at Café des Délices.

Return to Tunis for dinner and overnight stay.

Depart after breakfast and head south to Kairouan, one of the most important Islamic cities in the Maghreb. Visit the Great Mosque of Kairouan, dating back to the 7th century, the Aghlabid Basins, and the Mausoleum of Sidi Sahbi.

Explore the medina, known for its handwoven carpets and traditional sweets like "makroudh."

Dinner and overnight in Kairouan.

After breakfast, travel to El Djem, home to a towering Roman amphitheatre, the third largest in the world. Walk through its preserved corridors and imagine the gladiatorial games of Roman Africa.

Continue to Matmata, where Berber families still live in troglodyte dwellings dug into the ground. Visit a local home and learn about this unique desert architecture. Optional visit to the Star Wars filming site at Sidi Driss.

Dinner and overnight in Matmata.

After breakfast, head to Douz, a small town at the edge of the Sahara Desert. Along the way, stop at Tamazret, a Berber village with stunning hill views.

In Douz, enjoy a camel ride across the dunes. Walk through the palm groves or explore the local market, where desert goods like handmade sandals and dates are sold.

Dinner and overnight in a desert lodge or camp in Douz.

Leave Douz and cross the shimmering Chott El Jerid, Tunisia’s largest salt lake, famous for mirages and colorful reflections. Stop to walk on the salt crust and take photos of this surreal landscape.

Arrive in Tozeur, an oasis town known for its brick architecture. Visit the old medina, explore the Dar Cherait Museum, or take a horse-drawn carriage through the date palm groves.

Dinner and overnight in Tozeur.

Take a full-day trip to the mountain oases of Chebika, Tamerza, and Mides. These villages offer beautiful canyon hikes, waterfalls, and views over desert cliffs.

Optional afternoon visit to Ong Jemel, a rocky desert outcrop and former Star Wars filming location. Return to Tozeur in the evening.

Dinner and overnight in Tozeur.

Depart Tozeur and travel through the semi-arid heartland of Tunisia. Stop at Sbeitla, a lesser-visited Roman city with remarkable ruins including the Capitolium, Triumphal Arch, and Christian basilicas.

Walk the ancient streets and enjoy a picnic lunch or local meal before continuing to the coastal region.

Dinner and overnight near Kasserine or en route to the coast.

Arrive in Sousse, a historic coastal city. Visit the Ribat Fortress, Great Mosque, and the Sousse Archaeological Museum, which contains beautiful Roman mosaics.

Walk through the medina and shop in the colorful souks. Enjoy free time by the beach or hotel pool.

Dinner and overnight in a beachfront hotel in Sousse.

Travel to Hammamet, known for its sandy beaches and relaxed resort atmosphere. Walk through the Old Town, visit the Kasbah, and browse local artisan shops.

Spend your afternoon relaxing by the beach, exploring art galleries, or enjoying a hammam (traditional bath).

Dinner and overnight in Hammamet.

Depending on your preference, take a domestic flight or drive to Djerba Island. Visit Houmt Souk for local crafts, the Ghriba Synagogue, and Guellala Museum for Berber pottery.

Explore menzel-style farms, beaches, and date plantations. Enjoy seafood and seaside views on this tranquil island.

Dinner and overnight in Djerba.

After breakfast, return to Tunis by flight or drive, depending on your travel route. If time allows, enjoy a final stroll in the Medina or lunch at a traditional restaurant.

Transfer to Tunis–Carthage International Airport for your outbound flight, concluding your 12-day Tunisia tour.