Tunisia 2024/2025 and its impressions

Flight to Tunis

Today marks the beginning of our journey. After completing the passport and baggage check, we have a flight to the city of Tunis ahead of us.

Tunisia will be waiting for us with open arms. Safe travels and enjoy your time in Tunisia!

Tunis

Upon arriving in Tunisia, a transfer to the hotel, check-in, and free time awaits us. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Arab medina. We’ll also explore a shisha lounge for the famous Tunisian mint tea. Overnight stay. Enjoy your exploration and experiences in Tunisia!

El Jem, Matmata, Douz

After an early breakfast, we’ll head to the El Jem amphitheater. In El Jem, you’ll find not only the grand amphitheater but also the ruins of a smaller amphitheater, Roman villas, and a museum with a rich collection of mosaics.

Next, we’ll travel towards Sfax, one of Tunisia’s largest cities. The journey will take us through the town of Gabes towards Matmata, where Berber tribes reside. Matmata is sometimes referred to as the Troglodyte village and gained fame through the movie “Star Wars.” Lunch is planned at a Berber restaurant here.

Our next destination is the town of Douz, known as the “Gateway to the Sahara.” Here, we’ll enjoy a camel ride – the desert ships – in the incredible desert scenery during the sunset. After the excursion, accommodation at a hotel in the Sahara awaits us. Dinner, free time, and overnight stay.

Chott El Jerid, Chebika, Kairouan

After breakfast, we’ll head towards the Chott El Jerid salt flats, the largest salt lake in Tunisia. Then, we’ll switch to jeeps for a 4×4 safari, heading to the Star Wars town. Along the way, we’ll see the famous rock formation known as the “camel’s neck,” and driving through the dunes will provide an exciting thrill. We’ll also travel part of the famous Paris-Dakar Rally route.

Next, we enter the Atlas Mountains, where we’ll explore two green mountain oases. One is Chebika, and the other is Tamerza, where we can admire a “waterfall,” enjoy the best mint tea, and experience the hospitality of the local people.

After lunch, we’ll proceed to Kairouan, one of the seven holy cities of Islam. Kairouan was one of the first North African cities to be permanently occupied by Islam. We’ll visit the Mosque of Sidi Okba, the Muslim cemetery, the medina with the famous Bir Barouta.

During a brief stop, we can admire the Great Mosque from a viewpoint terrace and then visit a carpet and local souvenir shop. Return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Tunis, Kartagina, Sidi Bou Said

After breakfast, we’ll journey to Tunis, located on the western shore of the vast coastal lake. The city center is represented by the prestigious Avenue Habib Bourguiba, lined with both modern buildings and houses dating back to the French colonial era – the Art Nouveau Municipal Theater and the only Catholic Cathedral of St. Vincent in Tunis.

We’ll take a stroll through the old town, the Medina, surrounded by mighty walls, with the Great Mosque of Zitouna from the 8th century and free time for shopping.

We then proceed to the ancient Carthage – the hometown of the great Hannibal and the largest trade center in the Mediterranean basin in ancient times. We’ll explore the remains of the city, the Cathedral of St. Louis, the Carthage Museum, and the Punic ports.

Next, we’ll visit the Antoninus Pius Baths (the largest Roman baths in the world) and the remains of Roman villas, the amphitheater – likely the largest site of the execution of St. Felicity and Perpetua in the Roman Empire.

We’ll continue to Sidi Bou Said, a town founded by Spanish Moors in the 15th century, called the “pearl of the Tunisian coast.” Perched on a rugged cliff, it overlooks a small harbor, captivating tourists with the white-and-blue tones of its houses.

Walking up the hill, we’ll reach a cozy café, and from its terrace, there’s a view of the sea. Tunisian-style sweet green tea with mint and pine nuts tastes best here. With a hookah filled with apple-flavored tobacco, you can spend a lazy afternoon.

Return to the hotel, dinner, and free time.

Monastir

After breakfast, we’ll travel to Monastir, where we’ll visit the mausoleum of the former President of Tunisia, Habib Bourguiba, who earned the nickname “African Ataturk.”

Next, we’ll explore Ribat Harthema, a massive defensive structure from the 8th century. From the fortress walls, there’s a beautiful view of the entire city and the Tunisian coast (it was used as a filming location for movies such as “Jesus of Nazareth” and “Life of Brian”). We’ll also visit the Museum of Islamic Art with significant collections illustrating the history of Arab culture and the Great Mosque from the 9th century.

There will be free time for shopping in the Medina, followed by a return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Takrouna, Dougga

After breakfast, we’ll head to Takrouna, the site of the last major military action of New Zealand forces in North Africa during World War II. Enfidia, a war cemetery, will be visited on the way.

Next, we’ll proceed to Zaghouan (Temple of Water), where, during Roman times, water was transported to most cities through a 135 km-long aqueduct.

We’ll then travel to Dougga, a UNESCO-listed city and the best-preserved Roman city ruins. Its Capitol is one of the most precious Roman monuments. We’ll see the ancient theater from the 2nd century AD with a capacity of approximately 3,500 spectators, the Temple of Saturn, the Temple of Caelestis, the Rose Wind Rose Square, the Cyclops Baths, the Arch of Septimius Severus, the Libyan-Punic Mausoleum, fragments of houses with mosaics, and thermal baths.

Return to the hotel, dinner, and free time.

Sousse

After breakfast, we’ll explore Sousse, the third-largest city in Tunisia, blending a rich history, Arab modernity, and vibrant tourism. Founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BCE, it’s an ancient city.

We’ll visit the Medina with the famous Ribat (fortified monastery), the Great Mosque (a typical example of austere architecture from the Aghlabid dynasty). The mosque looks like a fortress with artillery turrets and battlements. The defensive walls stretch for over 2 km, reaching a height of 8 m. The Aghlabids built them in 859, replacing the original Byzantine defensive walls.

In the Medina, there are 24 mosques (12 for women and 12 for men). The Kasbah with the archaeological museum houses one of the country’s best mosaic collections, second only to the Bardo Museum. The highlight is the Triumph of Bacchus, depicting the Roman god of wine leading a chariot parade of satyrs. The catacombs, with 15,000 Christian graves from the 4th and 5th centuries, stretch for 5.5 km. Unfortunately, only a small section (100 m) of the Good Shepherd Catacombs is accessible to visitors, named after an inscription found inside.

There will be free time for souvenir shopping, then we’ll return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Departure from Tunis

After breakfast, a transfer to the airport for your departure. Safe travels!

Tunisia 2024 and its impressions

Inne wycieczki do Afryki:

• Orientalna Tunezja,
• Skarby Maroka,
• Tajemnice Egiptu – od Kairu do Asuanu
• Kenia- Oko w Oko z Dziką Przyrodą Afryki
• Cape Town (Kapsztad) i Przylądek Dobrej Nadziei