Sahara and Oasis Tour

Day1: Tunis airport – Hammamet (hotel Iberostar Belisaire) Arrive to Hammamet or Sousse, After hotel check-in the rest of the day/evening is at your leisure. Explore the area, seafront, shops, bars and restaurants or visit the nearby Medina.

Day2: Hammamet – Kairouan – Sbeitla – Tozeur (Hotel El Mouradi Tozeur) Depart to Kairouan, this city remains a purely Arab city filled with outstanding examples of the finest Islamic architecture in Tunisia: Visit the Great Mosque, the oldest place of worship in North Africa, and the zaouia, or tomb complex, of Sidi Sahab, a companion of the Prophet. We will see the impressive pools at Aghlabid Basins, built in the 9th century to collect and store winter rainwater. Continue to Sbeitla to view its remnants of the Roman Empire. The small town of Sbeitla is the site of the ancient city of Sufetula and possesses some of the best preserved Roman temples anywhere. Continue to Tozeur, a fully functioning palmeraie where everything from herbs, henna, vegetables, fruit trees and date palms are cultivated. Check in the Hotel Mouradi Toz optional, payable locally Star. Dinner and overnight.

Day3: Tozeur – Chebika – Tamerza – Mides – Chott Jerid – Douz (Hotel Sahara Douz) After breakfast, departure in 4×4 to the Mountain Oases of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides. Located amidst the rugged outcrop of the Atlas Mountains, not far from the Algerian frontier, these date back to Roman times, when they were military outposts to control the caravan trade. In Chebika, we take a walk to see the Berber village, waterfalls and the spring of the water, we continue to the picturesque village of Tamerza, with its spectacular sightseeing made famous in the film, The English Patient then to Mides and its Canyons. We drive back to our hotel for lunch. After lunch we continue our journey across the Chott el Jerid, the great Salt Lake, the barrier between the Sahara and fertile North. If we are lucky, we may see some mirages on the horizon, To town of Douz, the “Gateway of the Sahara”, Here you have the opportunity (optional $) to have a camel ride passing through deserted landscape and picturesque sand dunes. Accommodation in our Hotel Sahara Douz 4 Star for an overnight stay and dinner.

  Day4: Douz – Matamta – El Jem – Hammamet (Hotel Iberostar Belisaire) This morning departure to Matmata of Star Wars notoriety, but more importantly, center of the most extensive number of traditional troglodyte pit homes in the region. The Berber people built these simple underground dwellings to escape the extremes of weather and any unwelcome invaders, to get a feel for troglodyte living. We will visit one of these dwelling caves, then visit the hotel Sidi Driss, where scenes from the Lars homestead in Star Wars were filmed. Then drive To El Jem to visit the largest and most spectacular Roman amphitheater in North Africa Back to Hammamet, Dinner and accommodation at your hotel Iberostar Belisaire 4 Star.

  Day5: Hammamet – Tunis Airport Transfer to airport and check out.