Tunisia one week itinerary
Tunisia road trip in 1 week
Tunisia is a country that captivates every traveler. From the ancient ruins of Carthage and the stunning mosaics in Bardo Museum to the golden sands of the Sahara Desert and the charming medinas of Tunis, there’s an endless array of experiences to discover in this fascinating North African destination. While you can have a great time hitting up the main spots over a few days, I highly recommend lingering in Tunisia for 10 days to uncover all of the hidden treasures.
This road trip covers some of the major sights of Tunisia and starts and ends in Tunis. Flying out of any other city in Tunisia I am told is fraught with delays/cancellations hence Tunis is the safer bet.
How to Get to Tunis
Tunis is the capital and several airlines fly here especially since it is so close to Europe it is a quick flight here.
The Best Time to do the road trip is outside of summer in the spring (April/May) or autumn (Oct/early Nov)
We happened to go mid May and it was already quite hot especially near the desert.
Our itinerary overview:
Day 1&2: Tunis
Day 3: Kairouan
Day 4 & 5: Tozeur
Day 6: Douz
Day 7: Back to Tunis
WHAT TO EXPECT
Language: The most common language is Arabic, most natives speak a dialect of Tunisian Arabic.
Currency: The currency in Tunisia is called a Dinar.
Credit Cards and ATMs: Some retailers and restaurants accept credit cards as payment, however, you will need cash for souk vendors and small shops. There are ATMs in major cities. You are allowed to take only upto 300 Dinars at a time.
Plugs: Most plugs in Tunisia are type C and type E. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. A universal adapter will work for most electronics (be sure to get one with surge protection!)
Safety: I found travelling in Tunisia to be perfectly safe but I didn’t venture out at night alone or anything.
Clothing: Tunisians dress similarly to people in other Mediterranean countries. In urban areas, people often wear contemporary Western-style clothing. However, it's important to dress modestly, especially when visiting religious sites or rural areas. Women may prefer to wear long skirts or pants and cover their shoulders, while men should avoid wearing shorts in more conservative settings.
Day 1: Tunis
Fly into Tunis. Stay at Dar El Jeld Spa & Hotel in the Medina. This is one of the most beautiful hotels that I have stayed in and can recommend highly. Explore Carthage and Bardo museum. (has the largest collection of Roman mosaics in the world)
Pro tip: Do not visit Carthage or Sidi Bou Said on thursdays since the cruise ships arrive and the tour groups descend to see both and it gets very crowded.
Explore the streets of the medina in the evening and grab a chapati from one of the vendors - so so good.
Day 2: Sidi Bou Said & Medina
The breakfast on the terrase of Dar el Jeld is fabulous!!! After breakfast we went to wander in the medina to take in the sights and sounds.
Have lunch at Fundouk el Attarine. They are open only for lunch. It is a lovely spot and has some boutiques that you can shop at inside.
After lunch we went to Sidi Bou Said - the Santorini of Tunisia. It is absolutely worth spending half a day. Make sure to catch the best views from Cafe Des Delices - although the coffee is overpriced, the views are worth it.
Have dinner at the restaurant at Dar Jeld - the restaurant is absolutely stunning and the food is really good.
Day 3: Drive to Kairouan
We were picked up by our driver after a late breakfast and we drove to Kairouan. If you are so inclined you could make a brief stop at Hammamet & Sousse but we just continued towards Kairouan.
See the great mosque of Kairouan. Walk around the Medina and see the Mosque of the 3 Doors. Other sights in Kairouan are the Mosque of the Barber and the Aghlabid basins.
Stay at the Hotel La Kasbah Kairouan. It is located within walking distance of the Medina and the great mosque.
Next morning you can visit the mosque in the morning to have it all to yourself and leave to go to Tozeur
Day 4 & 5: Tozeur
Our driver picked us up from the hotel in the morning and we continued to Tozeur It took about 4-5 hours to get to our hotel.
Stay at The Anantara Sahara. This is the best hotel in Tozeur and is the perfect base to explore. It is also a fabulous place to relax and unwind. There is an airport closeby if you choose to fly into Tozeur.
Do check out the medina in Tozeur - the architecture is different and quite lovely.
In the evening make sure to have the hotel set out viewing the sunset in the desert. If you are lucky you will be able to catch a brilliant sunset. We were not so lucky to see a good sunset.
On Day 5 our driver came to pick us up and we went to see Chebika, Mides and Ong Jmal. Ong Jmal is close to where Star Wars was shot. The whole trip takes an entire daySmiley
Have dinner on site at the Tunisian restaurant rather than the Thai restaurant (we didn’t like it)
Day 6: Douz
Drive from Tozeur to Douz (approx 2 hours by car)
Our driver picked us up in the morning and we drove to Douz through Chott El Djerid - the biggest salt lake in Tunisia. The road cuts through the salt lake and it is worth stopping by to take some pictures. The drive to Douz takes you through lots of date palm farms - quite fascinating!!!
Stay at The Residence. Use this as a base to go to the Sahara desert. We had a sandstorm so we used the time to go to the spa. Make sure to get a hammam experience while in Tunisia.
Day 7: Tunis
Drive back to Tunis (approx. 6 hours)
Our driver picked us up after breakfast and drove to Tunis.
Stop at El Jem to see the Amphitheater of El Jem (quite similar to the one in Rome)
Continue to Tunis to spend the night there before taking a flight out of Tunis to go home.