Destination: Tunisia

Tunisia Tours

Hand crafted tours for mature world travellers

Tunisia

14 days

Apr, Sep, Mar

Tour of Tunisia

Visiting Tunisia

Join Odyssey Traveller on this small group tour of Tunisia in North Africa for couples and solo travellers, where Carthaginian ruins sit side by side with Roman monuments, grand Islamic mosques, Arabic souks and medina, and honeycomb-like Berber cave dwellings and hilltop villages.

From A$10,995 AUD

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Articles about Tunisia

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The Phoenicians and Purple Dye

Article supporting tours to Morocco, Tunisia, Spain, Sicily and Crete. The Phoenicians where one of the empires controlling the Mediterranean sea from the 11th to 13th century. This article is for small group educational tours for senior couple and mature solo travellers joining a program.

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Pillars of Hercules

Article about the history of where the Mediterranean sea meets the Atlantic ocean for the explorers from Crete, Italy, Spain, including the Phoenicians and the Romans. For senior couples and mature solo travelers interested in small group educational tour.

1 Nov 21 · 7 mins read
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10 Unimaginable Destinations: The Definitive Guide

Experience and knowledge shows that they are plenty of places in the world still to be explored by the curious. Our collection of small group tours for seniors as well as mainstream tours to France or Italy can take the traveller as a couple or solo traveller to places of curiosity such as Panama or Iran the list is endless for the curious.

8 Oct 19 · 2 mins read
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Touring Tunisia

The need to know

Getting around

Odyssey travels by a small coach. Specifics are always outlined in your tour itinerary. Taxis are widely available, and are inexpensive. Tunisia has a modern road network, weaving through the country and connecting towns and villages. Buses serve most major cities and smaller towns, so can make for a decent travel option. In Tunis you can also use the Tram network called the “Métro lége”.

Accommodation

In major cities, Odyssey stays in centrally located 4 star hotels in Tunisia, with easy access to public transport. In smaller towns or rural areas, we usually stay in family-run hotels or guesthouses. On our long stay tours, during which you spend the length of the tour in a single location, we use serviced apartments.

Tour Guides

Odyssey always engages local guides with regional knowledge to ensure an authentic experience during which you can learn as much as possible about the history and culture of places you visit.

Geography environment and weather

Tunisia is the most northern country in Africa, bordering with Algeria in the WEst, Libya in the South and the Mediterranean Sea in the East/North.
Tunisia is dominated by the Atlas Mountains in the north and the Sahara Desert in the south. The capital is Tunis.
Tunisia’s climate is mediterranean, where where winters are mild with moderate rainfall and summers are hot and dry. Depending on the season you intend to travel, check weather reports and dress accordingly.

World Heritage sites

Tunisia has 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You can view the official list of the sites here http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/TN. It is well worth visiting every site, if you are able. But here’s a few highlights from the bunch:
The archaeological site of Thugga/Dougga with its impressive ruins, give an idea of the resources of a Romanised Numidian town.
Medina of Tunis is one of the first Arabo-Muslim towns of the Maghreb (698 A.D). Kairouan, Maghreb’s principal holy city, with its rich architectural heritage, including the Great Mosque.

Festivals and events

Tunisias most popular festivals are focused around music, crafts, or other aspects of Tunisian culture . The most famous Yasmine Hammamet festival is most famous for its live music or the international Jazz festival in Tabarka. The Tunisian Medina festival which is held in Tunis during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is filled with festivities and street shows and people dressed in medieval costumes.

Reading list

A History of Modern Tunisia – Kenneth Perkins’s second edition of A History of Modern Tunisia, updated with a new chapter, carries the history of this country from 2004 to the present, with particular emphasis on the Tunisian revolution of 2011 – the first critical event of that year’s Arab Spring and the inspiration for similar populist movements across the Arab world. After providing an overview of the country in the years preceding the inauguration of a French protectorate in 1881, the book examines the impact of colonialism on the country, with particular attention to the evolution of a nationalist movement that secured the termination of the protectorate in 1956. Its analysis of the first three decades of independence, during which the leaders of the anticolonial struggle consolidated political power, formulated a series of economic strategies, and promoted a social and cultural agenda calculated to modernize both state and society, assesses the challenges that they faced and the degree of success they achieved. The final chapter brings the book up to the present, examining the 2011 revolution and Tunisia’s part in the Arab Spring. No other English-language study of Tunisia offers as sweeping a time frame or as comprehensive a history of this nation. Ifriqiya: Thirteen Centuries of Art and Architecture in Tunisia – Ifriqiya: Thirteen Centuries of Art and Architecture in Tunisia is a voyage through the history of the Islamic architecture of the Maghreb, to uncover a millenary civilisation that made works of art of its most important spaces. The great Islamic dynasties – Abbasids, Aghlabids, Fatimids, Zirids, Almohads, Hafsids, Ottomans – and Islamic religious schools and movements left the mark of their artistic expression over the centuries. Islamic art in Tunisia is a cultural crossroad, widely influenced by local artistic customs, by Andalusian and eastern architectural and decorative elements, by Arab, Roman and Berber traditions and by the variety of its natural landscape. Bloody Road to Tunis – . The result is a brilliant example of historical writing and a unique insight into six months of stubborn fighting. The land of veiled women; some wandering in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco – Books about Travel in Africa Tourism discus and describe the key features of interest in African countries, the foremost of which is Egypt, with its rish ancient civilization, and adventure and eco-tourism to many other African countries.

Eating and Drinking

The cuisine in Tunisia is brave and diverse, with influences from Romans, Arabs, Turks, and French during their rule over the country. As in all Muslim countries, eating pork is strictly prohibited. Among the meat variety is used mainly lamb and beef and also goat, camel (!!), and poultry meat. Traditional dishes are for example: lamb in a pot, shorba (sorba) – spicy soup with vegetables and beef, brick – cheburek from unleavened dough stuffed with eggs, chopped meat or fish; fingers of Fatima – pancakes stuffed with minced meat and eggs. Most dished are severd with Couscous and roasted vegetables. Mint tea and coffee are the most traditional drinks in Tunisia. The consumption of alcohol in Tunisia is, according to Islamic law, forbidden, however, to drink Tunisians calmly and sometimes even themselves violate the prohibitions.
Of course no problem to buy alcohol in hotels and restaurants.
Supermarkets sell alcoholic beverages and beer under limited hours.

Health and safety

Although much of the country is safe to travel in, however independent travellers should consider avoiding the boarders to Libya and Algeria regions due to underlying local tensions.

Electrical supply

Whenever you travel overseas, it’s always wise to take an appropriate travel adaptor. The electricity supply runs at 230V, 50Hz. Tunisian plugs, types C and E, have two round pins. These are shared most of the European countries, including France, Spain and Germany.

Tour Reviews

Mal was a wonderful Program leader. She would be the best tour leader we have ever experienced. Her obvious experience and her calm demeanor contributed greatly to the cohesiveness of our group which, in turn, contributed to our enjoyment.

Participant 2018

Egypt tour: escorted small group history & cultural tour of Egypt

Both cruise ships exceeded our expectations for cleanliness and quality of service.

Participant 2018

Egypt tour: escorted small group history & cultural tour of Egypt

The Victoria Falls were an outstanding treat.

Participant -16

Southern Africa Tour | Fully Escorted Africa Tour for Seniors

This tour was excellent, encompassing not only historical Egypt but also introducing us to modern Egypt. The varied travel by bus, small cruise ship and air, contributed to our interest and enjoyment. The extremely high quality of our tour leader, the Egyptologist and the local guide enhanced our knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of this tour.

Participant 2018

Egypt tour: escorted small group history & cultural tour of Egypt

Our Egyptologist, Mohammed, was excellent. Not only was he a very experienced tour guide and very knowledgeable, he was very organised and friendly and we always felt secure with him. He contributed greatly to our enjoyment of the trip.

Participant 2018

Egypt tour: escorted small group history & cultural tour of Egypt

THE TRIP WAS FANTASTIC.

BARRIE ASHTON

Southern Africa Tour | Fully Escorted Africa Tour for Seniors

This was a fascinating program and the support was outstanding

Participant 2018

Egypt tour: escorted small group history & cultural tour of Egypt

A tour beyond expectation. Egypt has so much to offer from the past and Odyssey did a fantastic job.

Participant 2018

Egypt tour: escorted small group history & cultural tour of Egypt

FAQs

What is the time zone?

Tunisia has a single time zone, Central European Time (UTC+1). Tunisia does not observe daylight savings.

Is tipping customary in Tunisia?

If you’re on an Odyssey tour, we take care of tipping so you don’t need to give it a second thought. However, in your free time, or if travelling independently, it’s essential that you make sure you tip an appropriate amount for services, as is the case throughout much of Europe. It’s customary to tip 10-15% of the bill at restaurants, or a few dinars at a more casual establishment. It’s polite to round a bill up to the nearest whole figure or leave the change when buying drinks.

What is the internet access like in Tunisia?

Internet access is easily accessible, and most hotels and many cafes will be able to offer it.

Can I use my mobile/cell phone while in Tunisia?

Check with your cell phone provider to see whether you’re able to make calls and use data while in Tunisia. Many providers will offer a daily fee that allows you to make calls and check the internet while only being charged your regular rates. However, be certain to inform your provider that you’re heading overseas, because just like a bank they can turn off your service as a result of unusual activity.

Responsible travel tips for Tunisia

  • Learn at least the local greetings to break the ice. Although many locals speak English, the more you know of the native language, the greater your experience of the country will be.
  • Carry a business card in your wallet or purse from your local hotel, to assist you with the return journey if you do become lost.
  • Always ensure that you are covered by travel insurance. If you need advice on this feel free to contact Odyssey and we’ll be able to help.
  • When travelling independently, make sure you check the opening hours of shops and museums so that you don’t miss out! Museums and galleries are often closed on Mondays. Also be certain to check whether your trip coincides with any public holidays, so you can plan accordingly.
  • Consider contacting your bank to inform them that you may be making purchases overseas. Otherwise, they may flag any activity on your account as suspicious. Also, check which ATMs and banks are compatible with your cards, to ensure you can withdraw cash with minimal fees.
  • Before departing, make sure you have a number of dinars in a range of denominations. You don’t want to be carrying around enormous amounts of cash, but take enough to make it easy to pay in locations that might not accept credit card. It will also help you avoid card transaction fees, and it makes tipping a breeze.

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