DESTINATIONS - Tunisia

This deposit is based on a total of four participants. If the final number of participants changes, the final invoice will be adjusted in accordance with the Pricing section below.

Tunisia, a small North African country nestled between Algeria and Libya, the Mediterranean and the Sahara, has an extraordinary and, at times, tumultuous history. Following the period of Roman rule, when the legendary Hannibal guided his elephants across the Alps, Tunisia was dominated by the Arabs, the Ottoman Empire, then finally the French from whom the country won its independence in 1956. Today, Tunisia has a thriving economy. Its significant tourism industry includes destinations which are ideal for travelers who are fifty years of age and over and who are seeking adventure travel for seniors.

Elder Expeditions is pleased to offer this ancient land of contrasts as an exciting destination for senior adventures.

Minimum participants: 2 | Maximum participants: 15

Languages: French, English, Arabic, German, Italian, Spanish and Arabic.

Day 1: (Arrival Day)
We will be met at the Tunis – Carthage International airport and transferred to our five star hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: (Sightseeing in and around Tunis)
After breakfast we will depart our hotel for a full day of visiting the incredible sights in and around Tunis. In addition to a guided tour of Tunis, we will explore two of the fascinating surrounding towns: Carthage and Sidi Bou Säid. Carthage, which dates back to 814 BC, is classified as a UNESCO world heritage site. The picturesque hill side town of Sidi Bou Säid is famous for its blue and white houses. Our day in Tunis will include a stop at the Bardo museum which houses an impressive collection of Roman mosaics and art pieces from different periods of Tunisia’s history. No visit to Tunis can be deemed complete without visiting the Medina and souks. There, we will be charmed with a bit of traditional Tunisia.

Towards evening we will return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: (Travel from Tunis to Tabarka)
Bizerte, the first stop on our westward journey across Tunisia, was an ancient Phoenician, then Roman, trading post.

Our next stop will be Lake Ichkeul, a World Heritage Site, particularly important as an avian sanctuary. As North Africa’s largest national park, it presents the perfect setting for our planned nature hike.

In the afternoon we will arrive at our final destination for the day: Tabarka, a delightful town offering both a sea and mountain ambience and famous since the days of antiquity for coral fishing. A visit to the monolithic rock in the sea, known a the “Needles” awaits us. The beautiful white sand beach will be hard to resist.

Dinner and overnight at an area hotel.

Day 4: (Trail riding; Sightseeing)
In the late morning we will head to a local barn where we will be assigned a horse that best fits our individual riding experience and ability. After some brief instruction for those whose equestrian skills may be a bit rusty, we will be off to the mountains on a trail ride through dense vegetation and magnificent cork oak forests.

Later in the day we will venture on to Dougga, another UNESCO world heritage site boasting North Africa’s best preserved Roman ruins.

Dinner and overnight in a Dougga area hotel.

Day 5: (Caving)
We will spend a significant portion of the day exploring the earth’s innards, the impressive caves in and around the old Roman town of Zaghhouan, once an important source of water for ancient Carthage. Highlights of our caving venture include the awesome stalactites and other geologic formations as well as the creatures of the night.

Leaving the caves, we will travel on to the beautiful Mediterranean town of Hammamet, at times referred to as the “Saint Tropez” of Tunisia, where we will dine and spend the night.

Day 6: (Kairouan sightseeing)
After breakfast we will depart Hammamet for Kairouan, an Islamic holy city, once a Muslim pilgrimage destination as significant as Mecca is today. We will pay a respectful visit to the Great Mosque of Sidi Okba which dates from the 7th century. (Ladies, be prepared to don a head covering.)

Our visit to Kairouan will proceed to the Aghlabides tanks (built in the 9th century as a water supply mechanism), then to the local medina where local craftsmen still ply their ancestral trades.

Then it’s on to the carpet factory where the intricately knotted rugs are made and sold. (If we are lucky, we will have the opportunity of trying our hands at the knotting process.)

After a stop in Sbeitla, site of impressive vestiges of the Roman and Byzantine eras, we will proceed to Tozeur, a desert oases town which was once a Roman outpost as well as a stopping point for the caravan trading routes from sub-Saharan Africa to the Mediterranean coastal cities.

Dinner and overnight at a Tozeur hotel.

Day 7: (A day in Tozeur)
Our day in Tozeur will offer us some choices: golfing or an ATV excursion across the Saharan sand dunes.

An optional trip to the local museum, often called one of the country’s best, to view the many fine exhibits depicting traditional life in Tunisia.

Shopping opportunities are excellent in Tozeur, with wonderful selections of locally crafted baskets and rugs.

Dinner and overnight at our Tozeur hotel.

Day 8: (Horseback riding; Chott El Jerid)
In the morning after breakfast we will head out on horseback for a trek through the surrounding area. After lunch we will cross the spectacular Chott El Jerid, the seasonal salt lake, a veritable land of mirages.

In the late afternoon we will set out by camel for the trip to Zafran where we will spend the night in a Saharan campsite.

Day 9: (Berber Villages)
Today we will visit three Berber villages. In Matmata, a small Berber town, we will visit a traditional underground “troglodyte” structure, reminiscent of Luke Skywalker’s home, where some of the local people still reside.. Our next stop will be Toujane, a picturesque Berber hill village. Finally we arrive at Ksar Hedada, site of the old Berber warehouses used as a set for the fictional Mos Espa slave quarters in Star Wars the Phantom Menace.

Dinner and overnight at a local hotel.

Day 10: (Tatoiune, Chenini, El Jem, Sousse)
We will start our day in Tatouine, an area dotted with Ksours, fortified granaries of the Berbers and the semi-nomadic shepherds. Moving on, our next stop is the Berber mountain village of Chenini where the homes are dug into the slopes. Then it’s on to Gabès and the famous spice market. Our final visit for the day will be at the immense Roman amphitheater in El Jem.

Traveling northward, we will arrive at the seaside resort town of Sousse for dinner and overnight at a local hotel.

Day 11: (A day in Sousse)
Today promises to be a marvelous day where we will be free to pick and choose among the many sights and activities offered by this Tunisian gem town. Visit the old ramparts, the souk (handicraft shops), the Medina (old town), or the beach. For more activity, try any of the following sports: scuba diving, deep sea fishing, kayaking, a catamaran outing, or golf. Our Tunisian host will be available to help us with our selections. In the evening we will be entertained by a traditional dance and music show.

Dinner and overnight at out hotel.

Day 12: (Departure Day)
After breakfast we will be transferred to the international airport in Tunis where we will bid our host a final farewell.

2011 Date
Wednesday, November 2, to Sunday, November 13, 2011 – Available

Single supplement: $375

The group rate is available to guests booking as individuals if they are willing to share accommodations AND Elder Expeditions is able to match them with another willing guest.

The stated price includes all transportation from Day 1 arrival to Day 15 departure, all lodging, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 12, all entry fees and permits (except for the optional museum visit on Day and rental and safety equipment.

The stated price does not include beverages, tips, the Day 7 museum visit, the Day 11 activities in Sousse and items of a purely personal nature.

LODGING

All lodging will be in 4 and 5 star hotels, except for Day 8, our night in the Sahara, where we will be in tents, in order to experience the full flavor of nomadic life.

The activities on this trip do not require any particular experience or skill level. Sufficient instruction will be provided for participants who are beginners or who have limited experience with respect to any of the listed activities. There is a weight maximum of 80 kilos (176 pounds) for the horseback riding activity.

Elder Expeditions recommends that all participants engage in a physical conditioning and fitness program as part of trip preparation. Our fitness partner, Fit for Trips®, provides custom designed fitness programs designed especially for the activities of each of our ELDER EXPEDITIONS vacations.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

United States and Canadian citizens are required to have a passport with validity dates to cover their entire stay in Tunisia. Canadian citizens may remain in Tunisia up to three months without a visa. United States citizens may remain in Tunisia up to four months without a visa.

The following vaccinations are recommended:

Tunisia requires all visitors arriving from yellow fever infected areas of Africa or Latin America to be vaccinated against yellow fever.