L'Heure du Voyage
🇹🇳 Itinerary · Tunisia · 14 days

2-week Tunisia itinerary 2026: from the north to the Sahara

Tunis, Carthage, El Jem, the Sahara and Djerba in 14 days. Day-by-day itinerary with costed budget, transport between stops and options by season.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

7 places

Average budget

€1,000-1,700

Total distance

~1,600 km

Profile

Culture and desert

Season

Mar-May, Sep-Nov

Tunis 3d · Carthage and Sidi Bou Said 1d · Sousse 1d · El Jem 1d · Tozeur 2d · Douz 1d · Djerba 3d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Map of the 2-week Tunisia itinerary: Tunis, Carthage, Sousse, El Jem, Tozeur, Douz, Djerba

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€55/person

Tunis · Arrival and medina

  • Morning Arrive Tunis-Carthage (TUN). Taxi to the centre (20 min, €8).
  • Afternoon First walk through the UNESCO-listed medina: covered souks, Zitouna mosque.
  • Evening Dinner on Avenue Habib Bourguiba. Scout train and shared-taxi departures.
🛌 🛌 Medina · e.g. Dar Ben Gacem (3 nights)·🚶 On foot in the centre·Tunisia guide →
2

~€45

Tunis · Bardo and Carthage

  • 9am Bardo Museum: the world's largest collection of Roman mosaics (€12).
  • 1pm Lunch in La Goulette, the port of Tunis, grilled fish specialities.
  • 3pm Carthage archaeological site by TGM train (€1): Antonine baths, Byrsa hill.
  • 6pm Return to Tunis on the suburban line.
3

~€70

Sidi Bou Said and Dougga

  • Morning Day trip to Dougga (2h drive), the best-preserved Roman city in North Africa, capitol intact.
  • 3pm Back towards Sidi Bou Said, the blue-and-white village above the sea.
  • Sunset Café des Délices, pine-nut tea, view over the gulf.
4

~€50

Tunis → Sousse · Sahel coast

  • 9am Train Tunis → Sousse (2h15, €8).
  • 12pm Sousse medina, ribat and fortified great mosque.
  • Afternoon Boujaffar beach, El Kantaoui marina.
🛌 🛌 Sousse medina · e.g. Dar Antonia (1 night)·🚆 Comfortable, punctual train
5

~€90

Sousse → El Jem → Tozeur

  • 8am Shared taxi to El Jem (1h). UNESCO Roman amphitheatre, the 3rd largest after the Colosseum.
  • 12pm El Jem mosaic museum, then drive south.
  • 4pm Arrive Tozeur, gateway to the Sahara. Sunset over the palm grove.
🛌 🛌 Tozeur · e.g. Dar Hi (2 nights)·🚐 Shared taxi then rental car
6

~€65

Tozeur · Mountain oases

  • Morning 4x4 trip to Chebika, Tamerza and Mides, mountain oases and canyons (€40).
  • Afternoon Ouled El Hadef old quarter, 14th-century ochre brickwork.
  • Evening Horse-and-carriage ride through the 400,000-palm grove.
7

~€75

Tozeur → Douz · Salt lake and desert

  • 9am Cross Chott El Djerid, a vast dried salt lake famous for its mirages.
  • 1pm Arrive Douz, the last oasis before the Grand Eastern Erg.
  • 4pm One-hour camel ride into the dunes.
🛌 🛌 Douz · e.g. Mouradi tented camp (1 night)·🚗 Car on the Saharan road
8

~€80

Douz → Matmata → Djerba

  • 8am Drive to Matmata, Berber troglodyte homes (a Star Wars set).
  • 1pm Berber lunch in a dug-out dwelling.
  • 4pm Jorf ferry to Djerba (free, 15 min) or the Roman causeway at El Kantara.
🛌 🛌 Houmt Souk · e.g. Dar Dhiafa (3 nights)·🚗 Car then ferry
9

~€55

Djerba · Houmt Souk and lagoon

  • Morning Houmt Souk, fish auction and craft souks.
  • Afternoon Ghriba synagogue, one of the oldest in the world.
  • Sunset Sidi Mahrès beach, lagoon and flamingos in season.
10

~€50

Djerba · Island loop

  • 9am Djerbahood, the Erriadh district covered in murals by 150 artists.
  • 1pm Guellala, the pottery village, and the arts and traditions museum.
  • Evening Fish dinner at the harbour, relaxed night.
11

~€40

Djerba · Beach day

  • Day Beach and water sports on the north-east coast, or kitesurfing at Sidi Jmour.
  • Evening Traditional hammam and farewell dinner in the south.
12

~€85

Djerba → Kairouan · Holy city

  • 8am Drive to Kairouan (3h30), the 4th holiest city in Islam.
  • 2pm Great Mosque of Uqba, the oldest in the Maghreb.
  • 5pm Aghlabid basins and medina, taste of makroudh pastries.
🛌 🛌 Kairouan · e.g. La Kasbah (1 night)·🚗 Car, linking leg
13

~€55

Kairouan → Tunis

  • 9am Drive back to Tunis (2h30), return the car.
  • 2pm Free afternoon in the medina for last-minute shopping.
  • Evening Dinner in a restored palace, end of the loop.
🛌 🛌 Tunis · e.g. Dar El Jeld (1 night)
14

Flight

Tunis → home · Departure

  • Morning Final olive oil and dates at the central market.
  • Afternoon Tunis-Carthage airport (TUN). Direct flight to Paris (2h30).

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,000

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €220
  • 🏨 Guesthouse: €25/night
  • 🍲 Local restaurants: €12/day
  • 🚆 Train and shared taxi: €60
  • 🎫 Sites and 4x4: €120
Recommended

Comfort

€1,350

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €280
  • 🏨 Boutique dar: €55/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed restaurants: €25/day
  • 🚗 Rental car 8 days: €280
  • 🎫 Guided trips: €200

Premium

€2,600

per person

  • ✈️ Flexible direct flight: €400
  • 🏨 5★ dar and Djerba resort: €150/night
  • 🍽️ Fine dining: €50/day
  • 🚖 Private driver throughout
  • 🎫 Private guides: €350

Shorter, longer

Other durations

1 week

1 week

Tunis, the Sahel and a desert taster. The essential version.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

From the north to the Sahara, finishing on Djerba.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour, from Cap Bon beaches to the Saharan edge.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

This itinerary combines 2 train legs, shared taxis and a rental car for the south (D5 to D13). Budget ~€350 of transport over 14 days.

🚆

Train Tunis → Sousse

€8 · 2h15 · frequent departures, punctual

🚐

Shared taxi Sousse → El Jem

€5 · 1h · 8-seat louage, leaves when full

🚗

Rental car for the south

€35/day · essential from Tozeur to Djerba

⛴️

Jorf ferry → Djerba

Free · 15 min · or the Roman causeway at El Kantara

🐫

Camel ride at Douz

€15/h · dunes of the Grand Eastern Erg

Adapt by season

Spring and autumn for the culture-and-desert mix

This route blends heritage sites with days in the southern Sahara. From March to May and September to November, temperatures stay manageable everywhere (22 to 30 °C), including Tozeur and Douz. In high summer (June to August), the Sahara tops 40 °C in the afternoon: shift desert visits to sunrise and sunset, or run the loop in reverse to finish on the beaches of Djerba. In winter (December to February), the north is mild but rainy and desert nights drop close to 5 °C.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In April 2025 the Sousse-El Jem shared taxi left the moment it filled, at 8:10am, and I stood in front of the empty amphitheatre at 9:30am before the tour buses. Always aim for opening time at the Roman sites.
  • • Sleep one night in a tent at Douz: the desert silence and starry sky are worth it.
  • • Rent a car only for the southern loop (Tozeur to Djerba), use the train for the rest: best mix of cost and freedom.
  • • The 4x4 to Chebika and Tamerza: mountain oases and canyons, the highlight of Tozeur.
  • • The carriage ride through the palm grove at sunset, simple but memorable.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Cut Djerba to 2 nights if you are not a beach person, in favour of a night in Kairouan.
  • • Add Bizerte and Tabarka in the north if your final flight is late.
  • • Avoid the Sahara in July-August: stick to the cool morning hours or shift to spring.
  • • Skip Matmata if time is tight, the detour lengthens the road to Djerba.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Do I need a visa for Tunisia? +
No for French and EU citizens: tourist stays up to 90 days visa-free with a valid passport. Check your passport validity before departure.
Can this loop be done without a rental car? +
Partly. The north and the Sahel work well by train and shared taxi. For the southern loop (Tozeur, Douz, Djerba), a car or organised tour is strongly recommended, as shared taxis are rarer and distances long.
When is the best time for this itinerary? +
March to May and September to November. Summer (June-August) is very hot in the south (over 40 °C). Winter stays mild on the coast but Saharan nights are cold and the north can be rainy.
Is southern Tunisia safe? +
The classic tourist areas (Tozeur, Douz, Djerba, Matmata) are well visited and safe. Check official travel advice for the border zones near Libya and Algeria, which are not recommended.
What currency and budget on the ground? +
The Tunisian dinar (TND), non-exportable: change it locally. A local meal costs €8 to €15, a boutique dar €40 to €60 per night. Budget €40 to €70/day excluding flights at comfort level.
Is this itinerary family-friendly? +
Yes, with a lighter desert leg: the camel ride and tented night appeal to children from age 6, but shorten the long southern drives and add beach time on Djerba.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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