Tunisia in 4, 7 and 10 Days

Advisory, 31 October 2026. Look up the latest US State Department and UK FCDO advice before you book, because some border and military zones are closed to tourists. In its 24 July 2026 update the FCDO says to avoid all travel to Chaambi National Park, the Salloum, Sammamma and Mghila military zones, Ben Guerdane and the Libyan border belt, and all but essential travel to Kasserine and Sbeitla. The US rating is Level 2. Each route below keeps clear of these places.

Building a route

Tunisia runs about 750 km from the Mediterranean in the north to the Sahara in the south. A week lets you cross it, but each leg is long, so plan around travel time and season. Ordinary sedans cope with every paved road to Tunis, Sousse, El Jem, Kairouan, Tozeur and Djerba. For dunes, mountain oases and desert tracks you need a 4WD with a driver. Highways A1, A3 and A4 have tolls.

Route one: 4 days around Tunis

  1. Tunis. Medina in the morning, then the Bardo National Museum (closed Monday).
  2. Carthage and Sidi Bou Said by TGM.
  3. Dougga and Testour by road, south-west of the capital.
  4. Bizerte Old Port, or a last morning in the souks, before you fly.

Route two: 7 days, north to south

  1. Tunis and the Bardo.
  2. Carthage and Sidi Bou Said.
  3. Kairouan and El Jem, sleeping at Sousse or Monastir.
  4. Sousse medina and Ribat, then the long run south through Sfax, over the Chott el Djerid causeway, to Tozeur. Stay on the P16 road across the salt.
  5. Tozeur’s desert sets, meaning Ong Jemel and Mos Espa, by 4WD. Mountain oases such as Mides and Tamerza are at the Algerian frontier, so check the FCDO map and hire only a licensed Tozeur operator for them.
  6. Douz and Matmata. Dunes and camels first, then the cave village where Hotel Sidi Driss still takes guests and once played the Skywalker home in Star Wars.
  7. Djerba by causeway, or north again via Gabes.

Route three: 10 days with the ksour

Insert the hill granaries of the Tataouine region: Ksar Ouled Soltane, Ksar Hadada and the hill village of Chenini. Keep to the paved tourist stops, with a licensed guide. Do not go into the military zone south of Remada or the Libyan border strip.

The last two days belong to Djerba. Houmt Souk has potters and a working harbour. Erriadh has the Djerbahood murals. El Ghriba synagogue stands in Erriadh, a place of worship where five people died in an attack during the pilgrimage on 9 May 2023: two pilgrims and three security officers. Pilgrims came back in 2026, between 30 April and 6 May, with heavy security and about 200 visitors from abroad. If you go, expect checkpoints and ID checks, dress with respect, behave quietly and ask locally about visiting arrangements.

Seasons and budgets

March to May and September to November suit the whole route. The desert is best from December to February, and in July and August it reaches 40 to 46 degrees Celsius. Top heritage tickets were reset from 1 April 2026 to about 30 TND and climb again in January 2027. Use dinars for everyday spending and keep exchange receipts. SNCFT trains and louage vans are the budget way to link the cities.

Read more: single-day outings are covered in the day trip guide , and sites in the sightseeing guide .

Hotels on the northern and eastern legs can be compared on Booking.com . Reference pages: SNCFT , Discover Tunisia and FCDO Tunisia advice .