10 Days in Tunisia & Algeria
Jun 4, 2017, 7:36 pm
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2002
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10 Days in Tunisia & Algeria
Hi, as a follow-up to this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/afric...rica-ideas.htm , we're leaning towards doing Tunisia and Algeria before Ghana-Benin-Togo.
If we do this, we'll have 10 full days in Tunisia and Algeria in December-January. We'd land at TUN on Day 1 at 9am, and we depart ALG on Day 11 at 11am.
We're looking for a good itinerary for these 10 days, and trying to test the feasibility of this plan. We're looking to get a variety of experiences -- culture, city life, history, ruins, etc. We don't need to see every ruin; only a few select ones. We can fly as necessary.
Constantine and Djemila seem interesting in Algeria. Not sure if it's worth doing in Tunisia beyond day trips from Tunis. Not sure if it's worth a day trip to El Jem. Not sure if a 2-3 day trip to the Sahara is a good idea, and which country to do it from.
Is 2 days for Tunis (1 day medina and Bardo, 2nd day Carthage and Sidi Bou) good? Is 1 day for Algiers good?
Any ideas on routing and how to structure this trip would be great. Thanks so much!
If we do this, we'll have 10 full days in Tunisia and Algeria in December-January. We'd land at TUN on Day 1 at 9am, and we depart ALG on Day 11 at 11am.
We're looking for a good itinerary for these 10 days, and trying to test the feasibility of this plan. We're looking to get a variety of experiences -- culture, city life, history, ruins, etc. We don't need to see every ruin; only a few select ones. We can fly as necessary.
Constantine and Djemila seem interesting in Algeria. Not sure if it's worth doing in Tunisia beyond day trips from Tunis. Not sure if it's worth a day trip to El Jem. Not sure if a 2-3 day trip to the Sahara is a good idea, and which country to do it from.
Is 2 days for Tunis (1 day medina and Bardo, 2nd day Carthage and Sidi Bou) good? Is 1 day for Algiers good?
Any ideas on routing and how to structure this trip would be great. Thanks so much!
Jun 5, 2017, 7:24 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: EUG BKK
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I took the 1st train from Tunis to El Jem, the amphitheater was spectacular, very little is quarantined so you can walk almost everywhere and take pics. It was one of my main highlights of Tunisia. Then I took the train to Sousse from El Jem to see the medina and the ocean, then back to Tunis in the evening train, made a very long day but train travel is cheap in Tunisia.
Another site you cant miss is Dougga, it was incredible. Very few tourist since its in an isolated part of Tunisia. I hired a car and driver thru my Tunis hotel for a day and it was well worth the journey. I experienced the Sahara in Merzouga, Morocco and really enjoyed it so if you plan on going to Morocco, I suggest seeing it there.
I am going to Ghana, Benin and Togo in February and will have to follow your trip reports.
Another site you cant miss is Dougga, it was incredible. Very few tourist since its in an isolated part of Tunisia. I hired a car and driver thru my Tunis hotel for a day and it was well worth the journey. I experienced the Sahara in Merzouga, Morocco and really enjoyed it so if you plan on going to Morocco, I suggest seeing it there.
I am going to Ghana, Benin and Togo in February and will have to follow your trip reports.
Jun 5, 2017, 9:41 am
#3
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I took the 1st train from Tunis to El Jem, the amphitheater was spectacular, very little is quarantined so you can walk almost everywhere and take pics. It was one of my main highlights of Tunisia. Then I took the train to Sousse from El Jem to see the medina and the ocean, then back to Tunis in the evening train, made a very long day but train travel is cheap in Tunisia.
Another site you cant miss is Dougga, it was incredible. Very few tourist since its in an isolated part of Tunisia. I hired a car and driver thru my Tunis hotel for a day and it was well worth the journey.
How much was your driver? Why did you end up doing Dougga with a driver but doing the trains for El Jem / Sousse?
I experienced the Sahara in Merzouga, Morocco and really enjoyed it so if you plan on going to Morocco, I suggest seeing it there.
Also, do you get much of a Berber cultural experience from these Sahara desert trips? We've done desert stuff (camels, bedouins, sand dunes, etc.) in Israel/Jordan, so we'd probably be more interested in Berber stuff than camels.
I am going to Ghana, Benin and Togo in February and will have to follow your trip reports.
Jun 6, 2017, 8:16 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: EUG BKK
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Posts: 432
Good to hear about El Jem. It seems like some standard day trips pair El Jem with Kairouan rather than Sousse; did you skip Kairouan? Did you find Sousse worth the journey -- medina and ocean doesn't sound *so* unique at first glance.
I knew El Jem was a sight I couldn't resist but it wasn't a full day trip and Sousse was an easy access via train prior to returning to Tunis. Hiring a car and driver would be quicker but there's always a concern that the driver wants to stop at a market or restaurant to earn his "commission" I wasn't aware of Kairouan. I don't know if I would label Sousse as a must see but I enjoyed my meal and gorgeous view on the rooftop of Restaurant Café Seles.
Yeah, Dougga looks good, but I'm worried about ruin fatigue. That makes three musts in Tunisia -- Carthage, El Jem, and Dougga? And then Djemila seems to be the highlight of Algeria, plus others.
The stone is a poor quality so yes, its decaying fast from the weather and tourist. I enjoyed all 3 plus the Bardo Museum.
How much was your driver? Why did you end up doing Dougga with a driver but doing the trains for El Jem / Sousse?
I paid $75 for an 8 hour day thru my hotel. I gave a tip to my driver on a condition that he wouldn't stop at his "spots for commission", saves me time.
We're leaning towards skipping Morocco. Seems like too rushed to do 3 countries in 10 days. I also read about the Taghit oasis to see the desert in Algeria. I get the sense that the Sahara experience is probably similar wherever you do it?
Only experienced the Sahara in Morocco. I rented a car and made a 9 day loop, so much to see there!
Also, do you get much of a Berber cultural experience from these Sahara desert trips? We've done desert stuff (camels, bedouins, sand dunes, etc.) in Israel/Jordan, so we'd probably be more interested in Berber stuff than camels.
As a solo traveler, I skipped the overnight Berber dune trek and saw mostly the villages and crafts. Walked on the dunes with a guide, be sure to drink water from a well, one of the best tasting water ever!
Yep! Curious if you considered going in January for the Ouidah Voodoo Festival, if you're already going in February. We can't decide if this is authentic and worth scheduling the trip around, or whether to not worry about it.
No I didn't consider the Voodoo festival after reading mixed reviews. I imagine it depends on your taste and beliefs. Hope this helps! You can either PM me or post on here anytime if you have further questions. Happy Travels
I knew El Jem was a sight I couldn't resist but it wasn't a full day trip and Sousse was an easy access via train prior to returning to Tunis. Hiring a car and driver would be quicker but there's always a concern that the driver wants to stop at a market or restaurant to earn his "commission" I wasn't aware of Kairouan. I don't know if I would label Sousse as a must see but I enjoyed my meal and gorgeous view on the rooftop of Restaurant Café Seles.
Yeah, Dougga looks good, but I'm worried about ruin fatigue. That makes three musts in Tunisia -- Carthage, El Jem, and Dougga? And then Djemila seems to be the highlight of Algeria, plus others.
The stone is a poor quality so yes, its decaying fast from the weather and tourist. I enjoyed all 3 plus the Bardo Museum.
How much was your driver? Why did you end up doing Dougga with a driver but doing the trains for El Jem / Sousse?
I paid $75 for an 8 hour day thru my hotel. I gave a tip to my driver on a condition that he wouldn't stop at his "spots for commission", saves me time.
We're leaning towards skipping Morocco. Seems like too rushed to do 3 countries in 10 days. I also read about the Taghit oasis to see the desert in Algeria. I get the sense that the Sahara experience is probably similar wherever you do it?
Only experienced the Sahara in Morocco. I rented a car and made a 9 day loop, so much to see there!
Also, do you get much of a Berber cultural experience from these Sahara desert trips? We've done desert stuff (camels, bedouins, sand dunes, etc.) in Israel/Jordan, so we'd probably be more interested in Berber stuff than camels.
As a solo traveler, I skipped the overnight Berber dune trek and saw mostly the villages and crafts. Walked on the dunes with a guide, be sure to drink water from a well, one of the best tasting water ever!
Yep! Curious if you considered going in January for the Ouidah Voodoo Festival, if you're already going in February. We can't decide if this is authentic and worth scheduling the trip around, or whether to not worry about it.
No I didn't consider the Voodoo festival after reading mixed reviews. I imagine it depends on your taste and beliefs. Hope this helps! You can either PM me or post on here anytime if you have further questions. Happy Travels
Jun 9, 2017, 4:03 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Posts: 1,012
I will second Dougga and offer that Carthage could be skipped in favor of it. I found Carthage pretty depressing - there's really not much there whereas Dougga was easily the highlight of my trip. The Bardo is worth a visit but other than that Tunis didn't do anything for me. I rented a car to get down to Sousse, Dougga, and El Jem and would recommend that over a driver if it fits your travel style.
Sousse also has the benefit of decent restaurants. I struggled with finding anywhere to eat in Tunis. But be prepared to deal with smoking.
Sousse also has the benefit of decent restaurants. I struggled with finding anywhere to eat in Tunis. But be prepared to deal with smoking.
Jun 16, 2017, 5:33 pm
#6
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I will second Dougga and offer that Carthage could be skipped in favor of it. I found Carthage pretty depressing - there's really not much there whereas Dougga was easily the highlight of my trip. The Bardo is worth a visit but other than that Tunis didn't do anything for me. I rented a car to get down to Sousse, Dougga, and El Jem and would recommend that over a driver if it fits your travel style.
Sousse also has the benefit of decent restaurants. I struggled with finding anywhere to eat in Tunis. But be prepared to deal with smoking.
Sousse also has the benefit of decent restaurants. I struggled with finding anywhere to eat in Tunis. But be prepared to deal with smoking.
Did you make it to Sidi Bou? Did you stop at Testour on the way to Dougga?
Anything worth seeing in Tunis besides the Bardo and the medina? How long would it take to see the Bardo and the medina properly? Is the medina authentic, or full of tourists? We've seen plenty of ME souqs/bazaars so I'm not sure if it'll be all that interesting.
Feb 20, 2019, 5:23 pm
#8
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Hi all... Now thinking of doing this:
Day 1: Fly into Algiers at 10:00pm, o/n Algiers
Day 2: Algiers city sites (Casbah, etc.), o/n Algiers
Day 3: Algiers full day (Tipaza?), o/n Algiers
Day 4: Drive from Algiers to Constantine via Djemila, o/n Constantine
Day 5: Constantine city sites, o/n Constantine
Day 6: Timgad day trip, o/n Constantine
Day 7: Fly Constantine to Tunis at 12:25pm, arriving 1:10pm, Tunis city sites, o/n Tunis
Day 8: Tunis city cites (Medina, Synagogue, Bardo Museum, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said), o/n Tunis
Day 9: Dougga & Testour day trip, o/n Tunis
Day 10: El Jem & Kairouan day trip, o/n Tunis
Day 11: depart Tunis early morning
***
Thoughts? Too heavy on Roman stuff?
Day 1: Fly into Algiers at 10:00pm, o/n Algiers
Day 2: Algiers city sites (Casbah, etc.), o/n Algiers
Day 3: Algiers full day (Tipaza?), o/n Algiers
Day 4: Drive from Algiers to Constantine via Djemila, o/n Constantine
Day 5: Constantine city sites, o/n Constantine
Day 6: Timgad day trip, o/n Constantine
Day 7: Fly Constantine to Tunis at 12:25pm, arriving 1:10pm, Tunis city sites, o/n Tunis
Day 8: Tunis city cites (Medina, Synagogue, Bardo Museum, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said), o/n Tunis
Day 9: Dougga & Testour day trip, o/n Tunis
Day 10: El Jem & Kairouan day trip, o/n Tunis
Day 11: depart Tunis early morning
***
Thoughts? Too heavy on Roman stuff?
Mar 26, 2019, 10:20 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Here, there … you know how it goes.
Posts: 1,518
Hi all... Now thinking of doing this:
Day 1: Fly into Algiers at 10:00pm, o/n Algiers
Day 2: Algiers city sites (Casbah, etc.), o/n Algiers
Day 3: Algiers full day (Tipaza?), o/n Algiers
Day 4: Drive from Algiers to Constantine via Djemila, o/n Constantine
Day 5: Constantine city sites, o/n Constantine
Day 6: Timgad day trip, o/n Constantine
Day 7: Fly Constantine to Tunis at 12:25pm, arriving 1:10pm, Tunis city sites, o/n Tunis
Day 8: Tunis city cites (Medina, Synagogue, Bardo Museum, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said), o/n Tunis
Day 9: Dougga & Testour day trip, o/n Tunis
Day 10: El Jem & Kairouan day trip, o/n Tunis
Day 11: depart Tunis early morning
***
Thoughts? Too heavy on Roman stuff?
Day 1: Fly into Algiers at 10:00pm, o/n Algiers
Day 2: Algiers city sites (Casbah, etc.), o/n Algiers
Day 3: Algiers full day (Tipaza?), o/n Algiers
Day 4: Drive from Algiers to Constantine via Djemila, o/n Constantine
Day 5: Constantine city sites, o/n Constantine
Day 6: Timgad day trip, o/n Constantine
Day 7: Fly Constantine to Tunis at 12:25pm, arriving 1:10pm, Tunis city sites, o/n Tunis
Day 8: Tunis city cites (Medina, Synagogue, Bardo Museum, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said), o/n Tunis
Day 9: Dougga & Testour day trip, o/n Tunis
Day 10: El Jem & Kairouan day trip, o/n Tunis
Day 11: depart Tunis early morning
***
Thoughts? Too heavy on Roman stuff?
May 13, 2019, 5:45 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2013
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May 13, 2019, 6:12 pm
#14
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