| country: | Tunisia |
| location: | Sahara Desert |
| departures: | This trip is no longer running |
| price: | From £835 - £925 (9 days) per adult and £820 - £910 per child including flights from the UK, from £535 - £565 excluding flights |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
OASES & WATERFALLS
After a visit to the ancient Phoenician city of Carthage, we fly south to spend two nights in the lively oasis town of Tozeur, with a visit to the scenic hill oasis villages of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides. We'll explore on foot and relax by a cooling waterfall before returning to Tozeur for a refreshing dip in the hotel pool. Next we drive across the eerie salt flats of Chott el Jerid and arrive in Douz.
A TASTE OF LIFE AS A TROGLODYTE!
Douz sits on the edge of the Grand Erg Oriental - the dunes of the northern Sahara. Breaking our journey for a night here allows time for an optional camel ride into the greatest desert.
Next we head to Matmata, to spend a most unusual night in a converted troglodyte cave-room. One of the most famous scenes from the original Star Wars movie was filmed in Matmata's unique cave dwellings.
FORTIFIED VILLAGES & DJERBA ISLAND
The hill-crest villages and remarkable fortified granaries around Tataouine are the focus of our next days of discovery. Here, we'll have plenty of opportunity to walk, mingle and meet with Berber villagers in quite dramatic landscapes. Reaching the cosmopolitan island of Djerba by ferry, we'll have time to relax and explore Houmt Souk. It was on Djerba that Ulysses tasted the lotus of forgetfulness! We spend our last night perhaps enjoying fresh seafood and gazing out over the gently lapping waves of the sea.
After a visit to the ancient Phoenician city of Carthage, we fly south to spend two nights in the lively oasis town of Tozeur, with a visit to the scenic hill oasis villages of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides. We'll explore on foot and relax by a cooling waterfall before returning to Tozeur for a refreshing dip in the hotel pool. Next we drive across the eerie salt flats of Chott el Jerid and arrive in Douz.
A TASTE OF LIFE AS A TROGLODYTE!
Douz sits on the edge of the Grand Erg Oriental - the dunes of the northern Sahara. Breaking our journey for a night here allows time for an optional camel ride into the greatest desert.
Next we head to Matmata, to spend a most unusual night in a converted troglodyte cave-room. One of the most famous scenes from the original Star Wars movie was filmed in Matmata's unique cave dwellings.
FORTIFIED VILLAGES & DJERBA ISLAND
The hill-crest villages and remarkable fortified granaries around Tataouine are the focus of our next days of discovery. Here, we'll have plenty of opportunity to walk, mingle and meet with Berber villagers in quite dramatic landscapes. Reaching the cosmopolitan island of Djerba by ferry, we'll have time to relax and explore Houmt Souk. It was on Djerba that Ulysses tasted the lotus of forgetfulness! We spend our last night perhaps enjoying fresh seafood and gazing out over the gently lapping waves of the sea.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Tunis. |
| Day 2: | Visit Carthage and Sidi Bou Said; fly Tozeur. |
| Day 3: | In Tozeur; visit oasis hill villages of Mides, Tamerza and Chebika. |
| Day 4: | Optional Star Wars visit; drive to Douz via Chott el Jerid and Kebili. |
| Day 5: | Optional camel ride into Sahara; drive to Matmata. |
| Day 6: | Visit Troglodyte dwellings; drive to Tataouine. |
| Day 7: | Exploring hill-crest villages and fortified granaries near Tataouine (with short walk). |
| Day 8: | Drive to Djerba; free afternoon. |
| Day 9: | Fly London. |
travellers' tales
The most exciting part of our holiday was the camel ride into the Sahara... As a group of 14 people, 4 local people were employed for the week, this definitely supports local economy. (more)
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market, Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society and BBC World News.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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This off beat adventure to southern Tunisia where we visit small oasis villages, have the opportunity of taking a camel trek into the Sahara desert, stay in a cave hotel (in the area where Star Wars was filmed!) and spend time on the beach is not only great fun but offers a great insight into the cultures and traditions of the Berber people.
We discover the famed warmth and hospitality of the Berbers - a few words of the local language - easily learned from our locally employed guide, can turn a village visit into a magical and unforgettable experience. Local children are as keen to learn about our background - we actively encourage this local interaction, which can mean that a fantastic holiday becomes a fabulous learning experience for children and adults alike. The small group style of travel encourages the local population that sustainable tourism - where we are privileged to see their current lifestyle, traditions and culture are an integral part of the overall holiday experience - is a more favourable and beneficial alternative to the mass market tourism of the beach resorts. Our Tour Leaders are all trained by us in the importance of responsible tourism with guidance given on how they can make a difference. This then percolates down through those they deal with. As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |









