This Tunisia travel itinerary will cover all the major sights in 2 weeks long road trip. From sand dunes to roman ruins, good food and adventure – yes, all can be found in Tunisia, amazing North African country, which is perfect for road tripping.
Table of Contents
2 weeks Tunisia travel itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Tunis
Pick-up your rented car (we always use Economy Car Rentals) already at the airport and settle in a hotel in Tunis before the real road trip of this Tunisia travel itinerary starts. If you are reaching Tunis early, you still have time to explore the medina and Tunis old city center.
Hotel recommendation: Tunis has many different accommodation options, but if you want some more comfort, book your room at Hotel Carlton, which is set in the old city center. If you are watching on your budget, a good option in the center is also Hotel Roma. Both hotels include breakfast in the room price and provide parking for a small fee.
Day 2: Tunis – Kairouan (160 km)
It is time to hit the road after breakfast. The second day of this Tunisia travel itinerary is all about Kairouan – the 4th most important Islamic city in the world.
Kairouan’s medina is amazing and is known as the most beautiful one in the country. Spend your day getting lost in its narrow, but picturesque streets, full of interesting sounds, scenes and smells. Don’t even forget to visit the Grande Mosque, for which Kairouan is known among Muslims all over the world.
Hotel recommendation: You will find a lovely Hotel Continental, not far from the medina and in walking distance to it. The hotel offers free parking, breakfast and a swimming pool.
Day 3: Kairouan – Island Djerba (330 km)
If you want to enjoy some holiday vibes during the trip, this Tunisia travel itinerary covers this too. You can reach the island of Djerba by a ferry or a bridge, if the line for the ferry is too long.
Hotel recommendation: You will find plenty of hotels and resorts on Djerba and what to choose depends on your budget and style. If you want a more local experience the hotel Dar Ali is nice, but for a more luxurious feel head to Hotel Iberostar Mehari Djerba, offering half-board or maybe an all-inclusive hotel Seabel Rym Beach Djerba, with its private sandy beach.
Day 4: Djerba island
A free time to enjoy in exploration or just relaxing at the hotel.
Day 5: Djerba – Matmata – Ksar Ghilane (230 km)
After some sea and sun it is time to make this Tunisia travel itinerary a little bit more adventurous.
After breakfast you will say goodbye to Djerba and drive to the innland again, stopping at the Matmata village. You will either like it for its unique houses, tradition or just the fact that the Star Wars were filmed there.
Your day of this Tunisia travel itinerary will end at the small date oasis Ksar Ghilane, where you will first set foot to the vast and amazing Sahara Desert. You can just climb on top of the first sand dune or maybe rent a quad or make a tour with a camel to enjoy the Sahara. A unique thing to do there is also a swim in their natural pool with hot water. So relaxing after all the sand in the Sahara Desert.
Hotel recommendation: You can overnight in the camp, luxurious camping tents or even in a hotel, which has a pool and a nice viewing tower in the middle of the place, offering great views on the oasis and Sahara Desert.
Day 6: Ksar Ghilane – Douz (145 km)
Douz, another date oasis, but much bigger than Ksar Ghilane, is known as the Gates to the desert, so before you will reach it, you will already notice sand dunes along the road. It is not a common place for tourist groups stay there, except for a quick lunch, so the town is still very authentic and traditional.
If you are looking for more traditional feel, an overnight stay in Douz is a must to include to your Tunisia travel itinerary. Walking around the streets, shopping for dates or sitting on the main square, zipping mint tea and having shisha by your side, will bring you into the perfect Arab mood.
Hotel Recommendation: Douz, being popular among overland travelers with 4WDs, offer two camping grounds, but offer some good value hotels too. Check out the Hotel El Mouradi Douz or Hotel Sun Palm if you are not into camping. To enjoy some good traditional meals for lunch or dinner, a popular place is a local restaurant Les Palmiers.
Day 7: Douz – Chott El Djerid – Tozeur (125 km)
You will cross over the salt lake Chott El Djerid on your way to Tozeur. The drive is one of a kind experience, so don’t forget to make a stop or two to enjoy the vast white salty desert.
Tozeur is your final stop for the day. Comparing it to Douz, Tozeur is much more modern, but can still offer you some nice views and places to see.
Most people decide to visit medina, botanical garden with its small zoo, taking a horse-carriage ride around date oasis –instead of the ride, a walk is a nice alternative too. You can also visit the famous monument to the national poet, carved into the giant rock. If you are a Star Wars fan, you will do a quick trip to the Mos Espa (45 km one way) – another scene from the movie. It is nice to stay until the sunset, which you can enjoy from the nearby sand dune – but note you will not be alone there.
Hotel recommendation: Tozeur offers a camping ground and different kind of hotels – from low budget guest houses to luxurious 5 star hotels. Check them out here. If you are fine with parking your car on the street, you will for sure enjoy the boutique hotel Dar Tozeur, built in the traditional Berber style.
Day 8: Tozeur – Mountain oasis (Chebika, Tamerza, Mides) – Tozeur (180 km)
A new day in this Tunisia travel itinerary is reserved for mountain oasis, not far from Tozeur, what makes them a great day trip from the town. Stop at all three, explore, hike and enjoy the amazing nature.
You will reach Tozeur in the afternoon / evening.
Day 9: Tozeur – Sfax – Kerkennah Islands (340 km)
You will have a long day today, so start it early in the morning, to reach Sfax by noon and enjoy its colorful local market and the medina.
After shopping or just wandering around the busy streets, you will embark to the ferry for little known islands Kerkennah. Just two islands, out of seven, are inhabited.
Hotel recommendation: Kerkennah Islands are still a hidden gem, so apart from some local basic hotels and guest houses, you will not have a lot to choose from. There are just two listings on booking.com – check them out here.
Day 10: Kerkennah Islands
You will be able to enjoy real traditional feel of the small fishing villages on the island. You can spice everything up with a freshly prepared sea-food from the local restaurants and some holiday vibes in one of its sandy beaches.
Overnight.
Day 11: Kerkennah Islands – El Djem – Monastir (200 km)
Head back to the inland on a morning ferry and before reaching Monastir, another holiday destination, you will also make a stop at El Djem town, known for the amazing roman amphitheater. Climb all the way up to see how magnificent place this once was – it is actually one of the largest amphitheaters in the world. You will also get great views from above.
You will reach Monastir in the afternoon, so check-in in the hotel and head out to enjoy an evening vibe of the town.
Hotel recommendation: We would suggest to find a central location for your hotel, so you can explore the medina and all other sights on foot, including the local beach.
A nice option with a good location is the Marina Cap Monastir – Appart’hotel. It lies at the marina and all the sights are accessible on foot. It also offers free parking for your car. If you enjoy larger hotels, a good option is Regency Hotel & SPA too – free parking, good location, inner and outer swimming pool, breakfast.
Day 12: Monastir
Another relax day starts and you can use it for sightseeing (Ribat – old fort, mausoleum of the first Tunisian president, cemetery, medina, beach) or spend a day at the hotel to relax.
Overnight.
Day 13: Monastir – Sidi Bou Said – Tunis (200 km)
You cannot leave Tunisia before you visit Sidi Bou Said – a picturesque white-blue village, set on the hill. It is extremely popular among tourists, so prepare yourself for crowds.
Park your car bellow the village, along the local beach and hike up for some exercise and views. If you will be doing this Tunisia travel itinerary when the sea is good for swimming, make sure to make a last dip in it, before returning back home. If you don’t feel like swimming, you can use the rest of your day exploring Tunis.
Day 14: Flying back home
It is time to return your rented car back to the airport and head back home.
Our Tunisia travel itinerary covers all the major tourist attractions in the country, but it is up to you if you follow it completely or making some adjustments. But overall, you will for sure be surprised how interesting, diverse and beautiful Tunisia for traveling is, so it is a bit sad, that when we talk about visiting North Africa, more or less people only travel to Morocco. But maybe that is why Tunisia is still so authentic and great for traveling.
You can find more about Tunisia tourist attractions here or check out our travel tips in a special Tunisia travel guide.
The complete 2 weeks Tunisia travel itinerary is available in our video here.
