10-day road trip in the south of Tunisia

It was a real first for us, crossing the Mediterranean to the African continent! A first trip we’ll remember, since we came back utterly charmed, stars in our eyes and heads full of memories.

At the end of October 2022, we stumbled across some magnificent photos of the south of Tunisia, posted by a Tunisian traveller couple we follow (Le Couple Bougeotte). After chatting with them about their trip, we fell head over heels and booked our plane tickets for our annual winter holiday in March. We have to admit social media has its good side too, introducing you to lesser-known destinations still untouched by mass tourism. The idea of a 10-day road trip came to us pretty quickly, because we realised the greater south of Tunisia was packed with places to explore. We found this length of stay perfect for the route we’d mapped out, to visit it properly and take our time there.

There isn’t a huge amount of information out there on this part of the Maghreb: we put together our itinerary mainly thanks to two guidebooks, the Routard and the Petit Futé on Tunisia. We’d also recommend checking out the Destination Dahar website.

Good to know before you go

Currency: the local currency is the Tunisian dinar (1 TND = 0.30€). Plan to withdraw cash from an ATM (there’s one at Sfax airport) because everything is paid for in cash in the south of Tunisia (cafés, guides…). Expect around 3€ in ATM fees, even if you have a no-fee international card like Boursorama.

When to go?: we were there at the ideal time, falling between the French school holidays, the Tunisian school holidays and before Ramadan (factor that in when you book your tickets). Weather-wise, to avoid the intense heat and temperatures that can reach around 50 degrees in summer, you need to go before April. In early March, we had mild temperatures in the Tamezret area (18-20 degrees) and summery ones as the trip went on, especially around Douz and Tozeur (30 degrees).

Now for our itinerary, our trip budget, our places to stay and our favourite spots… Everything you need to plan your own trip to the south of Tunisia!

Find the full breakdown of our road trip on our Instagram account, in the featured story!

Our budget for 10 days in the south of Tunisia

• Flight: 268€ return Paris–Sfax for two with Transavia, i.e. 134€ per person
• Accommodation: 862€ for the 9 nights (half board, breakfast and dinner, except the last 3 nights)
• Rental car: 260€ for the 9 days with Hertz + an 18€ (60 TND) surcharge for airport pickup and drop-off
• Internet: 24€ (80 TND) for 2 Orange SIM cards with 25GB, i.e. 12€ (40 TND) per person
• Petrol: 56€ (186 TND)
• Restaurants and cafés: 61€ for two
• Tours and activities: 102€ for two (+ 90€ for a pool day at the Anantara Tozeur Resort)
• Souvenirs: 22€

A total of 1,763€ (roughly) for 9 days for two (i.e. 881€ per person).

Where we stayed in the south of Tunisia

For this 10-day road trip, we decided to stay in four different places, making a loop starting from Sfax. Splitting the nights up this way was ideal for really making the most of the area we were in and for easily exploring around each base. Our criteria for picking places to stay were: sleep with locals and in guesthouses as much as possible, and experience a night at a camp in the heart of the Sahara desert. And it paid off, we found some real gems!

❤️ Auberge de Tamezret (3 nights)

L’Auberge de Tamezret is a lovely place to stay in the Matmata area, in a traditional troglodyte dwelling: this guesthouse is run by Patrick and Sabrine, who gave us a really warm welcome and with whom we chatted a lot. We chose the Toumadir room, which has a big terrace where you can watch the sunset. Special mention too for the meals, both breakfasts and dinners, all delicious and made from local produce, but always with a little gourmet touch. We highly recommend this place! 396€ for the 3 nights for two, i.e. 132€ a night (450 TND) in the Toumadir room, half board (breakfast and dinner)

Chez Mabrouk in Tataouine (2 nights)

We stayed in Tataouine in a private room found on Airbnb with Mabrouk and Fatma. The house is well placed for easily exploring the Tataouine area, the villages and the ksour. You can have dinner in the evening thanks to the meal Fatma prepares, for 10€ per person (35 TND). Great value for this fairly simple place to stay! 75€ for the 2 nights + 40€ for breakfast and dinner for two

❤️ Dunes Insolites camp in Sabria (1 night)

Sleeping in the desert is an experience you have to try if you’re coming to the south of Tunisia! We can’t recommend the Dunes Insolites camp enough, set up in 2019 by a passionate local: everything was perfect. The camp is reachable by rental car: the manager arranged to meet us on the main road and then guided us to the camp.

Our tent was pretty big and really comfortable: we weren’t cold at all during the night, thanks to the many blankets provided. As for the facilities, nothing to complain about: separate blocks for women and men, everything was clean, and the camp can provide towels if you didn’t pack any. We’d suggest getting to the camp in the late afternoon to make the most of the activities and the sunset. A few activities are laid on to fill the evening, like a sand bread demonstration: magical to watch! 72€ (240 TND) a night for a tent for two, half board (breakfast and dinner)

The camp offers plenty of activities: we booked the camel ride (9€, 30 TND) and the quad biking trip (24€, 80 TND) in the Zaafrane desert. Unforgettable!

❤️ Chez Maurizio in Tozeur (3 nights)

To finish off the trip, we stayed in a magnificent Dar in the heart of Tozeur’s medina, found on Airbnb. This guesthouse is run by Maurizio, a friendly Italian expat who’s fully renovated and decorated this big house. We did a lot of talking with our hands, since Maurizio doesn’t speak great French or English! We stayed in the Blue Room, from which you can quickly get up to the roof terrace, a really nice spot to soak up the sun. Definitely a place to remember in Tozeur! 277€ for the 3 nights for two with breakfast

Our favourite spots in the south of Tunisia

• ❤️ Café Berbère Ben Jemma in Tamezret: a gorgeous café run by an Amazigh woman, tucked up on the heights of the village next to the mosque (ask to go up on the café’s roof for the view!); 3.60€ (12 TND) for an almond tea and two fresh orange juices.
• Restaurant Ksar Jouamaa: a restaurant right inside the ksar with a terrace and a stunning view, perfect for lunch in the sun after your visit; 18€ (60 TND) for 2 plates of crudités, 1 brick, merguez, grilled meats and 1 bottle of water)
• Café Ksar El Ferch: the only café in this huge ksar, run by a little old man; 0.90€ (3 TND) for two teas
• ❤️ Café berbère in Tozeur: a superb spot in Tozeur’s medina to settle in under the shade of the pergola (rooftop with a view too); 3.90€ (13 TND) for a pistachio juice, a fresh orange juice and an almond tea
• Restaurant Princesse in Tozeur: we tried their takeaway sandwiches, generous and really good for just 1.50€ (5 TND)
• Chak Wak in Tozeur: a spot for a drink in the heart of the palm grove (a slightly cheesy vibe, with fake decor!); 4.50€ (15 TND) for a fresh orange juice, a lemonade and an almond tea.

What we thought of southern Tunisia

This road trip through Tunisian lands was hands down one of our best trips ever! We loved the beauty and diversity of the landscapes, the vibe, the culture, the day-to-day exchanges with locals, the meals with our hosts, being able to enjoy places all to ourselves… a perfect destination for the tail end of winter, and we have zero regrets about choosing it! One thing’s for sure: Tunisia still has a lot to offer, so we’ll be back, maybe to explore the north or the Monastir region with Kairouan, El Jem and so on.

So, if you’re after a still under-explored destination, with breathtaking landscapes and real authenticity, during the French winter, think about southern Tunisia as a road trip. You won’t be disappointed, we promise!