Elegant Sahara Desert & Tunisia Treasures Tour with Turkish Airlines, 5 Nights (TUN-TUN)
1st Day ISTANBUL – TUNIS – KAIROUAN
We meet at Istanbul New Airport’s international departures terminal three hours before the flight. After baggage, ticket, and boarding procedures, we begin our Tunis flight on Turkish Airlines’ scheduled service. Upon arrival at Tunis Airport, we meet our private coach waiting for us and depart for our Kairouan tour, one of the sacred heritages of the Islamic world. Here, we will visit the Great Okba Ibn Nefaa Mosque, considered the ancestor of all mosques in the Maghreb, the Aghlabid Basins, a masterpiece of regional water engineering, and the mausoleum of Sidi Sahbi, experiencing the spiritual atmosphere of this historic city. After the tour, transfer to the hotel and free time to rest. Dinner and accommodation at our hotel.
2nd Day CHEBIKA – TAMERZA – MIDES CANYON – STAR WARS FILM STUDIO – SUNSET IN TOZEUR BY 4X4 JEEPS
After breakfast at the hotel, we set off for an unforgettable adventure by 4x4 jeeps to watch the sunset among endless golden sands, vast oasis landscapes, and mysterious canyons. This journey will allow us to discover that Tozeur is not only made of sand, but also a wonderland that hosts the most striking contrasts of nature. Our first stop is Chebika, a desert oasis where sunlight hits the rocks and creates magical reflections. Once a resting point for Roman soldiers, this area, with its hidden water sources and lush greenery, is like a paradise oasis in the middle of the desert. Here, we will witness the miracles of nature while listening to the peaceful sound of water flowing through the rocks. Next, we reach Tamerza, the largest mountain oasis in Tunisia. With its clear waterfalls, steep cliffs, and breathtaking scenery, Tamerza is one of the enchanting beauties nature has offered us. The contrast between the hot, dry desert atmosphere and these refreshing water sources makes the region fascinating. Mides Canyon is like a work of art patiently shaped by nature! Formed by millions of years of wind and water, these deep canyons captivate visitors with their striking curves and majestic appearance. Here, we will have the chance to observe nature’s centuries-long artistry by following the traces of geological time. After our safari tour, we reach the Star Wars film set, where we step into a science fiction universe in the middle of the desert. The mystical atmosphere of the Sahara Desert has created a unique world that brought the film’s iconic scenes to life. On this plateau, which offers film fans a sense of time travel, you will feel as if you are inside a science fiction world. After the tour, transfer to our hotel and free time. Dinner and accommodation at our hotel.
3rd Day TOZEUR – DOUZ – MATMATA – SFAX
After breakfast at the hotel, we head to Douz, known as the “Gateway to the Desert.” One of Tunisia’s most impressive natural wonders, Douz is a unique point that makes one feel the magic of the Sahara with its endless sand dunes. This is a land where Berber tribes have led nomadic lives for centuries and camel caravans have left their marks. Here, while experiencing the deep silence of the desert, we will witness the impressive landscapes formed by endless dunes. In the infinity of the Sahara, we will feel nature’s fascinating power while watching the unique patterns carved into the sand by the wind. The dunes present a natural painting with their curves shaped by the wind and tones that change depending on the sunlight. After bidding farewell to Douz’s mystical atmosphere, we head to Matmata, famous for its striking underground houses. In this region, the cave dwellings used by the Berber people for thousands of years are an impressive heritage bearing traces of the past. With a simple desert appearance from the outside, Matmata offers a hidden world with structures formed around courtyards dug into the ground. This unique architecture was developed to protect against the scorching heat of summer and the harsh winds of winter. The region’s exotic atmosphere is so captivating that it inspired unforgettable scenes in the Star Wars films. As we walk through this enchanting setting, we will feel as if we are inside a film scene and have the opportunity to experience traditional Berber culture up close. After the tour, transfer to our hotel in Sfax and free time to rest. Dinner and accommodation at our hotel.
4th Day SFAX – EL JEM – MONASTIR – SOUSSE – HAMMAMET
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for El Jem. The amphitheater here is one of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world. Built in the mid-3rd century AD (230–240 AD), this monumental amphitheater is the largest remaining Roman monument in Africa and ranks third in the Empire after those in Rome and Verona. It is one of the last great amphitheaters built during the Roman period, and its architectural design is an improved version of the Colosseum in Rome. Then we head to Monastir. We will visit the mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba, Tunisia’s first president, who played an important role in the country’s independence process. Standing out with its golden dome and elegant architecture, the Bourguiba Mausoleum is one of the most important structures witnessing Tunisia’s modern history. Here, by examining Bourguiba’s personal belongings and historical documents from the period, we will gain valuable insight into Tunisia’s recent past. Afterwards, our adventure continues with our Sousse visit, where narrow streets, the aromas of local flavors, and the vibrant colors of the market bring the city to life. After the tour, we visit Port El Kantaoui Marina and then transfer to our Hammamet hotel, with free time to rest. Dinner and accommodation at our hotel.
5th Day CARTHAGE – BARDO MUSEUM – SIDI BOU SAID – HAMMAMET
After breakfast at the hotel, our first stop is the ancient city of Carthage. Founded by the Phoenicians and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we will explore the traces of the famous Carthaginian commander Hannibal in this ancient city and discover 3,000-year-old Roman, Byzantine, and Crusader ruins. Carthage, which contains a series of ancient structures and ruins, reflects its rich history with thermal baths, temples, and city walls. Our tour then continues with a visit to the Bardo Museum. The museum has a large collection of artifacts, with Roman mosaics being especially notable. With their intricate designs and vivid colors, each mosaic tells a unique story from Tunisia’s different past. We then head to Tunisia’s historic Medina district. We tour the Medina of Tunis, also known as Old Tunis, with its narrow streets and bazaar filled with souvenir shops. We will visit Souk El Attarine, a famous market in the historic center of Tunisia’s capital. “Souk” means “market” or “bazaar” in Arabic, and “El Attarine” refers to “perfumers” or “spice sellers.” Here, you may shop as you wish. Then Place de la Kasbah (Historic Tunis Square) and the Zaytuna Mosque are among the places that can be seen. Afterward, we go to Sidi Bou Said, with its blue-and-white houses, narrow streets, and breathtaking views surrounded by the blue waters of the Mediterranean. Known as the Santorini of Tunisia, you will stroll through the enchanting streets of Sidi Bou Said and take magnificent photos. After the tour, transfer to our hotel and free time. Dinner and accommodation at our hotel.
6th Day HAMMAMET – NABEUL – ISTANBUL
After breakfast, check-out from the rooms early in the morning and depart for our Nabeul city tour. While wandering the mystical streets of Nabeul, the capital of ceramics and pottery, you will see many Tunisia-specific items such as copper goods, leather, embroidery, and cradles. Then, at the time announced by our guide, transfer to Tunis Airport. After baggage, ticket, and boarding procedures, our flight to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines’ scheduled service begins. After a comfortable and pleasant flight, arrival in Istanbul and the end of our tour.
Hotel check-in time is between 15:00 and 17:00 / check-out time is between 10:00 and 12:00.
Departure and arrival times are local times.
Flights marked with an asterisk (*) arrive at the destination on the next calendar day from the departure date.
It is recommended to bring appropriate clothing to use during mosque visits.
The participant hereby accepts in advance that they will participate in the tours specified in the program and will not disrupt the itinerary, and that they will additionally pay the amount previously stated in the tour program to the tour representative during the trip for expenses such as local guide fees, museum and archaeological site entrance fees, city taxes, and, if applicable, audio system rental fees for headphones. The participant has been fully and properly informed on this matter.
Bardo Museum, Carthage Ruins, El Jem Amphitheater, Tourist City Taxes, Local Guiding
175€ per person
***Payment to our guide during the tour is mandatory***
Outbound: TK661 26JAN ISTTUN 0900 1000
Return: TK664 31JAN TUNIST 1735 2230
Outbound: TK661 09FEB ISTTUN 0900 1000
Return: TK664 14FEB TUNIST 1735 2230
Outbound: TK661 16FEB ISTTUN 0900 1000
Return: TK664 21FEB TUNIST 1735 2230
Outbound: TK661 16MAR ISTTUN 0900 1000
Return: TK664 21MAR TUNIST 1735 2230
Outbound: TK 661 17MAR ISTTUN 0900 1000
Return: TK 658 22MAR TUNIST 2335 0420*
Outbound: TK661 20APR ISTTUN 0750 0845
Return: TK664 25APR TUNIST 1725 2220
Outbound: TK661 27APR ISTTUN 0750 0845
Return: TK664 02MAY TUNIST 1725 2220
Outbound: TK661 25MAY ISTTUN 0750 0845
Return: TK664 30MAY TUNIST 1725 2220
Outbound: TK661 22JUN ISTTUN 0750 0845
Return: TK664 27JUN TUNIST 1725 2220
GENERAL CONDITIONS
1- The General Conditions are an integral part of the tour program and cannot be considered separately from it.
2- If sufficient participation is not achieved for the trip, Wtatil may cancel the tour up to 21 days before the departure date. In such a case, the cancellation information will be communicated to the guest. The full tour price will be refunded to the guest. For additional services purchased outside the tour; the domestic connecting flight purchased from Wtatil will also be refunded to the guest. If visa service and travel health insurance were used to apply for a visa on behalf of the guest, these services cannot be refunded as they will have been used. If no visa application has been made, the visa and travel health insurance will also be canceled and refunded. If the guest purchased the domestic connecting flight from a provider independent of Wtatil, they cannot claim any refund from Wtatil if the trip is canceled by Wtatil. The guest accepts in advance, at the time of purchase, any material and moral losses that may arise from the cancellation of the tour, and Wtatil cannot be held responsible.
3- If sufficient participation is not achieved for the trip, Wtatil has the right, in good faith, not to cancel the tour. In this case, since the tour would be provided individually for the guest, the included guidance service will only cover the overseas departure and return airport transfers.
Cancellation and Changes
4- Our guests have the right to cancel without penalty up to 30 days before the tour departure date, provided that they notify Wtatil in writing, excluding airline tickets that have been paid for and/or committed to the airline by Wtatil. If there are 31 days or less remaining until the tour start date, they may cancel by paying a penalty equal to 50% of the remaining tour price after deducting the airfare. If there are 15 days or less remaining until the tour start date, they may cancel by paying the full tour price as a penalty. If a cancellation is requested, the refund conditions for additional services such as domestic connections, visa service, and travel health insurance may vary depending on the cancellation period; therefore, prior information should be requested regarding refunds. Wtatil cannot make any commitment regarding the cancellation refund of additional services.
Guiding Services and Optional Tours
5- The days and times of the tours specified in the program may be changed by the guide according to the opening/closing status of museums and sites to be visited and weather conditions. Different guides may accompany our guests during the tours.
6- Panoramic city tours included in the tour package are tours organized for the general introduction of the cities, conducted by the guide with commentary from the vehicle, lasting at most 2-3 hours, and excluding entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites. Wtatil is not responsible if panoramic tours, including other tours mentioned in the program, cannot be carried out on the day and time specified in the tour due to restrictions by local authorities, closed roads caused by any event, or if weather conditions make the tour impossible. Some tours may be carried out by public transportation or on foot where roads are closed or vehicle access is not permitted.
7- Our guide may change the days of the city tour and/or additional tours based on the content of our tours, the number of participants, and the closure status of museums and sites. This also applies to changes that may occur in flight times.
8- Important points to consider on our tours conducted by speed boat: do not eat a heavy meal or drink excessive amounts of water immediately before boarding the boat. Guests with stomach, back, or neck complaints, as well as pregnant guests, must inform their guide of their condition.
9- If the tour or meal services included in the price are not used, no refund will be made.
About Flights
10- Wtatil acts as an intermediary between the airline and the passenger; in possible disputes, in addition to the relevant provisions of Turkish law, the Hague Protocol and the Warsaw Convention shall apply.
11- Delays or changes in flight times may occur on scheduled and charter flights. Wtatil is obliged to inform you of such changes as soon as possible. The passenger purchases the trip accepting the risk of flight time changes/cancellations.
12- Children aged 0-2 pay only the airport tax.
13- According to airline rules, if the outbound flight of round-trip tickets is not used, the return flight will be canceled by the airline.
14- For those participating in tours by air, check-in and boarding procedures are personal responsibilities and must be completed by the guest before the flight at the relevant airline counters at the airport or online on the airline’s website.
15- Last-minute delays and gate changes in flights are announced audibly at airports and displayed on information boards. This information must be followed personally by the guests.
16- Wtatil is not responsible if guests who do not arrive at the specified airport at the times announced in accordance with airline rules, who do not complete check-in and boarding on time, or who complete check-in and boarding on time but do not board the plane, are unable to take their flight. All costs related to obtaining new round-trip tickets and transfers to the destination area for guests who miss the flight in order to join the tour are their own responsibility.
17- The general baggage allowance for flights departing from Turkey is 20 kg. This may vary depending on the airline and the destination country. If there are domestic flights in the destination country, baggage allowance on those domestic flights may decrease to 15 kg. Excess baggage weight/fee rules are determined by the airlines and are not Wtatil’s responsibility.
18- For guests wishing to upgrade their airline tickets using miles (to business or first class), upgrade procedures may be carried out after the tickets are issued, depending on the availability of the airline (please check your affiliated airline). No mileage guarantee is provided for each flight. Please check whether the program’s tickets are in an upgradeable fare class.
19- On some airlines, food, beverages, and online check-in services may be subject to additional charges.
Other Matters
20- Wtatil will not accept responsibility for any changes or cancellations made by the guest directly through communication with the hotel. In this case, Wtatil’s cancellation conditions apply.
21- In cases where the hotel(s) are not specified by name in the tour program and only category information is provided and/or alternatives are offered for the same destination, Wtatil will notify the guest 48 hours before departure.
22- During special periods such as fairs, congresses, concerts, events, sports tournaments, etc., hotels may be used at a greater distance than the locations or kilometers stated. In such a case, information will be provided by Wtatil 15 days before the departure date.
23- When registering for the purchased tour, the guest must accurately enter/declare the name as shown in the passport, date of birth, and passport number into the system. Airline tickets are issued according to this information. The penalty cost arising from incorrect information causing ticket cancellation or changes will be charged to the guests.
24- In order to use your mobile phone abroad, please check whether your phone is enabled for international use before leaving Turkey by contacting the company your line belongs to.
25- Hotel check-in time is 15:00 and check-out time is 12:00.
26- Requests regarding the room made by Wtatil (high floor, near common areas, smoking/non-smoking, bed type) are communicated to the hotel. Efforts are made for the allocated rooms to match the guest’s preferences depending on hotel availability. Fulfillment of these requests depends on availability at check-in and cannot be guaranteed by Wtatil.
27- Breakfast served in hotels differs from the rich breakfast commonly known in Turkish cuisine. It is generally served as a continental breakfast with limited options such as butter, jam, bread, tea, or coffee, and for groups it may be served in a separate hall allocated to the group.
28- In some cases, a double bed may be provided instead of twin beds. Most European hotels offer twin rooms that can be joined together if necessary.
29- Child and extra bed policies vary by hotel and room type.
30- Any extra bed or baby cot is provided upon request and subject to hotel availability and must be approved by the hotel.
31- The capacity for extra beds or baby cots in a room is 1 at most.
32- In triple rooms, an extra bed is used; in such rooms, the bed assigned to the third person is smaller than standard beds. Triple rooms consist of 1 large bed + 1 extra bed. Extra beds are fold-away or coach beds. Our guests are deemed to have accepted the possible cramped space in rooms and the bed type due to extra beds added to standard rooms in triple room and/or child reservations.
33- If the number and ages of children staying with adults specified in hotel reservations are incorrectly declared by the guests, the relevant hotels may charge an additional fee. In such a case, responsibility lies with the guest who made the incorrect declaration. The hotel may request identification to verify the child’s age.
34- In reservations with 2 adults + 1 child, the child may not have a separate bed. Child prices are valid only if the child stays with two adults. Child discounts apply only to the “single child” in the age group eligible to stay with 2 adults.
35- Daily exchange rate changes are reflected in TL prices. The rates at the time of payment apply. Your additional requests and some extra services obtained at the hotel (minibar, ironing, etc.) are subject to extra charges by the hotel. These expenses are not included in the price at the time of purchase and are paid directly to the hotel during your stay.
36- Some countries have different practices regarding city, tourism, or local taxes. Any such city, tourism, or other taxes are collected by the hotel from the guest at check-in or check-out.
37- Distances given in the programs are based on maps. Travel times may be longer due to traffic, weather conditions, the geographical location of the country visited, roadworks, and road conditions.
38- Wtatil may, when necessary or deemed appropriate, change the order of cities in the program and the main airline to be used without altering the content of the program.
39- The personal belongings, bags, suitcases, passports/IDs of the participants in the tour are under their own responsibility, and Wtatil is not responsible for forgotten/lost/stolen items. If forgotten items are found, the costs incurred while delivering them to the country and/or person shall be borne by the owner.
40- Participants in the tour are required to carry their travel health insurance policies and, if they have any health issues, the relevant medications and reports with them.
41- For possible extra expenses, the hotel may request an official photo ID/passport and a credit card or cash deposit at check-in. The refund of any deposit requested at check-out is a matter between the hotel and the guest, and Wtatil has no involvement.
Visa and Passport
42- There is no visa requirement for Turkish citizens.
43- Passports of our guests must be valid for at least 6 months from the end date of the trip.
44- For customs crossings/border gates, at least 2 blank pages are required in your passport for entry/exit stamps.
45- Being visa-exempt for entry into the countries on this tour does not mean you are guaranteed entry or exit; the passport police have the authority to refuse entry/exit, and Wtatil is not responsible for this situation; responsibility lies with the traveler.
46- Guests who are not Turkish citizens or who have dual citizenship and will participate in the tour using their other country’s passport must personally consult the relevant consulates regarding the visa procedures applied by the country to the passport they will use; otherwise, Wtatil will not be responsible for the consequences.
47- In order to avoid problems with customs police at the border gate of the country to be visited due to passports that are torn, worn, wet, and/or damaged in similar ways, passports must be renewed. Otherwise, responsibility lies with the traveler.
48- For our guests under the age of 18 who travel alone or with only one of their parents, there is a possibility that the police officer at the country entry/exit may request a document showing the mutual consent of both parents; therefore, we recommend that guests under 18 and their parents pay particular attention to this matter.
What's Included
— Economy class airline tickets with Turkish Airlines on the Istanbul (IST) – Tunis (TUN) - Tunis (TUN) – Istanbul (IST) routes
— Airport taxes
— Airport-hotel-airport transfers
— 1 night half-board accommodation in Kairouan
— 1 night half-board accommodation in Tozeur
— 1 night half-board accommodation in Sfax
— 2 nights half-board accommodation in Hammamet
— Sunset Sahara Desert Safari Tour by 4x4 Jeeps
— Tunis city tour
— Hammamet city tour
— Nabeul city tour
— Sousse city tour
— Chebika Tour
— Tamerza Tour
— Mides Canyon Tour
— Carthage city tour
— Mides Canyon Tour
— Sidi Bou Said Tour
— Star Wars Film Set Tour (entrance fees excluded)
— Bardo Museum Tour (entrance fees excluded)
— El Jem Tour (entrance fees excluded)
— Monastir Tour (entrance fees excluded)
— TURSAB professional liability insurance
— Turkish-speaking guiding service
Not Included
- Exit tax for international travel
- Travel health insurance
- Lunches and beverages not specified in the program
- All kinds of personal expenses and hotel extras
- Museum and archaeological site entrance fees
- Tourist city taxes
- Driver tips: 10 Euro per person (optional)
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