2-Day Tunisian Sahara Tour: El Djem, Matmata & Desert Dunes

Roman ruins, underground homes, and a night under the Sahara sky

A 2-day private tour through southern Tunisia combining the Roman amphitheatre of El Djem, the troglodyte village of Matmata, and an overnight stay in the Sahara near Douz. Your driver-host speaks your language and adjusts stops to your pace. Pickup from your hotel is included, and the tour runs with your group alone. Entry fees to monuments are paid on-site. Optional camel rides, quad tours and a 4x4 jeep adventure cost extra.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: El Jem, Matmata, Sahara Desert Experience

• Visit El Jem Roman Amphitheatre
• Lunch break in Matmata
• Explore Douz Sahara Desert
• Optional quad or camel tour

Day 2: Salt Lake, Oasis, Kairouan Visit

• Sunrise at Chott el Jerid Salt Lake
• Optional Jeep 4x4 desert tour
• Visit Chebika Oasis and waterfall
• Panoramic photos at Tamaghza canyons
• View underground city of Tamaghza
• Visit Great Mosque of Okba in Kairouan
• Enjoy traditional sweets and tea

The experience

The tour starts at El Djem Amphitheatre, the world's second-largest Roman colosseum and a UNESCO site where you walk through colossal arches and photograph one of North Africa's most intact Roman landmarks. From there you drive south to Matmata for a local lunch break, then push into the main Sahara at Douz, the "Gateway to the Sahara," where you watch the sunset over dunes and can add a camel ride or quad tour if you want to move across the sand yourself. The overnight happens in a VIP tent in the desert, and you return the next morning.

Day two opens with sunrise at Chott el Djerid, Tunisia's second-largest salt flat, where a 45-minute stop gives you the strange, flat landscape for photos. Then you head to the mountain oases: Chebika canyon with its waterfall and cliff walls, Tamerza with its underground city carved into the rock, and a stop at Tamaghza where you can feed baby camels. The tour ends in Kairouan at the Great Mosque of Okba, where you get traditional sweets and tea on the house. If you want to skip the jeep adventure or the camel ride, you don't pay for it. If you want more time at any stop, your driver adjusts the schedule. A 4x4 jeep that seats up to six people costs extra and takes you over dunes to Ong Jmal, where Star Wars was filmed.

Your driver-host sends pickup details via WhatsApp the day before and stays reachable 24/7 if questions come up during the tour. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and you travel with your group alone: no strangers, no waiting for other bookings. Lunch is your choice. The driver suggests places if you ask. Pickup runs from Hammamet, Mahdia, Tunis, Sousse or Monastir hotels, and drop-off follows the same flexibility: if your hotel is on the route, it's free. If it's off the beaten path, a small fee applies.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned private vehicle for your group only.
• pickup and drop-off from your hotel in Hammamet, Mahdia, Tunis, Sousse or Monastir.
• driver-host who speaks your language and shares facts about Tunisia.
• flexible stops and adjustable timing within the 2-day schedule.
• overnight stay in a VIP Sahara tent.
• sunrise stop at Chott el Djerid salt lake.
• access to Chebika canyon, Tamerza underground city and Tamaghza viewpoint.
• traditional sweets and tea at the Great Mosque of Okba.
• 24/7 WhatsApp support before, during and after the tour.
• photo help at viewpoints and group shots on request.

Options for this experience

5 options

Pickup from Mahdia (any hotel)07:00, 07:30 and 08:00Pickup is included, from a pickup point

Pickup from Sousse (any hotel)07:00, 07:30 and 08:00Pickup is included, from a pickup point

Pickup from Monastir (any hotel)07:00, 07:30 and 08:00Pickup is included, from a pickup point

See 2 more options

Pickup from Hammamet (any hotel)07:00, 07:30 and 08:00Pickup is included, from a pickup point

Pickup from Tunis (any hotel)07:00, 07:30 and 08:00Pickup is included, from a pickup point

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 07:30 and 08:00

Book up to8h before

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 14 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 68

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Saymeen Tours and Transfers

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a private vehicle and your own pace through the Sahara without joining a group. The 2-day length fits the full route (El Djem, the salt lake, the oases and the overnight desert stay) in a single trip, and the flexible stops mean you control how long you linger at each place.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the El Djem Amphitheatre and why is it worth seeing?

El Djem Amphitheatre is the world's second-largest Roman colosseum, a UNESCO World Heritage site with colossal arches and architecture that survived nearly two thousand years. You walk through it on day one and have time to photograph the structure and take in its scale.

Do I have to do the camel ride or quad tour, or are they optional?

Both are optional and cost extra. A camel ride runs about 10 EUR per person. A quad tour costs around 20 EUR per person. You can skip them and spend the time at Douz watching the sunset or exploring the dunes on foot.

Where do I sleep on this 2-day tour?

You stay overnight in a VIP tent in the Sahara near Douz. The tent is included in the tour price. Accommodation is not a separate charge.

Can I pick which hotel the tour picks me up from?

Yes. You choose your pickup location from five cities: Hammamet, Mahdia, Tunis, Sousse or Monastir. The driver sends you his WhatsApp details the day before so you can confirm the exact time and address.

What happens if I want to spend more time at one of the stops?

The tour is flexible. You can adjust how long you stay at any site within the overall 2-day duration, and your driver-host will work with your pace. If you want to linger at the salt lake or the oasis, just let him know.

Is lunch included, and where do we eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. You choose where and when to eat. The driver suggests local restaurants if you ask. A typical local meal in Matmata costs around 9 EUR per person.