13-Day Ancient & Galactic Empires Tour in Tunisia

Ancient and Galactic Empires Tour

13 Days * 12 Nights

itinerary Summary

Why stop at Star Wars? Come see the remnants of some of greatest empires the world has known, including Roman and Vandal empires. Begin your vacation taking in history from the past without missing any of the sites George Lucas made famous in the Star Wars epic! Let us take you on a once-in-a-lifetime trip into the past and the future!

Slave Quarters
Lars Homestead
Mos Espa
Yardangs
Chalmun’s Cantina
Obi-Wan’s Home
Historical & Cultural Museums
Coliseum in El Jem
UNESCO World Heritage Sites

“I have taught you everything I know. And you have become a far greater Jedi than I could ever hope to be.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi

Day one
Arrival in Tunis

Upon arrival in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, you will be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel.

If you have an early arrival, you will explore the historic Tunis medina which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. You will make your way through narrow lanes and alleyways stumbling upon local artisans such as copper, leather and wool workers and intricately designed carpets. The famous Zitouna Mosque, spice market, and the gold souk (market) are sites you don’t want to miss. Dinner will be at the hotel.

Hotel Options: 3, 4 & 5 hotels

Day two
Bardo – Carthage – Sidi Bou Said

After breakfast, your driver will transfer you to the Bardo Museum for a visit. This museum contains a vast collection of important Mosaics from the Roman period. There are numerous rooms in this world-class institution offering artifacts from the Punic to the Islamic period. This is one museum that you will not want to miss!

After lunch, we visit the ancient archaeological site of Carthage, once the largest ancient city in northern Africa. This site holds ruins from many eras of history: the Punics, Romans, Vandals, and Byzantines all made claim to this area at some point. We then continue to the quaint village of Sidi Bou Said, built on and around several hills overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. We will explore its beautifully paved lanes and spectacular sea views.

Hotel Options: 3, 4 & 5 hotels

Day three
Tunis – Dougga – Bulla Regia – El Kef

After breakfast you will travel to Dougga, the Roman Archaeological site. This enormous site is one of the best-preserved Roman ruins in Tunisia, and it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The site overlooks the vast regions surrounding it and it’s not uncommon to see locals herding their sheep through the Roman ruins.

Continue north to Bulla Regia where you will find some of the best-preserved Roman villas that were built underground. You will also visit a basicila and an amphitheater with a large mosaic of a bear within. St. Augustine of Hippo once visited Bulla Regia in 399 and stood in this amphitheater to reproach the citizens for their lack of faith.

After your visit, travel to El Kef for the night.

Hotel Options: 3 hotel or guesthouse

Day four
El Kef – Makthar – Sbeitla – Kairouan

After breakfast, you will visit the archaeological site of Makthar. There are several notable archaeological wonders to keep an eye out for including a Trajan forum, large baths, schola juvenum (Roman minor militia club), and other pre-Roman structures. At the entrance to the archaeological site in Makthar is a museum where you can find some mosaics and other artifacts excavated from this site.

Your next visit will be the archaeological site of Sbeitla. As you explore this site you will see numerous ancient church sites along with intricately designed baptisteries, temples, baths, and the Arch of Diocletian. Sbeitla also has a museum which contains a variety of mosaics and other objects found at the site.

Afterward, you will depart for the famous and important Islamic city of Kairouan. You will have time to relax in the evening.

Hotel Options: 5 hotel only

Day five
Kairouan – Tozeur

This morning, we will travel to the historic city of Kairouan to visit the grand mosque Okba Ibn Nafaa which was established in 670 AD. You will also visit the mausoleum of the Berber companion of Mohammed and the Aghlabid pool.

Afterward, you may be interested in a visit to a carpet-making workshop where you can observe, admire, and learn about this incredible artisan work. There is an ancient medina with winding streets, which makes for a nice place to have lunch. When you have completed your visits, travel to the Tozeur for dinner and night.

Hotel Options: 3, 4 & 5 hotels

Day six
Kairouan – Tozeur

After breakfast, visit the Dune Sea, the Krayt Dragon Ridge and the location of the igloo of Lars Family Homestead exterior on the Chott El Jerid. The location was also used in Attack of the Clones and the final shot of Revenge of the Sith.

Return back to Nefta and travel to the Mos Espa film site beautifully located amongst the Sahara dunes. Here you will find the Pod-racing arena, the Mos Espa streets, Watto’s shop, market, and Sebulba’s Café. East of the set you will find the Yardangs, where the Jedi fight between Qui-Gon and Darth Maul in Episode I was filmed. It was also the location of the Queen’s Royal Starship.

Close by is Ong Jemel ‘the neck of the camel’ where Darth Maul arrives on Tatooine and releases the Sith Probes. After finding Anakin and Qui-Gon, Darth Maul is seen flying over the cliffs. Return back to Tozeur for dinner and night.

Hotel Options: 3, 4 & 5 hotels

Day seven
Tozeur – Sidi Bouhlel – Chott El Jerid – Douz – Matmata

In the morning, travel to Sidi Bouhlel which is also known as ‘Star Wars canyon’ where 9 scenes were filmed including: when the Jawas were attacked and buried, Jawa Rock and the scenes of the Tusken Raiders.

Afterward, travel across the Chott el Jerid, the largest salt flat in Tunisia, and across barren lands until you reach Douz. You may want to take lunch here before traveling to Matmata. Here you will visit Hotel Sidi Driss, which was used as the interior for the Lars Homestead, the home of Luke Skywalker in Episode IV: A New Hope. In 2002, the filmmakers returned to this set where the site was featured again in Attack of the Clones.

Hotel Options: 3 & 4 hotels

Day Eight
Matmata – Ksar Hadada – Ksar Ouled Soltane – Ksar Medenine – Djerba

Today will be a full day of site visits and travel so you will have an early start. Begin the day by traveling through Tatouine (an actual city in Tunisia). Although the movie was not filmed here, it was an inspiration for naming the desert planet. Continue to Ksar Hadada, one of two confirmed sites for Slave Quarters Row in Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Next, visit Ksar Ouled Soltane, the best-preserved Ksar in southern Tunisia; it is disputed and unlikely to have been featured in the films.

Lastly, visit Ksar Ommarsia (Medenine), which is the
second film location for Slave Quarters Row, Anakin and Shmi’s home. Afterward, you will travel over the Roman Causeway connecting the mainland to Djerba Island where you will have dinner and spend the night.

Hotel Options: 3, 4 & 5 hotels

Day Nine
Djerba Island

After breakfast, you will begin your Djerba island tour with morning visits to the Star Wars film locations. Your first visits will be at the coastal town of Ajim. Here you will visit the exterior of the Cantina. The film location of the Millennium Falcon blasting off from Mos Eisley is located in the area next to the Cantina. Continue along the coastal road to Sidi Jamour and stop at Obi-Wan Kenobi’s home where he lived during his exile. The building is now used as a fishing shack and is set against the turquoise Sea. Continue down the road until you reach the picturesque location of Sidi Jamour, which was used to depict the Anchorhead and Tosche Station in the deleted scenes. The special edition of A New Hope also includes scenes from this location.

In the afternoon, take a tour of Djerba Island visiting the famous pottery town of Guellela, Ghriba Synagogue (oldest Synagogue in North Africa), and Houmt Souk. Dinner will be at the hotel.

Hotel Options: 3, 4 & 5 hotels

Day Ten
Djerba – El Jem – Sousse

Morning departure for El Djem. The Roman Coliseum in this city is one of the best-preserved in the world. It was constructed between 230 and 238 AD and is believed to at one time have hosted between 30,000 to 45,000 spectators. Take time exploring this enormous structure and do not forget to go down to the rooms where gladiators awaited their upcoming battle. There is a museum in the town that hosts a plethora of mosaics.

Travel to Sousse and if time remains in the day, perhaps you would like to see the archeological museum, kasbah, and medina. Dinner will be at the hotel.

Hotel Options: 4 & 5 hotels

Day Eleven
Sousse – Thuburbo Majus – Zaghouan – Hammamet

After breakfast, you will visit the historic sites of Sousse. During the trip, you will wander through the ancient medina, explore the Ribat and tower, and the archaeological museum of Sousse.

After lunch, you will depart for Thuburbo Majus, a Roman site that has a small coliseum, baths, and various Roman houses allowing one to imagine life in a quintessential Roman African city.

Next continue to the mountainside Roman site of Zaghouan, where you will find a temple of the ‘water god’. When you are ready, finish the day in Hammamet.

Hotel Options: 4 & 5 hotels

Day Twelve
Hammamet – Cap Bon – Tunis

After breakfast, visit the coastal towns of Hammamet and Nabeul, which are known for its sandy white beaches, crystal clear blue seawater, and beautiful gardens.

Afterward, explore the picturesque peninsula Cap Bon. Your first stop here will be at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kerkouane, an ancient Punic city of importance.

Next, you will also see the Roman Grottoes of “Ghar el Kébir” in El Haouaria (the tip of Cap Bon). Here you will see ancient quarries that were once used by prisoners and slaves to supply red and yellow sandstone for the construction of Carthage and ancient tombs. Huge blocks of stones were extracted from the lower rocks, hauled out of the shafts, and shipped to Carthage as building material.

You will visit the site of Korbous, a town built on a mountainside in Cap Bon. This town is known for its natural hot spring which has temperatures reaching over 50°C (over 122°F). When you are ready, return to Tunis for the night.

Hotel Options: 3, 4 & 5 hotels

Day Thirteen
Departure from Tunis

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Tunis-Carthage International spaceport for departure, bringing an unforgettable Roman & Galactic Empires tour in Tunisia to a close.