Kairouan and El Djem: UNESCO Sites and Local Cuisine

Embark on a captivating tour of Kairouan and El Jem in Tunisia, exploring UNESCO-protected Islamic and Roman treasures. Discover ancient mosques, an impressive amphitheater, and indulge in the flavors of local cuisine.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • The Great Mosque of Kairouan - The Great Mosque of Kairouan, the first in the Maghreb, was founded in 670 and rebuilt in 836.
    It served as a model for other mosques in the Muslim West, up to Andalusia.
    The mosque is named after the Arab conqueror Oqba, founder of the city.
    The minaret is reminiscent of ancient lighthouses, such as the famous…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • On-board WiFi
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • All fees and/or taxes included
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
Additional Information

Founded in 670, the city of Kairouan thrived under the Aghlabid dynasty in the 9th century. Although the political capital moved to Tunis in the 12th century, Kairouan remained the foremost holy city in the Maghreb. Its rich architectural heritage notably includes the Great Mosque, with its marble and porphyry columns, and the 9th-century Mosque of the…

Location
The Great Mosque of Kairouan
Rue Sidi Abdelkader,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(45 Ratings)
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1 star
David_b
Oct 2, 2024
Deep Appreciation for their Knowledge and Attention to Detail - Our driver and guide took us deep into the heart of the beautiful country of Tunisia. What might have been boring rides instead sparked fascinating conversations, history lessons, and inside information. Every question we had was answered with respect and patience. We even had the great fortune of having an extra stop or two added to our day trip. Our stay was memorable because of we had quality drivers and guides that helped us appreciate the country, culture, and people
Review provided by Viator
J8557qqjoannag
Sep 14, 2024
Great tour. - Thank you so much to Ahmed. An Exceptional Guide!! He speaks great Italian. Hike with him unfortunately flew. Very prepared and nice. After a few moments it seemed as if she had known him forever. I am enchanted with his stories and anecdotes both historical and current life. Tour was very interesting, quiet and done very calmly. You can see Ahmed does it with passion. Highly Recommendation!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Henryaf8142hx
Sep 12, 2024
Excellent trip - This was an excellent trip with a friendly, knowledgeable guide. El Jem is incredible and well worth a look and the Roman museum was fascinating.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gcanders0n
Sep 5, 2024
Full day trip El Jem and Kairouan. - We were very pleased with he guide and driver. They were knowledgeable and polite. Comprehensive Roman Ruins visited and a lot less crowded than the coliseum in Rome. Our first time inside a Mosque at Kairouan.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jamarl2015
Jul 29, 2024
Great visit - Friendly and knowledgeable guides. Never felt rushed and we got a chance to explore on our own as well. I recommend his tour if you are visiting for the first time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Allan_h
Apr 1, 2024
Superb. Don’t miss the museum at El Jem - Extremely interesting day. El Jem was incredible. What is generally not highlighted is the mosaics at the museum in Rl Jem. I would recommend this tour/guide. All on time and much appreciated.
Review provided by Viator
Jillian_c
Jan 6, 2024
A world of stunning surprises, warm people and an incredible history - Tunisia is a fascinating country with a rich and cosmopolitan history. Mosaics in Kairouan illuminate stories of Roman gods and the inner thoughts of those believers. In the shadow of the colosseum at Al Djem which rivals Rome, you can indulge in Tunisian cuisine while camels saunter past imaging those who attended the games as well as those who fought winning and losing with their lives. However, the best part was being taken around by our charming guide Ghassen, who had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the sites enlightening us with the stories of past lives and history which remains in the psyche of the people of Tunisia today. Fantastic.
Review provided by Viator
Laura_w
Nov 25, 2023
Day in Kairouan and El Jem - Wonderful guide made the experience very informative. I really enjoyed the experience, and was able to see the two sights in depth.
Review provided by Viator
Ana_h
Nov 11, 2023
Fabulous excursion with a Fantastic Guide, Ghassen! - Our tour started immediately when we set foot outside our hotel, where our guide/driver Ghassen awaited us with a huge welcoming smile. He conducted us to his car, a modern, clean, airs-conditioned vehicle equipped with water bottles for the trip. Our first stop was the basins at Kairouan, where the city’s ancient water entrapment/collection system was viewed and explained. Next came the Grand Mosquee, an absolute marvel which inspired all the mosques in the Western world and which incorporated columns taken from Roman structures. Men and women will be lent robes and headscarves here if not properly attired. A visit to a local carpet house and a tour of the stunning Kairouan Medina followed, after which we set off for El Djem. The first stop there was the archaeological museum, where one of the world’s largest collections of Roman mosaics can be seen in a restored Roman Villa. The ruins of several other Roman villas, the paved road to Rome, and Roman sculptures and artifacts can also be seen here. Next came the highlight of the trip, the Colosseum. This is the third largest in the world and visitors can explore the below-ground chambers where gladiators and wild animals were kept, the behind-the-scenes corridors where the organizers managed, and the multiple seating tiers for the audience. I personally could have stayed there all day. We wrapped up our visit with lunch at a cafe directly across from the colosseum; the cheerful owner speaks multiple languages and made us feel at home. There are souvenir shops across from the Colosseum as well, but be sure to haggle the overly high prices down. The drive home took us past one of Tunisia’s largest olive orchards as a bonus. As it was, this day trip was wonderful. Our guide, Ghassen, made our experience spectacular with his detailed knowledge of every place we visited and even just drove past. He was attentive, happy to answer our questions, and always directed us to the spots for the best photos. He was a magnificent guide and I can only hope all my guided tours in Tunisia and elsewhere are just as fantastic as Ghassen was.
Review provided by Viator
K5927krtanyam
Oct 15, 2023
Long time on the coach - We were supposed to be picked up at 6.20 which turned into 6.40, then coach took us to pick up other people from different hotels , we waited 25 minutes for 1 man who couldn’t get up on time, in total over and hour collecting people, then another hour to get to the basins , which are important to Tunisia but not really much to see, very rushed as had to make up time ,then went to the first mosque , very pretty building again rushed ( make sure you cover your knees and shoulders) they will give you something if not. After that back of the coach again , rush to next mosque , you have to walk through a busy market and get free time there say 15 min , then walk to mosque . Again very pretty , but one mosque would be enough if you’re not really into religion. Back on the coach for another hour and half , stop for lunch, Buffett style which was nice, then to El Jem what an amazing place, really beautiful and so worth a trip, you get about an hour and half there, I would of liked longer , on the coach at 2.30 to take you back, the guide was good but , has to say everything in 3 different languages, so you don’t get as much information as you could, if you just wanted to go to el jem , I would get a taxi next time, perfectly safe, and cuts out all the nonsense, All in all way to much time travelling on the coach, but some very pretty buildings
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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