Hike Desert, Canyons and Berber Villages in Tunisia

We began in the Berber town of Douriet, abandoned in the 1990s. Arriving late at night, we could barely see the guesthouse door, but at dawn the entire town and valley magically appeared in breathtaking light — absolutely worth waking up before breakfast. With a local guide, we explored the old olive press, the mosque, and traditional dwellings carved into the landscape, imagining the town once alive. It reminded me of Matera in Italy, near my hometown. The hikes were varied and exciting: a mix of terrains including some scrambling in Zammour, walking barefoot in the desert of the Grand Erg Oriental, and navigating the canyon of Sidi Bouhlel. Other highlights included the Seven Sleepers Mosque, Ksar Hallouf, and the oasis town of Tozeur. If possible, add a day or two to make the most of being in Tunisia — I added a day in Tunis to visit the medina. I’m quite particular about food and usually rely on finding simple options myself during group tours, but Ahmed, our guide, was exceptionally committed to making sure I had meals I enjoyed — far more attentive than I’ve experienced on similar trips. The transfers on the first and last days are long (5–6 hours), but the bus is very comfortable — just bring a book or laptop. Fathi, the driver, was friendly and easygoing throughout. Overall, a beautifully designed itinerary with diverse landscapes that made every day unique and inspiring.

This was my 5th MBA trip — and it definitely didn’t disappoint. I had a fantastic week with a great group of people, staying active while discovering the real Tunisia.

A big thank you to our guide, Ahmed, who was excellent throughout. He took great care of the group, made sure everything ran smoothly, and kept the atmosphere relaxed and enjoyable.

A special mention as well to our driver, Fathi, who did a wonderful job and always had a warm smile.

The accommodation was full of character, the food was plentiful and very good (I’m a veggie) and the whole trip was very well organised. It offered a good balance of activities and downtime.

If you’re looking to spend a week in beautiful weather, hiking through impressive landscapes and learning more about what Tunisia has to offer, I would highly recommend this trip.

Great week hiking and exploring the varied scenery, with a great group of people and an excellent guide.

I’m a repeat MBA traveler, and this trip ranks right up there with the best of them. As always, everything was exceptionally well organized and smoothly executed. Communication before and during the trip was clear and consistent, the staff were friendly and empathetic, and the group was full of like-minded trekkers. The itinerary offered a wonderful mix of culture, history, and hiking.

Our guide, Ahmed, was outstanding. He truly had our backs from start to finish and consistently went above and beyond to ensure we were well cared for every step of the way—all while keeping the atmosphere light and fun. A special thanks as well to our driver, Ali. Not only was he excellent at his job, but he always had a smile and was a pleasure to get to know.

I also added three days at the beginning of the trip, and that turned out to be a fantastic decision. I spent a day exploring Tunis (the Medina, Carthage, the Bardo Museum, and Sidi Bou Said), a day in Dougga—which is a must, in my opinion—and a day visiting El Jem. Houssem at MBA was incredibly helpful in arranging these extra days, and I thoroughly enjoyed touring with guides Anas and Ahmed.

A wonderful week in Tunisia with a friendly group, beautiful views, and lots of good food. Just the right balance of hiking and culture. Big thanks to Ahmed who did a great job and to the local guides Abdel Magid & Fathy in Douz who led us during a sandstorm!

This was my first MBA trip. The itinerary was well organised and the accommodation really special! The scenery was beautiful and history was fascinating. As someone who doesn't hike often (but weight trains) I found the intensity fine. The food was plentiful and delicious!

I particularly enjoyed the days spent in the Sahara desert. After experiencing the challenge of a sandstorm, we enjoyed the most beautiful clear night sky with shooting stars. We had a great group and our guide Ahmed was fun, and dedicated to our wellbeing and went the extra mile, particularly in catering for different dietary requirements in the group, ordering extra harissa(!) and organising birthday cakes! I would recommend adding some extra time to for independent travel around other parts if possible (e. g. Tunis, Carthage, El Jem, Kairouan). Make sure you take layers in the winter, as in the night, particularly in the north of the country it can get cold (I went in February).

My first MBA trip made a positive impression. All the front end was convenient and easy to navigate and the trip itself, booked last minute, went without hitch. The tour company communicated well and the trip leader was both likeable and very capable. In terms of content the only suggestions would be to add a night at the start and finish to take in, for example, El Jem / Mahdia / Kairouan.

Very relaxing, with everything organised for us. Much simpler than navigating Tunisia ourselves. Enjoyable hikes although I would have been happy if they were a little more challenging.

Ahmed put a lot of effort into making us feel comfortable and organising the trip for us, dealing with any issues that came up very well.

Lots of attention to dietary requirements appreciated, however the vegan option was sometimes much smaller. Eggs and tuna feature heavily in Tunisian food!

This was my first organised hiking holiday so I wasn't sure what to expect but the trip was better than I had imagined. The days were were well-filled but not pressurised, and the hikes were generally excellent but not too long or difficult for someone who is reasonably fit. I wanted them to be reasonably strenuous and they were. The variety of accommodation was interesting. We enjoyed the troglodyte rooms - cut into the cliff, being snug in the small tents out in the Sahara, and enjoying the luxurious bathroom in the riad. The trip was well-organised with special diets carefully catered for. Despite what it says in the notes, the food provided was not particularly spicy! So, overall, this was an excellent experience which I would highly recommend.

A great mix of accommodation and terrains for hiking. Two long transfer days but this didn’t detract from the experience. Whilst hiking is classed as moderate, it was worth noting that some elements were quite technical and your need a good for heights on a couple of the sections. Packing list was not specific enough for the cold night temperatures.

The hiking was varied, from desert to dunes and canyons and a great way to see a different side to the country. Some of the travel days were longer than anticipated once rest stops were added in but the transport was comfortable and the roads good. One word of warning if travelling in the winter - it can be very cold particularly at night so layer up appropriately

A really well organised trip with activities that showcased Southern Tunisia well. Xmas night meal/wild camp in the Sahara was a standout.

A very different hiking trail compared to the ones I usually do. Hiking through the sand dunes and the wild camping experience were the highlights for me. The rest of the landscape and viewpoints were somewhat similar to the hikes. The guides were very helpful, and I enjoyed the trip throughout.

Awesome hiking and views. Accomodating leader. If booking in winter months be prepared for it to be very cold at night!!

Explicit detail around the heating of accommodation is needed. The tents for the wild camping need to zip up, none of them completely closed. The two day guide for the walks was great, a real ambassador, he made a huge effort. Our guide for the whole tour would benefit from a screen detox and although helpful when approached, perhaps could engage more. The second accommodation needs to be removed, it looks nice but it really missed the mark in cleanliness and quality of the food.

The tour was well-organised and offered a lot of variety—different landscapes every day. The accommodations were cool and unique, though it was pretty cold in December, especially without heating in most places.

One thing to note: the driving time was longer than stated in the itinerary. Day 1 was over 7 hours with short lunch and toilet stops, so we didn’t get to our guest house until after 8 PM. Definitely come prepared for long drives with snacks and entertainment!

The hiking was mostly flat, but some scrambling was needed. The wind made it tougher, like a natural workout! Overall, a great trip, but be ready for cold weather in December and long drives on a couple of days.

What a wonderful trip - I loved the varied landscapes and accommodation. Be warned if you’re travelling in December - it was cold with a bitter wind when walking and the nights were also cold. Take lots of layers. I took my own sleeping bag, which I was grateful for, especially with the night wild camping as the duvets and sleeping bags provided were not very clean.

Great trip that gives you the opportunity to see authentic Tunisia. Hiking in the south through the mountains and remote Berber settlements we saw no other tourists. But bear in mind the local guesthouses do not have heating and it was very cold! Pack thermals and lots of warm clothes if doing this trip in winter. You won’t need shorts and T-shirts!

A long time ago in a Galaxy far, far away. . . . . . . a band of plucky Rebels ventured South escaping from the Empire of package holidays in the North.

This is not a Star Wars tour but with so many locations from the films in close proximity it's easy for fans to indulge. Our fantastic guide Ahmed arranging some extra stops for those needing to experience the Force.

You do feel quite the oddity arriving amongst the package holiday makers in your hiking boots but once whisked away to the south you leave all that behind you! The hikes were comfortable with a little scrambling at times but nothing technical and the terrain varied from rugged canyons to hiking barefoot in the sand dunes.

The real treat was the variety of the accomodation, rustic but so unique from cave dwellings to tents amongst the dunes under the Milky Way. The nights at Dunes Insolites and the wild camp an absolute highlight.

Whilst overall a fantastic trip with a brilliant group of like minded travellers it's worth being aware that the drive to the south (and then back again) are long. 5 hours on the itinerary but factoring in for rest stops its more like 7. That, and the fact the final two nights accomodation meant the group was split were the only slight downers on an otherwise amazing week

We hiked in dramatic, varied and and unusual landscapes and learned some interesting history. The accommodation on the tour was quite unique and it was lovely to spend the night in the beautiful riad after the wild - camping night in the desert.

Ahmed was a great guide and was very well organised.

Some of the restaurants could have catered for vegetarians a bit better as often the meat had simply been removed with no replacement.

Overall a great trip and highly recommended.

Great adventure to Tunisia! Guides were brilliant, our driver was really good. The only negative I have is the riad second from last day, we were put into two different ones although the same company one was definitely better than the other and we felt it wasn’t quite luxurious as it was made out to be. The hiking was incredible as were the views. Thankyou

Would thoroughly recommend, some accommodations and meals a little basic, but at the level expected for a remote trip like this. Great company and wonderful surroundings, like Ronseal “it does what it says on the tin”.

A great adventure, really well organised and an amazing look into the lives of the Berber in this part of the world. Stunning scenery and a great bunch of like minded team mates

From sleeping in caves, in the desert to fantastic riads this trip covers them all. The hiking also encompasses a big variety of landscapes from rocky canyons to flat deserts.

Thanks to Ahmed and the team for looking after us so well as we hiked trough a different setting everyday. Waking up and seeing the Berber village after our first night in the caves was the best start to the trip. With the absolute highlight being the desert trek with the camels and spending the night under the stars - it was incredible. We could never have discovered such authentic local experiences if travelling alone. We’re already looking at where our next MBA trip will take us.

I have travelled many times to the continent of Africa, but this was my first experience of Tunisia. Once away from the busy airport and driving down into the south, Tunisia is a beautiful country. If you love hiking through beautiful and striking landscapes, culture and history then this trip has those in abundance. The night out in the desert under the stars was amazing. Our group huddled around the campfire watching our wonderful camel drivers prepare our delicious dinner- a core memory of the trip! The accommodation was a mixture of rustic, traditional and then a couple of nights in very charming guesthouses and bring your swimming costume for a swim in the pool! The group was awesome, we had a great time together.

We had the most amazing trip bouncing through Tunisia. I cannot fault a single thing. Very well organised. Our driver and guide were both cheerful and couldn’t help us enough. Nothing was too much for them. I received almost daily emails in the week approaching the start to make sure everything was ok, we didn’t have any questions and that we knew what we were doing, how and where. I can’t recommend this enough. It’s an experience I will never forget.

Overall the adventure was informative, distance on specific days could have been extended. It covered some good aspects of the berber villages/history🙏 A pleasurable experience 🙏

Fantastic exploration of southern Tunisia , with rewarding hikes , scenic views and unique accommodations. Our local host Ahmed was very gracious, thoughtful , and especially attentive to various dietary restrictions of the group 10/10.

Recommend adjusting breakfast portions as some days it was quite light, would consider bringing more snacks and protein bars