Hotels sympas: hotel Karim à Tozeur, central, confortable, bon accueil et pas cher (25 Dt pour deux avec petit-déj) hotel mabrouk à Tatouine. Très confortable. Un peu cher mais ça vaut le coup en demi-pension (80 Dt pour deux avec petit-dej et un très bon repas du soir). Très bon accueil, personnel super sympa. hotel Sabra à Kairouan. Très bien situé, possibilité de garer sa voiture en bas de l'hotel si on arrive assez tot. Pas cher (25 Dt la nuit pour deux avec petit-dej) mais très bruyant (surtout au 1er étage) et un poil glauque. Bonne adresse quand meme.
On ne conseille pas l'hotel Beauséjour à Ain Draham. Cher pour ce que c'est (40 Dt la nuit pour deux), repas du soir pas très bon. Accueil moyen et chambres tristounettes.
Coups de coeurs: les ksours et les maisons troglodytes, surtout Ksar Ouled Sultane et Douiret. Sidi Bou Said malgré le fait que c'est trèèèèèès touristique. Bizerte. Beaucoup de charme pour le port et la médina. Pas trop touristique. Kairouan. Là aussi très touristique mais ça vaut le coup quand meme. on peut faire de vrais affaires sur les tapis (d'après ma femme qui vient de djerba donc connait un peu les prix et ce qu'on peut trouver). Diviser les prix par 2 sans probleme pour les tapis. marché de douz (uniquement le jeudi je crois). Pas très grand mais très sympa.
Sympa sans plus: cap bon: Korbous sans grand intéret. Les carrières puniques et le cap à proprement parler sont intéressants tout au nord. Kerkouane moyennement intéressant. Par contre on se régale pour ceux qui aiment le poisson. ain draham: jolis forets et paysages mais c'est mort. Ambiance un peu froide. Tozeur: la palmeraie est magnifique mais à part ça vraiment rien à faire d'intéressant. Le musée est sans intéret et très cher et son café une vraie arnaque.
Pas sympa: Tabarka. Moche et sans intéret. Des dizaines d'hotels fermés (voire désaffectés), en tous cas fin Avril. les 4x4 de touristes pour faire de la route goudronnée... la route de tataouine à Kairouan: longue et chiante. les tunisiens qui sifflent ou interpellent la voiture ou font des bisous à distance quand c'est une femme qui conduit... Pas bien méchant mais franchement déagréable au bout d'un moment.
bonjour et merci à tous les deux pour ce recit très instructif..................😉
nous partons vendredi pour djerba, où nous aimerions louer une a deux voitures ( nous sommes 8 ) afin de se rendre sur tozeur, en passant bien sur par matmata et le shott..... j'espere que deux jours suffiront????
par contre l'hotel Karim à Tozeur nous interresse, vos aviez reservé? y a t il de la place pour 8 personnes??? quel confort disposiez-vous??
On avait réservé nulle part, en fait les hotels étaient tous à moitié vides. En plus vous serez en dehors des vacances scolaires donc pas de soucis. L'hotel karim est confortable mais c'est pas le palace. ça dépend de ce que tu cherches. Enfin il y a quand meme la salle de bain dans la chambre et un joli patio fleuri, c'est propre, mais c'est rustique.
De Djerba à Tozeur c'est assez long, je dirais au moins 5 à 6 heures de route. Comme je le disais pour nous, une journée à Tozeur a suffit mais ça dépend des gens. Passez plus de temps autour de matmata et tataouine (la région des ksours). C'est beaucoup plus intéressant d'après moi. Matmata et le chott sont sur le chemin, pas tataouine qui est nettement plus au sud. Pour matmata, deux heures suffisent c'est chouette mais y a pas non plus des tonnes de trucs à voir. Par contre autour de tatatouine tu peux passer 2 jours sans problemes
Cela dit en 2 jours vous risquez de faire beaucoup de route (route pas très intéressante sauf aux alentours de matmata).
Si je peux donner un conseil, allez seulement à tataouine. Seulement 2 heures de route, donc vous passerez 2 jours peinards dans une superbe région.
Cela dit si vous ne connaissez pas le sahara, tozeur c'est chouette quand meme (la palmeraie et le chott) mais faut pas s'attendre à voir des dunes ou à se sentir vraiment dans le désert.
Juste ce petit mot pour informer que le Sahara reste à découvrir sur le territoire très vaste de l'Algérie (ergs, regs, tassilis, etc, etc... à profusion !!!) !
merci à toi pour tes infos,
effectivement on ne connait pas le desert et je pense que l'on va en prendre plein les yeux...........on ne cherche pas les palaces mais des endroits propres, donc le karim nous ira très si en plus il a la salle de bain dans la chambre c'est le luxe.......j'espère que l'on trouvera cet hotel facilement..
😉 il nous reste plus que les voitures à louer et tout est ok..... il me tarde d'y être.
merci à toi lili, l'algérie c'est toute une histoire pour moi si tu savais..........😉 peut être la prochaine fois inchallah, je ne manquerai pas de contacter des personnes aussi passionnée que toi; salam alikoum a rhoya.
L'hôtel Karim : tél 76 454 574. Je voulais te confirmer que l'hôtel El Amen a aussi des salles de bains privées dans les chambres. Ils sont tous les 2 dans le même quartier. Karim sur la grande rue, peut-être un peu plus bruyant mais plus facile à trouver.
Le mieux, c'est de demander à visiter les chambres quand tu arrives, et là tu choisis en connaissance.
Merci à ZeBadGuy pour toutes ses infos ainsi que pour le message en MP.
merci encore à toi MRAISSA,
vraiment gentil ton message, j'en prends bonne note, j'ai fais des copier-coller de toutes vos aides et je les emporte avec nous.
à bientôt
Si le but est de découvrir le sahara ce n'est pas en tunisie qu'il faut aller mais au maroc, en mauritanie ou en algérie (en lybie aussi mais je connais pas). Effectivement les tassilis algériens c'est à couper le souffle !! 🙂
ça ne veut pas dire que la tunisie n'est pas un beau pays mais au niveau désert c'est incomparable avec ces pays.
Nous sommes revenus de djerba samedi.Nous avons fait le désert, à savoir que la route est goudronnée depuis peu jusqu'à Ksar Guilaine (portes du désert)Là possibilité de faire du 4*4 et du dromadaire.
Nous avons fait également matmata et tataouine .Surtout de pas oublier de s'arrêter dans les houches ou de vieilles femmes vous serviront du thé avec du pain fait maison.
A djerba aller à guellala, village de poteries ou la vie semble s'etre arretée.
Bref plein de choses à voir surtout si vous sortez des sentiers touristiques
location de voiture 1 semaine hertz (250€)
Bonjour tu as peu être raison....Moi je suis mi tunisien mi francais et je convie tout le monde à visiter le pays....Il est magnifique, dépaysant a fond et la palme revient au Sud....On se doit de visiter Tozeur, Nefta, Tamerza et Mides ( Tamerza c est extra mais vraiment extra...) Le lezard rouge est incontournable...Ensuite, la tarverséé du chott est sympa pour rejoindre Doux par ex Et Zaafrane....D autres endroits sont terribles :
mathmata, tataouine, ksar ouled soltane, ksarr ghilane, chenini et Douiret et pour les tres courageux qui peuvent avoir autorisation : Bir Pistor qui est tres méconnu....Voilà a+
Peut-on recommander a des touristes l'ALGERIE? le desert? etc . la securité et la prudence me semblent a prendre en considération ; Le proverbe dit 1 personne avertie EN vaut 2. qUE certains ne repondent pas "mais non aucun risques" se serait encore une inexactitude, j'ai une amie francaise qui a sa famille la bas et qui vient de les recevoir chez elle, les recits sont alarmants, il ne faut dire que c'est partout, mais dans la plupart des "villages eloignes" il y a des mouvements belliqueux idem pour certaine population;Informez-vous avons de partir dans n'importe quel coin du desert algerien....toi qui vit en ALGERIE quelle réponse !!!!
Ne pas oublier non plus les dessins rupestres du Hoggard et du Tassili, remontant à l'âge de la pierre, qui montrent l'origine du désert qui était en fait, une jungle avec fleuves, lacs, forêts denses où se cotoyaient lions, éléphants, tigres..
Je ne suis pas tout à fait d'accord avec toi à propos de Tabarka.
Il est vrai que la ville n'est pas terrible et plutôt sale, mais l'environnement aux alentours est superbe. Avec ses montagnes couvertes de chênes-lièges plongeant dans la mer, ainsi que sa presqu'ile et sa tour génoise, le paysage ressemble à la Corse.
Cette ville vit surtout l'été et reçoit essentiellement des touristes tunisiens, ce qui explique qu'il y ait peu de monde hors saison.
Après Hammamet, Djerba, Sousse-Monastir, c'est une nouvelle destination que le gouvernement tente de développer.
bonjour si vous connaissez la tunisie vous avez peut etre un conseil a me donner j'ai passer une semaine du 08/au15/07 a l'hotel le paladuim djerba pas de problemes avec l'hotel tres correct par contre une navette partait gratuitement de l'hotel pour nous amener à HOUMT SOUK avec visite de fabrique de tapis une personne de l'hotel faisait le guide et nous a emmener visiter la fafrique nous avons acheter un tapis 800e qui devait etre livrer sous 2a 3 semaines rien reçu depuis faut il encore esperer ou quel recours j'ai droit merçi de vos reponses
Depuit Juillet 2006 ?!!!! si c'est le cas je pense que tu as du retard de reaction. une amie a eu le même probléme avec un vendeur de Tapis à Djerba. elle a fait intervenir l'ambassade française pour avoir gain de cause ! un diplomate lui a raconté que ce genre de cas compte en centaines par an, il lui raconte que d'autres recoivent des tapis mais pas ceux qu'ils ont payé mais d'autres que le vendeur de tapis a choisi à leurs place !
desole je voulai mettre l'annee et j'avais oublier le mois ce soir j'ai eu des nouvelles en contactant l'hotel par l'agence le fabricant de tapis m'a dit que le tapis a pris l'avion le 30 mai l'a fois d'avant IL M4AVAIT DIT le 22 OU 24 ce soir il doit m'envoyer par email la preuve qu'il est parti le 30 son bordereau d'envoi si je ne le reçois pas il me garanti que je vais etre rembourser l'hotel a meme appeller pou savoir si il nous avait contacter j'espere que l'on va quand meme le recevoir
I’m heading back to Egypt for the first time in 30 years this July. Last time, I was 20, and we spent two weeks traveling on a shoestring as backpackers.
I’m wondering about a "cruise" on a felucca from Aswan—mainly to avoid being stuck in an air-conditioned tourist bubble (we’re already spending our first week in that setting with our diving club). We’d like to explore the most interesting stretch of the Nile between Aswan and Luxor. Do you have any thoughts on this option, tips, or maybe some contacts?
Hello, my husband and I will be in Egypt this coming November. Cairo seems more challenging to explore without a guide, and we’ll be there for 3 full days. Would anyone have the name of a guide?
Thanks!
Hi, we're looking for a guide to show us around Essaouira.
We're 11 adults and don't want to go through an agency. If you have a contact to help us discover this city, that would be great!
Thanks
I was wondering if it’s possible to join a group as a solo traveler with local agencies in Djanet for circuits like Tadrart, Essendilene, Sefar, or Tassili?
If you have any agencies to recommend, I’d love to hear about them.
I didn’t find any info on the forum.
Best,
Here’s a first draft for a 14-night itinerary during the Christmas break with two teens. We’re especially fond of hiking (nothing too extreme, though), which is why we’re drawn to the south.
- Marrakech (2 nights)
- Aït Ben Haddou (1 night)
- Dadès (3 nights, though we’re thinking of doing a day trip to the Todra Gorge on one of those days)
- M'hamid (1 night)
- Erg Chigaga (1 night)
- 4 nights to slot in
- Marrakech (2 nights)
Okay, I realize this involves a lot of driving, and we’re still debating the return route since we’d like to avoid the Tichka Pass in January, but going through Taroudant seems like it would add *a lot* of time. 😕
If you’ve got other suggestions for an itinerary with great hikes, I’m all ears!
Also, the 4 nights total in MRK isn’t really our preference, but since we’re arriving/departing super early from overseas, we’d like to be a bit rested before the long flight.
Another question:
For hikes (aside from the desert one), is it better to have a guide with us, or are the trails well-marked?
Hi everyone,
Our trip to Morocco will be from November 3 to 17, in the High Atlas.
Basically, our route would be:
Marrakech - Aït Benhaddou
Skoura - Tinghir - Merzouga
Merzouga via the N12 to Zagora
Zagora - Draa Valley - Marrakech
It seems to be the low season, so I’d love to travel without having to book accommodations in advance. In other countries, pre-booking has restricted us and kept us from visiting unplanned sites. Freedom is important to us, but I’d also like to avoid arriving somewhere and finding nothing available.
What do you recommend? Book ahead or not?
Your advice is always helpful, and thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this for me.
Roberto
First of all: a big thank you to everyone whose insightful, funny, lively, and exotic posts we’ve enjoyed. It’s a joy to find such lovely writers on this forum, who’ve given me tons of ideas and addresses to prepare our trip.
Our plan: to explore Morocco from November 2nd to December 4th. We’ll have our own vehicle (a 2011 Renault Grand Scenic, in great condition), shipped with us from Sète to Tanger Med. Returning from Nador.
Our profile: 75 and 62 years young, so old but happy to be, in very good health. Seasoned travelers—it’s practically our whole life. Lovers of beautiful landscapes, historic sites, fine craftsmanship, and road trips. This will be my 3rd trip to Morocco, but the first two were 20 and 17 years ago. I’ve never been north of the Essaouira-Marrakech line (though I’ve gone further south). As for my husband, a lifelong expat including in Muslim countries, it’s his first time in Morocco.
He’s the one driving. He’s very experienced, cautious, not necessarily fast, but used to driving in all conditions (and countries, including the most creative on the road). But I don’t want to tire him out, and he no longer drives at night (and we’ll be there in November).
I’ve decided to show him a bit of everything by taking a road trip along beautiful backroads, with daily distances averaging 180-200 km (except on highways, which will be rare), regularly broken up by rest days. I’m counting on a speed of 40-50 km/h, plus stops/visits along the way.
Since I’ve read so many posts, I’ve narrowed it down to some very specific questions.
1) Coming directly from Rabat via the highway, we’d prefer to skip Marrakech*. Still, we’ll need to sleep somewhere nearby. We’ll head toward Skoura the next day. Does anyone have a well-located address for this route, possibly east of Marrakech? Ideally, we’re looking for a small town, easy parking, clean accommodation (minimum) with average comfort (or better if available), a bit heated, and if possible, pretty and/or nice—but above all, a place to sleep well, wash with lukewarm (ideally hot) water, and have a decent dinner.
(*Explanation for the "no-go" in Marrakech: it’s a shame, because there are truly beautiful things in this city, but I think the vibe won’t suit us—it’s an understatement for "it’ll put us off" / "make us flee" / "traumatize us." Not because it’s too crowded and we want to stand out from tourists (we’re part of them), but because of forced henna on your hand, or spending 10 minutes every quarter-hour saying "no thank you" to a "guide" who’s as much a guide as I am a trapeze artist. Knowing us, it’ll wear us down. The country is vast and beautiful, and our time too short to waste our memories just days after arriving. And I don’t want to ruin things for my peaceful husband, or he’ll demand we turn back—and Sète in November isn’t exactly thrilling either.)
2) Which route to Skoura (in 2 days)? I see two options: either via the Tichka Pass, with a night in Telouet before reaching Skoura, or via the R307/N23 from Demnate, with a night near Megdaz before descending to Skoura. So: Tichka Pass or R307/N23? I have a slight (big) preference for the second option, even though I know the other route is very beautiful too. Of course, before deciding, we’ll check the weather and the current state of the R307/N23—does anyone know where to get info on the road conditions? But even assuming the road is "passable," is it a bit too tough in itself? In short, is it reasonable? If a kind soul could share their experience, a thousand thanks in advance.
That’s all I’ve written for now. I’ll save the other questions for later posts. Thanks again to those who had the patience to read this and to those who can respond. Happy Sunday to all!
I’m just a few days away from my trip to Marrakech—I’m leaving from November 13th to 20th and bringing my parents along! I’d love to plan my stay as best as I can, and I’m sure the forum crew can help. So, here are my questions:
- Where’s the best place to exchange money without getting ripped off? The owner of the riad where we’re staying told us to avoid doing it at the airport because it’s really expensive and to do it in the medina instead, near Jemaa el-Fna square.
- Which traditional hammams do you recommend that are reasonably priced? How much should we budget for one? That’ll help me plan my expenses.
- What are some nice restaurants in the medina?
- I’d also like to know roughly how much to expect for a tea, a meal, a taxi, a djellaba, and babouches. I don’t want to get overcharged and would like to know what to expect.
- What are the must-do activities and places to visit?
Hi, I’d like to head to Morocco next week with my car. I’ve looked online at all the different info about the ferry crossing to Tangier, but I’m finding it really expensive. Is there a way to buy tickets in Spain? Or another way to get the Algeciras–Tangier crossing cheaper? Thanks for any tips or info!
We found a guide who offers the trip from M'hamid to a camp (departure at 3 PM, tea, meal, camel ride, overnight stay, breakfast, and return to M'Hamid by 11 AM the next day via the sacred oasis). He quoted us a price of 380 € for April.
What do you think of this rate?
This might sound like a silly question, but is it common to negotiate the price for this kind of thing (we're booking from France)? It’s still a big part of our travel budget.
Hi there,
We're planning to visit Egypt between January 25 and February 15, 2027. I looked up the Ramadan dates and found some sites saying it starts on February 8, while others say February 18... Where's the mistake?
Thanks,
Christian
Hi there,
We’re a family of 4 with two boys aged 12 and 10 traveling to Egypt in February.
We’re spending 3 days in Cairo to take our time exploring the city and the sites before heading south.
-Is it necessary to have a guide to visit the GEM? Are audio guides available?
-Do you have any contacts for drivers to organize a few transfers (Giza, Saqqara, Airport)?
-Do you know a French-speaking guide who’s friendly, family-friendly, and good at making things exciting, with reasonable prices?
With our two teens, we’re heading to Morocco for two weeks at the end of December and beginning of January. It’ll be our first trip that’s more "off the beaten path," even though we’ve visited several countries before. Given the overwhelming amount of info, I’m feeling a bit swamped with the prep this trip requires, and I’ll admit I’m a little lost when it comes to figuring out what’s realistic to visit in two weeks 😕 So, all your tips, personal experiences, and suggestions are more than welcome!
- Which places should we prioritize during this time of year? (I’ve read that some spots are less accessible in winter?)
- What’s the best way to get around? (rental car, train, private transport, buses, etc.? — just a heads-up, we’ll have a few suitcases!)
- In terms of "safety," are there any areas to avoid?
- Any recommendations for reliable local tour companies (beyond the big names like "Get Your Guide") that offer excursions or private transport to help us explore the country?
- A doable 2-week itinerary that lets us enjoy the country’s diversity without having to change accommodations every two days?
I’m planning a trip to the High Atlas in Morocco and have a few questions for you:
- Why do so many people recommend avoiding international agencies for car rentals? Can anyone explain why?
- Is Booking.com reliable, and has anyone rented a vehicle through their service? There’s a pretty big price difference compared to local Moroccan agencies.
- Is there a detailed road map included in the rental car?
- Is Google Maps enough to get around the High Atlas? This will be my first trip there.
Thanks so much to anyone who can help with this destination I’ve been dreaming about for years.
Have a great evening,
Roberto
hi there, I’m heading to Tunisia 🙂 from April 27 to May 8 with my family. I’ve read through the various discussions about the country, but I’m still a bit unsure🤪: for currency exchange, I saw on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that withdrawing currency with a bank card from ATMs is limited to 200 TND per week. There are four of us traveling by car, so that might be a bit tight! And it’s a hassle to carry a lot of cash, even if I’m not being paranoid! What do you all recommend?
Cheers,
Laurent.
We're planning a 2-week trip in late February/early March for a road trip in the High Atlas with a rental car, and we'd love to avoid booking our accommodations in advance. Is that doable, easily manageable, or risky (are accommodations available, expensive, or not great)? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi,
This autumn, we’re planning to explore the Oriental region and we’re wondering where the best place to land would be. We’ll have three weeks ahead of us and we’ll be renting a car.
Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Is there an official website or list of certified Egyptologist guides in Egypt? And most importantly, what are the normal prices for a full day or half day? There’s so much scamming and crazy pricing—depending on who you contact, it can range from simple to quadruple!!!!
Thanks
Hello,
In September, my wife and I, along with another couple, will be traveling to Tunisia and staying at the Sheherasade Hotel near Sousse.
We’d love to hear your recommendations or tips on places to visit, as well as advice on taxis or other transportation options.
Thanks in advance!
This autumn’s trip should be in Morocco—barring any geopolitical issues between now and then.
After many trips to the south of Fès, I’m giving the north a try.
My plan is roughly to do a road trip loop from Rabat back to Rabat, passing through Asilah, Tangier, Tétouan, Chefchaouen, Akchour, Fès, Meknès, and Volubilis.
That’s a lot of cities.
Probably a bit too many for our taste—we usually prefer more isolated spots...
So I’m looking for tips on little backroads, secluded beaches, half-day hikes, and offbeat places.
If you’ve also got recommendations for accommodation... (We’re open to splurging over 100 € if it’s a real favorite.)
Feel free to think outside the box—this is an open-ended plan! !😉
Hello,
I’m looking for testimonials from Pieds-Noirs who have recently returned to Algeria.
There can’t be many left after 65 years of the country’s independence.
I’m planning to go back myself soon to reconnect with my roots... before I pass away...
I’ve started making a few pre-bookings for hotels and apartments to rent in Algiers. At first, I received friendly and welcoming responses. Then, when I mentioned I wanted to stay for two or three weeks—maybe even a month—explaining that my trip wouldn’t be strictly touristy but more of a pilgrimage to the places of my childhood, and that it would likely be a very emotional journey, I expected a positive and warm reaction to my approach. Instead, I suddenly stopped getting replies from the three or four people I’d contacted. So now I’m wondering about the reception former Pieds-Noirs can expect...
Anyone here who can share their experience of returning? I specified “recently” because it seems that right now, diplomatic relations between the two governments are extremely tense, not to say hostile... even if Macron claims otherwise...
Hello,
I’m traveling to Algeria from October 27 to November 16, 2026.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through the process about the accommodation attestation required for the visa application:
- Does it need to cover the entire duration of the trip?
- Is this document mandatory for a hotel to rent a room?
- Is it checked during inspections?
- Is a hotel booking (e.g., via Booking.com) sufficient for the visa?
- If so, does it need to be paid in advance?
I plan to visit several cities and do one or more treks with a guide or agency.
If you have any contacts you’d recommend, I’d be grateful!
Also, I’d love to share this trip with a companion who’s already done some traveling.
We’d organize the journey together, of course.
Thanks for your feedback!
Safe travels to all,
Dom, Dijon, 64 years old
I’m leaving for Tunisia in five weeks for a full 15-day trip. I’ll be arriving in Monastir and departing from there as well.
I’d like to do a route that’s a bit different from my first stay, which was more focused on cities and culture (Tunis, Sousse, Kairouan, El Jem).
I’ll be getting around by public transport.
I’d like to head south toward Tozeur, and I saw that you can take a *louage* from Monastir to Sbeitla (2h30). I imagine it’s not too complicated to get to Tozeur from there afterward? The issue is the return trip to Monastir and safety in Sbeitla.
If this route seems too complicated, I might opt for Djerba instead, which looks simpler.
I’m heading to Morocco in September 2026, and part of my trip takes me through Merzouga. I’m looking for a 4x4 driver-guide to explore the area with my partner and me.
