Savez-vous s'il est possible de visiter les gorges de Selja par un autre moyen que le train lezard rouge, etant donne qu'il n'est pas en operation actuellement?
Au niveau securite, y a-t-il des risques a visiter les oasis de montagne (Chebika, Tamerza, Mides) en ce moment?
Savez-vous s'il est possible de visiter les gorges de Selja par un autre moyen que le train lezard rouge, etant donne qu'il n'est pas en operation actuellement?
Au niveau securite, y a-t-il des risques a visiter les oasis de montagne (Chebika, Tamerza, Mides) en ce moment?
Merci d'avance!
Bonjour, au niveau sécurité tu n'as rien à craindre
Chebika, n'hésite pas à faire le grand tour, ç à d de descendre dans la gorge et monter après la cascade. Actuellement Chebika est très prisée des touristes
Tamerza, la gde cascade avait été amènagé e evec retenue d'eau et nous pouvions nous baigner, hélas ca n'a pas tenue après la crue de l'an dernier, va dans le vieux village en ruine, tu as de magnifique Zaouia
Au niveau de Mides, à l'intersection de la route se rendant à Mides, tu as la patrouille nationnale, ne t'inquiète pas ils surveillent et souvent tu as la visite de la police qui font des tours en quad, nous sommes proche de la frontière Algérienne, donc surveillance ++, Pour t'engager ds le canyon et les gorges tu dois prendre un accompagnateur, tu en trouveras sur place.
Au niveau de Metlaoui la gare pour le lézard rouge est en ruine, le train n'existe plus, au 3ème tunnel les rails sont tombés dans les gorges, c'est très triste, je ne sais pas s'il est possible d'atteindre Selja.
En tout cas je ne peux que t'encourager à venir, le sud Tunisien est fantastique, si tu as besoin de conseils surtout n'hésite pas à poser des questions (je ne vends rien, mais connais très bien, entre autres des endroits inédits du grand public)
Bonjour, merci beaucoup pour cette réponse détaillée!! 🙂
J’ai aussi entendu parler de la piste Rommel, et du canyon de Redeyef...Mais nous devons faire des choix, car nous n’avons que 2 jours pour l’ensemble (avec Sidi Bouhlel aussi). Qu’en penses-tu?
a l ancienne époque il y a une histoire on ne sera jamais la véracité de cette histoire , cela se passe dans cette région un guerrier a brisé avec son épée une partie d un bloc de montagne pour enlever sa compagne , , c est une mythologie , ,
dans ces région du sud , il y a une règle de bienveillance envers l étranger , le voyageur , le touriste . l hospitalité , la sécurité .
vous pouvez voyager , vous promener , vous pouvez camper dans le désert sans aucune crainte
Bonjour, merci beaucoup pour cette réponse détaillée!! 🙂
J’ai aussi entendu parler de la piste Rommel, et du canyon de Redeyef...Mais nous devons faire des choix, car nous n’avons que 2 jours pour l’ensemble (avec Sidi Bouhlel aussi). Qu’en penses-tu?
Toute cette région est fantastique au niveau paysages et ce que te dit Irafik dans son message précédent est vrai, le contact et la relation avec les Tunisiens (Berbères) du Sud sont absolument différents qu'avec les Tunisiens du nord et c'est logique, les vécus ne sont pas pareils, le climat n'a rien à voir.
Peux-tu STP en dire plus (ce n'est pas par curiosité, mais plus pour te conseiller) :
combien de temps restes-tu en Tunisie ?
As-tu une base fixe, et où ?
Tu loues une voiture ? ou fais-tu appel à une agence ?
parceque sur 2 jours (comptes-tu l'acheminement ? ou ce sont 2 jours pleins ??) tu ne pourras pas tout faire
Voici notre itinéraire: Du samedi au dimanche suivant; Arrivée/départ Jerba (première et dernière nuit sur place); 4 nuits à Tozeur; 2 nuits en excursion dans le désert au départ de Douz. On aura une voiture de location pour la semaine. Agence uniquement pour le désert.
Au départ de Tozeur, je prévois si possible:
- Une journée Tozeur/Nefta
- Une journée oasis de montagne + piste Rommel
- Initialement (avant d’apprendre que le train ne fonctionnait pas) une journée gorges de Selja + Sidi Bouhlel. A voir si on peut faire Selja à pieds, en suivant les rails.
Certains recommandent de faire les oasis de montagne avec un guide nommé Farouk/Fathi Ezdeni, pour les découvrir hors des sentiers battus. Je vais le contacter, on verra ce qu’il propose.
Bonjour, et pardon pour le retard à te répondre
tout d'abord :"3am mabrouk" (bonne année)
Par rapport à ton périple, je trouve qu'il est très intéressant
Je vais essayer de t'expliquer plusieures choses :
- la conduite ici, est un peu "hollé-hollé", il faut avoir une attention décuplée, il y a beaucoup de "casse-vitesses" (j'ai une amie Belge, je connais le terme employé), "dos d'âne" ou "gendarmes-couchés ... non indiqués ; le mieux est d'éviter de rouler de nuit
- tu arriveras à Melita (aéroport de Jerba), pour sortir de l'île : 2 possibilités : la chaussée romaine à El Kantara ou le bac reliant Ajim à el Jorf ; actuellement passer par le bac (très souvent que 2 bacs en action) demande d' être très-très patient, c'est une honte ! Nous allons relativement souvent sur le continent, mon mari ça l'énerve d'attendre dans une file interminable d'accès au bac, donc nous prenons la voie romaine systématiquement,
pour te donner un ordre d'îdée : ns cptons 2 heures pour rejoindre Tataouine et 4 pour Kebili
- je te conseille vivement d'oublier la nationale Medenine/Gabes, c'est une 2 voies : bcp bcp de circulation, camions libyens, peugeots surchargées, libyens qui roulent à fond, louages qui doublent en 3ème position (je t'assure que je n'exagère pas, et heureusement qu'il y a des accotements sur la droite pour se déporter)
- à mon avis, le mieux pour rejoindre Douz afin que ce soit un plaisir : est de passer par la voie romaine, direction Tataouine/Medenine, à Medenine ne rentre pas dans la ville mais prends la direction Gabes, tu te feras un peu de nationale, mais seulement 5 à 6 km, à un moment tu verras direction Matmata, tu prends,
c'est ce qu'on appelle el Djebel Dahar (montagne de ce nom), alors tu es tranquille et tu te régales au niveau beauté des paysages, tu fais Toujene, Matmata, (à la sortie prends sur ta gauche direction Tamezret et après direction Douz.
Le Dahar c'est le domaine des ksour et crois moi c'est fantastique, des villages troglodithes
La route de Tamezret à Douz est une ligne droite pas intéressante (environ 70 km), il faut faire attention la route vient d'être refaite, mais il y a des passages très difficiles (ils mettent des buses pour les oueds), en plus parfois : sable en suspension arasant le goudron
- Après ton expérience du désert au départ de Douz, tu devras rejoindre Kebili, traverser le shott el Jerid soit environ 90 km de sel, c'est magnifique.
Puis Tozeur
basée sur Tozeur tu peux faire sans prb (par rapport aux distances) les oasis de montagne,
-Les Oasis de montagne : Chebika essaie d'y aller en fin de matinée (bcp bcp de touristes le matin de bonne heure : expédition des tours operator d'Hammamet et assimilés, vers 14 heures ce sont ceux de Djerba qui se font le tout au pas de course), à Tamerza : la gde cascade est bien sûr à faire, mais le mieux c'est le vieux village avec ses zaouia (à côté de la palmeraie) ; je ne connais pas le guide Farouk dont tu me parles, car ns n'avons pas recours à des guides.
Midès est aussi à faire, et là tu peux te faire le canyon en contre bas du vieux village, vraiment à découvrir avec guide (tte seule : pas possible entre autre frontière Algérienne non loin)
- Nefta (OK tu as les décors de tournage de Star War, perso pas dès plus emballée), la corbeille, ça y est est restaurée (tempête il y a qques années), vraiment à faire : la vieille ville qui est vraiment typique et pas touristique (y aller à pied, surtt pas en voiture, ruelles très-très étroites).
- sur Tozeur : incontournable et jamais ns n'avons rencontrè des touristes : la briqueterie (les petites briques qui ornent les façades des maisons sont fabriquées à la main et cuites dans de nombreux fours, c'est un travail ancestral) ce que nous nommons "briqueterie" en fait c'est un grand terrain avec des fours, les "ouvriers-artistes façonnent et cuisent tout tout est fait à la main, ils travaillent pour eux, la briqueterie se trouve le long de l'ancien golf,
autremant tu as la medina, pas du côté souk pour touristes, mais la vraie medina (quartier Ouled el Hadef) celle que les touristes ne connaissent pas, aucun commerce, que des habitations de tte beauté et des habitants très chaleureux.
Qt à Selja, tu ne peux pas passer en suivant les rails, car après le 3ème tunnel les rails sont tombés en contre bas dans la gorge (cette dernière info date de la 3ème semaine de novembre, peut être que depuis étant donné qu'il y a un plan de "réhabilitation", c'est arrangé, mais j'en doute car le temps en Tunisie "s'étire" et n'a pas la même durée qu'en Europe 😉
Je voudrais visiter les oasis e tamerza, de Mides et de Chebika dans la periode ou les canyons sont pleins d'eau. Quel est le mois ile plus convenable pour…
Merci déjà à toous ceux qui m'ont aidée pouvez vous me dire, comme je pars seule à tozeur comment faire pour visiter les alentours les oasis; le lac etc.. sans…
Nous partons début septembre en Tunisie (sousse) pour 15j, je voulais avoir vos conseils pour les visites, excursions, balade en dromadaires, et les bons…
Est-il possible de visiter des petits producteurs agricoles en Tunisie? J'aimerais visiter de petits producteurs d'olives (et huile d'olive), d'agrume ou de…
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.
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,
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.
Even though I come to Morocco four times a year, it’s been a long time since I’ve made the trip by car. I need to refresh my knowledge! I’ll be traveling in early October. I have a car that’s about 20 years old. The plan is to cross via Algeciras/Ceuta.
A few questions:
1) Does this crossing still exist? If so, do I need to buy the ticket in advance or on the spot? From whom? Any advice is welcome!
2) What documents are required for the car?
3) If anyone is making the trip around the same time, it could be fun to drive together 😊
Hi there,
I’m looking for some friendly recommendations for places to stay in Marrakech for 3 nights in June 2026.
In the meantime, have a great day, everyone! Thanks so much in advance.
