We stayed in La Marsa, a suburb of Tunis, and had space in our itinerary for one daytrip out. Our interests are archaeology, heritage, ruins, so there were several possibilities to choose from. This guided tour of Dougga was truly excellent, very memorable, and is money well-spent. One of the attractive features of this trip was that the pickup was from our hotel, which makes the day more manageable.
Amir was our driver: he spoke good English and fluent French, and was friendly and flexible. His car is safe, air conditioned and comfortable. Departing Tunis, he pointed out a few highlights, such as local markets, and as we went on a Sunday there was less city traffic and made good progress. The 100km (approx. 2 hours) drive to Dougga is mostly on a smooth toll road and there are petrol stations en route for comfort breaks if needed. At the entrance of Dougga is a police checkpoint and Amir ensured we had the correct paperwork.
Our tour guide Monae met us at Dougga: with degrees in archaeology and tourism, 18 years experience and fluent English, we could not have wished for anyone better to show us around. The site of Dougga is much larger and more complex than photos suggest, formerly a town of 7,000-10,000 people (I was reminded of Herculaneum, Italy). Without Monae’s expertise and clear descriptions, we would have missed a great deal. Instead, Monae’s commentary and well-chosen route around the most intriguing features added huge value: the chevrons in the Roman road; the fountain and irrigation system; the many homes and businesses; the terracotta pipes as insulation; the original locations of important mosaics now on display at Bardo Museum; the mausoleum tower with an inscription that helped translate Punic text (now regrettably in the British Museum); the communal Roman loos; the house so wealthy is has its own loo . . . Monae showed and described for us the remains a beautiful courtyard with a garden, murals and mosaics, and explained how adjacent rooms were used. Most of the photos advertising this tour show the impressive temples, baths and theatre – beautifully intact: Monae brought alive the context for us, and the people who occupied these spaces on a daily basis. She answered all our questions and moved at a sensible pace in the 37-degree heat to maximise our time, taking decent photos. We are extremely grateful to her for the brilliant value she added.
After, Amir drove us to a local roadside café for lunch where a lady was making traditional mlawi flatbread on a wood fire, and her husband served them with tuna, eggs, salad, harissa etc as warm wraps. We loved them! This was the best meal we ate during our whole week in Tunisia. We also had fresh fruit. (Make sure to write your dietary needs when booking.)
Lastly, we visited Testour to walk around the historic mosque and Amir pointed out the anticlockwise clock. (Note: tourists do not go inside the mosque and this part of the trip is unguided.) Amir asked if we wanted a break here? So we had mint tea, chatted and people-watched: we were fortunate to see a groom’s party leaving the mosque after his ritual hammam, with music and well-wishers. It is the kind of addition you couldn’t plan for.
Amir dropped us back at our hotel mid-afternoon. (A separate, more expensive version of this trip includes an extension to Bulla Regia, which would have been interesting too. However, we went in August and it would have made the day quite long.) We are so grateful to Amir for his calm, adaptable transportation door-to-door.
Highly recommended and great value. Perfect for couples and small groups of adults. There is very little shade at Dougga: bring extra water, wear SPF 50, and your hat or umbrella.
Amir was such a lovely gentleman. He was incredibly patient with us even when we didn't arrive on time he was still understanding and pleasant. We drove to dougga in a comfortable manner and again Amir was obliging and helped us get cash and we stopped wherever we wanted. The tour of Dougga itself was amazing and we had a really highly informed guide. This was a private tour. i would highly recommend this tour, not only for the reasonable price but for the impeccable way that Amir treated us.