Camel trekking - a great way to see Tunisia's top sights

Tuesday, 21 February 2012 4:48 PM

For an alternative way to see Tunisia's wealth of amazing sights while on a luxury holiday, you ought to book a camel trek. Doing so will give you the chance to explore the country's vast desert areas. as well as see numerous historic landmarks.

The particular destinations you will visit on a tour will depend on where you decide to book Tunisia holidays to; no matter where you go, though, you can rest assured of enjoying a wonderful activity and taking in amazing scenery.

Many excursions set out from the picturesque southern town of Douz, known by many as the 'gateway to the Sahara', and it is well worth spending some time here exploring before embarking on your expedition.

Surrounded by rolling dunes, Douz is the ideal place to stock up on any last-minute supplies you might need before departing, while the bustling market in the heart of the town offers a wonderful array of souvenirs, including leather sandals and Berber jewellery. Just outside the town's limits is the Chott el Jerid salt lake, the sight of which is bound to captivate as you pass by on your camel.

Strolling gently through the Sahara on the back of a majestic mammal, you'll be following in the footsteps of the nomads who used to traverse through the region many hundreds of years ago. Taking in never-ending views of pristine sands during the day, you'll bask in glorious sunshine before retiring in a traditional Bedouin tent for the night under a star-filled sky.

As you'll travel you get to see a wealth of amazing landmarks, including the village of Matmata. Sci-fi fans may find that this looks very familiar to them, as it was used as a film location in the original Star Wars trilogy. Here, you will come across traditional troglodyte homes and find out more about the ancient tribes who live here to this day.
Other amazing sights you can take in include the quaint watering hole of Houzad Erriched and Ksar Ghilane, a stronghold that contains the remains of a Roman fort.

In Tozuer, meanwhile, you can buy a traditional hand-woven carpet as a reminder of your desert adventures, as well as see the stunning El Farkous Mosque and Dar Cherait Museum.

These are just some of the great landmarks that you can see on a desert trek in Tunisia; to discover the rest you will just have to go there yourself.