Tunisia

[Astbury]

we are off to Tunisia in September for 3 weeks, does anyone have any tips or information about must see places and dont bother places to go?

I hope that the Chott El Jerid is dry enough to drive over, I hear stories about people getting stuck and other driving out into the 5000sq km of salt flats. it should be very hot in Speptember so hope it will be possible.

C

[ROB 110 HICAP]

Lucky boy, you sure get around!

I went there on a 10day trip in '96. Highlights for me were the Chott as you mentioned (but a whole lot of nothing!). Dougga in the north has impressive Roman ruins with mosaics still sitting where they were laid, nice amphithetare overlooking thge valley below. El Djem has a colleseum to rival the one in Rome. There is another good Roman site near Kasserine but can't remember it now. These places were empty of tourists and amazing to experience like that. El Kef I seem to remember being a bit mountainous. Lots of battles with Rommel around there, if you've read Spike Milligans war diaries.

Went to the island of Jerba and enjoyed staying in an old courtyarded hotel, its got a desert island feel with some dunes and flamingos, its the Island of the Lotus Eaters, if you're into your 'classics'.

Further south there is the underground houses around Matmata where some of Star Wars was filmed and beyond dunes south of Ramada. Tozeur around the Chott is a good oasis town. There are some good canyons and wadis around Tozeur.

Unfortunately the coast was seeing a big increase in tourist hotels, especially around Sousse, Monastir and Sfax is an industrial city/dump. We didn't go to Tunis or the north coast. Nice friendly people and French is widely spoken. Main street in every town is Avenue Bourguiba after some national hero, most banks and post offices will be near it, so can be worth asking for.

Brik a l'eouf was our favourite cafe snack (crispy deep fried omelette) and water melon bought off the roadside never tasted so fresh.

Hope this helps.

[Astbury]

Great information and thanks! it is open space that were looking for exactly the opposite of what we have here in little Switzerland, we always try to get away from the people! Spending a few nights without being able to see or meet anyonoe is always good!

What was the furthest point south you went?

If all goes well this year and the Landy holds together we will be off to Muritainia or maybe if we are lucky shipping the Landy out to Argentina (will have to be very lucky to pull that one off though!!)

Cheers

C

[ROB 110 HICAP]

We got to Ramada but not into the dunes proper as we were only backpacking and relying on Louages (group taxis) and buses between bigger towns, and there wasn't much offical transport south of there, only big stuff heading for the mines and border towns. Took a Land Cruiser tour around Tozuer and thats how we got to the ofroad gorges/wadis.

There is one tarmac road through the Chott and that is banked up above the salt lake. There was plenty of abandoned/burnt out vehicles either side of the road some only a maximum of 100m from the road....... But the Tuniisan rally crosses the Chott each year so must be driveable somewhere.

I would really recommend seeing the Roman sites mentioned as they were amazing to see unhindered by guides, tour buses and tourists you normally get, dunno if its still like that. You'd just jump over a wall and see mosaics still lying there (the best ones have been taken to museums though).

We stayed in the Hotel Pinus (Kasserine I think) and Room 69 in a Tozeur hotel, but it only had about 20 rooms??????

After your Morrocan adventure, Tunisia for the most part will feel quite tame, but still worth it. Good Luck.

[Astbury]

I was wondering how it would compare with Morocco. Actually I wanted to go to Morocco again but Mrs A wants to visit another country. I will look up the Roman sites you mentioned and pay them a visit. Morocco we did on our own last year this time another couple are coming along with us so we will be able to go further into the dunes with more peace of mind that we are not alone.

C

[ROB 110 HICAP]

Sbeitla is the other big Roman site. I've ponsed some pics off google for you:
1 Dougga
2 El Djem
3 Sbeitla
4 Matmata

[ROB 110 HICAP]

A mate did the Tunisian rally on a dirtbike and said the Tunisian dunes weren't as big as the ones in Morocco at Erg Chebbi, more like 'dunettes' like the ones around the edge of Erg Chebbi, so should be good in a landy, remember road tyres or all terrains will work better in pure sand than muds.

Happy planning.

[Astbury]

Thanks again mate!

yes I will probably take my set of General Grabber AT's that came with the Landy from new and got taken off right away..

I am running a set of 285 goodyear MTR's at the moment (dont think they will be much good in the sand!)

[AJC]

Astbury,

Don't know if you were shod with MTRs on your Morocco trip but I had no problem whatsoever with mine. I managed to get through the sand as well as, if not better in most cases than other tyre types. It may be that the MTR blocks are a lot smaller than other mud tyres and don't dig in or drag as much. I've used MTRs twice in the desert now and prefer them over Scorpion and Avon ATs which I've also experienced.

Enjoy Tunisia.

We may still see you later on in the year en route to Slovenia.

AJ

[Astbury]

AJ,

Were you driving in sand or actually climbing dunes?

Sure dont forget to call into Zurich on your way past!!

C

[AJC]

Both. The only thing that failed me once was engine power on a monster dune climb.

AJ

[TheGurkha]

I dream of going to somewhere like Tunisia in the Land Rover. Have to save and save and save!

[Astbury]

Both. The only thing that failed me once was engine power on a monster dune climb.

AJ

What was the lowest pressure you ran the MTR's at AJ?

C

[Astbury]

I dream of going to somewhere like Tunisia in the Land Rover. Have to save and save and save!

This sort of trip does not cost much at all, for our Morocco trip last year we hardly spent anything, the biggest cost being the fuel for the drive from switzerland and down through France and Spain I think the ferry cost 99 Euros!

Then once in Morocco the fuel costs less and we only stayed in hotels 3 or 4 times at about 40 euro's a night

Tunisia will cost a little more because of the ferry around 400 euros from Genoa to Tunis but then we wont have the long drive down through spain and I understand that fuel costs less than in Morocco. We will probably do the same as last year and only spend 3 or 4 nights in hotels with the rest of the time sleeping in the roof tent.

C

[ROB 110 HICAP]

Gurkin, I'd go to Morocco for offroading over Tunisia, but Tunisia is still worth a visit, you'll get round the whole place in 10 days.

Closer to home the Picos mountains in northern Spain (hour from Bilbao) are good for offroading, I know a few bike mates who have been.

[Astbury]

Las time we spent some vacation in Spain it always rained when in the mountians and then we got stuck in a freezing cold river on our own!!
yeah as I said before I would like to have returned to morocco this year but Mrs A has ways of making me change my mind!
I would like to return with a group to do the Rif mountains some time, I hear it is a trouble area but if the numbers of our group are large enough it should not be a problem.

Anyone fancy Morocco next year? I would like to do a trip with a large group of say 10 vehicles where we are all together for most of the trip but also split up a few times so we can enjoy some of the trip on our own joining up at agreed points/days?

re Tunisia I understand that it is easier to get beer too! No impossible in Morocco but not always easy!

We asked the manager of one hotel if we could camp at the back of the hotel car park one night so that we could drink in the bar, only to get thrown out at the end of the night because we would not hand over our passports..... He would not accept the colour copies either that and being chased by the military on another day all made the Morocco trip one to remember, though the knackered old jeeps the army use didnt have a chance in keeping up with us!

[AJC]

What was the lowest pressure you ran the MTR's at AJ?

C

Astbury,

The lowest pressure I went down to in the 'trial & error' stage was 12lbf/in2. 15 lbf/in2 was all round was found to be best in all sand conditions.

AJ

[Astbury]

AJ,

What sort of compressor did you use? I have a Truck Air thing but it is very slow!

C

[AJC]

I've got the same. After all the 'hyp' in the magazines I was expecting something a little faster. However, although a little slow it managed all 4 tyres on numerous occasions and plodded on and to be truthful, we were never in a hurry to inflate and it was usually at the end of the day when setting up camp.


AJ

[AJC]

I've now seen 3 versions of the Truckair. Different outsides and insides. I've been paranoid that I've been the unlucky person who bought the chinese copy!!! I usually am.

AJ

[Astbury]

Just ordered a 3 CFM on board compressor and a 2.5 gal air tank so now I can throw away the Truck-slow-air plastic thing.

C

[AJC]

Will the compressor be permanently fixed under the bonnet and where will the tank be situated?

Any links to the model?

I did have a look at the ones Matt Savage (http://www.mattsavage.co.uk/page1.html) is selling but I can't say I could justify the expense.

AJ

[Astbury]

AJ,

first off I was looking at the top model that Matt Savage was selling but then I was talking to Adrian at WVA who sells a 2.89 CFM compressor for a LOT LESS!

In the back of my landy sits the Engel fridge, under this will be the compressor, the tank will sit along under the body fixed to one of the chassis rails. The pump will auto fill the tank when the ignition is on and cut off when its full, on the dash will be a pressure gauge and manual override (that bit is from MS)

PS also ordered a milemarker, PTO pump and new bumper ;)

[AJC]

C,

I've been trying to locate WVA. Who and where are they? Any links to them and their products?

AJ

[Astbury]

AJ,

You will find them here:

www.safari.equip.co.uk

And

Adrian Watson
4a Gledhill Road
Bradford
BD3 9LX
0044 (0) 127 474 0381

The website does not have prices and does not have a full list of what adrian can supply.
Adrian will make just about anything you ask and will also work with you to design any ideas you have

Mention my name if you call

[AJC]

Can't get through on that link.

I'm 'up north' in June so may make an appt.

Keep me posted as to how the fitting goes with yours.

Cheers.

AJ

[Astbury]

AJ,

Sorry about the link try this one:

http://www.safari-equip.co.uk/

Will be taking pictures of the install so will post them here

C

[AJC]

That's better. They have some quality looking kit there.

Looking forward to seeing the pics.

Is that your unit below?

Cheers.

AJ

[Astbury]

AJ,

No the tank is about the same but the pump is not, I am not able to fit that pump because I have air con fitted so dont have the room.

Will try to get pics when I fitt the winch and air system in a few weeks.

C

[Astbury]

Well next month we set off for Tunisia. anyone else got any information about wicked places to go see?

C

[kevinrbeech]

You could visit www.4x4-travel.co.uk (http://[url=/) (my site) we went to Tunisia Christmas 2004. Our was a lead trip with Sahara Travel (another good site to visit for ideas on what to take) we spent 4 days in the desert between Kebili and Ksar Ghilane. I guess you've got most things planned by now but I know a good camp site in Kebili ran by a guy called Arafett, and also have the mobile no's of two very reliable guides, (they actually guide big tours mainly but are open to offers). Hedi lived in the desert until he was 20ish so he knows his way around, his cousin Hafed speaks English, French and Arabic, Hedi mainly French and Arabic.
They are related to the owners of a date plantation and to people with stalls along the Chott, they know the area well. Hedi can lead you to places where you can pick Desert Rose off of the ground, and don't miss out on the Hammam (think that's how it's spelt) the hot bath with a scrub down with a rough sponge, this can be arranged in the evening by Arafett, or you can find your own. A tip here though, our guys, although Tunisian, arranged for a guy to stay with the car while we were inside.
Ksar Ghilane is worth a visit, as is the Roman fort near there, but Ksar Ghilane is full of people like you, it somewhat takes away the solitude of the desert, I think it is a good place to leave the dunes rather than to start. Good place to spend a couple of nights though.
Please do contact me for any further info, my direct address is on the website www.4x4-travel.co.uk (http://www.4x4-travel.co.uk/)
Go play and enjoy.
PS a few pics to whet your appitite.

[kevinrbeech]

Gurkin, I'd go to Morocco for offroading over Tunisia, but Tunisia is still worth a visit, you'll get round the whole place in 10 days.


I beg to differ on that one. We were in Tunisia for 16 days, and only saw a little of it. We did get as far south as Ksar Ghilane after 4 days driving through the dunes from Douz, every vehicle got stuck several times, from Defender 90's to Merc G wagons and including my Discovery, it was pointed out however that we covered a lot of distance over the dunes in a short time due to the recent rain. I doubt there will have been much rain before your visit in September.

[Astbury]

Kevin,

Thanks for the info! I took a look at your site and have a couple of questions though I could not find your mail address. Can you PM it to me?

Thanks

C