Tunis to Djerba road trip in 5 days

You can drive from Tunis to Djerba in a single day on the motorway. Or you can make a journey of it: the Great Mosque of Kairouan, the El Jem amphitheatre, the Sfax medina, the cave houses of Matmata, then the ferry to the island. 666 km in four driving stages, plus a fifth day on Djerba.

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Day-by-day stages

  1. Day 1 — Tunis → Kairouan

    176 km · 2 h 15 driving

    176 km, about 2 h 15. Leave Tunis on the A1, then take the Kairouan road from Enfidha. In the afternoon: the Great Mosque (Uqba Mosque), the Aghlabid basins and the medina, known for its carpets and makroud pastries.

  2. Day 2 — Kairouan → El Jem → Sfax

    150 km · 2 h 25 driving

    150 km, about 2 h 25 of driving. Stop at El Jem for the Roman amphitheatre, one of the best preserved in the world, and its mosaic museum. Overnight in Sfax, whose walled medina is one of the most authentic in the country, well off the tourist trail.

  3. Day 3 — Sfax → Gabes → Matmata

    206 km · 2 h 55 driving

    206 km, about 2 h 55. Motorway to Gabes, whose seaside oasis is unique in the Mediterranean, then the climb to Matmata and its cave dwellings dug into the ground — including the Sidi Driss hotel, a Star Wars set.

  4. Day 4 — Matmata → Djerba

    134 km · 2 h 35 driving

    134 km, about 2 h 35 including the crossing. Back to the coast and the Jorf–Ajim ferry to the island. Settle in Houmt Souk, whose souk and Borj el-Kebir fort are best visited late in the day.

  5. Day 5 — Djerba

    The island can be driven across in under an hour: the Ghriba synagogue, the Djerbahood murals in Erriadh, the Guellala potters and the east-coast beaches.

Why drive rather than fly

The domestic Tunis–Djerba flight takes an hour, but it skips everything that makes the centre and south-east worth seeing: three UNESCO World Heritage sites sit on or beside this route (the Tunis medina, Kairouan, El Jem). By car, no stage is longer than 3.5 hours at the wheel.

What about the way back?

Two options. Return the car on Djerba and fly home from Djerba-Zarzis airport: this works if the offer you pick allows drop-off in another area — the condition is stated on the listing before you book. Or drive back on the A1 motorway, about 526 km and 7 hours in one long day, or two days with a night in Sousse or Monastir.

When to go

Spring and autumn are ideal for this route: pleasant temperatures for sightseeing during the day. In July and August it is very hot inland (Kairouan) and in the south (Matmata): visit early in the morning and drive in the cooler hours.

Frequently asked questions

About 666 km for this route via Kairouan, El Jem, Sfax, Gabes and Matmata, against 526 km on the direct road.

One day is enough on the motorway (about 7 hours of driving). To sightsee along the way, allow 4 to 5 days.

It depends on the offer: the allowed drop-off area is stated on each listing. Otherwise, plan to drive back on the A1.

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