Cap Bon: Korbous, Kerkouane and Kelibia
One day on the headland: hot water straight out of the rock, a Punic town Rome never rebuilt, a fort above pale sand.
Private tour
Cap Bon and the East Coast — 3 days
Three days of cliffs, hot springs and pottery, barely an hour out of Tunis.
On request
At a glance
Duration
3 days and 2 nights, a loop around the peninsula
Who it suits
Long weekends, couples, families, or an add-on to a longer circuit
Price
On request
A short coastal escape along the headland that closes the Gulf of Tunis: the Korbous corniche, where hot water runs out of the rock into the sea, the untouched Punic town of Kerkouane, the fort at Kelibia above a pale sand beach, the pottery workshops of Nabeul and the old kasbah at Hammamet. Ideal as a long weekend.
Departures
Start in Tunis: your hotel, Tunis-Carthage airport or the cruise terminal at La Goulette. We can just as easily start from Hammamet, Nabeul or Sousse, running the loop the other way round.
The route, day by day
A working plan rather than a fixed track: the order of the days is reworked with you before departure, and on the road wherever that is practical.
Day 1 — Korbous and the cliff road
Out of Tunis along the northern shore of the peninsula. The road clings to the cliff above the gulf, each bend opening onto the sea without warning. At Korbous the hot springs come straight out of the rock, and a little further on the water at Ain Atrous pours scalding into the waves. Fish for lunch, then El Haouaria or Soliman, depending on the light and your mood.
Day 2 — Kerkouane and Kelibia
Kerkouane is the one Punic town Rome never built over: house plans at ankle height, terracotta bathtubs still in place, streets running down towards open water. The site is small, exposed and shadeless, so it is best done early. In the afternoon the fort at Kelibia looks down on a beach of very pale sand, and there is time for a swim before moving on.
Day 3 — Nabeul and Hammamet
Down to Nabeul and its pottery workshops, where you can watch the throwing, glazing and firing; the Friday market slots in if the day falls right. Then Hammamet: the kasbah sitting right on the water, the walled old town behind it and the orange groves inland. Back to Tunis, the airport or your hotel, as set out in the quote.
What travelling privately changes
- The vehicle is your group's alone: you stop at the viewpoint because it is worth it, not because a schedule says so.
- No pick-up round: you leave from and return to your own address, hotel, guesthouse or the port.
- Swims are not timed to the minute; how long each day runs is agreed with you in the quote.
- The boot stays free for the pottery you buy, wet towels and beach kit.
- Naceur Neffeti has known these roads a long time: in transport and travel since 1987, a tourist driver since 2007, speaking Arabic, French, English, German, Italian and Spanish.
What is included, what is not
Included
- An air-conditioned private vehicle kept for your group across the three days.
- Professional driver, fuel, tolls and parking.
- A route settled with you beforehand, and changeable on the day depending on weather and swimming plans.
- Pick-up and drop-off at the address of your choice.
- Someone reachable by phone in French, English or Arabic for the duration.
Not included
- Accommodation and meals, unless the quote states otherwise.
- Entry to Kerkouane, the Kelibia fort and the museums.
- A licensed guide: a separate, optional service, arranged on request, and well worth it at Kerkouane.
- Thermal treatments at Korbous, hammam and watersports.
- Travel insurance and personal spending.
Practical advice
- Kerkouane closes one day a week and its hours shift between summer and winter, so we check before fixing that day.
- The corniche between Sidi Rais and Korbous is narrow and twisting: it is best taken slowly, and worth planning for if anyone gets carsick.
- The water at Ain Atrous comes out of the cliff scalding: dip a toe rather than a foot, and keep children close.
- Swimwear, a towel and shoes that stay on: around Kelibia and El Haouaria you go from sand to rock and back again.
- For Nabeul ceramics, ask the workshop to pack them properly; large pieces rarely survive the hold unwrapped.
Your questions
Is there time to swim over the three days?
Yes, and it is built in. Kelibia, El Haouaria and the beaches south of Nabeul all suit a midday stop between June and October. Keep swimwear and a towel in an easy bag: the vehicle stays with you, so there is no changing room to hunt for.
Can this be done from Hammamet or Sousse?
Easily. The loop works just as well in reverse: Nabeul and Hammamet first, then Kerkouane and Kelibia, and finally Korbous and the cliff road before heading back up towards Tunis. We reorder it around your starting point and where you are staying.
Do we need a guide at Kerkouane?
The site makes far more sense with someone to explain it, since very little stands above knee height. Your driver drops you at the entrance and waits, and if you want proper archaeological commentary a licensed guide can be arranged separately for that visit, on request.
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Request a quote
Your dates, how many of you are travelling and where you start are enough to begin: we come back with a quote drawn up for this tour.
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