Kelibia Fort to Kerkouane
- Hike
- Distance
- 15.6km
- Duration
- 4HRS
- Ascent
- 32M
Elevation profile
0-23 M / TERRAIN TILES SAMPLED ALONG THE TRACK
Photographs
Photos: Calips (CC BY 3.0), Kritzolina (CC BY-SA 4.0), Noomen9 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start point
- Car
- About 1 h 45 from Tunis via Nabeul or Menzel Bouzelfa.
- Louage
- Louage from Tunis to Kelibia (verify locally).
- Bus / train
- Train Tunis-Nabeul, then louage Nabeul-Kelibia.
Nearby
The trail
From the fort above Kelibia harbour along the beaches of the north coast of Cap Bon to Kerkouane, the only Punic town left as it was.
The fort of Kelibia watches the harbour from its hill, a stronghold rebuilt by Byzantines, Spaniards and Ottomans over ancient Clupea. The walk goes down to Mansoura beach and follows the clear-water coast north to Kerkouane, a Punic town abandoned around the middle of the 3rd century BC and never rebuilt by Rome. Its streets, dyers workshops and houses with their own bathtubs are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a floor still carries the sign of Tanit. A taxi brings you back.
- Fort of Kelibia
- Mansoura beach
- Punic town of Kerkouane
- Tanit sign mosaic
Weather and season
- SEASON
- Year-round; swim stops from June to October
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15 C | 10.6 C | 48 mm |
| February | 14.9 C | 10 C | 53 mm |
| March | 16.5 C | 11.3 C | 60 mm |
| April | 19 C | 13.5 C | 32 mm |
| May | 22.2 C | 16 C | 22 mm |
| June | 26.6 C | 19.7 C | 4 mm |
| July | 29.8 C | 22.7 C | 1 mm |
| August | 30.3 C | 23.7 C | 11 mm |
| September | 27.5 C | 22.1 C | 37 mm |
| October | 24 C | 19.3 C | 75 mm |
| November | 19.7 C | 15.5 C | 72 mm |
| December | 16.3 C | 12.1 C | 50 mm |
Monthly normals 2011-2020 at the start point, from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Shaded months are the season this trail is listed for.
Practical
- Water
- Cafes at Kelibia and Mansoura; none after.
- Guide
- not needed
- Permits
- Entrance ticket at Kerkouane.
- Hazards
- Sun on the open coast; some rocky stretches.
- Route
- Approximate line along mapped paths between verified waypoints. Follow a guide or a GPS track on the ground.
Go with a guide
These operators and clubs organise guided hikes in Tunisia:
- WildyNessTunisian booking platform for guided hikes with local guides (Cap Blanc, Mides, Selja, Dahar, El Haouaria), several with GPS downloads.
- Association Tunisienne des RandonneursHiking association in Tunis that runs and writes up group hikes across the country.
- Mosaic North AfricaTour operator offering custom hiking trips, including the Chebika, Tamerza and Mides oases.
- Destination DaharPublishes the official topoguide (12 stages, 194 km) of the Grande Traversee du Dahar.
- Grand Sahara AventuresDjerba-based operator running Berber village and desert treks in the south.
- Destination TunisTunis-based guide publishing and leading day hikes around Tunis and Cap Bon.