Jebel Bahloul above Grombalia
- Hike
- Distance
- 4.5km
- Duration
- 4HRS
- Ascent
- 350M
Elevation profile
193-553 M / TERRAIN TILES SAMPLED ALONG THE TRACK
Photographs
Photos: Beeman.17 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start point
- Car
- About 1 h from Tunis: A1 toward Hammamet, exit Grombalia, on to Bou Argoub, cross the motorway and follow the road along the mountain.
- Louage
- Louage from Tunis to Grombalia or Bou Argoub, then a taxi (verify locally).
- Bus / train
- Trains on the Tunis-Nabeul line stop at Grombalia and Bou Argoub.
The trail
A half-day climb through maquis and a firebreak to a 556 m summit over the Grombalia plain and the Gulf of Hammamet.
Jebel Bahloul is the wooded ridge that closes the Grombalia plain to the west, an hour from Tunis. From the road along its foot the route climbs through Mediterranean scrub and pine to the summit at a little over 500 m, then comes back down, the direct way being a firebreak. The top looks over the vineyards and orchards of Grombalia, the Gulf of Hammamet and the Zaghouan range. There are many tracks and few clear paths, so it pays to carry the line on a phone.
- Summit view over the Gulf of Hammamet
- Grombalia vineyards below
- Bou Argoub pine forest
- Zaghouan range to the south-west
Weather and season
- SEASON
- October to May
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.4 C | 6.9 C | 31 mm |
| February | 13.7 C | 6.5 C | 40 mm |
| March | 15.9 C | 8.1 C | 61 mm |
| April | 19.1 C | 10.6 C | 40 mm |
| May | 22.7 C | 13.3 C | 26 mm |
| June | 27.6 C | 17.1 C | 7 mm |
| July | 31.1 C | 20.1 C | 1 mm |
| August | 31 C | 20.7 C | 16 mm |
| September | 27.3 C | 18.9 C | 40 mm |
| October | 23 C | 15.9 C | 67 mm |
| November | 18.2 C | 11.7 C | 52 mm |
| December | 14.5 C | 8.4 C | 40 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
- None on the mountain.
- Guide
- not needed
- Hazards
- Prickly maquis and a steep firebreak on the way down; paths fade.
- 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.