Starting from Hammamet
Duration7h45
This Kairouan El Jem day trip links the oldest holy city in the Maghreb with the largest Roman amphitheatre in Africa, in a single day. A private driver collects you in Hammamet and you visit at your own pace.
Private excursion
From €90 / vehicle
Up to 12 people
Included
Not includedAmphitheatre, museum and Kairouan site tickets (~12 TND each)Lunch and drinksPurchases in the Kairouan souks
From €90 / vehicle
On the ground, the Kairouan El Jem day trip has two halves: the holy city in the morning, the amphitheatre in the afternoon. The order matters, because the Great Mosque closes to visitors in the early afternoon. Here is what you need before you book.
Here is each stop in detail. Times are a guide, and you stay longer wherever you like.
The order of the stops is a guide. It can change with crowds, weather, opening hours or simply what you feel like: tell your driver and the route is adjusted.
Pickup · 8:00
Your driver is there at the agreed time, at reception or at your door. No coach to wait for and no other travellers to collect: you get in, the air conditioning is already on, and the day begins.
≈ 1h30 drive
Stop 1 · ~2 h 30
Kairouan is the fourth holy city of Islam and the most important in the Maghreb. Its Great Mosque, founded in the 7th century, is among the first built in Africa and remains a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. The Aghlabid basins, two circular reservoirs built in the 9th century to supply the city, are remarkably preserved. The UNESCO-listed medina holds working souks where weavers and potters keep thousand-year-old skills alive.
Don't miss
≈ 45 min drive
Stop 2 · ~1 h 30
The amphitheatre of El Jem rises out of the Sahel plain like an apparition. Built in the 3rd century AD with no foundations, on a layer of sand, it has stood for 1,800 years on the sheer perfection of its Roman engineering. It is the third largest Roman amphitheatre in the world after the Colosseum and the one at Capua. Its arena, its underground galleries and its exceptional state of preservation make it one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the whole Mediterranean.
Don't miss
≈ 1h30 drive
Return · a day of ~7h45
You leave when you decide, and the driver brings you back to where the day started.
Two World Heritage Sites: the city of Kairouan, founded in 670, and the amphitheatre of El Jem, built in the 3rd century for 35,000 spectators. This is what deserves your time.
One of the oldest mosques in North Africa. You can walk the courtyard and gallery, and look into the prayer hall from the door.
Two huge circular reservoirs from the 9th century that once supplied the city. A short stop, and a very photogenic one.
White lanes, painted doors and stalls selling makroudh, the semolina and date pastry the city is famous for.
Three tiers of arches, almost intact, and the tunnels where wild animals were kept. The ticket also covers the museum and its mosaics.
The price covers the whole car for the day, not each passenger. It includes the air conditioned vehicle, the driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Tickets and lunch are paid on the spot, and you pay the driver on the day with no deposit.
| Pickup from | 1 to 4 people | 4 to 6 people | 6 to 8 people | 8 to 12 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammamet | €90 | €120 | €130 | €160 |
| Sousse | €100 | €130 | €140 | €170 |
| Port El Kantaoui | €100 | €130 | €140 | €170 |
| Tunis | €130 | €160 | €170 | €200 |
Price per car, in euros, for the full day.
Kairouan is a religious city and El Jem sits in full sun. A few simple rules save you a surprise at the gate and make the afternoon easier.
Answers to the questions travellers ask us most before this day out.
Book this dayFor a shorter day near the sea, see the Sousse and Monastir day trip or compare all our private day trips.
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View excursionEnter your date and start time in the form and we confirm on WhatsApp within two hours, with no deposit. Your Kairouan El Jem day trip starts at your door, so book it here.
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