Kerkouane and Cap Bon Excursion: Ruins, Sea Caves and Hot Springs
Kerkouane, the quarries of El Haouaria facing Sicily and the hot springs of Korbous. This Kerkouane and Cap Bon excursion loops the peninsula in a private vehicle from your hotel, coast road most of the way.
- 08:00 at your hotel
- At your hotel by 17:00
- Full day, private vehicle
From90 €per vehicle
What the Kerkouane and Cap Bon excursion covers
This Kerkouane and Cap Bon excursion loops the peninsula that closes the Gulf of Tunis, and it is the only day on which you can stand inside a Punic town. Kerkouane is UNESCO-listed and unique: abandoned in the 3rd century BC and never rebuilt over, so its streets, bathrooms and pink mortar floors are Carthaginian rather than Roman. El Haouaria adds the Ghar el Kebir caves, quarried by the Carthaginians and open to the sea towards Sicily, and Korbous closes the loop with thermal springs running straight into the Mediterranean. Pickup at 08:00 from Hammamet, Sousse or Tunis.
- UNESCO
- Kerkouane
- Panorama
- View of Sicily
- Thermal
- Springs at 45 °C
- History
- 2,000 years
How the Cap Bon loop runs
We drive the Kerkouane and Cap Bon excursion as a loop: up the east coast in the morning, down the west coast in the afternoon. That avoids covering the same road twice and gives you a different landscape on every leg. This is the day with the most spontaneous stops, between the beaches of Kelibia and the Korbous corniche. Tell the driver and he pulls over, as long as the clock allows.
Scroll to drive the day
Pickup at your hotel
Your driver waits at reception. Hotel, residence, Airbnb or any address in Hammamet, Sousse, Port El Kantaoui or Tunis.
On the road to Kelibia & Kerkouane
Kelibia & Kerkouane
Punic ruins, UNESCOVisit: 2 h
Kerkouane is unique in the Mediterranean: abandoned after the fall of Carthage in 146 BC, it was never rebuilt or reoccupied. Threshold mosaics, opus signinum baths and domestic rooms bear witness to a Punic civilisation in its rawest state. A few kilometres away, the Byzantine fortress of Kelibia overlooks a beach still spared the crowds.
- Kerkouane, the only intact Punic city in the world
- Byzantine fortress of Kelibia
- View of Sicily on a clear day
On the road to El Haouaria & the caves
El Haouaria & the caves
Roman quarries in the cliffVisit: 1 h 30
At the northern tip of the peninsula, the Romans extracted immense blocks of yellow limestone from these cliffs to build Carthage. The galleries carved into the rock look directly out over the sea, creating a striking effect. On a clear day Sicily is visible to the naked eye from the point of the cape. The village of El Haouaria is also known for its international falconry festival, a living tradition going back centuries.
- The caves, Roman quarries cut into the cliff
- Coastal panorama towards Sicily
- Home of the annual falconry festival
Lunch break
In a local restaurant of your choice. Your driver suggests good addresses, the meal itself is not included.
On the road to Korbous
Korbous
Ottoman thermal springsVisit: 1 h
Korbous is a spa town known since Roman antiquity and developed under the Ottomans. The village clings to the mountainside directly above the sea, and its hot springs emerge naturally from the cliff. The atmosphere is out of time, with preserved vernacular architecture and a corniche running along the coast. It is the ideal place to end the day in a peaceful setting.
- Natural springs at 45 degrees rising from the rock
- Ottoman-era thermal baths
- Panoramic walk along the corniche
Drive back
The driver takes you back to your hotel, with a stop on the way if you need one.
Back at your hotel
Drop-off at the same address, never later than 18:00.
From Sousse, Port El Kantaoui or Tunis the pickup stays at 08:00 and you are back at your hotel by 18:00 at the latest. The driver adapts the time at each stop to the road.
The loop from Kerkouane to El Haouaria and Korbous
The peninsula is circled in a loop of about 200 kilometres, with the sea in view almost the whole way. Pick your pickup city above the map to see your own route.
Cap Bon tour price by departure city
Hammamet is the natural gateway to the peninsula, which is why the Kerkouane and Cap Bon excursion is cheapest from there. The price covers the vehicle for the day, not the passenger, and entry to Kerkouane and the caves is yours to pay, around 8 dinars each. No deposit is required.
- Your day
- Your details
Pickup at 08:00 at your hotel in HammametBack at your hotel by 17:00
No deposit. You pay the driver on the day.
See every price by city and group
| Pickup | 1 to 4 people | 4 to 6 people | 5 to 8 people | 8 to 12 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammamet | 90 € | 120 € | 130 € | 160 € |
| Sousse | 130 € | 160 € | 170 € | 200 € |
| Port El Kantaoui | 130 € | 160 € | 170 € | 200 € |
| Tunis | 130 € | 160 € | 170 € | 200 € |
What's included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle, never shared
- English-speaking driver all day
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Pickup and drop-off at your hotel
- Free photo stops along the corniche road
Not included
- Kerkouane site entry (~8 TND) and the El Haouaria caves
- Lunch and drinks
- Personal spending
Kerkouane, the intact Punic town
Destroyed around 250 BC and never rebuilt, it is the only Punic town whose original plan survives. You see the streets, the houses, and above all the pink terracotta bathtubs still set into the floors. The site is small, faces the sea, and takes about an hour with no real effort.
- The only Punic town never rebuilt, UNESCO listed
- Domestic terracotta bathtubs still in place
- Seafront site, flat and quick to walk
- Small museum at the entrance, included in the ticket
The caves of El Haouaria, facing Sicily
The Romans quarried the sandstone here that built Carthage, cutting downwards rather than outwards. What remains are pyramid-shaped chambers open to the sky, with the sea echoing below. On a clear day you can make out Sicily on the horizon. Thirty to forty-five minutes is enough.
- Roman quarries cut as pyramid-shaped chambers
- Views over the strait and, on a clear day, Sicily
- Damp and slippery underfoot in places
- Thirty to forty-five minutes on site
Korbous and its hot springs
A spa town known since Roman times, wedged into a cleft at the water's edge. A little further on, Ain Atrous gushes out at 50 degrees straight onto the rocks, and plenty of travellers dip their feet in it. The corniche road that gets you there is one of the finest in the country, and it is usually where the last photo stop happens.
- Thermal springs used since antiquity
- Ain Atrous, a hot spring running over the rocks
- Corniche road overlooking the Gulf of Tunis
- A swimsuit is useful if you want to use the water
Your pace around the Cap Bon loop
A private Kerkouane and Cap Bon excursion lends itself to detours more than the others, because the road hugs the sea almost continuously. You set the length of each stop and where you eat, usually a fish restaurant in Kelibia. If you want to add a swim or stretch the stop at Korbous, the driver adjusts the return accordingly.
- Photo stops possible all along the corniche
- Fish lunch in Kelibia, at your own cost
- A swim is possible depending on season and mood
- Back by 18:00 or earlier, as you wish
What to know
Walking outdoors, uneven ground and a winding road at the end: three things to be aware of.
Bring a swimsuit
Two swims are possible: Kelibia beach and Aïn Atrous at Korbous, where the hot spring meets the sea. There are no changing facilities on site.
Winding corniche road
The stretch between El Haouaria and Korbous snakes along the cliff. Tell us about any travel sickness and the driver adjusts his pace.
No shade at Kerkouane
The archaeological site is entirely open, by the sea. Hat and water are essential from June to September.
Kerkouane, El Haouaria and Korbous: your questions
What makes Kerkouane different, whether you can swim at Korbous, ticket prices and how much walking: the answers asked for most.
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