I travelled around Tunisia in 2003 and have always wanted to go back on the motorbike. Obviously the political situation has changed with FCO advising against all but essential travel to Tunisia. This is a tentative initial thread to see if any persons within the Horizon Community have any interest in a say month long trip across France and ferry across to Tunisia, or whether this is not really feasible at this point in time due to FCO advice or other factors. Having travelled in Egypt just after 9/11 local people were delighted to see me, as tourists had deserted Egypt and I was welcomed with open arms. I am wondering whether the same may happen during a trip around Tunisia. Any thoughts people may have on Tunisia at the moment would be greatly appreciated. Currently I have a TDM850 or an overland XT600E available. Thank you. BradXT

Hi, juste to say I've made a 15 days trip in Tunisia last October including a desert loop, and were very well welcomed. No issue aboutit security.
RR

Thank you Roro. To be honest what I sort of expected but nice to hear this from first hand experience on the road. Many thanks.

Presumably due to the relative lack of response there is no interest within the Horizons Community in a trip to Tunisia? Thank you.

Fwiw the FCO updated it's travel advice on Tunisia today.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tunisia

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Plenty of interest here, availability is an issue.

I've been contemplating options myself, between riding again parts of Morooco (New routes by Chris are very appealing) or go to Tunisia which is a country I travel to for work regularly and appreciate very much but have yet truly explored privately. Riding would be my choice over driving, by far. Security problems are real concerns, more so for my wife than me... but I have friends there.

Do continue sharing your planning please, I might join, thank you!

Hi there
I know the thread is old, but I feel it is better to use this than to open a new one.

I plan to ride my BMW F650GS (2006) from Switzerland to Tunisia (ferry Genova- Tunis) and tour Tunisia in October 2021.

Tunisia is basically composed of 3 zones. The northern coast with more than 600 mm rain a year, blue forests, hills and many roman ruins. The middle part with 300-600 mm rain, where the olive trees are planted at the double distance, with many Berber and Arabic vestiges. The south with very low rain, salt lakes (Chot el Jerid is the largest in Africa), palmy oasis, sandy dunes, rocky hills, dry rivers and generous people.

I would like to tour the country counterclockwise using roads, small trails and off-road parts. We could also take a guide to go south to the Grand Erg.

I speak French and a tiny bit of Arabic, and know the country since my mother lived in the south for 10 years. But it will be my first trip by motorbike there.

I am used to couchsurfing and to camp or use smaller hostels. I have already email contact with 16 motorcycling clubs and got tips and offers to ride a bit together.

According to the swiss embassy, the security situation is still similar with the one posted previously in this thread. Don't go to close to the Libyan border, nor at some spots of the Algerian one, or you might be kidnapped. Curiously none of my local contact mentioned that, but of course I don't want to try free holidays in Libya.

I am vaccinated against Covid19. The situation is tensed, since oxygen supplied started to fail in the country, having 200 death per day for 11 millions inhabitants by mid July. The peak seemed to be attained around the 20th of July but as you know nothing is constant and there could always be a new variant. I am monitoring the situation.

The country is not shutting its borders - since tourism is a vital industry - but some bigger cities are not visitable. So not a perfect situation but good enough in my opinion for vaccinated, cautious, assistance insurance holding, bikers that will not always mix with people.

I am still flexible with the dates and itinerary.

It would be nice to have one ore more companions during the whole trip or only for the wilder south part. We could also have a guide for a tour in the real desert.

Please join or share your experience with me.

One thing to be sure of - that your country, I assume Switzerland, does not say "Do not go to Tunisia" or similar in their country information. If they do, your assistance insurance is INVALID.

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Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Our group had been hoping for a return to Tunisia in Oct 2021. The only reason we have put it off until next year is due to UK putting Tunisia on its 'red' list, meaning two weeks mandatory lock down on return. You will be fine in Tunisia. Many more Tunisians speak decent English than you would expect. Head to Douz which is the gateway to the Grand Erg and very traveller friendly. Even better is Ksar Ghilane oasis. Tiny place but cheap accommodations, swimming in the spring pool and even cold at the cafe. If you want some local support, speak to Ilyes at SaharanSky.

Before you get too far along making plans to visit Tunisia, let me tell you about my experience there last week - it was not at all pleasant.

I entered Tunisia with my Canadian-registered motorcycle, by ferry in March of 2020, before the COVID pandemic began. By April of 2020, COVID had been declared a pandemic, all ferry services to or from Tunisia had been cancelled, and air services had been severely curtailed.

I left Tunisia on April 5 2020, on the one and only repatriation flight that ever operated between Tunisia and Canada. I left my motorcycle in storage in Tunisia - there was no way to export it from Tunisia for any price. The Tunisian government announced that it would grant exceptions to its normal policy that tourists had to take their vehicle out with them when they left.

I returned to Tunisia September 9th 2021 to pick up the motorcycle. Tunisian Customs advised me that I had to pay a penalty of 1,700 dinars (€520, USD $600) because I had left the motorcycle in the country for 17 months. The customs officials were very polite and courteous, and almost apologetic about this... they said that I could appeal the fine, but that the appeal would take several weeks, and I could not take the motorcycle out of the country prior to the appeal. So, I paid the 1,700 dinar fine.

I arrived at the Tunis ferry terminal the next day to catch a ferry from Tunis to Italy. The Customs officials at the port told me that I had to pay an additional fine of 2,200 dinars (€700, USD $800) before I could leave, because my 'circulation permit' that allowed operation of the Canadian-plated motorcycle in Tunisia had expired in May 2020. I explained that the motorcycle had not been used since I left in April of 2020, it had been in storage until yesterday, and I also explained that I had already paid a fine to Customs of 1,700 dinars.

That made no difference, I was told - the 1,700 dinar fine was for a different form of customs violation than the 2,200 dinar fine. I had no choice but to pay the 2,200 dinar fine because the ferry was leaving in 2 hours, and Customs advised me that they would be obliged to seize the motorcycle if I did not pay. So I paid up, getting the money from an ATM that was conveniently located right beside the customs office.

I have no doubt that in each case, the fine was paid to the government, there was no hanky-panky on the part of any of the Customs officials - numerous forms were filled out, official receipts were computer-generated, etc.

So, in short, it cost me 3,900 dinars - about €1,220 or USD $1,400 - to buy back my own motorcycle from the Tunisian government, even though it was impossible for me to have exported it when I left in April 2020, and impossible for me to return to Tunisia prior to September 2021 (the latter being because of Tunisian regulations about entry into the country during the COVID pandemic).

I am very sad and disappointed about the above fines. I'm not the only person who had to leave a vehicle behind when they evacuated at the start of the pandemic - the Customs people told me that there were over 1,000 vehicles left behind in similar circumstances, mostly by French citizens. The government of Tunisia could easily have issued instructions to Customs to waive penalties for people who left during the first stages of the pandemic, but instead, the government has chosen to extract as much money as possible from those visitors.

For the above reasons, I don't recommend that fellow travelers visit Tunisia. The government will simply treat you as a cash dispenser if they have the opportunity to do so.

Michael

You left one letter off a word in the above sentence - it should read "You will be fined in Tunisia."

Go to Morocco instead - the Moroccans know the value of the tourist industry to their country.

Michael

Sorry to hear that retrieving your bike from Tunisia was so costly.
But at least you have it back now and can put it behind you.
The Tunisian economy hit dire straits following the self-immolation which kicked off the Arab Spring. Add terrorist attacks on ‘costa’ tourist resorts and now Covid, and I suppose the government is looking at any means to rake in some money.

For me Tunisia was never the jewel in the North African crown but – same as anywhere – as long as one doesn’t break the rules (or be forced to do so, as you were) a visit ought to be trouble-free.

I agree, Morocco has so much more to offer, but if you’re from central or Eastern Europe, Tunisia looks nearer for a bit of desert sun.

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

@TravisGill last I heard is that the president dissolved the parliament and some political commentaries have suggested another more restless phase coming in the country so take good care of yourself.

Since ferries have recently been cancelled - not sure if in connection with the political situation.

Cheers,
Benjamin

Hi,Sahara-Maniacs,i want to travel to Tunisia in March `23 by own car/bike. Has anyone used the ferry from Genua to Tunis the last weeks/months?
Had anyone a bad feeling to travel around there? Thanx for your comment ! Greets from Frankonia ;-)

Im in Tunisia right now, you should go!