A tour of southern Tunisia with Le Baroudeur Gourmand

Follow the Baroudeur for a home-stay immersion off the beaten track

A wide range of hikes and family-friendly cuisine are on the agenda!

Your host: Paul

Paul, French, aka the Baroudeur Gourmand, that’s me. A few years of stubborn wandering through different parts of the world have taught me to bypass the usual tourist trails, and have led me to seek out remote, even lost, places. The principle was always to find picturesque spots, enticing hikes, welcoming humans and the best possible culinary experiences – the kind you can usually only find at home!

Enriched by these many experiences, I’m keen to share this way of traveling with small groups of people who wish to keep a naïve and amazed eye on all that can be found on a simple and raw road.

I lived in Tunisia for several years and met some wonderful, humble people along the way, sharing with passion the beauty of their land, culture, history and gastronomy. They will be our guides, our hosts, our cooks, our historians.

I can organize a tailor-made tour for you and accompany you on these trails. Magnificent hikes, through deserts and mountains, to meet the people who live there and cook the dishes of their childhood with modesty and generosity, to give you a taste of an authentic local adventure.

Highlights of the experience

It’s a local immersion, in direct contact with the locals, a disconnection/reconnection that only takes place in small groups off the beaten track. Meals are either family-style, with the whole family taking part, or in small, mostly non-touristy restaurants. The bivouacs are rough, isolated in the desert or mountains, with the necessary nomadic comforts.

In this adventure, I offer you the shared experience of a foreigner with a passion for the region, who will introduce you to his acquaintances and involve you in local life.

Ideal if you’re looking for activities for…

• Hiking in unspoilt countryside;
• Learn local cuisine in its element;
• Taste traditional dishes not found in restaurants;
• Meet the locals ;
• Listen to lots of stories and anecdotes;
• Experience a nomadic life.

The spirit

For all food-loving travelers who want to find the best (often hidden) addresses in the places they visit, and are curious to learn, see, taste and try. For those who love walking and/or good food. A spirit of sharing, respect and openness.

Please note: this is a journey of curious humility, where we enter the private sphere of friendly, welcoming inhabitants. Comfort is often limited to the space our hosts can offer us. Sometimes rudimentary, some stages will be more comfortable, especially after long periods of hiking/bivouac.

We’ve got you covered…

All stays are tailor-made according to your profile:

• Sporting ability
• Gourmet appetence
• Available time
• Minimum comfort required

Example (not exhaustive) of a 7-day trip:

Day 1 :

Visit the secrets of the old town of Houmt Souk with Salem, overnight on the island of Djerba in a traditional houche, meal prepared by Amel.

Day 2 :

Drive to Tamezret, lunch at Kawther’s, hike 10 km up the mountains to a shepherd’s hut, prepare a full meal in a traditional oven with Monji and Mohammed, spend the night in a troglodyte without electricity.

Day 3 :

Return hike, drive to Ghidma (Sahara), transfer to the virgin desert, camel trek with Walid and Amor (4 to 10 km), set up the bivouac, take part in the meal and the galette des sables.

Day 4 :

Hearty breakfast, nomadic walk in the desert at the pace of the group (8 to 25 km). Stop off at a few points of interest, make observations and share anecdotes, enjoy some quiet time to unwind. Bivouac.

Day 5 :

Return to civilization, drive to Tozeur, points of interest palm grove, hot spring, salt lake. Meet Hasna, visit old medina, local cooking class. Overnight in a comfortable guesthouse in Nefta.

Day 6 :

Journey to Chebika. Bypass the tourist point and take the long (20 km) guided hike through the mountains to Mides. Overnight at a local house with traditional meal.

Day 7 :

Hearty breakfast and return by stages to Tozeur for transport to Tunis.