Jebel Bargou and Ain Bou Saadia
- Hike
- Distance
- 9.7km
- Duration
- 5HRS
- Ascent
- 483M
Elevation profile
537-985 M / TERRAIN TILES SAMPLED ALONG THE TRACK
Photographs
Photos: Habib M'henni (CC BY-SA 3.0), Wael Ferchichi (CC BY-SA 4.0), Tarek Chraiet (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start point
- Car
- About 120 km south-west of Tunis via El Fahs and Bargou (about 2 h).
- Louage
- Louage from Tunis to Bargou or Siliana (verify the Tunis station locally), then taxi.
Nearby
The trail
A loop from the Ain Bou Saadia spring around the wooded upper slopes of Jebel Bargou.
Jebel Bargou (1,266 m) is one of the high ridges of the western Dorsale, about 20 km south-east of Siliana, and the source of the Oued Miliane, the second-longest river in Tunisia. The loop starts at the Ain Bou Saadia spring and climbs through Aleppo pine, holm oak and juniper on the mountain flanks to around 1,000 m before circling back. It gives long views over the Bargou plain and the Siliana valley without going to the summit itself.
- Ain Bou Saadia spring
- Pine and holm oak woods
- Source country of the Oued Miliane
- Views over the Siliana valley
Weather and season
- SEASON
- Mar-Jun and Sep-Nov
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.4 C | 3.7 C | 33 mm |
| February | 13 C | 3.5 C | 40 mm |
| March | 15.7 C | 5.6 C | 70 mm |
| April | 20.2 C | 8.4 C | 49 mm |
| May | 24.2 C | 11.4 C | 40 mm |
| June | 29.5 C | 15.6 C | 18 mm |
| July | 33.4 C | 18.7 C | 8 mm |
| August | 32.9 C | 18.8 C | 19 mm |
| September | 28 C | 16.6 C | 39 mm |
| October | 23.1 C | 13 C | 47 mm |
| November | 17.4 C | 8.5 C | 41 mm |
| December | 13.3 C | 5.2 C | 35 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
- Spring at the start; carry 2 L.
- Guide
- recommended
- Hazards
- Steep, stony paths; check locally for any access restrictions on the upper mountain.
- 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.