El Kef Kasbah to Jebel Dyr
- Hike
- Distance
- 10.5km
- Duration
- 4.5HRS
- Ascent
- 314M
Elevation profile
727-996 M / TERRAIN TILES SAMPLED ALONG THE TRACK
Photographs
Photos: Adbar (CC BY-SA 3.0), SupapleX (CC BY-SA 3.0), Fares rjeibi (CC BY-SA 4.0), Noomen9 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start point
- Car
- About 2 h 30 from Tunis via Medjez el Bab and Teboursouk.
- Louage
- Louage from Tunis Bab Saadoun to El Kef (verify locally).
- Bus / train
- SNTRI buses run Tunis-El Kef.
Nearby
The trail
From the kasbah of El Kef past Sidi Bou Makhlouf and the Sidi Mansour caves onto the table of Jebel Dyr, close to 1000 m above the High Tell.
El Kef, ancient Sicca Veneria, clings to the cliffs of Jebel Dyr at about 800 m. The walk starts at the Ottoman kasbah, built on a Byzantine fort, passes the domes of the zaouia of Sidi Bou Makhlouf, and leaves town for the caves of Sidi Mansour and Kef Ghrab before climbing onto the plateau of Jebel Dyr. From the top the wheat country of the High Tell spreads out to Algeria. The way back retraces the climb to the old town.
- Kasbah of El Kef
- Zaouia of Sidi Bou Makhlouf
- Sidi Mansour and Kef Ghrab caves
- Jebel Dyr plateau
Weather and season
- SEASON
- April to June and September to November; cold and snow in winter
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.7 C | 2.9 C | 45 mm |
| February | 13.3 C | 2.8 C | 47 mm |
| March | 16.4 C | 5.2 C | 62 mm |
| April | 21.2 C | 8.3 C | 42 mm |
| May | 25.5 C | 11.5 C | 31 mm |
| June | 31.3 C | 16.1 C | 11 mm |
| July | 34.9 C | 19.4 C | 5 mm |
| August | 34.3 C | 19.4 C | 15 mm |
| September | 29.2 C | 16.6 C | 23 mm |
| October | 24.4 C | 12.7 C | 39 mm |
| November | 18 C | 8 C | 46 mm |
| December | 13.6 C | 4.3 C | 40 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
- In town; none on the plateau.
- Guide
- not needed
- Hazards
- Cliff edges on the plateau; wind and cold in winter.
- 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.