Mahdia Medina and Cap Afrique
- Hike
- Distance
- 3km
- Duration
- 2HRS
- Ascent
- 12M
Elevation profile
1-17 M / TERRAIN TILES SAMPLED ALONG THE TRACK
Photographs
Photos: Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0), Mehri Khouloud (CC BY-SA 4.0), Habib M'henni (CC BY 4.0)
Start point
- Car
- About 2 h 30 from Tunis via the A1 and Monastir.
- Louage
- Louage from Tunis or Sousse to Mahdia (verify locally).
- Bus / train
- Metro du Sahel train from Sousse and Monastir to Mahdia.
Nearby
The trail
A loop round the Fatimid peninsula of Mahdia: the Skifa el Kahla gate, Borj el Kebir, the marine cemetery and the lighthouse on Cap Afrique.
Mahdia was founded in the early 10th century by the first Fatimid caliph as his capital, on a narrow rocky peninsula. The walk enters the medina through the Skifa el Kahla, the dark gate, crosses to the 16th-century Borj el Kebir, and follows the point past the white tombs of the marine cemetery to the lighthouse on Cap Afrique, returning along the shore by the old Fatimid harbour.
- Skifa el Kahla gate
- Borj el Kebir fort
- Marine cemetery
- Cap Afrique lighthouse
Weather and season
- SEASON
- Year-round
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17.1 C | 8.8 C | 26 mm |
| February | 17.3 C | 8.8 C | 30 mm |
| March | 19.7 C | 10.6 C | 54 mm |
| April | 22.6 C | 13.3 C | 20 mm |
| May | 25.9 C | 16.1 C | 11 mm |
| June | 29.8 C | 19.6 C | 5 mm |
| July | 33.1 C | 22.4 C | 1 mm |
| August | 33 C | 23.1 C | 16 mm |
| September | 30.2 C | 21.9 C | 44 mm |
| October | 26.2 C | 18.7 C | 48 mm |
| November | 21.6 C | 14.2 C | 34 mm |
| December | 17.8 C | 10.3 C | 25 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
- Cafes in the medina.
- Guide
- not needed
- Permits
- Ticket for Borj el Kebir.
- Hazards
- Wet rocks on the point in rough sea.
- 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.