Tunisia

=Visiting = ''Give a brief overview of what it's like to visit. How easy is the border, how safe is the country, are there great things to see and do, etc.' I can only relate to my experience from 2004 - 2009, obviously a lot has changed since then. I am going back this year as I believe it is safe to do so based on information from a friend in Douz. I entered Tunis on the car ferry, twice from Marseilles and once from Genoa. If you can book on a Tunisian Ferry (CTN) then the immigration and vehicle importation can be done on board, albeit by standing in a long queue, (ie anything up to 2-3 hours). As the crossing is 24 hours the ferries rarely depart on time, as long as they leave on the correct day and arrive the next it seems to be acceptable. Consider the various accommodation options on board, my preference is always a private cabin with shower and toilet. Food - I found the best option to be the "complete" booked with the main restaurant, this gives you 3 meals Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in the order determined by your departure time. You can do the voyage "on the cheap" but if you are going to spend in the region of £800 on the crossing (with a vehicle) what difference another £200 or so for a little luxury.

=Entering with a Car or Motorbike= Correct as of: (date last confirmed correct) 

Required Paperwork
Entering Tunesia in Tunis by boat is the usual way. With a Carnet de Passage things are easiest but I am reasonably sure you can enter without as wel. Perhaps somebody else can elaborate on that. Further more you need your original car registration, in the same name as your passport. Insurance is mandatory but was never asked for''

Process at border
''Ariving by boat in Tunis all cars are directed to the process place. There its chaotic and uncomprehensible. There is a lot of pushing, shoving and shouting since all people want to leave as quickly as possible. First you have to find the right booth to get your immigration papers, fill it in and present it to the right guy. He will stap your passport. Then you have to find the booth to get your car paper. You fill this in and find the guy who has to inspect your car. Not easy. After he has done this and signed your paper you should go back to the car booth and get your car papers entered into a computer. After this you should be able to leave. Since there are no signs and no help, you should expect this process to take a few hours, depending on how many cars there are on the ship. Holidays are the worst times. '" Any form of 2 way radio will be confiscated on entry, you can collect it when you depart, best is to hide the evidence somewhere reasonably secure and when asked the question "You have CB radio?" just say "no". Once out of the port you can re-install, CB is very useful if you are in a group. DO NOT use in sight of the National Guard at check points etc.

Cost of entry
There should be no costs involved

Permitted length of stay
State the permitted length of entry for the vehicle

Extension of stay
Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.

Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.

Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage. From memory, in 2006 the vehicle was stamped into your passport, if you left the country the vehicle had to leave with you. In the case of total loss of vehicle a police report would be required.

Exiting with a vehicle
Describe the paperwork requirements and process at the border to exit.

=Driving in = I've taken my own vehicle 3 times, RHD Land Rover, and hired a vehicle from Djerba once. Never had any problems, just be aware of the locals, the red/white minibus taxis drive at speed. On the main road south to Lybia it can get very busy and watch out for the Lybian trucks. Do not buy the roadside fuel from bottles, use a normal fuel station. Try to carry enough fuel (in Jerries if necessary) as diesel is not always so readily available particularly on the western, inland roads. Do not drive into the desert alone, even from Douz to Ksar Ghilane always a minimum of two vehicles. ALWAYS have a shovel, and reduce the pressure in your tyres, ensure you have the means to re-inflate them when you return to the tarmac.

Vehicle insurance requirements
Yes or No if insurance is mandatory, and what kind is acceptable.

Cost of vehicle insurance
State the price of insurance and a time period.

Where to purchase vehicle insurance
Describe where insurance can be purchased.

Driving license
''State the kind of driving licenses required. i.e. International Driving Permit.''

Driving side of road
Right. RHD vehicles can be driven in.

Mandatory items in vehicle
''State any mandatory items that must be carried in the vehicle. (i.e. safety triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.)'' All of the above and a fluorescent vest for each occupant in the car.

General Road quality
''Tunesia has an extensive network of good tarmac roads. For the adventurous one there are a lot of tracks or sand driving in the dunes. ''

Road signs
Briefly describe the overall quality & existence of road signs for directions and hazards.

Toll roads
''Between the big cities in the Northern part of Tuneisia there are toll motorways. the costs are low and the quality is good. great if you are in a hurry to get south.''

Bribery in
Briefly describe how common bribery is and whether it should be expected, and the best way to deal with it.

Checkpoints
describe the frequency of checkpoints (police or military and what to expect.

Traveling with pets
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.

=Gas price in and Diesel price in = Last updated: October 2012 

Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency
Briefly describe if gas shortages are known to occur. ''Also state the approximate average distance between gas stations. This is a very rough estimate.''

Gas and Diesel Quality
Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.

State the sulfur content of diesel, if known.

=Safety and Security Considerations=

Driving at night
Driving at night is hazardous away from the main towns, there are few if any street lights. You will meet donkey carts, donkeys, mopeds on the wrong side of the road, children and even vehicles, all completely unlit. My Landy had over 400 watts of light on the front, which made driving at night relatively safe, my friend, in his Defender with standard lights, refused after one late arrival in Aghir, Djerba, to drive at night again. Driving in the desert at night is a real No No, you need to know the track really well, off the tracks, ie virgin dunes, would be highly dangerous, DO NOT try it.

Vehicle parking
Discuss if vehicles can be parked on the street, if they are considered "safe" at night. If vehicles can not be parked on the street, list the other options that exist.

Special driving considerations
DO NOT enter the desert areas where advised by the National Guard not to. In 2008 a couple were abducted because they did just that; they were held for approximately 9 months, their 2 dogs were shot and it was rumoured that their government paid for their release. On of them was extremely sick when released and it was reported that this was the main reason for the abductors agreeing to the release. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7299953.stm

A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road, etc.). List any roads that are not recommended to drive for safety or other security reasons.

Security advisories and information
=Camping in = There is a place to camp in Nebul/Hammamet, it is gated and locked at night. There is another in Kebili which is on the road with all the mechanics/vehicle repairers, 2 in Douz that I remember, and one in Aghir, right on the beach on the Ille de Djerba. Facilities are minimal, toilets and showers and water is about all that's available. Wild camping in the desert is preferable in my opinion. Ksar Ghilane has a wild camp under the Tamerisk trees and the hot water spring provides a welcome swim to wash out the desert sand. ''Describe if organized "pay" camping is common. List the facilities commonly found at these campsites.''

List the approximate average price range of camping in organized campgrounds.

''Also discuss the possibility of "wild" or "roadside" camping. How common is it? Is it considered safe, or a bad idea.''

Camping guide books
List and link to books specifically for camping.

Drinking water
Describe if the regular tap water is safe to drink. If not, describe where safe water can be purchased and the approximate average price range.

=Navigation=

Paper maps
Reise Know-How are amoung the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in

GPS Maps of
Tracks4Africa are the undisputed best GPS maps for Africa. Tracks4Africa is an SD Card for Garmin GPS, and contain Routable turn-by-turn maps with 809,000 kms of roads and over 129,000 points of interest. 0986987662

GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in
Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.
 * iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.

=Special Overland Travel interests= List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders

=Vehicle Maintenance=

Local Garages
Add known good mechanics here.

=Buy or sell a car or motorbike in = Buy Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle. List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.

Sell ''Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'

=References= Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.

=Helpful External links= Add any helpful external links here.