Using El Kef as a base to visit the Mactaris Archaeological Site and the Bulla Regia Archaeological Site, plus notes on how to get to the Dougga Archaeological Site.
I visited Tunisia in January 2020, just before the Pandemic made life difficult. I haven’t posted many of the stories from my travels there, save the Kairouan, Cape Angela and El Jem posts, but I’m planning on resurrecting a few, so stay tuned.
From my research, getting there and back is the same now as when I visited, and, hell, the archaeological sites won’t have moved. Enjoy!
El Kef is a cool place to stay for a few days and explore in it’s own right.
It also makes for a great base for visiting the surrounding area, namely the archaeological sites of Mactaris, Bulla Regia and Dougga.
It is a small city perched on the edge of a hillside at 900m above sea level. I walked up through the medina to the fortress for awesome views across the city:
On arrival from Sbeitla, via Kasserine, I headed to the main square. I walked a few blocks away and found the Hotel Ramzi. Modus operandi in places tourists don’t really go.
Single rooms with either shared or private toilet/washroom (no showers) as of January 2020 were priced at just 25 Dinar. Breakfast of the usual bread, butter and jam, coffee and an egg was included.
As it was winter, the heating came on just after 7 pm and went off at midnight. Pretty cold at 8 am, when it was just 5 degrees out.
How to visit the ancient sites of Mactaris, Bulla Regia and Dougga from El Kef
You can get the appropriate louage from the Kef Louage Station as shown on Google Maps below:
How to get from El Kef to Makthar
From El Kef to Makthar, the modern town, is an easy 70 km. The louage station is marked on Google Maps, and the Mactaris Archaeological Site is just as you come into town. You can either jump out or stay in the louage until the last stop and backtrack the 750 metres, at least that way, you will know where to head to to get back to El Kef.
Mactaris was founded in the late 5th century BC by the Numidians who were Berber tribes living in much of what is the present-day Maghreb.
It was annexed to the Roman Empire by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. In the 2nd century AD, Mactaris became the capital of a district, incorporating several cities and under Marcus Aurelius.
Between 176 and 180 AD, inhabitants of Mactaris were granted Roman citizenship.
From an archaeological point of view, the Roman period is the richest with the paved forum dominated by the Triumphal arch dedicated to Emperor Trajan:
There are also thermal baths and the amphitheatre.
At the Roman Forum:
How to get from El Kef to Bulla Regia
It takes a bit more effort to get to Bulla Regia. Going with the info that I had at the time, I took a louage to Jendouba, which took 45 minutes.
From Jendouba, I walked the 9 km to Bulla Regia. It’s all on Google Maps.
Coming back, I just waited on the side of the road and stuck my thumb out and got a ride with an off-duty cop, and then a louage back to El Kef.
Getting around in Tunisia is easy. Just have the confidence!
How to get from El Kef to Dougga
Dougga is one of the most beautiful historical landmarks in Tunisia.
It is one of North Africa’s best-preserved Roman cities, dating from the end of the 6th century BC.
I didn’t get to visit Dougga, but I researched the trip. It’s how I would have gotten there.
Take a louage from the station in El Kef to Téboursouk, or failing that, get a bus from the main bus station and get off at Nouvelle Dougga, 60 km from El Kef and 8 km before Téboursouk.
Then just walk the 3km to the south entrance near the Dar Jdoud Restaurant.
After visiting, you can exit at the north entrance and once on the highway, hitch with whatever transport is available the 4.5 km to the louage station in Téboursouk.
If you are travelling light, which I always recommend you do, for situations like this, you can then get transport to Tunis, a distance of 100 km.
It’s all on Google Maps. Make sure you download it, or make sure it can load on your phone without data (just pre-load the page, zoom in, and let everything load – easy).
El Kef to Tunis
From El Kef, you can get buses from the Gare Régionale Routière to Tunis:
I love visiting the ancient parts of the world.
After reading your latest post – AI citations and phone stuff – it makes me think: how did these people live thousands of years ago? No phones. No modern day technology. Thinking, taking action and solving problems the old fashioned way.
In this day and age Google Maps is truly helpful. Use it, and also, your mind to ask questions, to hone the intuition and enjoy your travels by being thinking independently.
All these apps exist…. most don’t know how to use the only travel app that’s actually important. Me, maybe i have was a homing pigeon in a former life or Bedouin or Tuareg….