Bicycle Africa

Notes For Tunisia Program

ITINERARY / MAPS

Tunisia Odyssey: Historic North (PDF)
Tunisia Odyssey: Eden to Oasis (PDF)
Maps

MONEY

Final payment for the land portion is due 60 days before the start of the trip. Payment may be made by money order, personal, certified, cashier's check or credit card. If fewer than six people register for the program there is a supplement of $100.  If this should turn out to be the case, the money is usually collected in cash at the beginning of the program.

Pocket money used during a two-week tour varies between individuals.  Most people use about $150 plus or minus $50.  Examples of expenses are lunch, drinks, postcards, postage, tips and laundry.  NOT INCLUDED in this estimate are souvenirs and transportation, lodging and meals before and after the tour, which may be significant ($40-$80 per day). Now bring twice what you think you will need.  You can bring any extra home. You can change money at the airport. In rural areas you need small denominations of local currency to make your purchases.

Tunisia uses the Tunisian Dinar  (~TD3.2=US$1).  In rural areas you need small denominations TD to make your purchases. ATMs are available in cities and a good means for getting cash. US$ and Euro cash exchange equally well at foreign exchange bureaus. Large bills can sometimes command a better exchange rate.  It is generally difficult to change traveler's cheques (T/C).  A few select banks and big hotel in the big cities are your best bet.  To cash T/Cs in Africa you sometimes need to show your "purchase record" receipts -- bring them, but pack them separately.  The exchange rate is generally slightly better for cash (large bills) than traveler's cheques.  The usefulness of credit card is limited.

AIR TRAVEL

You are responsible for making you own arrangements to Tunisia and to the rendezvous point (instructions will be provided.)  If you arrive anytime on or before "Day 1" of the program you won't miss any major scheduled activities.  No major activities are scheduled on the final day of the program as well.  Some people like to arrive early to have more time to adjust.  If people have extra time before their departing flight they often use this for souvenir shopping or to visit a last museum or monument.

Some airlines charge a hefty fee for bikes-as-baggage on international flights ($300 roundtrip) and some charge nothing, if you are otherwise within your baggage allowance.  You might want to take this into consideration when booking your flight.  Folding bikes, like Bike Friday's, that fit in suitcases, generally circumvent all of these hassles.

Regardless of how you arrange to get to Africa, please tell us the airline, flight, date and time of your arrival in Tunisia.

The tour begins and ends in Tunis.  You can store things at the hotel in Tunis during the tour.

IMMUNIZATIONS & HEALTH

Required: yellow fever if coming from or in transit through infected country (i.e. the tropics). Recommended: routine immunizations (tetanus-diphtheria, polio, measles), typhoid, and hepatitis A. It is recommended, but not required, that you start your shots 6 weeks before departing. Consult your physician or travel clinic for your specific needs. Malaria is not a problem in Tunisia.

COVID-19 INFORMATION

• Fully vaccinated travelers need to present official evidence of vaccination but are no longer required to provide a PCR or rapid test to enter the country. Unvaccinated travelers must take either a PCR test less than 48 hours before travel or a rapid lateral flow test less than 24 hours before travel and carry dated evidence of a negative result. This test must include a QR code.
• Travelers may be subject to random rapid or PCR tests on arrival. If the test is positive, the traveler will be required to self-isolate for five days. If symptoms persist, they will be required to isolate for a further two days.
• Everyone over the age of 6 must wear a face mask in public spaces and on public transportation.
• Increasingly, public venues such as restaurants or bars require official proof of vaccination for entry.
• Vaccinated travelers are no longer required to present a PCR or rapid test to enter Tunisia.

PACKING LIST/EQUIPMENT ADDENDUM

Appendix A and the program packing list combined are good guides to what to bring.  Ignore the sections on "Camping Equipment", ?Village Camping?, "Cooking Equipment", and "Group Equipment". Additionally:

• Dress in Tunisia is modest. You should have clothes along so that you can carry out the activities of the program with your shoulders and legs covered. If you want to wear sheer cycling apparel you should be prepared to wear something light, loose and longer over them at times.   In the past, some participants have ridden the entire trip in some kind of pants. Springtime temperatures in Tunisia ranging from the 40's to the 80's make this practical.
• A sturdy touring bike or mountain bike is recommended. Rental bikes are not currently available.
• You can opt to drink the tap water, which doesn't seem to cause illness, but taste bad in some parts of the country -- particularly the near the desert. Bottled water is available at least in the towns at the beginning and the end of the day, but it is nice to have a backup. If you have a water filter or purifier, bring it. It will be put to good use.  This also allows you to avoid the expense, litter and high carbon footprint of bottled water. Ibike supports minimizing the use of single-use plastic bottles.  Iodine and chlorine tablets are most useful in emergencies -- if you have a half-hour to wait and once a week at the most!  Don't rely on iodized water because you will poison yourself.  The three better choices are a filtering pumps, an ultraviolet light purifiers (search: SteriPen) or an oxidant purifiers (search MSR MIOX).  Filtering pumps tend to be the most versatile and labor intensive, including requiring the most maintenance.  The last two, hi-tech methods, require clear water, which is usually available on our programs, and use batteries -- which can be rechargeable.  The MIOX also need salt and adds a little taste to the water, which is mostly an issue if you start with a high mineral water that already has a taste. The UV pen is generally the effortless and fastest.  For more discussion on water treatment, see http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/water-treatment-backcountry.html.
• Generally, two 32 oz. (3/4 liter) water bottles alone are on the low side -- if you like a lot of water, and on a couple of predictably hot days, you will want additional capacity.  Some ways to reduce the amount of water you need to carry on your bike is drink like a camel overnight and in the morning (i.e. carry it inside), wear loose long sleeve clothing and/or be willing to use Coke and Fanta to replenish you liquids during the day -- these are the most available beverages in roadside kiosks.  Bottled water is available irregularly midday.  The best strategy is to organize all your water needs for the next day the night before (you can top things off in the morning) and expect to be able to get only the occasional soft drink during the day.
• Because the milieu and activities on the trip won't be exactly routine, you might want to bring some things more familiar like a "treat-a-day" of high energy comfort food.
• The use of heart rate monitors is greatly discouraged! Most others don't want to hear about your heart rate, your maximum or average anything! If you need a heart rate monitor to enjoy yourself, take stock of your life -- you may have lost perspective.

INSURANCE

Personal health insurance, travel, evacuation and baggage insurance is strongly recommended.  Cycling and travel have inherent risks, and the world seems to be increasingly changeable.  Even the most conscientious behavior does not guarantee against illness or injury. Insurance mitigates the unforeseen.

Medical insurance is not always valid in foreign countries. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties.

Please check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas, the adequacy of coverage, including provision for medical evacuation, and whether payment will be made to the overseas hospital or doctor or if you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to your home country can cost tens of thousands of dollars.  Some credit cards include travel insurance when you use them to purchase an airline ticket.

Useful information on medical emergencies abroad is provided in the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure, "Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad," available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page or auto-fax: 1-202-647-3000.

APPLYING FOR VISAS

Visa requirements differ by nationality and the embassy you are apply at, and can change without notice.  Contact the embassy you will be applying at for the latest information.  At last check:  Tunisia DOES NOT require tourists from the U.S., Canadian or most EU citizens to have a visa. If you are in doubt please check with the nearest Tunisian Embassy or your Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Click here for visa form in PDF.

REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER TUNISIA

A passport valid for at least six months, with one blank page..