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Tunisia can be thought of as a north Africa in miniature. Its Mediterranean coastline offers some excellent all-inclusive beach resorts. But the country also lays claim to desert dunes and an intriguing array of cultures. Its long human history envelopes some of the region’s most important periods too. However, its natural history should not go unexplored either. While you won’t find the big game species of sub-Saharan Africa, Tunisia has no shortage of contrasting environments. With almost 20 protected areas overall, these are my pick for the top 5 national parks in Tunisia.
1. Lake Ichkeul National Park
One of the many pleasures of Lake Ichkeul National Park is the fact it’s located next to one of Tunisia’s biggest cities – Bizerte.
From the hum of this Mediterranean port city you can soon delve into lakeside forests that have never seen development.
Beyond the national park gates there are a mass of hiking and photographic opportunities. But the main reason to visit is going to be its wide range of bird species.
This is because the lake’s waters act as an important rest stop for migratory birds. They fly thousands of miles between Europe and Africa twice a year.
As a result, slip quietly among its paths and you have the chance of spotting everything from swallows and ducks to storks and flamingos.
2. Bou-Hedma National Park
Stick a pin into the centre of a map of Tunisia and it will land somewhere close to Bou-Hedma National Park.
It protects a region drier than the country’s coastal belt around Bizerte and Lake Ichkeul. The environment instead starts to hint at the expansive savannahs found beyond the Sahara Desert.
Bare hillsides sweep down to plains dotted with occasional trees that somehow survive the harsh summers and chilly winters.
An indication that the environment wasn’t always quite so harsh are the plethora of Roman-era relics that can be found at Bou-Hedma. These include the remains of a village, bridge and aqueduct.
But the national park also protects the habitat of endangered species including the addax antelope, which perhaps explain why this national park could soon be a UNESCO World Heritage Site too.
3. Jebil National Park
The second-largest national park in Tunisia, Jebil covers 150,000 hectares of southwestern Tunisia.
If you’re looking for that quintessential Sahara Desert experience of gently shifting dunes and camel treks, this is the place to come.
In fact, Jebil National Park expands over almost the entire Grand Erg Oriental (eastern sand dunes) located within Tunisian territory.
To its western extremes, visitors can also take in the dramatic bolder formations created by centuries of eroding wind.
Other potential attractions within the park include prehistoric sites, and attempts to locate a diverse desert fauna of jackals, bustards, hares and horned vipers. Should you want to loate a horned viper that is.
4. Mount Chambi National Park
Located close to the sometimes-fraught frontier with Algeria, Mount Chambi National Park was created to protect the endemic plants and animals of Tunisia’s highest peak.
Also known as Djebel Chambi, the mountain rises to just under 1,550 metres above sea level, putting it on a rough par with Britain’s highest point, Ben Nevis.
It provides a vital protected area for indigenous species, ranging from Aleppo pines and holm oaks to endangered Barbary sheep and Cuvier’s gazelle.
The gateway to the park is the city of Kasserine, and should you wish, you can drive to all but the last couple of hundred metres with a four-by-four. Of course, I’d recommend the hike to the summit instead.
5. Jebel Chitana-Cap Négro National Park
One of Tunisia’s newest national parks, Jebel Chitana-Cap Négro was only formally created in 2010, but for me it’s still one of the best 5 national parks in Tunisia.
This may seem a little odd to some, since the park arguably lacks any single obvious attraction. However, the region of rocky coast and Mediterranean woodland which it protects offers some of the finest views in the country.
Drifting between Bizerte and the inland city of Beja, the best way to explore is on foot. But it can be tempting to just lie back on a comfortable promontory and while away an hour to the sound of the Mediterranean waves.
The best 5 national parks in Tunisia?
Of Tunisia’s 17 current national parks, I believe these are the best 5 national parks in Tunisia. Together they provide an insight into the country’s many different natural environments. But they also guard some of the most important remaining habitats for the region’s struggling wildlife, as well as historic sites and the country’s highest peak.
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