Dougga — Attraction in Maghreb

This post is for travellers who wish to visit Dougga ruins from Le Kef, on your own by public transport. I found Ms Mona Bejaoui WhatsApp contact +21697871887 from another reviewer. It was a late last minute request, as she was booked with a group the next day. I sought her advice on how to get to Dougga from Le Kef DIY. She was friendly during our message chat and didn’t hesitate to help. A big THANK YOU! Mona. (and we did eventually meet at the ruins and exchange hellos : )) a very caring knowledgeable guide, although i didn’t join her tour, as it was a French speaking group) Mona is based in Teboursouk 7km away from Dougga. a highly recommended guide. Here is how to get to Dougga. 1. Get to Le Kef louage station. 2. Tell operator you want to visit Dougga and be drop off at Nouvelle Dougga (new town) 3. As the Louage van end destination is Tunis but pass by Dougga, operator will ask for the full fare of 15 TND. i didn’t mind. 4. Monitor Google Map for reaching Nouvelle Dougga ask to be drop off at Espace Bicha cafe, actually the driver will know you want to visit the ruins, and will drop off travellers here. 5. The cafe is also a rest stop for other louage and long distance bus. 6. The cafe owner, speaks English snd is most helpful to assist with calling a taxi to the ruins. just ask. 7. The fare to the ruins and back to cafe is 20 TND. 8. Upon reaching the ruins entry-inform driver for fix time for the return trip to cafe or get his number. Taking a picture of the car is helpful too. Explore & have fun, it is really worth the trip. We spend 2.5 hours. 9. Returning to the entry, someone actually help call for our driver to pick us up. 10. If you do not want the taxi service…it is a 3.5 km walk to the ruins from the cafe. 11. For the return SNTRI public bus back to Le Kef - the timings are: 12, 2 and 4 PM. There is usually some delay to bus timings but not to worry, again the cafe owners and staff are helpful and will tell you which arriving bus is heading back to Le Kef. So if you intend to visit Dougga from Le Kef on your own, do set off early. Be at the louage station by 8.00 am. and Dougga at 9 am. it will be a fantastic day to experience a...

Wow, tremendous location for ancient ruins. Basically a small ancient town that crumbled with time. Streets, houses, rooms, floors, doorways all visible among the clutter. Stadium is in great shape as are two other large, obvious buildings on the site. View of low hills, more ruins, is very nice as well. Not the parthenon in Athen but... pretty darn good. And much less crowded and costly (only 8TND pp). Columns and elevated stones are awesome.

Spend 2-3 hrs walking around, even then you'll miss things. There are underground tunnels in the 'bath' area. There are many pieces of carved stone with "Caesar" on them, and other recognizable words (english, latin).

Do not follow local signage. Follow google maps. Local signs take you through busy, slow town. Google, straight off P5 highway. Parking is very limited on top. Maybe 10 spots. Off season (December), nobody there. Not sure what they do in summer. WCs available at entrance. No cafe, no drinking water, no food; bring your...

What can I say about Dougga? It’s an entire city from 2,300 years ago, still there for you to explore: walk through its streets, visit houses, admire the intricate mosaics in the halls, temples, and public baths. Set aside at least 2 hours to visit and be ready to walk. Several temples dedicated to Roman mythology gods like Minerva, Pluto, and Saturn are there. All of this comes with incredible views of the region, with olive trees adding to the atmosphere of the time. And the amphitheater? It’s a spectacle! I suggest starting at the lower part of Dougga and reaching the amphitheater from above for a breathtaking view. Don’t miss the city’s entrance with the two pillars that once supported the gate. Walk through the baths and wander the alleys between still-intact houses. Notice the water collection system that’s still visible. Some English-speaking guides offer their services at the entrance, and I think it’s worth it to learn more about the area’s rich history. By Jupiter,...