Ichkeul National Park

[isutru]

We are traveling with HAL to Western and Eastern Med in July. One stop is in Tunisia, and we booked a ship's tour to Ichkeul National Park, to do something different. Any input or experience with this location? I did not receive any replies on the Africa board. Thanks.

[ab0si]

The lake has been nearly destroyed by a dam. The number of birds and the orginal plants are largely absent -- msotly a salt marsh dow-a-days, I'm afraid.

 

Paul

[isutru]

ab0si,

Do you recommend against this tour, or is it still worthwhile? One doesn't get to an area like this all that often.

[ab0si]

Yes, I would recommend against taking the tour -- unless you have a serious enviormental bent -- then you will come away enlighted and VERY upset.

 

Tunisia is a great place to visit. It is soaked in history (Carthagean, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, etc.) and art -- great mosaics. If I had only one day there, I'd take in the Bardo museum (outskirts of Tunis). The Bardo is closed Mondays. Amoungst other treasures, it has the best collection of mosaics in the world. The National Museum at Carthage is also intersting, but in truth, there is not a lot of Carthagean stuff left -- the Romans were excellent at destroying things. It is open through mid-September. If you are not into that sort fo thing, just wandering around the old Medina of Tunis can be great fun.

 

Where does the ship dock? I've never gone there by ship.

 

Paul