A wonderful day for a special getaway in the Sahara oasis of Douz in southern Tunisia to take part in the harvest of Deglet Nour «Finger of light» dates, the favorite variety in Tunisia known for its translucent color and honey-like flavor.

Share an authentic experience with the local pickers and farmers who climb the palm trunks to cut the date bunches in exuberant palm groves.

Enjoy the beautiful landscapes of oases and the dunes in the Tunisia Sahara Desert.

Dive into the Bedouin and Oasis culture while meeting local farmers and savoring a delicious picnic lunch under palm trees.

Details of the dates harvest tour

Departure & Return Location

Your selected hotel in Djerba Island (Google Map)

Departure Time

07:00 am

Price Includes

Transport in air-conditioned vehicle
Local guide
Lunch
Non-alcoholic drink during the meal.
The visits indicated in the program
A dates bunch offered

Price Excludes

Visits not indicated in the program
Personal Expenses

HIGHLIGHTS

Meeting with local farmers in their field
Participation in an authentic dates harvest
Fresh dates bunch offered at the end of the trip
Picnic lunch at the oasis

Itinerary of the dates harvest tour

DAY ITINERARY:DJERBA-MATMATA-DOUZ-ZAAFRANE

Pick up in the morning from your hotel in Djerba to the oasis of Douz via the ferry in the village of Ajim.
After crossing the Strait of Jorf, drive to Douz city crossing the plain of Djeffara and the Dahahr massif.
Arrive at Douz, an amazing oasis on the edge of the desert named “The Gate of the Sahara”.
A short visit to the local marketplace known for the traditional slippers made of camel leather.

DAY ITINERARY:DATES HARVEST

Departure to the palm grove where we will meet the pickers who will be happy to invite us to discover their farming activities and the different harvest phases, you will enjoy their stories and anecdotes while working.
Usually, the dates harvest is organized at the end of the year and lasts only two months to provide us with the most commonly eaten fruit in Tunisia.
The cycle begins with artificial pollination by the farmers between March and April cutting the branch bearing male pollen and inserting it among the female flowers to fertilize them.
A few months later, the pickers will return to install the protective nets or perforated white bags to protect the dates from insects and rain.
When we reach the oasis, you will enjoy seeing the pickers climbing the palm tree quickly by leaning on the trunk and gripping with bare hands at the bases of the branches in an impressive acrobatic gesture.
Reaching the top of the palm tree, the picker cuts the date bunch using a serrated pruning knife and slides it to another picker standing a little bit lower on the same palm trunk, who in turn passes the bunch to two other pickers who finish the linework until the bunch is safe on the ground.
The rest of the team will make the first sorting according to the size and quality of the dates.

DAY ITINERARY: END OF THE DAY

At the end of the day, tens of crates full of picked dates will be transported to a sorting center where another sorting will be made manually before moving on to the packaging.
During the day, you will savor a delicious picnic lunch in the heart of the oasis based on “Mechoui” (Grilled lamb or dromedary meat) served with fresh salads.
Before bidding farewell to the pickers and the farmers, a beautiful dates bunch will be offered to you.
Return to Djerba, drop off at your hotel, and end of our services.

Map of the dates harvest tour

Photos

Dates Harvest With Local Farmers in South Tunisia

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