An authentic culinary getaway in the oases of Kebili with GIE Nefzaoua

Journey to the kingdom of southern Tunisian flavors

Spend unforgettable moments in our beautiful region, on the bangs of the Sahara. We offer you a unique journey through the Nefzaoua palm groves and its beautiful oases. Dates are a local specialty in our region, and we invite you to discover them as you’ve never seen them before: plain, prepared in cakes or in the form of processed products… You’ll take part in the preparation of local Kebili dishes and enjoy yourself in an authentic family setting.

Period: October to May

Duration: One day

Participants: groups of 15 to 20 people minimum, 30 people maximum

Level: Accessible to all

Languages: French, Arabic, English, Italian.

Location: Kébili, Gabes street

Location: 30 minutes from the center of Kebili

Transport and accommodation: On request

Your hosts : Amer ben Boubaker and the members of GIE

A native of the region and an expert in organic farming, I love the oasis and dates. In 2007, I won the Tunisian state prize for the best organic dates. Together with my fellow GIE members, farmers from the Kébili region, I invite you to visit the Nouiel region, 30 minutes from the center of Kébili, to discover the secrets of dates and many other by-products of these beautiful, juicy fruits. Our team will be delighted to welcome you and introduce you to date-based recipes and other traditional dishes from our region.

Highlights of the experience

• Culinary immersion with local producers;
• A culinary escapade in a southern Tunisian oasis;
• An authentic cultural immersion and human experience for a day;
• Learn about date processing techniques;
• Share a convivial, multi-generational and multicultural moment;
• A unique experience at an affordable price.

Ideal if you’re looking for activities for…

• Families with children and teenagers
• Retirees
• Solo traveler
• Groups
• Adventurers in search of shared moments
• Women’s tourism
• Team Building
• Passionate about food and discovery

The spirit

The idea for the GIE came from a desire on the part of local people to promote and showcase the products of our oasis. With this in mind, we invite you to experience an extraordinary journey into the desert and discover other facets of Saharan Tunisia, its oases and its people.

With us, you’ll discover the secrets of dates, taste the region’s delicious dishes, dates and products made from this magical fruit, the gift of the oasis. In our workshops, you will acquire knowledge and know-how of date production and the process of transformation into other products such as syrup, coffee, sugar and pasta.

We’ve got you covered…

09:30 – Arrival and welcome. Discussions about the palm grove, dates and our GIE.

During date season (October), we start the day in the palm grove for a short stroll to pick the dates before moving on to the packaging and processing workshops. Out of season, the day starts with a visit to our workshops, where you’ll discover the different varieties of dates and their specific characteristics. From this sacred tree, we make several products: syrup, sugar or paste, which the locals use in traditional dishes and in the preparation of beautiful pastry recipes.

Afterwards, we invite you to a local lunch, an opportunity to get to know other GIE members, who will be delighted to give you details of the dish of the day and the secrets of Saharan cuisine.

After lunch, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in a date syrup, date paste and coffee-making workshop, or a date pastry workshop. A time for sharing and exchanging ideas, followed by a tasting of the product you’ve made with your own hands.