Ain Draham

Ain Draham sits at around eight hundred metres in the Kroumirie mountains near the Algerian border, in the wettest part of Tunisia, and the country around it is cork oak forest rather than anything most visitors associate with North Africa. The town has red-tiled roofs and steep streets, snow falls most winters, and the forest is walked and, in season, hunted for wild boar. The Algerian border and the Roman site of Bulla Regia are both close.

Background

The town lies in the Jendouba Governorate, 25 kilometers south of Tabarka, on the flanks of the Djebel Bir (1014 m) in the Kroumirie mountains. Its name refers to the area's sulfurous hot springs, which the Romans used, and ruins of Roman baths survive nearby. Long a summer resort and souq town, it became a multi-purpose tourist resort in 1930 and is now a regional economic hub. It had 9,788 people in 2014 and heads a delegation of 40,372 inhabitants. It holds Tunisia's record for the highest average rainfall, 1534 mm a year, with 275 mm in December against 6 mm in July, and the rain often triggers landslides.

Source: Wikipedia, "Aïn Draham"

The landscape

• The cork oak forest - dense woodland covering the hills around the town.
• The alpine-style town - red-tiled roofs and steep streets, unlike the rest of the country.
• The rainfall - the wettest district in Tunisia, with snow most winters.
• The forest walks - marked and unmarked routes through the Kroumirie hills.

When to go

April to October is the most comfortable for walking. Winter brings rain, fog and occasional snow, which is the local attraction for Tunisians. Autumn colour on the oaks is good.

Before you go

It rains a great deal and the town is often in cloud. Accommodation is limited and some hotels are dated. The mountain roads are winding and slow.

Nearby

Tabarka is north, and El Feija is west.

Key facts