This article forms part of a series of publications under MEDUSA project to promote less-known natural and cultural touristic assets in our partner territories Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Puglia (Italy) and Catalonia (Spain).
Enjoy reading and hope to welcome you soon at one of the wonderful places you will get to know here.
Zammour Trekking is an event promoting sports, culture and solidarity tourism in Berber village in Tunisia that has been held annually for the past four years. This year's edition (4th Edition) was as fascinating as the first three.
Zammour is located on the mountains of Dahar a few kilometers from "Beni Khadech" (governorate of Medenine). This event is, by virtue of its organizational scope, an opportunity to bring together sports, cultural, adventure tourism, and economic efforts from all over Tunisia. The hospitality of the villagers was enthralling. If you go hiking in Zammour you can see superb and breathtaking views as well as ruins like Ksour, Oasis, Berber. The opening show was animated by the local folk troupe "El Janneda" (the elderly villagers) in addition to all the locals, who wore their traditional clothes (lahfa, barnous, balgha, houli, bakhnoug…).
Picture 1 - Participants biking in Zammour
The event took place for four days and three nights, and the participants had the opportunity to roam the mountains during the day, enjoy extraordinary folkloric evenings and night time performances around a campfire. National and international singers as well as bands also performed marvelously at the end of each day. By midnight, a festive aura would settle at the camp site, as the participants would sing and dance to Tunisian traditional music. Berber tents were set up each evening, forming a large “Douar” which mean circle. Participants were given the option between setting up their tents in the three large camping sites or staying in traditional guest rooms or with locals.
Picture 2 - Camping site at Zammour Trekking
Every day, a craft fair organized by local artisans and residents of neighboring villages showcases local and regional Zammour products and culinary culture.
Zammour Trekking also offered dishes with ingredients farmed organically. The event emphasized on employing locals, and most of the food served at breakfast and dinner was prepared by the women of the region.
Today, the festival is considered to have been modernized and digitized because it brings together modern technology (sound, light, stage management, logistics) with the cultural traditions of the indigenous people of Zammour. Indeed, this event is also brings trekkers, trail runners, hikers and artists from many regions together with the aim of giving them an unforgettable four day experience with sport, culture, adventure and alternative tourism. Many of the participants were families, newly wedded couples, friends and siblings. The the cohesion and the chemistry among them despite their diversity is overwhelming.
Zammour Trekking 4th Edition was definitely a successful adventure tourism festival. It gave its participants access to the local heritage with its specificities and culinary culture, and at the same time, everyone, thrilled by excitement and in awe of what they had seen, felt connected to nature through numerous sportive activities.
