Secret Nature Walks in Tunis: The Hidden Trails Locals Love but Tourists Miss

On a breezy July morning, a steady trickle of joggers and early walkers wind through the eucalyptus-shaded paths of Parc Urbain Ennahli north of El Menzah. While tourists gravitate towards the bustling Belvedere, regulars know that some of Tunis’s best natural escapes lie tucked away from the main boulevards.

With the mercury topping 37°C this week and traffic gridlock shadowing the downtown core, urban green spaces have never been more prized. Weekly visits to public parks in Tunis have climbed by 17% since 2021, according to the Association Tunisienne de Santé et d’Environnement, as locals seek out shade and serenity to break up their city routines. But as the well-known parklands draw crowds during this vacation season, those in the know are steering towards hidden trails and forest corridors where tranquillity reigns and the air feels cooler under ancient olive and carob trees.

Trails Beyond the Tourist Path

Parc Urbain Ennahli is a favourite among locals from Ariana and the northern suburbs. Spread over 300 hectares off Route de l’Ariana, the park features kilometres of dirt walking circuits, birdwatching spots and quiet picnic pockets—yet rarely makes the city’s official visitor guides. Rowers train on the small Lac Intérieur at sunrise, undisturbed by the tourist throngs seen near Bardo or Carthage. Meanwhile, in El Mourouj, next to the suburb’s zoo entrance, the narrow loop at Jnan Ben Othman Park meanders through native myrtle and wild rosemary groves, attracting botanists and families but seldom outside visitors.

Nearby, the Association Les Amis du Parc Ennahli organises free weekend group walks, drawing dozens of regulars who chat along the pine trails before breakfast. “It’s cool even in July,” said one participant, "and safer than the city streets for those who want a brisk run before work.” These local walking groups and informal fitness circuits are part of a broader drive to reclaim neglected green spaces and foster community well-being, supported by city-backed initiatives such as the "Parcs pour Tous" Saturday open park days, now in their third year.

Numbers Show a Shift to Hidden Greenspaces

Data from the Direction Générale des Forêts puts Tunis’s urban green space at 4.2 square metres per resident—one of the lowest ratios in North Africa—and public investment has focused on revitalising underused parks in inner suburbs. The five-kilometre circuit at Ennahli, for example, now features bilingual trail markers and improved security, thanks to a 780,000 dinar upgrade completed in April 2025. This year, over 6,000 runners and walkers logged their outings at the park’s official entrance counters between March and June, triple the numbers seen in 2022. Meanwhile, new footbridges and native plantings at Jnan Ben Othman have drawn a fresh wave of local families thirsty for green respite within reach of Ben Arous.

Walking is one of the most accessible forms of exercise, and with paid gym memberships in central Tunis now topping 120 dinars a month, these quietly maintained parks are a draw for students and pensioners alike. Surveys by the Université de Tunis reveal that residents who walk in green spaces at least twice a week report 23% less stress than those who stay indoors—a trend fuelling the surge in group activity on local trails.

Getting There Before the Word Spreads

For Tunisois eager to dodge the crowds and weave nature into their weekly routines, an early-morning visit to Ennahli’s forest track or a sunset stroll through Jnan Ben Othman can refresh body and mind for the cost of a 1.5 dinar minibus ticket from Place Pasteur. The city’s wellness groups post schedules for free weekend rambles on social media and public boards in Borj Louzir and El Mourouj. While tourist footfall is still concentrated around Belvedere and La Marsa, the recent reopening of these lesser-known trails means it may not be long before their secret status fades.

For now, these green enclaves offer locals a rare luxury: a stretch of quiet path and the scent of pine, just beyond the city’s daily din. Maps, meeting times, and orientation events are available through the municipal sports office in Ariana or by checking the Facebook page of Les Amis du Parc Ennahli. Just bring plenty of water and a good hat—the best corners of Tunis’s nature are still worth discovering, step by step.