Henna and Hargouss

Discover the ancestral art of henna and hargouss, two Tunisian traditions of body decoration that enhance women’s hands and feet during celebrations and ceremonies.
These decorations are not permanent tattoos: they are applied with natural pigments that gradually fade away.
Mainly applied to the hands and feet, these designs embody an ancestral tradition blending aesthetics and symbolism, often associated with celebrations such as weddings, religious holidays, or rites of passage.

During this unique activity, you will learn the history, symbolism, and techniques of these ephemeral and semi-permanent decorations made with natural pigments.
An immersive cultural experience that plunges you into the heart of Tunisian artisanal know-how.

About Henna and Hargouss

Duration: 2 hours
Schedule: All day from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Pickup time: 20 to 30 minutes before the appointment
Pickup area: Island of Djerba (our team will pick you up wherever you are on the island)
Confirmation: Immediate
Cancellation: See our Terms and Conditions

Highlights

Authentic initiation into two forms of Tunisian body art: henna and hargouss.
Discovery of traditional and Amazigh motifs and symbols.
Personalized application with advice from a local artist.
Use of natural, skin-friendly pigments.
Immersion in an ancestral craft passed down through generations.

Program

Our team will pick you up directly wherever you are in Djerba (hotel, guesthouse, or residence) and bring you back after the experience. No stress, no logistics to manage — we take care of everything.
This activity takes place at a local practitioner’s home, a true henna and hargouss artist who normally works exclusively for Tunisian women rather than tourists. She is highly sought after in the region to beautify hands and feet for weddings, engagements, traditional festivals, and more. The moment you experience is therefore 100% authentic, like an immersion into the intimacy of a Tunisian home, welcomed with simplicity and warmth.
Upon arrival, she will present you a range of traditional designs, from floral arabesques to Amazigh symbols, geometric patterns, or more contemporary drawings. You will be free to choose the one you like best, according to your taste and wishes.
If you want, you may also bring your own design, found on the Internet or elsewhere, which she will happily reproduce.
She will then apply the design with precision and delicacy, freehand, following an ancestral know-how passed down from mother to daughter.
Traditionally, henna is applied on the palm of the hand, while hargouss is done on the back of the hand, each with specific styles and techniques. This distinction beautifully enhances your hands from every angle, respecting traditions and with a unique artistic touch.
Her talent is expressed more through her fingers than her words, and this sincerity makes the experience unique and deeply human.
Henna and hargouss remain living traditions in Tunisia: women still do them today to mark major events, beautify their bodies, and perpetuate an ancestral art. You will therefore live a gentle, intimate, timeless moment — far from tourist clichés — where beauty, transmission, and conviviality meet.

Good to Know

These are not permanent tattoos but temporary or semi-permanent decorations.
These decorations are mainly done on hands and feet but can also be applied on other body parts according to your wishes.
Henna can last on the skin from 3 to 10 days depending on skin type and care.
Hargouss is a more durable decoration, lasting several weeks.
Wear clothes that you don’t mind staining.
Suitable for people without allergies to natural henna (please inform us before the workshop).
Ideal activity for a cultural experience and an original souvenir of Tunisia.