Makthar is about 140 kilometres southwest of Tunis and 60 kilometres southeast of El Kef. There is no direct bus service from Tunis; the most practical approach from the capital is to take a bus to El Kef and connect from there, or to hire a car.
By car from Tunis the drive takes around two hours on the GP5 through Siliana. From El Kef, Makthar is an hour south on the MC70. The mountain road is scenic and the high plateau setting is noticeably cooler than the coastal lowlands.
Most independent travellers combine Makthar with a loop through El Kef and Dougga. All three sites are well off the main tourist trail and the roads connecting them are straightforward to drive.