Tozeur and the Sahara

The landscape of southern Tunisia is characterised by arid mountains, rippling Saharan sand seas, and great expanses of brilliant white salt pans (chotts). Where water bubbles to the surface, bright green oases of date palms form and are almost mirage-like in their fascination amidst the desolation. So inspired by what they saw, location scouts for the first Star Wars films chose southern Tunisia’s dramatic otherworldly geography as the backdrop for Luke Skywalker’s home planet of ‘Tatooine’.  

 A six-hour drive south from Tunis, Tozeur is positioned on the edge of the Sahara, and is the largest oasis in Tunisia with over 200,000 date palms – many of the highly prized Delgat Nour variety. An excellent base with good hotels from which to explore southern Tunisia, Tozeur became wealthy from the trans-Saharan caravan trade. The old quarter of the town, known as the Ouled Hadef, reflects that wealth. Its buildings are constructed using yellowish bricks arranged in geometrical patterns and are full of history. 

Nearby, the religious centre of Nefta is noted for its 30-metre-deep palm-filled depression with its natural springs known as the Corbeille. Beyond here, across the sands, Ong Jemel, an enormous rock said to resemble a camel, is, for most visitors to Tunisia, their first taste of the Sahara proper. After crossing a series of crescent dunes, arrive at the film set built for the Star Wars prequel film The Phantom Menace. The architecture of the fictional settlement of ‘Mos Espa’ is heavily influenced by the Berber settlements in the Matmata and Tataouine regions of southern Tunisia.

On the Algerian border, the Mountain Oases of Chebika, Mides and Tamerza are where you can find some of the most impressive scenery in southern Tunisia, with date palms surviving in rocky clefts and small streams and waterfalls, creating an Eden-like paradise amongst the arid mountains. The original villages close to each oasis were abandoned in the 1960s and have crumbled into atmospheric stone-and-earth ruins. Several good hikes can be enjoyed in the area.

To the east, between Tozeur and Douz, the Chott El Djerid is Africa’s largest Salt Lake. At times, parts of it appear in various shades of white, green and purple. Before the main road that runs from the southern rim to the northwest point was constructed, passing through this glistening rainbow-coloured Saharan salt pan, which covers an area of 5,000 km2, was extremely hazardous. 

 A 4WD excursion from Douz (“The Gateway to the Sahara”) to remote Tembaine gives visitors the best opportunity to experience the Sahara in Tunisia. Located on the edge of the Grand Erg Oriental and surrounded by vast expanses of golden sand dunes, the site is marked by two prominent rocky outcrops rising from the desert floor, creating a stunning contrast with the surrounding dunes. The remote location offers unparalleled opportunities for stargazing, with little to no light pollution, and adventure. Visitors can choose to experience Tembaine while staying in a fixed camp or visit on a day excursion from Douz.