Tozeur: oases, salt lakes and the Sahara

Why visit Tozeur

Tozeur gives you the desert without the hardship. You can sleep in a comfortable hotel, walk through shaded palm gardens, and in a day drive past salt flats, canyons and dunes. It is also the date capital of Tunisia: the deglet nour, the finger of light, grows here in hundreds of thousands of palms.

The old town and the palmeraie

The old quarter, Ouled el Hadef, is built of yellow bricks laid in geometric patterns, a style unique to this region. Wander its narrow lanes, then visit the Dar Cheraït Museum for a look at traditional southern life. The palmeraie, the palm grove, covers a huge area south of the town and is watered by springs and channels. Explore it on foot, by bicycle or in a horse drawn calèche, and stop at Chak Wak, a park and museum, or the Eden Palm date museum.

Mountain oases

North west of Tozeur, near the Algerian border, the mountain oases of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides are the classic half day trip. Chebika has a spring and small waterfall in a rocky gorge, Tamerza a larger waterfall and the ruins of an old village abandoned after floods in 1969, and Mides a dramatic canyon. Go with a licensed guide or driver from Tozeur, and keep to the main sites given that the border zone is sensitive.

Chott el Djerid

The road from Tozeur to Kebili crosses the Chott el Djerid on a causeway. This salt lake is mostly dry, a white crust that shimmers with mirages, and turns pink and violet near sunrise. Stop safely by the road to walk a short way onto the crust, but never drive onto it.

Star Wars and Ong Jemel

North west of Tozeur, the rock formation of Ong Jemel, the camel's neck, was a setting in The English Patient, and nearby stands Mos Espa, the Star Wars set built for The Phantom Menace. The set is slowly being reclaimed by dunes but remains a fun stop. Fans can also visit the Sidi Driss hotel in Matmata, Luke Skywalker's home.

Nefta

Twenty minutes west, Nefta is a spiritual centre of Sufism, with many shrines and a deep palm filled hollow called the Corbeille. It is quieter than Tozeur and lovely at dusk.

Douz and the dunes

Across the chott, Douz calls itself the gateway to the Sahara, and from here the golden dunes of the Grand Erg Oriental begin. Take a camel ride at sunset, stay overnight in a desert camp, or visit the Sahara Festival held in late December, with camel races and poetry. Ksar Ghilane, further south east, has a hot spring pool among dunes.

Getting there and around

Tozeur airport has flights from Tunis on some days and occasional seasonal routes. Louages and buses connect Tozeur with Gafsa, Kairouan and Tunis. To see the oases and film sets, most visitors hire a driver and four wheel drive through their hotel or a licensed agency.

Seasons and safety

Visit between October and April. Summer heat is extreme. Bring sun protection and warm layers for cold desert nights in winter. Check current government advice, which warns against some areas near the Algerian border. Use the free trip planner to combine Tozeur with Djerba.