Tozeur is the largest city in western Tunisia’s Jerid region and the main gateway to the western Sahara. It is known for its distinctive yellow brick architecture, its large palm oasis, and its position as the closest major city to the landscapes that formed the visual basis for Tatooine in Star Wars. It is also … Read more
Tunisia was the primary filming location for the desert planet Tatooine in the Star Wars franchise. From the original 1977 film through to the prequel trilogy and beyond, George Lucas returned repeatedly to southern Tunisia for its extraordinary desert landscapes. This guide covers every confirmed filming location, how to visit them, and which ones are … Read more
Tataouine is a regional center in the far south of Tunisia, and the gateway to one of the most distinctive cultural landscapes in the country: the Berber ksour region, where centuries-old fortified villages perch on rocky ridges above a dry, sparse terrain. It is also internationally known as the inspiration for the name “Tatooine” in … Read more
Chebika and Tamerza are two mountain oases in western Tunisia, situated in the Atlas foothills near the Algerian border. They are among the most visually surprising landscapes in southern Tunisia — not dunes, but dramatic canyons, spring-fed waterfalls, and palm groves cut into rocky desert cliffs. Usually visited together on the same day, they are … Read more
Chott el Jerid is Tunisia’s largest salt lake — a vast, flat expanse of crystallized salt and mineral deposits stretching across approximately 5,000 km² between the cities of Tozeur and Kebili. It is one of the most visually striking natural landscapes in North Africa, and a core element of almost every southern Tunisia itinerary. Chott … Read more
Matmata is one of the most unusual and most visited destinations in southern Tunisia — a Berber village carved into the soft earthen plateau, where inhabitants have lived in underground troglodyte homes for centuries. It is famous internationally as a filming location for the original Star Wars (1977), but the village and its underground architecture … Read more
Sabria is a small desert village and the most important dune system for organized desert tourism in southern Tunisia. Located 15–20 km south of Douz, it is where the main desert camps — including Dunes Insolites — are situated, and it represents the best combination of genuine Sahara landscape and practical accessibility for international travelers. … Read more
Ksar Ghilane is one of the most dramatically situated desert destinations in Tunisia — a natural oasis with a hot spring, surrounded by dunes, accessible only by 4×4, and far enough from any town to feel genuinely remote. It consistently ranks as the highlight of multi-day Sahara tours for travelers who want more than a … Read more
Douz is the main gateway to the Sahara in Tunisia — the town where organized desert tourism begins, where local guides live, and where the Grand Erg Oriental starts at the edge of the palm groves. It sits at the northern edge of the Kebili governorate, about 130 km southwest of Gabès, and serves as … Read more
Spending a night in the Tunisian Sahara at Dunes Insolites camp is one of the most consistently recommended desert experiences in Tunisia. Located in the dunes of Sabria, south of Douz, this camp combines authentic Berber hospitality, proper comfort, and real desert immersion — without the remoteness that makes some camps logistically complicated. This review … Read more