The Sahara Desert is a bucket list destination for many travelers, and for good reason. During our month’s stay as digital nomads in Tunisia, we decided to visit the south of Tunisia to dip our toes into the Tunisian Sahara Desert. We honestly had the most amazing time, and we can’t wait to introduce the Sahara Desert in Tunisia to you. It may not be as famous or popular as the Sahara regions in Morocco or Egypt, but the desert in Tunisia is definitely underrated and deserves to be discovered.
In the Tunisian Sahara, you can see some amazing dunes, unique cave homes, waterfalls, and even famous Star Wars film sets! But with a lack of information out there on where to go, consider this your go-to source when planning your trip to the Tunisian Sahara Desert. Ready to go on one of the best trips of your lifetime?
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How to Get to the Sahara in Tunisia
Before we dive into all of the things you can do and see in the Sahara Desert in Tunisia, let’s discuss how to get to this remote corner of the Earth. Thankfully, getting to the desert is fairly easy.
Fly Directly to the Sahara Region
There is one main international airport in Tozeur, which is the main outpost for visiting this part of the country. Alternatively, you can fly into Djerba, which is just a couple of hour’s drive away from some of the main things to see in the Sahara. If you fly into Djerba, we recommend either renting a car, booking a private driver, or joining a tour.
Rent a Car From Tunis
The final option is to fly into Tunis, the capital, where you can rent a car and start the drive south. Since we were staying in Tunis, this is the option we picked. Thankfully, the drive to Tozeur was very easy—no 4×4 required! The drive from Tunis to Tozeur is around 6 hours, more if you want to stop in places like Dougga or Kairouan on the way down.
Bus or Louage
We have heard of some travelers taking buses or louages (shared taxis) to the Sahara in Tunisia. This would be a pretty long journey, but it certainly is possible. If you are staying in Tunis or Sousse, you can take a bus or louage to Djerba. This will be the most budget-friendly way to get to the south of the country, but it will also take the longest. Expect it to take around 12 hours from Tunis or 10 hours from Sousse.
What to Do in the Sahara Desert in Tunisia
There is SO MUCH to do in the Tunisian Sahara. We spent 5 days traveling around this part of the country, doing everything from chasing waterfalls and eating dates to riding camels and walking around abandoned towns. Here are are top recommendations for what to do in the Tunisian Sahara.
Check Out the Gorgeous Chebika Oasis
When in Tozeur, one of the most popular activities to do is visiting one of the nearby oases. The most popular of these oases is Chebika. This stunning oasis features palm trees, turquoise water, a waterfall, and rugged cliffs. Chebika is exactly what we imagine an oasis to look like. Here, you’ll explore the trails that lead to a natural spring and waterfall, where you can take pictures to your heart’s delight. Before or after the spring, you’ll also hike along the rugged terrain while taking in the views from above. You could easily spend an hour just walking around.
Explore the Tamerza Oasis
Just a few minutes’ drive away from Chebika is Tamerza or Tamghaza Oasis, a place filled with palm trees. Just like Chebika, Tamerza features a waterfall, which is very nice and refreshing. But the highlight of this oasis is the golden canyon and rock formations, which make for some pretty amazing photo opportunities. We spent an hour and a half here just walking around and getting lost.
We recommend hiring a guide to take you around, as they’ll be able to guide you through the canyon and to the top of the rocks, where you can take in a panoramic view of the oasis. Don’t forget to bring some extra cash to pay your local guide. You should also negotiate a price with your guide before starting the tour. As of 2024, it costs around 10 to 30 TND per person, depending on how long your tour is.
Marvel at the Mides Canyon
Generally, when you visit the above two oases, Chebika and Tamerza, you will also fit in a drive to Mides. Mides is reminiscent of the Grand Canyon in the US, with its dramatic cliffs and winding paths. This ancient canyon has been carved over thousands of years, and you’ve got to sit back and admire it. It was a filming location for Raiders of the Lost Ark for a reason! This mountain oasis also features an abandoned Berber village that you can explore as well. Mides is right by the Algerian border, so you’ll be able to see boarder with Algeria in the distance.
Visit Mos Espa, a Star Wars Film Set
Did you know Tunisia was the backdrop for Star Wars? If you want to feel like you’ve stepped into a galaxy far, far away, you should go to Mos Espa. This iconic film set is now abandoned but completely free for you to explore. You can wander through the preserved buildings of this spaceport settlement in George Lucas’s fictional Tatooine and live out your Star Wars fantasies. That’s what we did!
Chebika, Tamerza, Mides, and Mos Espa are often all combined into a single tour that leaves from Tozeur. If you’re interested in doing all four, here’s the link to the tour.
Walk Around the Tozeur Medina
Likely, you will be spending at least a night in Tozeur as your base, while you visit the oases and Mos Espa above. So, you’ve got to explore the charming streets of the Tozeur Medina. This town’s medina features some pretty unique brickwork and stunning patterns. As you walk around, you’ll find plenty of museums and artisan shops that you can go in and check out.
While walking around the medina, you’ll probably want to get a drink or a bite to eat. We highly recommend visiting Cafe Berbere, which is a very aesthetically-pleasing cafe. And for dinner, you’ve got to go to Essiguifa or Dar Tozeur for a lovely meal.
Have a Coffee in the Middle of an Oasis
Does having a coffee or tea in a gorgeous cafe surrounded by date palms sound like something you want to do? If so, head to Sahara Lounge! Here, you can sit on colorful cushions while breathing in the fresh air, surrounded by sand and palm trees. It’s a truly unique way to soak in the beauty and life of the desert before you head off to the dunes.
Walk on Salt at Chott-El-Djerid
Chott-El-Djerid is Tunisia’s largest salt lake and is reminiscent of the famous Bolivian salt lake. While driving through, you’ll see the amazingly vast expanse of salt on either side of the road, with the salt creating a mirage-like effect, mirroring the sky. We recommend pulling over at some point during the drive to take some pictures and walk on the crunchy salt. Besides white, you will also see salt in colors like pink and green as you continue the drive towards Douz. Don’t forget to stop at one of the cafes and souvenir shops with abandoned art installations that make for some great photo ops.
Camp in the Dunes
Spending a night camping in the dunes of the Sahara is a non-negotiable. The most famous campsite in the Tunisian Sahara is Camp Mars, which is a great option if you have the budget for it. But if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly alternative, we camped with Dunes Insolites, and we were very pleased with the service and amenities!
If you’re not a big camper, don’t worry. These campsites allow you to stay in the middle of the dunes while staying in comfortable tents, complete with flushing toilets and hot showers. The camps will feed you delicious local meals as well as offer other cultural immersion opportunities. And when the sun sets over the dunes? That’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else!
Ride a Camel at Sunrise (or Sunset)
One of the most iconic experiences you can have in the Sahara dunes is riding a camel. But for an experience that’ll really blow your mind, aim to ride the camel at sunrise or sunset. This way, you can ride the camel as you watch the golden light wash over the dunes. Generally, you’ll be in a small group and a guide who will take you to a lovely spot in the dunes where all you can see is the desert as far as the eye can see, where you’ll sit on the sand and serenly watch the sun set or rise.
If you do not camp in the dunes or your camp simply does not offer a camel ride, here’s a camel ride experience you can book through Viator.
Quick note on camel rides: In many tourist destinations around the world, the camels used for rides are mistreated, overworked, and abused. So, if the animal seems to be extremely tired and overworked, you notice wounds on the camel, or you are just getting bad vibes in general from the tour, don’t ride on the animals. Luckily, in our experience in Tunisia, we did not notice any of this, and the camels seemed to be very happy and well taken care of. But this is still something to look out for.
Try Your Best at Sandboarding
If you want a bit of thrill during your time in the Sahara in Tunisia, you’ve got to try your hand at sandboarding. Sandboarding is similar to snowboarding but, you guessed it, on sand. To sandboard, you’ll climb to the very top of a large dune and slide all the way down on the board against a stunning desert backdrop. Don’t worry if you’ve never sandboarded or snowboarded before; it’s very beginner-friendly and relatively easy. All you need is a bit of courage to slide down and a bit of tenacity to climb back up to do it all over again!
Taste Some Camel
Did you know that camel is a popular and traditional meat eaten in the Tunisian desert? While eating camel may not sound so appetizing at first, don’t knock it till you try it! Camel meat is often prepared as a stew; prepared in this manner, the meat is incredibly tender and flavorful. In our opinion, it reminded us the most of beef. In true Tunisian fashion, you might eat it with some couscous or find it prepared as a gargoulette, a clay pot stew.
Walk Around the Abandoned Town of Tamezret
Fancy visiting a ghost town? Head to the abandoned town of Tamezret, which offers a glimpse into Tunisia’s past. The town is located on top of a hill, so before you head into the town itself, we recommend stopping by one of the viewpoints to admire the town from below before you start walking around. We stopped at Cafe Ben Jemaa, and we recommend popping by for a toilet break, some tea, and the views.
Visit Luke Skywalker’s Home in Matmata
Another famous filming location for Star Wars is the small town of Matmata. Matmata is home to troglodyte homes that are carved into the rocks to help the locals escape the intense summer heat. One of these underground troglodyte structures became the interior of Luke Skywalker’s home. While the whole town has plenty of these troglodyte homes, you can still specifically visit Luke’s home today by heading to Hotel Sidi Driss.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t figure out how to stay in this hotel, but we found another cave hotel (Marhala Hotel) not too far away that had a very similar look.
Marvel at the Troglodyte Structures of Ksar Jouamaa
Want to see some more examples of traditional Berber architecture? Head to Ksar Jouamaa, a troglodyte village consisting of these unique, cave-like structures carved straight into the rock. While this structure has since been abandoned, it’s slowly being converted into a hotel. When visiting, you will need to pay a small fee to enter, but once you enter, you’ll be rewarded with dramatic cliffs and stunning scenery as a backdrop to these amazing carved caves.
Where to Stay in the Sahara Desert in Tunisia
There’s a huge range of accommodation to pick from when you want to spend a few nights in the Sahara. Accommodation can range from traditional Berber cave hotels and camping in the dunes to fancy hotels with pools.
Generally, when visiting the Sahara, you will spend at least a night in Tozeur, a night in Douz in the surrounding dunes, and then maybe pick another destination or two, depending on your itinerary.
In Tozeur, we recommend staying in:
- Anantara Sahara-Tozeur Resort & Villas: A Tik-Tok famous high-end hotel
- Dar Saida Beya: A great mid-range option
- Dar Yomma: A great mid-range option with a pool
- Dar Zakaria Touristic Area: A great budget-friendly self-serviced apartment
For camping in and around Douz, we recommend:
- Camp Mars: The most famous camp in Tunisia
- Dunes Insolites: A more budget-friendly camping option that still offers comfortable amenities
- Camp Abdelmoula: A third camping option
- The Residence Douz: If you don’t like camping, this is a luxurious hotel you can stay in but still be in close distance to the dunes
Other accommodation options scattered throughout the Sahara that we recommend include:
- Marhala Hotel: A budget-friendly cave hotel in Matmata, reminiscent of Luke Skywalker’s house
- Dar Ettawfik: An apartment in Tatouine
Tips for Visiting the Sahara Desert in Tunisia
Here are a few of our top tips to keep in mind when visiting the Sahara Desert in Tunisia.
Wear Loose, Flowy Clothes
The best type of clothing you can pack for your Tunisian Sahara trip is loose, flowy, and breathable clothing. Opt for light fabrics, such as linen. These clothes are much more likely to keep you cool while also keeping you covered from the sun and sand.
Bring a Scarf
On top of packing loose and flowy clothing, don’t forget to pack a scarf! If you don’t have one, purchase one at a souk in Tunisia. A scarf comes in handy for so many reasons. You can use it to cover your hair and/or shoulders when visiting mosques and traditional villages. But in the desert, the scarf (or shemagh) can also protect your face and neck from the sun and sand, which you’ll be super thankful for when the wind blows in particular!
Protect Yourself From the Sun
The sun really is no joke in the Sahara! Beyond packing the right clothing, pack high-SPF sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen every two hours, as the sand reflects the sun’s rays, intensifying your exposure to the sun.
Pack Layers
While it can be very hot in the desert during the day, temperatures drop at night. We were traveling the Tunisian Sahara in October, and we sorely underestimated how cold we would be once the sun set. Don’t forget to pack warmer items, such as a jacket, especially if you plan to camp in the dunes.
Rent a Car
This is an absolute must in our opinion! The best way to explore the Sahara and everything South Tunisia has to offer is to rent a car and drive. This way, you can set your own pace and have the freedom to stop wherever you want and create your own itinerary. While a 4×4 can be handy, most destinations you’ll be heading to have paved roads, so a standard sedan will more than suffice.
Stay Hydrated
Carry plenty of water whenever you are out and about. You’ll get dehydrated very quickly, so you could also consider adding some electrolyte tablets to your water, particularly for those long days out.
Visit at the Right Season
Do not visit the Sahara during the summer. Let us repeat… do NOT visit in the summer. Instead, the best time to visit is spring or fall, from March to May and September to October.
Don’t Miss the Sahara When Visiting Tunisia
Our trip to the Sahara in Tunisia is one of the most unique road trips we’ve ever done, and we would highly recommend anybody thinking about traveling to Tunisia to rent a car and go for a drive through the desert. It truly is a special trip you won’t experience anywhere else. To do everything we’ve listed above, you will want to spend at least 4 nights in the Sahara, jumping from place to place. But in one long weekend, you’ll visit charming villages, sand dunes, canyons, and desert oases in a single trip. How cool is that?
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