Douz

Jeep & 4WD tours

The desert sands of Tunisia are sprinkled with Hollywood stardust. This two-day tour takes you to some of the country's top filming locations. You'll visit ancient Roman ruins and underground houses, cross a vast salt lake and spend the night in an oasis on the fringes of the Sahara. Hamdi, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘Luke Skywalker's home is in Matmata, a cave village where the houses are hollowed out of the rock. The sandstone is soft enough to dig deep pits, and then dig out caves around the edge, to form the underground rooms. Each room opens onto the base of the pit, which becomes a central courtyard.' Begin your desert adventure at El Jem Colosseum. This ancient Roman stadium used to seat 35,000 spectators, entertained by gladiatorial fights and chariot races. After your cultural fix, head to Matmata, for lunch and a visit to the rock-cut cave homes that starred in the Star Wars films. Finish the day in your very own oasis for an overnight stay in Douz, the ‘Gateway to the Sahara'. In the morning, you'll cross Chott el Djerid, a rust-washed salt lake, before hopping into a 4x4 for a ride to Onk Jemal. Here, you'll explore a film set city built exclusively for Star Wars. After stopping for a Tunisian lunch at Gafsa, you'll round off the tour with a photo stop at historic Kairouan. You won't be able to resist taking lots of pics of the richly decorative mosques that give the town an abundance of character.

Start with pickup from your hotel and head to the Amphitheatre of El Jem. This ancient Roman theatre could seat 35,000 people who were entertained by gladiatorial fights and chariot races. You'll then head to Matmata, where you'll have lunch and visit the rock-cut cave homes that featured in two Star Wars films. Finish the day in the oasis town of Douz where you will stay overnight. Take an optional camel or carriage ride in the desert if you wish. After breakfast, cross the salt lake Chott el Djerid before jumping in a 4x4 vehicle for a ride to Onk Jemal, where you'll be able to see the film set city built for Star Wars. After lunch in Gafsa, finish up the tour with a photo stop in Kairouan, a great place to take lots of Instagram-worthy pictures of the intricately decorated Islamic architecture that the town is known for. Afterward, return to your original pickup point.

Start your visit with the Dune Sea, the Krayt Dragon Ridge and the location of the igloo of Lars Family Homestead exterior on the Chott El Jerid. The location was also used in Attack of the Clones and the final shot of Revenge of the Sith. Continue across Mides and travel to ‘Star Wars canyon’ where 9 scenes were filmed including: when the Jawas were attacked and buried, Jawa Rock, and the scenes of the Tusken Raiders. Return back to Nefta and travel to the Mos Espa film site beautifully located amongst the Sahara dunes. Here, find the Pod-racing arena, the Mos Espa streets, Watto’s shop, market, and Sebulba’s Café. East of the set you will find the Yardangs, where the Jedi fight between Qui-Gon and Darth Maul in Episode I was filmed. It was also the location of the Queen’s Royal Starship. Finish the tour with a look at Ong Jemel ‘the neck of the camel’ where Darth Maul arrives on Tatooine and releases the Sith Probes. After finding Anakin and Qui-Gon, Darth Maul is seen flying over the cliffs.

Have an authentic Tunisian experience throughout this desert camel safari tour. Escape the city buzz of Douz atop a dromedary (Arabian camel), the traditional Berber mode of travel. Following pickup from your hotel, you'll be whisked off to the stables to meet your "cameleer", who will accompany you throughout your sand dune journey. You can take in all the beauty that Tunisia's Sahara has to offer, as you follow the hand-picked trail. You can climb sand dunes, admiring the ever-changing landscapes as the beauty of nature will is brought out even more by the sun over the dunes. Your camel will be friendly, and the guides will be sure to capture your memories on camera for you. Make the most out of your time in Tunisia with this authentic, once-in-a-lifetime desert experience.

Day 1: Douz – Sahara Desert Following a pick-up (03:30PM) from your hotel or accommodation in Douz, meet your Bedouin cameleers and begin your camel trek, you will enjoy riding the camel through the fascinating views of the golden dunes and the amazing landscape at sunset. Arriving at the desert camp, you will have a traditional Berber dinner along the famous flatbread prepared on open fire. Then spend the night under the starry Saharan sky, around the campfire. Day 2: Sahara Desert – Douz In the early morning, enjoy the charming sunrise camel ride and have a Berber breakfast, then continue to ride the camel through the remarkable dunes and fantastic landscape, from there, your Tunisian desert adventure will wind to a close, with a camel trek back to the initial meeting point, where your return transportation to Douz awaits. Arrival to Douz around 09/10AM.

On day 1, following an early pick-up from your hotel or accommodation in Douz, meet your Bedouin cameleers and begin your camel trek. Enjoy riding the camel through the fascinating views of the golden dunes and the amazing landscape which will change as the day progresses. At midday, break for lunch. While the chef prepares a delicious meal, take the opportunity to take photos of the impressive desert. After lunch, continue your journey and ride the camel til sunset. Watch the amazing sight of the sun setting behind the golden dunes. Arrive at the desert camp, and sit down for a traditional Berber dinner with famous flatbread prepared on an open fire. Spend the night under the starry Saharan sky, drumming around the fire. In the early morning, enjoy the charming sunrise as you eat a Berber breakfast. Continue to ride the camel through the remarkable dunes and fantastic landscape, from there, your Tunisian desert adventure will wind to a close. Trek back to the initial meeting point, where your return transportation to Douz awaits.

Explore Tunisia's Sahara Desert on the back of a quad bike during this tour. Pilot your own quad bike, which allows you to motor up and down the enormous sand dunes, reaching places that traditional tours can't access. With all equipment provided: helmet, hood, and goggles to protect from flying sand and a tea break at a desert camp, this adventure tour has elements to keep you comfortable as well. Enjoy the silence and serenity of the Sahara before hopping back on your quad bike and continuing your rugged desert ride. Conclude your tour back at the base camp.

Day 01 : Pick up from your place of residence and departure to El Jem, visit of its coliseum , measuring 148 meters long, 122 wide and 36 meters high, served during two centuries. Its capacity estimated at 35,000 spectators and its imposing size class unquestionably among the largest amphitheatres in the world. This building dating from the third century, shows the greatness of the Roman Empire. Continuation to Matmata located at 40 km west of Gabes, on a mountainside, it is a Berber village of 1800 inhabitants, at an altitude of 600 meters. The name Matmata came from a Berber tribe originating from Morocco, descendant of the Temzit. Matmata is very well known for its troglodyts houses. Troglodyte homes are homes built into the ground as a way to escape the heat of the summer sun, creating their own natural air conditioning. As you walk around on the surface of the ground, you can peer down into these craters, which are the courtyards of these homes. Some of the courtyards have sheer drops of up to 30 feet deep. These courtyards have rooms cut into the ground where residents live. Typical Tunisian lunch in Matmata Departure after the lunch towards Douz also called the desert gate, discovery of the city, check in at your hotel, dinner and accommodation Day 02 : Early breakfast and departure for Chott El Djerid to experience the sunrise on this beautiful salt lake, located between the Gulf of Gabes and the Algerian border, for nearly 300 km, the desert is covered with Chotts, desert areas covered with salt deposits that rest on a mass of mud. When it rains, the chott is covered with water and becomes a kind of inland sea. The mirages are frequent on this salted plain, of a brilliant whiteness. Departure for chebika via Dgueche, picturesque small village of the Tunisian south. Arrival in Chebika, discovery of this mountain oasis, formerly a Berber village that was washed away. Visit of Ong Jmal, known as the setting for the famous 'Star Wars' saga. But Ong Jmal is above all a magnificent place, completely disconnected from time and space. Visit of "Mos Espa" Proceed to Gafsa where you will have lunch On the way back to Tunis, panoramic visit of Kairouan a fascinating city still anchored in a distant past. One of Islam’s holy cities, it was the first capital of the Maghreb. Designated a Unesco World Heritage site, it conceals several marvels and it is also Known as Capital of traditional hand made Carpets Back to your place of Residence.

First a pickup From your hôtel or résidence, then heading to El jem Collisuim (visit), Going to thé south till Matmata where you discover the underground caves. You Will be received by a berber Family. Sée Star Wars site ( Sidi Driss hôtel) Thé last 100km to reach Douz where you go by a track to Sahara ( 25km deep) to spend an Overnight in dunes ( tente sleeping bags bed camp blankets camp WC are available) A Private camp made for you ! A night around campfire - dinner - music Day2 : breakfast in the camp- go to thé Salt Lake - visit the old médina of Tozeur - visit of the Oasis of Chebika- visit of Temegza waterfall Return black North to thé North (Hammamet ; Sousse or Tunis) Meals included Private Jeep

This whistle-stop tour is perfect if you want to tick off southern Tunisia's desert sights in one day. You'll head for the hills and the village of Tamazret then visit Tunisia's biggest oasis plus an underground village that featured in Star Wars. You've also got a camel ride included for an authentic Tunisian experience. Hamdi, one of our local guides, says, ‘In the mountains of the south, you'll find Matmata, a cave village where the houses are hollowed out of the rock. The sandstone is soft enough to dig easily, so first they make a large pit and then dig out caves around the edge, to form underground rooms. Each room opens onto the base of the pit, which becomes a central courtyard.' First up, you'll make your way to the hilltop village of Tamezret, which is dotted with mudbrick houses. Here, the streets wind upwards to a whitewashed mosque, which gazes over the desert plains. We'll pause here for a coffee stop and a look around. Afterwards, you'll head for Douz, known as the ‘gateway to the Sahara'. Douz is also home to Tunisia's biggest oasis, where more half a million date palms merge into a stretch of dunes. Take the opportunity to don traditional Bedouin robes and enjoy a camel ride, swaying over the rolling sands. Then, you'll stop for lunch at a hotel before visiting the troglodyte village at Matmata. Once you see the ingenious and Insta-perfect cave dwellings hewn into the rock, you'll understand why it landed a role as Luke Skywalker's home in Star Wars.