Tozeur

This site was used for multiple Star Wars movies. Scenes in the town 'Mos Espa' or 'Mos Eisley' have been filmed here. Tours are available from local guides. Prices should be about the same for any half-day tour from Tozeur.

Get lost in the compact and laid-back medina, with the many signposts. This is a largely residential and underrated medina and you won't be bothered - friendly kids will smile and most people passing by will greet you happily. Admire the beautiful houses typical of the region, built with sand and clay bricks, often with very intricate designs. Look out for a triangular shaped design - it is believed to bring good luck, and people once tossed coins onto the bricks making the patterns. Some of the roofs of the tunnels in the medina are made of palm wood - they are rather fibrous, and others, of apricot tree wood, which are normally used for richer families. Look out for the "jalousies" - dark apricot wood made peeping windows from the second floor where ladies used to sit. These allowed them to watch the people in the street without being watched, it being socially rare for ladies to be outside of the house much in the pass. The mosque doors are green and rounded whereas residences have are squared doors with beautiful nail designs - including jars (used to conserve palm products), Jewish stars and candles (for the substantial Jewish community that used to live here), and even bicycles (for locals who bike a lot). One of the houses belongs to a French family and you can see a "coq gaulois" perched on one of the house walls.

One of the largest palmeries in Tunisia. Easy access from the eastern and southern side of the medina. Go in with a GPS as you could get lost in the many roads, but most people on the way are friendly, and the watch dogs are rather shy, keeping to their area and not interfering or barking if you're on the main road. Makes for a nice walk in the early morning or late evening when it is not too hot. In October, locals come from all over to help work the plantations.

Where the old Roman settlement was, this area is slightly off the main part of Tozeur but about a 10-minute walk from Avenue Abul El Kacem Chebbi. Has a few mosques and mausoleums.

A strange mix of sand art and old playground - but climb to the top of the four sculptured heads and it gives you a view over the palm groves. About a 25-minute walk from the tourist information center on following Avenue Abul El Kacem Chebbi away from the city center. In the summer, most watering holes are dried up, but in winter, there are pools around the area.

The nearby Chott el-Jerid is an impressive lake, completely dry for most of the year. Few people specifically make an effort to see this, as anybody driving to Douz will drive along a raised causeway over the lake bed. Have your camera handy. The white sand comes from the salt that is gathered and exported by Tunisia.

is on the edge of a cliff and offers magnificent views. Guides for Chebika can be found waiting in the area when the cars pull up and will expect a tip (~10 DT for 30 minutes, a climb up where you can see the whole oasis and surroundings, as well as down to the natural pools). This can be done by oneself without a guide, however, but the road up isn't marked out clearly.

has a few palm groves and gardens, as well as a gorgeous water carved gorge. If you do go, and are up for a hike, a beautiful 4½ km gorge runs from Mides to Tamerza, and is worth the walk. Hiring a guide should cost no more than 40-50 DT total (per guide), though they may price the hike per person. Syndicated, official guides may (or may not) be found at Mides, and/or the Syndicat d'Initiative along the main road, which has various hours. Attempt to contact them before hand-one number given for them is 76-485-288. If you start the tour in the afternoon, begin the hike as early as possible, to allow for any problems or twisted ankles. The gorge will get dark long before the surrounding area.