Ouled el Hadef
History and atmosphereThe old brick-patterned quarter, quiet and residential, with a few guesthouses.
Tunisia city guide
Tozeur Travel Guide
Tozeur is a palm oasis on the edge of the Sahara, where an old town of patterned brick looks out over hundreds of thousands of date palms and the vast salt flat of Chott el Djerid. Come for mountain oases, Star Wars film sets in the dunes and desert sunsets, and stay two or three nights.
1h10
Flight from Tunis
39°C
Average highs in July and August
Oct–Apr
Best months
Tozeur at a glance
Tozeur sits in the south-west of Tunisia, about 430 km from Tunis, on a strip of land between the salt lake of Chott el Djerid and the Algerian border. It has been a trading town on the caravan routes across the Sahara for centuries, and its wealth came from dates: the palmeraie, one of the largest in Tunisia, is watered by springs and channels and produces deglet nour, some of the best dates in the world.
The old quarter, Ouled el Hadef, is the town's most beautiful corner. Its houses and lanes are built of yellow bricks laid in raised geometric patterns, a style unique to the Djerid region, with carved wooden doors and covered passages. It is quiet and residential, and lovely to walk at dusk.
Most visitors use Tozeur as a base for the desert and the mountains. North-west of town, the mountain oases of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides sit in canyons with waterfalls and abandoned mud-brick villages. To the north-west in the dunes are the sets built for Star Wars, including the town of Mos Espa. To the east, the road to Douz crosses the dazzling white salt crust of Chott el Djerid.
Tozeur is calm, safe-feeling and easy to get around, with cheap hotels along the main avenue, bikes for rent and horse-drawn carts for the palmeraie. It is also very hot in summer: July and August average around 39°C, so spring, autumn and winter are far better times to come.
Two or three nights is about right: a day for the town and the palmeraie, a day for the mountain oases or Star Wars sets, and a sunset over the chott.
Where to stay in Tozeur
Tozeur is small. Budget hotels line Avenue Abdulkacem Chebbi between the bus station and the old town, the palmeraie has guesthouses among the palms, and Nefta is a quieter alternative nearby.
Avenue Abdulkacem Chebbi
Budget stays and transportThe main street, about 700 m south of the bus station, lined with cheap hotels, cafés and tour agencies.
Palmeraie
Peace among the palmsGuesthouses and resort hotels in the date groves south of town.
Ras El Ain and the Belvedere
Views and walksThe springs and rocks at the edge of the oasis, about 25 minutes' walk from the centre.
Nefta
A quieter baseSufi oasis town 23 km west, with the Corbeille, a palm-filled hollow, and old domed shrines.
Map data from OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Brick lanes, palm groves and mountain oases
Start in Ouled el Hadef, the old quarter, in the early morning or late afternoon. Its brick facades are decorated with raised patterns of diamonds, chevrons and crosses, and the shaded lanes are a calm contrast to the heat outside. Bled el Hadhar, the site of the Roman settlement, has old mosques and mausoleums a short walk from the main avenue.
The palmeraie begins on the edge of town. Rent a bike or take a calèche, a horse-drawn cart, through the groves, where palms shade fruit trees and vegetable gardens in three layers. At Ras El Ain, the Belvedere Rocks give a view over the whole oasis, best at sunset.
The mountain oases are the highlight. Half-day tours by 4x4 visit Chebika, with a palm-filled canyon and a small waterfall below the ruined village; Tamerza, with its abandoned mud-brick town and waterfalls; and Mides, perched above a dramatic gorge. Tours cost about 30 to 35 TND per person in a shared vehicle, or 120 to 150 TND for a whole 4x4. Before you go, check travel advice: the UK advises against all but essential travel within 10 km of the Algerian border, which includes Tamerza and Mides.
For Star Wars fans, the Mos Espa set, built for The Phantom Menace, still stands in the dunes north-west of town, near Ong Jemel, a rock formation known as the camel's neck, which is a classic sunset spot. Local guides run half-day trips.
Finally, cross Chott el Djerid on the causeway towards Kebili and Douz. The salt lake stretches to the horizon, dry for most of the year, and mirages are common in the heat.
Free things
Tozeur for free (or nearly)
Tozeur is a good town for slow, cheap days. Walking Ouled el Hadef is free and the best thing in town, especially in the golden light before sunset.
The palmeraie is open to walk or cycle, and bike hire costs only a few dinars. Paths run between the gardens, irrigation channels and small farms, and early morning is the coolest time.
Walk to the Belvedere Rocks at Ras El Ain, about 25 minutes from the centre, and climb for views over the palms. In winter, there are pools below the rocks.
The central market and souvenir souk by the main mosque are free to browse, with dates, desert roses, blankets and baskets.
Watch the sunset from the edge of the chott on the road east of town, or simply from a café terrace on Avenue Abdulkacem Chebbi.
Food and drink
Dates, desert bread and camel tagine
Tozeur's food is simple and hearty. Couscous and grilled meats are standard, and several restaurants serve camel, in a stew or tagine; it tastes a little like lamb. Chakchouka, a stew of peppers, tomatoes and egg, and méchouia salad are cheap and filling.
Dates are the star. The deglet nour harvest runs from October to December, and the market and shops sell boxes of fresh and dried dates, date syrup and date paste. Try them with lben, fermented milk.
Look for mtabga, a stuffed flatbread baked in some southern villages, and bread baked in sand or clay ovens on desert tours.
A local meal costs around 8 to 15 TND. Restaurants along the main avenue serve Tunisian food at fair prices, and the touristy places on the palmeraie charge more.
Alcohol is mainly found in the bars of the bigger tourist hotels, and many restaurants serve non-alcoholic beer.
Nightlife
Sunsets, cafés and quiet nights
Tozeur is not a nightlife destination. Evenings start with the sunset, from the Belvedere Rocks, the chott or on a tour at Ong Jemel, then move to the café terraces of Avenue Abdulkacem Chebbi for mint tea and shisha.
Some of the bigger hotels have bars, and in the high season there are occasional folk music and dance shows for tourists.
The nights are the real show: away from the town's lights, the desert sky is full of stars, and some desert tours include an evening under the stars or a night in a camp.
In winter, nights are cold, dropping to around 7°C in December and January, so bring a warm layer.
Getting around
Getting to and around Tozeur
The quickest way to Tozeur is by air. Tozeur-Nefta International Airport has several flights a week from Tunis, taking about 1 hour 10 minutes, and some international flights. The airport is a short taxi ride from town.
By road, louages from Tunis cost about 35 to 45 TND and take most of the day. Direct buses also run to Tunis, Douz and Gabès. For Douz, the louage route goes via Kebili, with a change; each leg takes just under two hours.
The night train from Tunis has been disrupted: as of December 2024, trains ran only as far as Metlaoui, with a taxi needed for the last stretch. Check the current timetable before relying on it.
In town, everything is close. Taxis are unmetered, so agree a price before getting in; a short trip should be a couple of dinars. Bikes are a great way to see the palmeraie, and horse-drawn calèches are a slower, more touristy option.
For the mountain oases, the Star Wars sets and the chott, take a 4x4 tour or hire a car. Public transport to the oases is very limited.
Costs
What Tozeur costs
Tozeur is cheap. There are no Hostelworld hostels here, but budget hotels on Avenue Abdulkacem Chebbi start at around 30 TND for a single room, and mid-range residences at around 55 to 80 TND for a double. Palmeraie guesthouses and resort hotels cost more.
Food is cheap: a local meal costs around 8 to 15 TND, and dates and bread from the market cost very little.
The main costs are tours. A shared half-day 4x4 tour of the mountain oases costs about 30 to 35 TND per person, or 120 to 150 TND for a whole vehicle. Star Wars set tours and desert trips cost similar amounts, and a camel ride or an overnight in the desert costs more. Bike hire is a few dinars.
A flight from Tunis costs around 120 TND one way, while a louage costs about 35 to 45 TND.
At about 3.37 TND to €1, a budget day with a cheap hotel, local food and a shared tour comes to around €25 to €35. Carry cash, as cards are accepted only in larger hotels.
Safety
Staying safe in Tozeur
Tozeur itself is calm and generally safe, and it is outside the areas where governments advise against travel. But it is close to the Algerian border, and some of the mountain oases nearby are not. The UK advises against all but essential travel within 10 km of the Algerian border south of Kasserine Governorate, which covers Tamerza and Mides. Australia allows travel to Tamerza, Mides and Chebika but advises a high degree of caution. Check the latest advice, and your travel insurance, before booking a tour.
The heat is the biggest everyday risk. Summer highs average about 39°C, and the sun is extreme. Drink plenty of water, cover up, wear a hat and avoid walking or cycling in the middle of the day.
On tours, use reputable operators with working vehicles, water and phones, and never drive into the desert alone or off marked tracks.
Touts can be persistent at the Star Wars sets and on the palmeraie. Agree prices for calèches, camel rides and guides before you start.
Dress modestly in the old town and villages, and ask before photographing people.
Day trips from Tozeur
From Tozeur you can reach the mountain oases near the Algerian border, the Star Wars sets in the dunes, the Sufi town of Nefta and, across the salt lake, the dunes of Douz.
Chebika, Tamerza and Mides
Mountain oases with canyons, waterfalls and abandoned mud-brick villages. Tamerza and Mides are within 10 km of the Algerian border: check travel advice first.
Mos Espa and Ong Jemel
The Star Wars set in the dunes and the "camel's neck" rock, a classic sunset spot.
Nefta
Sufi oasis town with the Corbeille, a palm-filled hollow, domed shrines and a quiet old town.
Douz
Gateway to the Grand Erg Oriental dunes, with camel treks and desert camps. Better as an overnight.
Chott el Djerid
The vast salt flat east of town, best at sunrise or sunset.
What's on
What's on in Tozeur
Tozeur's main events are in the cooler months: the oasis festival in late autumn, the date harvest from October, and the Sahara Festival in nearby Douz in December.
About 8 February to 9 March 2027
Ramadan
Tozeur
Quiet days and busy evenings; some restaurants close by day.
October to December
Date harvest
Tozeur and Nefta
The deglet nour harvest, when the palmeraie is busy with pickers and the market full of fresh dates.
Late autumn
International Oasis Festival
Tozeur
Folk music, camel races and parades celebrating oasis life. Check this year's dates.
Late December
International Festival of the Sahara
Douz
Camel races, horse riding, poetry and music on the edge of the dunes, two hours away.
When to go to Tozeur
Tozeur is a desert town: very hot from June to September, with July and August averaging about 39°C, and pleasant from October to April. March, April, October and November are the most comfortable months, and winter days are mild but nights are cold.
Jan
Mild days, cold nights
Feb
Ramadan expected from about 8 Feb 2027
Mar
Ideal touring weather
Apr
Warm and clear
May
Getting hot
Jun
Very hot
Jul
Extreme heat
Aug
Extreme heat
Sep
Still hot
Oct
Date harvest begins
Nov
Oasis festival season
Dec
Sahara Festival in Douz
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Highs from weather2travel's Tozeur climate data (16–17°C in December and January, 26°C in April, 28°C in October, 31°C in May, 34°C in September, 39°C in July and August); February, March, June and November are rounded estimates. Crowd levels are our rough guide.
How much does Tozeur cost per day?
Pick a style and a number of nights for a rough total, per person, in euros.
Estimates. With no Hostelworld hostels in Tozeur, beds are based on budget and mid-range hotel prices; doing includes a shared 4x4 tour.
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Tozeur FAQs
Prices and timetables change. Check before you travel.
How do I get to Tozeur from Tunis?
Fly in about 1 hour 10 minutes (around 120 TND one way), or take a louage (about 35 to 45 TND) or a direct bus, which take most of a day. The train has been running only as far as Metlaoui, so check before relying on it.
How many days do you need in Tozeur?
Two or three nights covers the old town, the palmeraie, a mountain oases tour and the Star Wars sets. Add a night if you want to continue to Douz for the dunes.
Is Tozeur safe?
Tozeur itself is calm and outside the areas where travel is advised against. But the UK advises against all but essential travel within 10 km of the Algerian border, which includes the oases of Tamerza and Mides. Check the latest advice and your insurance before visiting them.
How do I visit the Star Wars sets near Tozeur?
The Mos Espa set is in the dunes north-west of town, near Ong Jemel. Local guides and agencies run half-day 4x4 trips, often timed for sunset.
Are there hostels in Tozeur?
Not on Hostelworld at the moment. Budget hotels on Avenue Abdulkacem Chebbi start at around 30 TND for a single room. The nearest Hostelworld hostel is in Douz.
What is the best time to visit Tozeur?
October to April. March, April, October and November are the most comfortable months. Summer is extremely hot, averaging about 39°C in July and August.
How do I get from Tozeur to Douz?
Take a louage to Kebili, across Chott el Djerid, then another to Douz. Each leg takes just under two hours, and you may wait at Kebili for the second louage to fill.
How much does a mountain oasis tour cost?
A shared half-day 4x4 tour of Chebika, Tamerza and Mides costs about 30 to 35 TND per person, or around 120 to 150 TND for a whole vehicle.
Can I visit Tozeur in summer?
You can, but it is very hot: July and August average about 39°C. If you go, explore early in the morning and late in the afternoon, rest at midday and drink plenty of water.
What is Chott el Djerid?
A huge salt flat east of Tozeur, dry for most of the year, crossed by a causeway on the road to Kebili and Douz. It is at its best at sunrise and sunset, and mirages are common in the heat.
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