2-Day Djerba to Matmata Tour: Desert Camp & Troglodyte Villages

Sleep in the Sahara, then explore the underground homes where Star Wars was filmed

A 2-day tour from Djerba into southern Tunisia's desert and mountain villages, with a night at Ksar Ghilaine camp, camel or quad rides across the dunes, and visits to the troglodyte villages of Chenini and Matmata. The itinerary includes a 40-minute walk through Tataouine market, lunch in a Berber village, bread baking in the sand at sunset, and a morning in the underground homes used as Luke Skywalker's house in Star Wars. Air-conditioned transport, guide in multiple languages, and half-board accommodation at a 3-star camp are included. Pickup from your Djerba hotel is arranged.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Visit Tataouine, Chenini and Ksar Ghilaine

• Depart from Djerba
• Visit Zarzis salt lake
• Stroll Tataouine market
• Visit Ksar Hadada village
• Visit Berber village Chenini
• Lunch in Guermessa village
• Travel to Ksar Ghilane
• Optional camel or quad ride
• Attend bread baking ceremony
• Dinner at camp
• Walk in desert dunes
• Overnight in private tent

Day 2: Visit Tamzret, Matmata and Toujen

• Breakfast and free time in desert
• Visit Tamzret village
• Visit Matmata troglodyte houses
• Lunch with locals in troglodyte house
• Photo break at Toujen village
• Return to Djerba or Zarzis

The experience

The route starts at the salt lake of Zarzis, where the water shifts color throughout the day, then heads inland toward Tataouine. You'll spend 40 minutes walking the market there, moving through stalls of Berber products and spices, before the drive continues to Ksar Hadada (the Star Wars filming location for Anakin Skywalker's home), and the troglodyte village of Chenini, built into the hillside 18 kilometers south of Tataouine. Lunch happens in Guermessa, a mountain village about twenty kilometers away, where you eat with locals in their homes.

The afternoon brings you to Ksar Ghilaine, where the camp sits around a central restaurant and bar with Saharan tents. Before dinner, you can ride a camel or quad bike across the dunes (both optional, booked separately). At sunset you'll watch bread baked in the sand, then walk into the silence of the desert to watch the stars before sleeping in your private tent. Breakfast and free time in the dunes come the next morning.

Day two takes you to Tamazrat, a Berber village ten kilometers from Matmata, then into the troglodyte houses themselves: the underground dwellings carved into the earth where families still live. You'll have lunch with locals inside one of these homes, an experience ranked as the top-rated accommodation style in the area. After a photo stop in the semi-troglodyte village of Tassili on the hillside, the drive returns you to Djerba or Zarzis by afternoon.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle for the full two days.
• live guide in English, Italian, French, German or other languages.
• half-board accommodation at the 3-star Sahara Lounge Ksar Ghilaine camp with breakfast and dinner.
• hotel pickup from Djerba.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00 and 07:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (under 11)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French, German, Italian, Arabic and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by vérité voyages

Is this one for you?The pace is steady but not rushed (most time is spent in vehicles or at the camp, with walking limited to markets and village visits), so it suits travelers who want to see remote desert and mountain villages without long treks on foot. The overnight in a tent is part of the experience, not a rough camping trip. The camp has proper facilities and a restaurant.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, French, German, Italian, Arabic and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 11).

What's the salt lake of Zarzis actually like when you get there?

The salt lake changes color throughout the day depending on light and mineral content, creating a striking visual effect that makes it a notable first stop on the route.

Can I ride a camel or quad bike in the desert, or is that just something you watch?

Both camel and quad rides are optional at Ksar Ghilaine and booked separately at checkout. You can choose one, both, or neither depending on what appeals to you.

Do I actually stay in a tent, or is there a building at the camp?

You sleep in a private Saharan tent at Ksar Ghilaine, but the camp has a central restaurant, bar, and facilities (toilets and kitchen) that meet 3-star hotel standards.

What happens during the lunch in the troglodyte house on day two?

You eat with locals inside one of the underground homes in Matmata, experiencing how families live in these dwellings carved into the earth. The cave hotel experience is ranked as the top-rated accommodation style in the region.

How much walking is involved on each day?

Day one includes a 40-minute walk through Tataouine market and optional walks in the dunes at sunset and sunrise. Day two involves walking through the troglodyte village of Chenini and a photo stop in Tassili, with the rest by vehicle.