2-Day Private Tunisia Tour: Roman Ruins to Star Wars Film Sets

From gladiator arenas to desert film sets in 48 hours

A 2-day private tour of Tunisia covering El Djem's Roman amphitheatre, the troglodyte houses of Matmata, the Sahara gateway town of Douz, the salt expanse of Chott El Djerid, Tozeur's oasis and medina, and the Mos Espa film set from Star Wars. A live guide in English, French or Arabic leads the route. Hotel pickup, two nights' accommodation, breakfast and dinner are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Ancient History and Underground Living

• Visit Roman amphitheatre in El Djem
• Travel to Matmata lunar landscape
• Visit Troglodyte underground houses
• Arrive in Douz, gateway to Sahara
• Optional camel ride or quad bike

Day 2: Salt Lakes and Desert Oases

• Cross Chott El Djerid salt flat
• Visit Tozeur Oasis and Medina
• Drive 4x4 to Ong Jmal rock formation
• Visit Mos Espa Star Wars film set
• Optional visit to Chebika and Tamerza oases

The experience

The tour opens at El Djem, one of North Africa's best-preserved Roman amphitheatres and a UNESCO World Heritage site where gladiator contests once drew crowds. From there you travel inland to Matmata, where the landscape turns lunar and you step inside a traditional Berber troglodyte house: homes dug into the earth to stay cool in the heat. The first day ends in Douz, the town known as the Gateway to the Sahara, where you'll spend the night in a 3-star or 4-star hotel or desert camp. Optional camel rides and quad bike excursions into the dunes are available at extra cost if you want to chase the sunset.

Day two starts early crossing Chott El Djerid, the largest salt flat in North Africa. The white or pink expanse (the color shifts with time and weather) stops for photographs and sometimes for the mirage phenomenon. You'll then reach Tozeur's oasis and old medina, famous for its distinctive brick architecture and palm groves. A horse-drawn carriage ride through the groves is optional. The highlight comes next: a 4x4 drive into the desert to Ong Jmal, a rock formation shaped like a camel's neck, and then to Mos Espa, the purpose-built film set for Star Wars: Episode I and Episode II. Some itineraries add the mountain oases of Chebika and Tamerza, which cut through canyons and past waterfalls, before heading back north.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup.
• two nights' accommodation in a 3-star or 4-star hotel or desert camp.
• breakfast and dinner.
• a live guide in your choice of English, French or Arabic.
• transport by private vehicle throughout the route.

Options for this experience

2 options

Bus /Mini VanGuide in English, French or Arabic · 06:00Desert Camp or 4-star hotel, PRO bus or minivan, includes pickup

Two-Day Private Tour of TunisiaGuide in English, French or Arabic · 06:00Pickup is included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (under 18)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and Arabic

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 13 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by Kings Service Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the 2-day version to cover all four regions (Roman ruins, Berber villages, Star Wars sites, and the Sahara) in one trip. The 1-day option splits between north and south, so pick based on which landscapes matter most to you.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 18).

What's inside the troglodyte houses in Matmata?

Troglodyte houses are traditional Berber dwellings carved into the earth to escape the desert heat. You'll step inside one of these homes to see how families lived and adapted to the climate underground.

Can I ride a camel or quad bike in the Sahara?

Camel rides and quad bike excursions into the sand dunes near Douz are available, usually timed for the Saharan sunset. These are optional activities at an extra cost beyond the tour price.

What exactly is the Mos Espa film set?

Mos Espa is the purpose-built film set for the city of Tatooine in Star Wars: Episode I (The Phantom Menace and Episode II) Attack of the Clones. You'll visit the actual set structures built for those films.

What does the salt flat crossing look like?

Chott El Djerid is the largest salt flat in North Africa, a vast expanse that appears white or pink depending on the time of day and weather. The tour stops for photographs and sometimes to observe the mirage effect across the flat.