2-day Sahara tour from Djerba: Overnight desert camp

You sleep under the stars in a tent in the middle of the Sahara, not in a hotel.

A 2-day tour from Djerba into the Tunisian Sahara with overnight accommodation at Unusual Dunes camp, including transport, all meals, and a local guide. Day one covers Berber villages, the lunar landscapes of Matmata, and a sunset camel ride (optional). Day two begins with sunrise over the dunes, continues through Douz market and rural pastures, then returns to Djerba by evening. A live guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language, and hotel pickup is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Explore Berber villages and desert camp

• Depart from Djerba at 7am
• Visit Ksar Metameur granary
• Cross Dahar massif and desert stones
• Explore authentic Berber village alleys
• Enjoy traditional lunch in Matmata troglodyte house
• Discover Matmata lunar landscapes
• Arrive at Unusual Dunes camp
• Optional camel ride at sunset
• Dinner and campfire under stars
• Overnight in comfortable desert tent

Day 2: Sunrise, markets, and return

• Watch sunrise over Sahara dunes
• Breakfast at the camp
• Travel to Douz oasis
• Visit Douz traditional market
• Drive to Ksar Hadada rural landscapes
• Lunch near Ksar Hadada
• Return to Djerba via Roman causeway
• Arrive at accommodation in Djerba

The experience

You leave your Djerba hotel at 7am and head south through the Roman road toward the Dahar massif, crossing vast stone deserts with a local guide. The first stop is Ksar Metameur, an ancient Berber granary carved into the landscape, where the guide walks you through its architecture and history. From there you climb into the Dahar mountains to an authentic Berber village: narrow alleys, traditional houses, the daily rhythms of people who have lived this way for centuries.

Lunch happens in Matmata, in a troglodyte house carved into the rock, where you eat traditional southern Tunisian food with a family. The village itself is the draw: houses sunken into the earth, courtyards open to the sky, the moonscape geology that made it famous. Late afternoon you reach Unusual Dunes camp deep in the erg, the golden sand dunes of southern Tunisia. A camel ride at sunset is optional. Dinner is traditional, cooked over embers, and you sleep in a comfortable tent under the stars with nothing but silence around you.

Day two starts before dawn. You wake to watch sunrise over the dunes, drink fresh coffee facing the Sahara, then eat breakfast at the camp as the light spreads across the sand. The route to Douz takes you through rural landscapes where herds of camels, goats and sheep sometimes cross the road. Douz itself, nicknamed the gate of the desert, has a traditional market where you can browse regional crafts and talk to merchants. Lunch is near Ksar Hadada in the Dahar hills, then the drive back crosses the Roman causeway that connects the mainland to Djerba, arriving at your hotel by 6pm.

What’s included

• Transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• overnight accommodation in a comfortable tent at Unusual Dunes camp.
• all meals across both days (dinner on day one, breakfast and lunch on day two, plus breakfast at the camp on day two morning).
• a local guide throughout.
• hotel pickup in Djerba.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 05:30, the last at 08:00

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (under 12)

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

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 10 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Route Insolite

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to sleep in the Sahara itself rather than commute from a hotel. The overnight at the camp is what makes the sunrise, the silence, and the full immersion in the desert possible. It suits travelers with two days free and a willingness to forgo hotel amenities for the real thing.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12).

What's the difference between sleeping at the camp and staying in a hotel in Djerba?

The camp is a tent in the middle of the Sahara with no walls between you and the desert. You sleep under the stars with the silence and the sky. A hotel in Djerba is a building with electricity and plumbing. The camp has neither, and that is the whole point of the overnight.

Is the camel ride included, or do I pay extra?

The camel ride at sunset on day one is optional, so you can choose to do it or skip it. All other activities and meals are included in the tour price.

What does a traditional lunch in a troglodyte house actually involve?

You eat in an authentic family home carved into the rock in Matmata, sharing specialties of southern Tunisia. The meal is convivial, not a restaurant setup. After lunch you explore the village itself, walking through the troglodyte neighborhoods and seeing how the houses are built into the earth.

How much time do we spend at Douz market on day two?

The itinerary stops at Douz's traditional market to browse regional products and crafts and observe daily life, but no specific duration is stated. It is a browsing stop, not a full market day.

Does the tour include getting from my hotel to the starting point?

Yes, hotel pickup in Djerba is included, so the guide meets you at your accommodation at 7am on day one.