2-Day Tunisian Desert Tour: Matmata & Ksar Ghilaine

Sleep in the Sahara, wake to a camel ride at sunrise

A 2-day guided tour of the Tunisian Sahara from Djerba, crossing the Grand Erg Oriental desert and visiting Berber troglodyte villages in Matmata and Dahar. Day one includes a stop at Tatouine's traditional market, a guided walk through cliff-carved houses, and an overnight in a desert camp with dinner by the fire. Day two begins with a camel ride at sunrise, then moves to Matmata to visit a Berber family, see the Star Wars filming location, and return to Djerba through the Toujène mountains.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Discover Dahar and Grand Erg Oriental

• Depart via Roman road and olive grove
• Stop at salt lake
• Continue to Tatouine
• Free time at traditional market
• Visit Berber village in Dahar mountain
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Travel to Grand Erg Oriental desert
• Settle at campsite
• Swim in hot spring oasis
• Optional quad biking at sunset
• Dinner around campfire
• Overnight in tents

Day 2: Matmata visit and return to Djerba

• Camel ride at sunrise
• Breakfast at campsite
• Depart for Matmata
• Visit Berber troglodyte village
• Experience local family life
• Discover Star Wars filming site
• Lunch in troglodyte hotel
• Return to Djerba via Toujène mountains

The experience

The route starts with a morning drive south through olive groves and past the salt lake at Zarzis toward Tatouine, where you have free time at the traditional market. From there the road climbs into the Dahar mountains to a Berber village where houses are carved directly into the cliff face. A guide walks you through the settlement and you eat lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon continues into the Grand Erg Oriental, the vast dune field where the tour sets up camp. You can swim in the hot spring that feeds the oasis, and the evening ends with dinner cooked around the campfire before you sleep in tents.

Day two begins before dawn with a camel ride across the dunes as the sun rises. After breakfast at camp, the route heads north to Matmata, another Berber village where houses are sunk deep into the ground rather than carved into cliffs. You visit one family's home to see how they live, share flatbread with olive oil and honey, and drink mint tea. Lunch happens in a troglodyte hotel, and on the way back to Djerba you pass through the Toujène mountains. The tour includes an in-person guide who speaks English, French or German, an air-conditioned vehicle for the drives, and all meals and camp accommodation.

What’s included

• Two nights of accommodation (one in a desert camp tent).
• all meals including dinner by the campfire and breakfast at camp.
• an air-conditioned vehicle for all transfers and routes.
• an in-person guide speaking English, French or German.
• a camel ride at sunrise on day two.
• bathing in the hot spring.
• coffee, tea and mint tea throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:30

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French and German

Audio guideSpanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish 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 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Legend Travel Story Tunisia

Is this one for you?Book this if you want an overnight immersion with a group following a set route. The camp stay lets you experience the desert at sunrise and spend a night under the stars, whereas a day trip from Djerba would only cover the drive and dunes.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French and German.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 3): free.

What is it like to sleep in a desert camp in the Sahara?

The campsite sits in the Grand Erg Oriental oasis, where you sleep in tents and bathe in the hot spring before dinner. The camp provides accommodation and meals, and you wake the next morning to a camel ride at sunrise across the dunes.

What do the troglodyte houses in Matmata actually look like?

Matmata's Berber homes are built by digging down into the ground, creating sunken courtyards surrounded by rooms carved into the earth below street level. You visit a family's home to see the daily setup and share tea and flatbread with them.

Does the tour stop at the Star Wars filming location?

Yes. Matmata was the setting for the first scenes of the original Star Wars film, and the tour includes a visit to that site during the second day before lunch in a troglodyte hotel.

How long are the drives each day?

Day one involves a morning drive from Djerba to the Dahar mountains and then into the desert, with stops at Zarzis salt lake and Tatouine market. Day two is a shorter return journey through Matmata and the Toujène mountains back to Djerba.

Can I ride a quad bike in the desert?

Quad biking between the dunes at sunset is available on day one as an optional activity paid directly on-site for 30 USD per quad, separate from the tour price.