By air
Tozeur–Nefta International Airport (TOE), ~5 km
Africa · Tunisia
Tozeur, Tunisia
Palm groves and salt flats on the Sahara's edge
Getting there
Best time to visit
October to April — mild desert days and cool nights
Don't miss
Ouled el Hadef
The Tozeur palm grove
Chott el Djerid
Chebika
Things to do
Walking the palm groves
Crossing the salt lake
Visiting mountain oases
Desert drives to film sets
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: David Stanley · CC BY 2.0
What to pack
Sun hat, sunglasses, scarf against dust, warm layer for evenings
A quieter corner
The mountain oasis of Mides and its deep canyon
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Tozeur?
October to April — mild desert days and cool nights. What to pack: Sun hat, sunglasses, scarf against dust, warm layer for evenings.
How do I get to Tozeur?
Fly into Tozeur–Nefta International Airport (TOE), ~5 km.
What is there to do in Tozeur?
Walking the palm groves, crossing the salt lake, visiting mountain oases, desert drives to film sets. A quieter find: The mountain oasis of Mides and its deep canyon.
What should I eat in Tozeur?
Deglet Nour dates, date syrup, couscous and lamb cooked in clay pots.
About Tozeur
- Desert
Where it is
Tozeur is an oasis town in south-west Tunisia, on the northern edge of the Chott el Djerid salt lake not far from the Algerian border.
History
Tozeur grew on the site of a Roman town and became a stop for caravans crossing the Sahara. Its palm grove has been watered for centuries by a system of channels shared between families. The poet Abu al-Qasim al-Shabbi, author of verses used in the Tunisian national anthem, was born here in 1909.
People
Tozeur's people speak Tunisian Arabic, and many families still tend plots in the palm grove, growing dates high in the trees with fruit, vegetables and fodder in the shade below.
Known for
- Deglet Nour dates
- Patterned brick architecture
- The Chott el Djerid salt lake
- Star Wars filming sites nearby
Did you know?
The old quarter of Ouled el Hadef is built of handmade yellow bricks laid in raised geometric patterns, a style found in few other places.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.