# Défis du Chott

The Défis du Chott is a desert race around Tozeur; its 29th edition was run on Saturday 24 October 2026. There were three distances, 10, 20 and 40 km, plus a hike, over dunes, tracks and salt crust with no shade. The package included two hotel nights in Tozeur.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/events/defis-du-chott/

The Défis du Chott is one of the oldest races on the Tunisian calendar: the 2026 edition, the 29th, took place on Saturday 24 October in Tozeur. Runners chose between three distances, a 40 km trail, a 20 km and a 10 km, and there was a hike for those who would rather walk.

## The course

The routes mix dunes, tracks and chott, the salt flats where sky and earth seem to merge. They pass close to Mos Espa, the Star Wars village where Anakin Skywalker was born, built of papier-mâché for the films.

The 40 km, listed with ITRA (the International Trail Running Association, which registers and rates trail races), measures exactly 39.26 km with only 89 m of climbing. The challenge is the sand: the organisers stress the lack of grip in soft sand, which makes every stride take twice the energy, and the absence of oases or shade.

| Race | Distance | Time limit | Aid stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 km trail | 39.26 km, +89 m | 8 h | 4 |
| 20 km trail | 20 km | 4 h | 2 |
| 10 km trail | 10 km | 2 h | 1 |

The 40 km started at 8 am local time. Two hundred runners were expected over this distance.

## What the entry includes

Entry included hotel nights in Tozeur the night before and the night of the race, a pasta party, a gala dinner and other events. Prices are available from the organisers.

## Before and after the race

Tozeur is still warm in late October: the average October high is 29.6 °C, hence the early start. The same autumn, Tozeur hosted the [Ultra Mirage El Djerid](/en/events/ultra-mirage/) in early October and the [Balloons Event Show](/en/events/balloons-event-show/) from 26 to 30 October, so runners who stayed a few extra days could catch the balloons.

To extend the trip, Sabaro has chosen two addresses in the region: [The Mora Sahara Tozeur](/en/hotels/the-mora-sahara-tozeur/) and [Dar HI Life](/en/hotels/dar-hi-life-nefta/) in Nefta. The [Tozeur, Nefta and the Jerid](/en/tunisia/tozeur-nefta/) page covers the sights, from the brick medina to the film sets.

Mos Espa and the Nefta dunes are in the south-west, near the Algerian border. European foreign ministries do not all draw the same areas they advise against near this border. Your country's advice:

(Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/events/defis-du-chott/)

The [Tunisia safety](/en/guides/securite-tunisie/) guide sets out the situation in the south.

## Frequently asked questions

### When was the 2026 Défis du Chott?

On Saturday 24 October 2026, in Tozeur.

### What distances were there?

A 40 km trail (39.26 km), a 20 km, a 10 km and a hike.

### Is the course hard?

There is little climbing, 89 m over the 40 km, but soft sand and the lack of shade make it demanding; the time limit for the 40 km is 8 hours.