Southern Tunisia and its oases in 7 days
7 days · Travellers who already know the coast, couples, families with children aged about ten and over · October to April
Seven days and six nights in southern Tunisia: two nights in Djerba, the road through Matmata and Tamezret to two nights in Douz, the crossing of Chott el Djerid, then two nights in Tozeur with its medina, palm grove and the Star Wars sets, before flying home from Tozeur.
from 900 € per person
Price collected on 20 October 2026. Based on 2 adults, listed hotels and excursion, breakfast included in Djerba and Tozeur; flights, transfers, car with driver between stops, the 4x4 trip in Tozeur, site entry fees and tourist tax (TND 12 per person per night in 4- and 5-star hotels) not included. Indicative price, taxes included, to be confirmed with your request.
Itinerary
- Days 1–3 Djerba, Sidi Mahrez beach · 2 nights — Hasdrubal Prestige Thalassa & Spa Djerba
- Days 3–5 Douz, via Matmata · 2 nights — The Residence Douz
- Days 5–7 Tozeur, across Chott el Djerid · 2 nights — The Mora Sahara Tozeur
Activities included in the indicative price
- Djerba tour with Guellala museum · 27 € per person
Public price collected on: Civitatis — accessed 20 October 2026
East to west, one way
This trip crosses southern Tunisia from the sea to the desert in three two-night stages: the island of Djerba, Douz on the edge of the Sahara, and the oasis of Tozeur. You fly into Djerba and out of Tozeur, so you never retrace your steps. Djerba is 2h50 from Paris and 2h20 from Lyon by direct flighta few hours' flight from Europe's main cities, direct or with one stop and Tozeur 2h55 from Paris by direct flighta few hours' flight from Europe's main cities, direct or with one stop.
Distances are longer than on the coast but manageable: 129 km from Houmt Souk to Matmata, then on to Douz, and 121 km from Douz to Tozeur across Chott el Djerid, about two hours without stops. The price does not include transport; on these roads, a car with a driver is the easiest option.
Stage 1: Djerba (days 1 and 2)
Arrival
Djerba-Zarzis airport is 18 km from the hotel. You stay at the Hasdrubal Prestige Thalassa & Spa Djerba on Sidi Mahrez beach: 219 suites, an 11,000 m² thalassotherapy centre and a private sandy beach. Rates start at about €150 a night with breakfast, for a stay in March 2027.
A day around the island
Djerba has been a World Heritage Site since 2023, recognised for the way its people settled the island: 24 monuments in seven areas, including Ibadi mosques, fondouks and a synagogue. A guided tour of the island and the Guellala museum covers it in a day.
- Houmt Souk, the main town, keeps its fondouks, the old caravanserais, and a fish market where the catch is auctioned; market days are Monday and Thursday. Borj Ghazi Mustapha, a fort built in 1425, costs TND 8 and is closed on Fridays.
- Guellala is the potters' village, its name taken from the Berber word for potters. The Guellala museum, on a hill, stages more than forty scenes of Djerban life.
- Erriadh is home to Djerbahood, an open-air street art museum: more than 250 murals and installations painted in 2014 and 2021 by over 150 artists from some thirty countries. The nearby El Ghriba synagogue opens every day except Saturday; cover your head and shoulders, and expect a security check at the entrance.
Stage 2: Matmata and Douz (days 3 and 4)
The cave-dwellers' road
You leave the island on the Ajim ferry, a short crossing that runs continuously. Matmata, a Berber village at 600 m, is known for its homes dug around circular courtyards. One of them, now the Hotel Sidi Driss, was the Lars family homestead in Star Wars. Ten kilometres west, on the road to Douz, Tamezret is a ridge-top village at 480 m with stone houses, an old synagogue, a hilltop mosque and a small museum of Berber culture.
Douz, gateway to the Sahara
Douz is the town of the Mrazig, once nomadic camel herders. On Thursdays, camels and donkeys are sold at the market. The Sahara Museum tells the story of nomadic life: tents, weaving, costumes, jewellery and the tattoos of the Nefzaoua tribes. It opens from 9.30 am to 4 pm local time in winter, closes on Mondays and costs TND 5.
The Residence Douz, opened in October 2023, has 50 villas set in a palm grove. There is a Clarins spa with a hammam and an indoor pool, a kids' club for ages 3 to 12, a permaculture farm and a cultural house offering cooking and craft workshops. You can ride a camel from reception to your villa. Rates start at about €340 a night, room only.
The sand desert begins at the edge of town. Several European foreign ministries advise against tourist travel south of the line running from the Algerian border through Tozeur, Douz, Tataouine and Zarzis; they leave the towns of Douz and Tozeur open to visitors. This itinerary stays in town and at the hotel.
Stage 3: the chott and Tozeur (days 5 and 6)
Crossing Chott el Djerid
Between Kebili and Tozeur, a paved road runs across Chott el Djerid, a vast salt flat known for its mirages. Stay on the road: off the tarmac, the salt crust can give way.
Tozeur and the Star Wars sets
Tozeur is the oasis of the Jerid. Its 14th-century Ouled el-Hadef quarter has façades of clay bricks laid in relief patterns. The palm grove, free to visit, covers nearly 1,000 ha with some 400,000 palms. Eden Palm, less than a kilometre from the centre, presents the date palm in a museum and botanical garden.
A 4x4 trip with a driver visits the Star Wars sets north-west of town: the Ong Jmel rock, nicknamed the "camel's neck", which also appears in The English Patient, and Mos Espa, the set built for Episode I, released in 1999. A crescent-shaped dune is moving across the set at about 15 m a year. Our Star Wars in Tunisia guide tells the story of the shoots.
Nefta, about twenty kilometres to the west, is not included: some foreign ministries advise against tourist travel south of the line running from the Algerian border to Tozeur, and Nefta lies just south of it.
The Mora Sahara Tozeur, formerly the Anantara and renamed on 1 November 2025, stands on the edge of the desert facing the chott, 6.5 km from the airport. It has 93 suites and villas, many with a private pool, and a spa. Rates start at about €390 a night with breakfast.
Day 7: flying home from Tozeur
Tozeur is 2h55 from Paris by direct flighta few hours' flight from Europe's main cities, direct or with one stop. Its airport has direct flights to Paris only from October to June, one to three times a week depending on the month. Some foreign ministries recommend flying to reach the tourist areas of the south-west. If the flight days do not suit, Tunisair Express links Tozeur with Tunis, which has flights across Europe.
Good to know
- When to go. In Tozeur, average highs are 17 °C in January, 23 °C in March and 30 °C in October, reaching 40 °C in July. The south is best from October to April.
- Entry requirements. Tunisia has required a passport from all travellers since 1 January 2025; the visa and entry requirements guide covers the length of stay and the validity required. The rule for your country:
Entry requirements
| Nationality | Visa | Travel document | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| French | No visa for stays of up to three months; beyond that, visa and residence card from the Ministry of the Interior; overstaying requires exit authorisation and a fine proportional to the overstay | Passport compulsory for all stays, valid for at least 3 months on the date of entry (rule in force since 1 January 2025). The ID card, formerly accepted on package tours, no longer is | France Diplomatie, Conseils aux voyageurs, Entrée / séjour (Site last updated 15 September 2026) |
| Details: French child travelling with one parent: no authorisation required on leaving Tunisia; family record book useful if surnames differ. Child who is also a Tunisian national: Tunisian passport and exit authorisation signed by the Tunisian parent before a Tunisian authority. French-Tunisian dual nationals: treated as Tunisian and asked for a Tunisian passport. Always carry ID or a copy of the passport photo page | |||
| Belgian | See the official page | Valid passport | Travel documents (Site last updated 17 January 2025) |
| Swiss | See the official page | The FDFA advises always carrying a photocopy of the passport or ID card, including the entry-stamp page — See the official page | DFAE (Département fédéral des affaires étrangères, Suisse), Conseils pour les voyages – Tunisie, « Adresses utiles » et « Criminalité » (Site last updated 3 November 2025) |
| British | Up to 90 days without a visa (except Crown Dependency passports, which may need a visa on arrival); get the passport stamped; overstay fine payable on departure; contact details, return or onward ticket and accommodation booking may be requested | Passport valid for the whole stay and in good condition (a damaged passport may cause problems on exit) | GOV.UK (FCDO), Tunisia, Entry requirements (Site last updated 24 July 2026) |
| Details: Always carry ID or a copy of the passport photo page. Driving: a 1968 international driving permit, obtained in the UK before you travel, in addition to your UK licence; a green card (international certificate of insurance) for the vehicle | |||
| German | No visa for tourist, private or business stays of up to 120 days; keep the 'non-resident visitor card' issued at some airports; beyond 120 days, TND 20 per five-day period, payable on departure | Passport or child passport valid for at least 6 months on entry; ID card not accepted; temporary passport accepted with a return ticket and sufficient funds. Without a package-tour booking, border police may ask for proof of funds | Auswärtiges Amt, Tunesien: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise, « Einreise und Zoll » (Site last updated 6 October 2026) |
| Details: Child passport accepted. The parental authorisation formerly required for Tunisian or dual-national minors not accompanied by the Tunisian parent is officially no longer needed, but is sometimes still requested on exit. German-Tunisian dual nationals: treated as Tunisian and asked for a Tunisian passport. No vaccination required for travellers arriving from Germany. Driving: a German national licence is recognised for a tourist stay | |||
| Dutch | No visa for stays of up to 90 days with a Dutch passport; beyond that, visa from the Tunisian embassy in The Hague. On arrival, proof of a hotel booking is required, possibly also a return ticket and proof of sufficient funds; otherwise entry may be refused | Passport valid for the whole stay | Nederland Wereldwijd (ministère néerlandais des Affaires étrangères), Reisadvies Tunesië (Site last updated 17 September 2026) |
| Details: Each child needs their own passport; an adult travelling alone with one or more children under 18 should carry the documents required for travelling with a minor. Dutch driving licences are valid in Tunisia. Always carry your passport or a copy | |||
| Luxembourgish | Not checked by Sabaro: see mae.gouvernement.lu | ||
| Irish | Not checked by Sabaro: see ireland.ie (DFA) | ||
| Swedish | Not checked by Sabaro: see Regeringen (UD) | ||
| Danish | Not checked by Sabaro: see Udenrigsministeriet (um.dk) | ||
| Norwegian | Not checked by Sabaro: see Regjeringen | ||
| Polish | Not checked by Sabaro: see Odyseusz (MSZ) | ||
| Czech | Not checked by Sabaro: see MZV ČR | ||
| Austrian | Not checked by Sabaro: see BMEIA | ||
| Italian | Not checked by Sabaro: see Viaggiare Sicuri | ||
| Spanish | Not checked by Sabaro: see exteriores.gob.es | ||
| Portuguese | Not checked by Sabaro: see Portal das Comunidades | ||
| Finnish | Not checked by Sabaro: see Ulkoministeriö (um.fi) | ||
Rules change: always check the official website before you travel.
- Prices include taxes; the tourist tax of TND 12 per person per night in 4- and 5-star hotels is paid at the hotel. Site admissions are paid in dinars, at TND 3.36 to €1 on 19 October 2026.
- Safety. Djerba, Matmata, Douz and Tozeur lie outside every area advised against by the European foreign ministries Sabaro follows. The country has been under a state of emergency since November 2015, and several ministries ask for heightened vigilance. The safety in Tunisia guide details the neighbouring zones; foreign ministries do not all give the same advice. Yours:
| Country | Official advice | Source |
|---|---|---|
| France | The country is under heightened vigilance and a state of emergency in force since 24 November 2015. Keep away from demonstrations and from places where security forces are posted, avoid night travel off the main roads, and fly or use the motorway to reach the south-west. A passport has been compulsory since 1 January 2025. Advised against (red): the far-south Saharan area near Libya and Algeria (military zone created in August 2013, entry by prior permit), the town of Ben Guerdane, and Mounts Orbata, Selloum, Semmama, Chaambi and Mghila. Advised against unless essential (orange): the desert south and east of the Bir Rjim Maatoug – Borj Bourguiba – Ben Guerdane line; the areas between Mounts Chaambi, Semmama and Mghila, south of Mount Selloum and around Mount Orbata; in Jendouba and Le Kef governorates, a 5 km strip along the Algerian border except roads to official crossings. Check with the authorities before visiting rural areas between Kasserine, Sbeitla, Sidi Bouzid and Gafsa off the Gafsa-Kasserine and Gafsa-Sidi Bouzid roads. Table de Jugurtha (Le Kef): on organised tours with a guide. Its map, dated 4 February 2026, also shows an orange strip along the whole Algerian border. | Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères (France Diplomatie), Conseils aux voyageurs, Sécurité (Site last updated 15 September 2026) |
| Belgium | With due vigilance, travellers may visit Tunisia except the border areas with Algeria and Libya. Outside the coastal zone, use certified tour operators and agencies in close contact with the Tunisian security services. Heat (over 40 °C) and forest fires in summer. Strongly advised against: the Algerian border area west of the Jendouba – Le Kef – Kasserine – Feriana – Tameghza (Tamerza) axis, and the mountain areas of Kasserine and Le Kef governorates; the Libyan border area south of the Rjim Maatoug – Bir Ellouza – Bir Aouine – Borj Bourguiba – Remada – Ben Guerdane axis (military zone). Travel in the far south requires a permit from Tataouine governorate. | SPF Affaires étrangères, Commerce extérieur et Coopération au Développement (Belgique), Conseils aux voyageurs (Site last updated 2 October 2026) |
| Switzerland | Travel to Tunisia is considered generally safe. The political, social and economic situation is tense (demonstrations, strikes, possible curfews); the 2015 state of emergency remains in force and the risk of terrorist attacks persists nationwide. Reach your destination before nightfall. Advised against: the Algerian border area west of the Tabarka – Tozeur road, including the whole of Kasserine governorate (kidnapping risk in the Chaambi, Selloum and Mghila mountains); the Libyan border region. Tourist and non-urgent travel advised against south of the line Algerian border – Tozeur – Douz – Tataouine – Zarzis. The towns of Tabarka, Tozeur, Douz, Tataouine and Zarzis may be visited with the stated precautions; desert trips only in a group with a reliable local guide. | Département fédéral des affaires étrangères (DFAE, Suisse), Conseils pour les voyages (Site last updated 3 November 2025) |
| United Kingdom | Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Tunisia; higher risk around religious and tourist sites, festivals, government buildings and places where foreigners gather. State of emergency since 2015, frequent checkpoints. Demonstrations mostly at weekends and on national dates (14 January, 17 December). Possible power cuts in summer. Against all travel: Chaambi Mountains National Park; military operations zones of Mounts Salloum, Sammamma and Mghila; the militarised zone south of El Borma and Dhehiba; within 20 km of the Libyan border north of Dhehiba; Ben Guerdane and its surroundings. Against all but essential travel: north and west of Ghardimaou (Jendouba governorate), including El Feidja National Park; within 20 km of the Algerian border in El Kef and Jendouba governorates south of Jendouba town, including Chemtou; the whole of Kasserine governorate, including Sbeitla; within 10 km of the rest of the Algerian border south of Kasserine governorate; within 10 km of Mount Mghila; Mount Orbata; within 75 km of the Libyan border, including Remada and El Borma, excluding Zarzis, the C118 road and Medenine governorate north of it. Travelling against FCDO advice can invalidate travel insurance. | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO, ministère britannique des affaires étrangères), Foreign travel advice (Site last updated 24 July 2026) |
| Germany | The security situation has broadly stabilised, but the terrorist risk remains high, including at busy tourist spots; stronger police presence in summer. State of emergency nationwide. Decree-Law 54 provides up to ten years in prison for spreading 'false information' online. Desert trips only in organised groups with a guide. Travel advised against: south and south-east of the line Algerian border – Tozeur/Nefta – Douz – Ksar Ghilane – Tataouine – Zarzis; the immediate Algerian border area, especially the mountains from Ain Draham to Kasserine governorate inclusive; Mounts Chaambi, Selloum and Mghila; individual, unorganised desert tours. Ben Guerdane and surroundings: particularly tense. A strip of about 20 km along the Libyan border and part of the southern Algerian border are military zones closed without a governorate permit. | Auswärtiges Amt (ministère fédéral des affaires étrangères, Allemagne), Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (Site last updated 6 October 2026) |
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg's foreign ministry publishes no Tunisia-specific advice: it refers travellers to the travel advice of Belgium, France and Germany. | Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes, de la Défense, de la Coopération et du Commerce extérieur (Luxembourg), Avis de voyage (accessed 20 October 2026) |
| Ireland | High degree of caution and strong security awareness; state of emergency since 24 November 2015. Avoid unnecessary travel, especially at night outside urban areas, and demonstrations (frequent on Friday afternoons in city centres). Do not travel: Chaambi Mountain National Park; within 30 km of the borders with Algeria and Libya; Ben Guerdane and surroundings; the militarised zone of Tataouine governorate south of (but not including) El Borma. National Guard permission needed for some desert areas near the Algerian border. | Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA, ministère irlandais des affaires étrangères), Travel advice (Site last updated 16 July 2025) |
| Sweden | Since 30 March 2023, following an improved security situation, the Swedish ministry only advises against specific border and mountain areas. Against all travel: within 30 km of the Libyan border and Ben Guerdane; the militarised Chaambi, Samamma, Mghila, Selloum and Orbata mountains; the area south of El Borma and Dhehiba. Against non-essential travel: within 30 km of the Algerian border south of Jendouba town, except the Table de Jugurtha plateau; within 5 km of the Algerian border from Gafsa region southwards, except the town of Tamaghza (Tamerza). | Utrikesdepartementet (UD, ministère suédois des affaires étrangères), UD avråder (Site last updated 30 March 2023) |
| Denmark | The whole country except the orange and red zones: stay alert and follow the authorities, media and your travel agency. High terrorist risk; state of emergency, checks at tourist sites, photo ID compulsory. Do not go alone into the mountains or desert: use recognised agencies and guides. Red (very high risk): Mounts Chaambi, Salloum, Sammamma, Mghila and Orbata; the area south of a line passing south of El Borma and Remada and north of Ben Guerdane. Orange (non-essential travel advised against): the Algerian border area from south of Jendouba and Ghardimaou (P6 road) to El Borma, except Jendouba, Le Kef and Dahmani towns (yellow); Kasserine governorate except Kasserine town (yellow); the area south of a line from El Borma to south of Zarzis, including Remada but not Tataouine (yellow). | Udenrigsministeriet (ministère danois des affaires étrangères), Rejsevejledninger (Site last updated 18 May 2026) |
| Poland | State of emergency in force; photographing military and government sites or security forces is forbidden (arrest of at least 5 days possible). After the summer 2026 heatwave, electricity, running water and fuel supplies are back to normal and bottled water is gradually returning to shops. Level 3: region 1, the Sahara and desert areas near the Algerian and Libyan borders, excluding tourist routes; region 2, the central-western mountains (Mounts Orbata, Selloum, Semmama, Chaambi and Mghila). | Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych (ministère polonais des affaires étrangères), service Odyseusz (Site last updated 3 September 2026) |
| Czechia | Increased caution during the stay, especially outside hotel resorts; avoid crowded places off the usual routes, isolated areas and going out at night; restrict photos to resorts and monuments, no public buildings or strangers. State of emergency since 24/11/2015. Warning against travel: areas near the Algerian and Libyan borders; mountains of Kasserine and Le Kef governorates; towns around Siliana and Kasserine; the desert south of the Bir Rjim Maatoug – Borj Bourguiba – Ben Guerdane line; the north-western mountains. The country sheet adds: high risk west of the Ain Draham – Jendouba – Le Kef – Kasserine – Sidi Bouzid – Gafsa – Tozeur line and south of the Tozeur – Kebili – Medenine – Zarzis line; south of Tataouine, military zone, governorate permit to request 4 to 6 weeks ahead outside organised tours. | Ministerstvo zahraničních věcí (ministère tchèque des affaires étrangères), Upozornění na cesty (Site last updated 10 April 2025) |
| Netherlands | Yellow for most of the country: specific security risks. Red, do not travel: the border area with Libya, largely a military zone, especially south of Ben Gardane; the desert areas south of the Al Borma – Remada – Ben Gardane line (criminals and terrorist groups, increased kidnapping risk); the Algerian border from west of the town of El Kef southwards, keeping at least 2 km from the border; the Chaambi massif and the Mghila, Semmama and Salloum mountains (armed clashes, explosives and landmines). Orange, essential travel only: the area between the south of the town of Tataouine and the Al Borma – Remada – Ben Gardane line; the town of Kasserine and its surroundings. Limited terrorist threat, state of emergency since 2015, road checks; outside the coastal area, travel with tour operators and agencies certified by the Tunisian Ministry of Tourism. Regular demonstrations, especially in Tunis. | Nederland Wereldwijd (ministère néerlandais des Affaires étrangères), Reisadvies Tunesië (Site last updated 17 September 2026) |
| Norway | Not checked by Sabaro: see Regjeringen | |
| Austria | Not checked by Sabaro: see BMEIA | |
| Italy | Not checked by Sabaro: see Viaggiare Sicuri | |
| Spain | Not checked by Sabaro: see exteriores.gob.es | |
| Portugal | Not checked by Sabaro: see Portal das Comunidades | |
| Finland | Not checked by Sabaro: see Ulkoministeriö (um.fi) | |
Read next
- Customs in Tunisia: dress, alcohol, tipping, photos and mosques
- Djerba and thalasso in 6 days
- Getting around Tunisia: car, train, plane, TGM and ferries
- Money in Tunisia: dinar, exchange, cards and tourist tax
- Medinas and guesthouses in 8 days
- Star Wars filming locations in Tunisia: Tozeur, Matmata, Djerba and the ksour
- Hammamet, Cap Bon and Carthage in 7 days
- Health in Tunisia: vaccines, water, medical care and insurance
Frequently asked questions
Can we spend a night in the desert on this trip?
This itinerary sleeps in towns, because several foreign ministries advise against the desert south of Douz. Our night in the desert guide sets out each ministry's advice.
Can we loop back to Djerba instead?
Yes, if the Tozeur flights do not suit. Allow for the drive back, about 230 km from Douz to Houmt Souk, on top of the 121 km from Tozeur to Douz.
When is the Douz festival?
The International Festival of the Sahara runs from 19 to 22 December 2026, its 58th edition.
Is this trip suitable for children?
Yes, once they can manage two or three hours on the road. The Residence Douz has a kids' club for ages 3 to 12, and The Mora Sahara Tozeur a games room and family villas.
A travel advisor replies by email. Free, no commitment.