Star Wars Tunisia: A Complete Filming Location Guide 2025 (+ bonus scouting locations too!) 

Are you a Star Wars fan or just looking for something cool to do in Tunisia? Then this complete guide for Star Wars Locations in Tunisia is for you!

As a child of the 80s, the 3 original Star Wars films were omnipresent. I watched them as a kid, but as I grew up, I lost interest. Until I went to Tunisia. I spent two months in the country of Tunisia in 2024, and during that time, I took a road trip around the country visiting several Star Wars filming sites between Tatouine and Tozeur.

The otherworldly desert landscapes of Tunisia were inspiring and reignited my excitement for the Star Wars universe. As soon as the road trip was over, I started on a new adventure: watching every Star Wars film in chronological order.

Watching and rewatching those Star Wars films was even more thrilling as I wrote this blog post. I saw the real-life places where Princess Amidala and Anakin first met in Mos Espa. I walked the streets of the slave quarters where Anakin lived with his mother, Shmi, and saw the courtyard where Anakin built his pod racer.

In this blog post, I have included not only the many Star Wars filming locations in Tunisia, but also the inspiring locations that were scouted out during preliminary research, and are worth a visit, as they served as inspiration for building the world of Tatooine.

Short on time? Here’s what’s inside:

• Star Wars filming locations in Tunisia
• Star Wars scouting locations in Tunisia
• Videos of our Star Wars road trip around Tunisia
• A complete map of the Star Wars filming and scouting locations
• The best ways to travel around Tunisia
• FAQ section for Star Wars fans heading to Tunisia

Read More: 31 Things to Do in Tunisia

Here are my top 5 favorite locations

• Ksar Ouled Soltane
• Chenini
• Mos Espa
• Ksar Hadada
• Chebika Oasis

Going to Tunisia soon? Get Ready at a glance:

Get travel medical insurance with SafeyWing.
Book your stay with Booking.com.
Check Flights with Skyscanner or Hopper.
Rent a car with RentalCars.com.
Download the Airalo app and get a Tunisian eSIM.
Take a tour with GetYourGuide or Viator.
Have a 1:1 consultation with me in advance!

16 Star Wars Locations In Tunisia

Here are the 16 scouting and filming locations for Star Wars in Tunisia. They are spread across southern Tunisia between the Tatouine, Tozeur, and Medenine regions.

Read More: 21 Things to Know Before Visiting Tunisia

1. Star Wars Filming Location: Mos Espa

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I
Attack of the Clones, Episode II

Where Mos Espa appears on the screen

Mos Espa is the town where Anakin Skywalker grew up, and where Watto enslaved him. This is where Qui-Gon Jinn, Jar Jar Binks, and Padmé first met Anakin when they were looking for parts to fix their ship in Phantom Menace. This is also where Anakin becomes free after winning the pod race. He returns many years in Attack of the Clones looking for his mother.

What Mos Espa is Like now

Mos Espa is one of the few filming locations in Tunisia that is entirely false. Up close you can see that all the structures feel like paper mache. They are not as strong as they appear. When you walk inside of them, you can see the wood of the set holding everything up. That said, it is still very cool to see. You really do feel that you are walking around inside of a Star Wars movie.

Because this set was built entirely for Star Wars, it does not have a regular function besides attracting tourists. There are vendors surrounding the area selling dolls, rocks, scarves, and other toys. There are also a ton of guys around offering you quad rides and camel rides. They are very annoying and follow you around unless you are very strict with them.

One of them followed me around for a while and pushed me against his sitting camel so that I would take a photo with it, even though I said I didn’t want to many times. He did not leave us alone until my male friend yelled at him.

How to get to Mos Espa

Mos Espa is located about 40 minutes northwest of the desert town of Tozeur. You can take paved roads until you reach Mos Espa. It is easy and free. We went in our rental car. A 4×4 is not necessary to reach Mos Espa. Be careful in the Mos Espa parking lot.

Several short grey columns mark the parking area. However, many of them are broken, fallen over, or missing, so it can get confusing. I actually hit one with my rental car because I couldn’t see it from the driver’s side.

Location: Star Wars: Mos Espa

2. Star Wars Filming Location: Eriguet Dunes

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I

Where the Eriguet Dunes appear on the screen

These sand dunes are on the outskirts of the town of Mos Espa. The Naboo spacecraft lands here. The dunes also serve as a backdrop for the slave quarters, where Anakin builds his racing pod.

What the Eriguet Dunes are like now

They are sand dunes and look exactly as you would expect them to. They cover a lot of the expanse of the desert area, just south of the Chott el Gharsa.

How to get to the Eriguet Dunes

The Eriguet Dunes are next to the Mos Espa film set, which you can reach easily on paved roads from Tozeur. You can walk over to them from Mos Espa if you want. To go deep into the desert and the dunes, you will need to take a camel or a quad. You can organize this with the sellers at the Mos Espa site directly (they’re annoying), or you can book a tour ahead of time.

Location: Eriguet Dunes

3. Star Wars Filming Location: Ong Jemal

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I

Where Ong Jemal appears on the screen

Ong Jemal is a large formation in the shape of a camel’s neck and head. In The Phantom Menace, this is seen in a couple of places. First, it appears in the background of the pod race that Anakin wins. Secondly, Darth Maul lands on top of this and eventually fights with Qui-Gon Jinn here.

What Ong Jemal is like now

This large rock formation sits in the middle of the desert, south of the Chott el Gharsa. There is a formation on one side that resembles the neck and head of a camel. On the other side, there is a platform-like formation.

There is a path leading up to the center of the formation, and you can walk all over it. There is a shack with a table in front selling trinkets and rocks. This is a popular destination to reach on a quad trip from Tozeur.

How to get to Ong Jemal

You can reach Ong Jemal from Mos Espa via a camel or quad tour, which you can organize at Mos Espa. If you didn’t drive to Mos Espa, then you can take a quad tour from Tozeur.

Location: Ong Jmal

4. Star Wars Filming Location: Sidi Bouhlel

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I
A New Hope, Episode IV

Where Sidi Bouhlel appears on the screen

Sidi Bouhlel is a red rock ravine that is used for the wide-angle scenes in The Phantom Menace during the pod race that Anakin wins. It takes place around Mos Espa in the film. In A New Hope, this is the location where the Jawas kidnapped R2D2 after he and C3PO go in different directions.

This is also where the Sand People attacked Luke Skywalker before meeting Ben Kenobi. The current parking lot for Sidi Bouhlel is the site where Luke discovered all the dead Jawas.

What Sidi Bouhlel is like now

This red rock canyon gets crowded in the high season, and you can find the parking lot full of cars, tour vans, and vendors. You can hike up and see the white and green mosques at the top. You can easily spend a couple of hours wandering around the canyon area. It is also called “Star Wars Canyon.”

How to get to Sidi Bouhlel

You can find the Sidi Bouhlel ravine about 30 minutes outside of the town of Tozeur. Park in the parking lot (it’s big) and walk into the canyon on the left. You need a car to get here. If you don’t have a rental car, then you can hire a taxi in Tozeur to take you. Just make sure he waits for you to go back.

Location: Djebel Sidi Bouhlel

5. Star Wars Scouting Location: Mides Oasis

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I (scouting location)

Where Mides Oasis appears on the screen

The Mides Oasis was originally considered during the scouting location trip for The Phantom Menace. In Mides, you can find an ancient village on top of the hill overlooking the canyon. The canyon is also wide, and you can get great shots looking down.

In the end, Mides Oasis was not used for either the village or canyon scenes. Instead, Ksar Hadada and Ksar Medenine were used for the slave quarters, and Sidi Bouhlel was used for the canyon scenes.

What Mides Oasis is like now

The Mides Oasis area feels like a big park. There is one entrance down a dirt road. Near the parking area, there are a few shops and a small cafe. There is also a primitive bathroom that costs 1 TND. You can hire a guide if you want, or you can walk around the area on your own.

There are large areas with palm trees and date trees that seem to be privately owned. Men are working in these plots. Across from the palm tree gardens, you will find the canyon to your left. It is incredibly beautiful and massive. You can follow the path that goes parallel to the canyon. There are a few cafes and lookout points along the path. There are also men selling rocks and Toureg jewelry.

How to get to Mides Oasis

The Mides Oasis is the last stop before the border with Algeria. It’s easiest if you have a rental car. You can drive one hour north from Tozeur along the P16 highway, and you’ll run into it. There are plenty of signs marking the way to the entrance.

You will need to drive along a narrow dirt road for a couple of minutes until you reach the parking area. The parking area is not big, but it’s usually not that crowded, so you shouldn’t have a hard time finding parking.

Location: Mides Oasis

6. Star Wars Scouting Location: Chebika Oasis

Movies with this filming location

A New Hope, Episode IV (scouting location)

Where Chebika Oasis appears on the screen

Despite not making the final cut, Chebika was strongly considered for several Mos Eisley scenes in A New Hope. The sites in Ajim were chosen instead of Chebika for these scenes (stormtrooper checkpoint and cantina exterior).

What Chebika Oasis is like now

Chebika is a beautiful place that feels almost fake because it is so beautiful. There is a giant loop path that you can take from the parking lot. If you go the right first, you will walk down a path that takes you through a palm tree garden and a canyon.

There used to be rushing water passing through the canyon, but it hasn’t rained enough in the past several years. If you keep going, you’ll turn a corner to find a small waterfall and an area where men are selling trinkets.

Keep following the path up above the waterfall, and you’ll walk along a small river, and eventually, the path will become very steep. The first section of this steep area has stairs to walk on. To reach the peak of the mountain, you’ll need to continue up a dirt path.

From there, you can see the remnants of the ancient village down below, abandoned after the floods of 1969. Then follow the path that takes you through a narrow passageway between two large rocks. You’ll then descend through the village and eventually find yourself back in the parking lot.

How to get to Chebika Oasis

The Chebika Oasis is just off Highway P16, about 20 minutes south of the Mides Oasis. Many signs direct you through the town of Chebika to reach the oasis. You will arrive at a dirt parking lot. There are plenty of parking spots here. If you want, you can ask one of the locals to be your guide. Or more likely, they will ask you first if you want a guide.

Location: Historic Village Chebika

7. Star Wars Scouting Location: Tamerza Oasis

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I (scouting location)

Where Tamerza appears on the screen

Because of the canyon, Tamerza was considered for the pod racing scenes. In the end, it didn’t work out, but it’s still worth a visit, especially if you’re already planning to visit Chebika and Mides.

What Tamerza Oasis is like now

Tamerza, also seen as Tamaghza on the map, is a small town on the P16, between Mides and Chebika Oases. There was once an ancient village here, but it is now abandoned after a flood came through the area in 1969. There are several palm and date trees in the area. But the main attraction is the small waterfall or cascade on the lower level.

The waterfall is small and a little underwhelming. You can swim in it if the weather is nice. There is also a canyon that you can walk through.

On the upper level where you park, some shops are selling the standard items of the area (scarves, toys, wood carvings, pottery, etc.), as well as a small cafe. We had lunch here and tried the “Berber pizza” and the famous palm juice of the area.

How to get to Tamerza Oasis

When driving on the P16, look for signs that say “Tamaghza Cascade.” There is a small road that will lead you off the highway and downhill, leading you to the dirt parking area. It is obvious where to park because there are shops and cafes around. After parking, follow a small path that will take you down into the canyon. Go left to see the canyon, and right to see the cascade.

Location: Tamaghza Oasis (for the village) and Grand Falls of Tamaghza (for the canyon and cascade)

8. Star Wars Filming Location: Chott el Djerid

Movies with this filming location

Attack of the Clones, Episode II
Revenge of the Sith, Episode III
A New Hope, Episode IV

Where Chott el Djerid appears on the screen

Chott el Djerid is the largest salt flat in Africa. It was the location used for the small dome structure representing the exterior of the Lars Homestead. This structure is the home where Luke Skywalker grew up in A New Hope. After filming in 1977 the home was torn down but reconstructed for the prequel films.

You can see the home in Attack of the Clones when Anakin and Padme come looking for Anakin’s mother, and meet Lars and his step-brother, Owen. Shmi Skywalker’s funeral is also held here. In Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Won Kenobi hands the baby Luke Skywalker to Owen, Anakin’s half-brother, in front of the Lars Homestead.

What Chott el Djerid is like now

The Chott el Djerid is a large salt flat in the south of Tunisia. If you look at Google Maps, it is blue and will look like a large lake. Yet in reality is a dry salt flat. There is one main highway going through the center of the salt flat.

Off to the sides of the highway, you can find a few kitschy roadside stops of piles of salt. There are several flags put into these salt piles, and a few are made into jokes. For example, there is a small boat that says “Titanic,” and a small hut that says “hotel.”

How to get to Lars Homestead (exterior)

The Lars Homestead does not serve a purpose in any contemporary way, other than being a tourist attraction. You can find the Lars Homestead about 30 minutes west of Tozeur along the P3 Highway. You will need to pass through the town of Nefta first. You’ll need to turn off the paved road and drive on a dirt road for a bit. But it is possible to do the drive with a regular sedan. You don’t need a quad or 4×4 truck.

Location: Lars Homestead | Chott el-Djerid

9. Star Wars Scouting Location: Ksar Hallouf

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I (scouting location)

Where Ksar Hallouf appears on the screen

This was a scouting location for the slave quarters where Anakin and his mom lived in The Phantom Menace. It is also rumored that this Ksar first inspired George Lucas regarding the architecture and look of the Tatooine structures, and the feel of the planet.

What Ksar Hallouf is like now

Ksar Hallouf is an ancient Berber village on top of a hill. The domed structures have small doorways on both upper and lower levels that were once used as grain storage for the nomadic Berber tribes. There are stairs leading to the second-floor doorways.

You can roam around the area on your own; it is completely free to enter. The day we went was rainy and windy, but we had the place to ourselves. The only other person there worked at the small cafe. There is also a bathroom here. This was the first Berber grain storage area that we had seen in Tunisia, and we were in awe. It really is cool to see.

How to get to Ksar Hallouf

We stopped at Ksar Hallouf on our way from Tozeur to Tatouine. It was just 5 minutes out of the way, off the main road. Pass through the town of the same name, and continue on the path until you see the structures up on top of the hill. Drive up the hill until the end. There are several parking spots available.

Location: Ksar Hallouf

10. Star Wars Filming Location: Ksar Hadada

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I

Where Ksar Hadada appears on the screen

Ksar Hadada is one of the filming locations that represent the slave quarters in Mos Espa. In The Phantom Menace, this is where Qui-Gon Jinn talks with Shmi Skywalker as she explains how Anakin has no father. They talk while watching little Anakin build his pod racer. Many of the slave streets are filmed in Ksar Hadada as well.

What Ksar Hadada is like now

Ksar Hadada was originally a Ghorfa village and grain storage site hundreds of years ago. It is currently a hotel. The rooms are renovated from the larger grain storage spaces on the bottom floors. If you are not staying at the hotel, you can pay 2 TND (.70 USD) to enter the area. You are free to wander around the alleyways and climb the stairs.

There is a cafe on the grounds with several tables to enjoy a coffee while surrounded by Star Wars nostalgia. There are a few posters around showing which scenes were filmed here, as well as a few items left behind by the filming crew. It’s definitely worth a visit. The area is big. The front area is renovated, but the back area is more primitive.

How to get to Ksar Hadada

Ksar Hadada is in the Tatouine governorate in the south of Tunisia, about 30 minutes north of the town of Tatouine. It is very easy to find by car as it is in the center of Ksar Hadada town. There is a big sign out front announcing that Star Wars was filmed there.

Location: Ksar Hadada (historic ghorfa village + Star Wars film site)

11. Star Wars Scouting Location: Ksar Ouled Soltane

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I (scouting location)

Where Ksar Ouled Soltane appears on the screen

This was one of the original scouting locations for the Slave Quarters in Mos Espa, but ultimately it was not used. The Ksar of Medenine and Ksar Hadada were used instead to show the exteriors of Anakin’s house, where Qui-Gon spoke with Shmi Skywalker about his virgin birth. That said, there is online debate as to whether this location was truly a filming location or not. Some say yes, and some say no. I didn’t recognize this location specifically while watching The Phantom Menace.

What Ksar Ouled Soltane is like now

This is one of the coolest and best preserved Berber grain storage villages that we saw in Tunisia (more specifically, the Amazigh Ouled Chehida tribe). Many of them are just two floors high, but here at Ksar Ouled Soltane, they are 3 and 4 stories high. There are two sections.

When you first walk up, you’ll be in the first section. There are several buildings that you can climb on and walk up the stairs. There is also a Star Wars-themed cafe, but it is very small. Then you’ll pass through a door that brings you into a square village, all sides surrounded by these tall grain storage structures. Inside, you’ll find a few guys selling art. It is totally free to enter, and you can walk around and climb the stairs.

How to get to Ksar Ouled Soltane

Ksar Ouled Soltane is just 30 minutes south of the town of Tatouine. It was easy to find. Follow the signs that lead you into this small village. There is a roundabout in the center of town with the Ksar Cafe. The entrance to the site is next to the cafe. It was free to enter.

We went in our rental car, but you can also take a louage there from Tatouine for 2 TND and back. I believe buses go between the two places as well. Ksar Ouled Soltane is also included in many of the tours in the area.

Location: Ksar Ouled Soltane

12. Star Wars Filming Location: Sidi Idriss

Movies with this filming location

Attack of the Clones, Episode II
A New Hope, Episode IV

Where Sidi Idriss appears on the screen

Sidi Idriss serves as the inside portion of the Lars Homestead. In Attack of the Clones, Anakin first comes here when he is looking for his mother. After returning to Mos Espa, he is told that his mother married Lars and moved into his home. It is here that Anakin meets his half-brother. This is also where Luke Skywalker grows up with his aunt and uncle in A New Hope.

What Sidi Idriss is like now

This site is a Star Wars-themed hotel in the Trogolodyte Berber grain storage remnants. The rooms are named after various Star Wars characters. The theme is very played up, with several toys you can pose with, like fake lightsabers and masks. You can wander around for free even if you’re not staying in the hotel.

But beware that some of the locals will try to guide you around and then demand payment. If you decide to stay in the hotel for the night, just know that it is simple and not fancy, but it includes breakfast and dinner for around 30 USD.

How to get to Sidi Idriss

The hotel is in the town of Matmatat-Al-Qadimal, about 2 hours and 15 minutes north of the town of Tatouine. It is easy to reach, just off the highway.

Location: Hotel Sidi Idriss

13. Star Wars Filming Location: Ksar of Medenine/Ksar Ommarsia

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I

Where the Ksar of Medenine appears on the screen

You can see the Ksar of Medenine in the scene when Anakin leaves Mos Espa with Qui-Gon Jinn, and turns back to say goodbye to his mother. You can also see this site a few scenes earlier in the film when Anakin brings his new friends (Padmé, JarJar, Qui-Gon) to his home to meet his mother, and the sand is blowing everywhere.

What Ksar of Medenine is like now

It’s free to walk around in this area. Unfortunately, it has not been taken care of very well and there is a lot of trash around the grounds. It’s more of an alleyway in the center of town, than a protected site. You can easily identify the section of the village where Anakin waves goodbye to his mother, but everything is crumbling down.

How to get to the Ksar of Medenine

If you look at Google Maps, you’ll find Ksar of Medenine and Ksar Ommarsia next to each other on the map. They are the same thing. You can find the Ksar of Medenine in the center of the town of Medenine. It’s about one hour north of Tatouine.

Location: Ksar of Medenine

14. Star Wars Scouting Location: Chenini

Movies with this filming location

The Phantom Menace, Episode I (scouting location)
Attack of the Clones, Episode II (scouting location)

Where Chenini appears on the screen

The sketch above can be found here on Dr. David West Reynold’s Instagram page. He was the Star Wars archaeologist who worked with the scouting location team.

While Chenini didn’t make the final cut in the movie, it was considered while doing the location scouting for all the ‘prequel’ films. It was a potential filming site for Mos Espa and its markets and slave quarters. It may not have made it into the film, but this place is incredible and deserves a visit.

What Chenini is like now

Chenini is a sprawling city built on the side of a mountain by the Amazigh people several hundred years ago. The architecture is truly incredible, and you can spend hours walking around this vast network of alleyways, staircases, and lookout points. There is a large white mosque in the center of the town.

This was one of the coolest ancient villages that we saw on our trip. The locals will ask if you want a guide, but you are also free to walk around on your own. Just beware that they might get angry with you if you don’t want a guide.

How to get to Chenini

Chenini is 30 minutes west of Tatooine, along paved roads. It’s very easy to reach by car. Some tours go there as well.

Location: Ksar Chenini

15. Star Wars Filming Location: Amghar Mosque

Movies with this filming location

A New Hope, Episode IV

Where the Amghar Mosque appears on the screen

This is the solitary home (external) of the aging Obi-Won Kenobi. The actual location of this “home” is on top of a small hill, along the coast, though on-screen it appears in the Jundland Wastes. To achieve this effect, the shots were filmed from down below, looking up.

What the Amghar Mosque is like now

This was once used as a small hut for the local fishermen and was also used as a mosque. I have actually seen several identical concrete huts all along the coast of Tunisia. This structure does not feel like anything significant if you’re just driving by, unless you’re specifically looking for it. It’s just an empty, abandoned hut along the coast. There is an 8-bit mosaic of Obi-Wan Kenobi on the side of the building.

You can check the Instagram post here from Dr. David West Reynolds (Star Wars archaeologist), from his scouting trip. He discusses how he found the original Obi-Wan Kenobi home by pure coincidence.

How to get to the Amghar Mosque

The Amghar Mosque is in the southwest corner of the Island of Djerba, which is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a small paved road that goes parallel to the coastline. You’ll be able to see the small mosque from the road. There is a small dirt road that allows you to pull off the paved road and drive right up to the structure.

Location: Old Ben’s Hermitage (Obi-Wan)

Read More: Tunisia’s 7 Best Beach Towns

16. Star Wars Filming Location: Ajim

Movies with this filming location

A New Hope, Episode IV

Where Ajim appears on the screen

Parts of Ajim represented Mos Eisley on the planet of Tatooine. You can find the cantina where Han Solo and Chewbacca meet Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. There is also the Docking Bay 94 alley where they escape in the Millennial Falcon, the plaza, and a stormtrooper checkpoint.

What Ajim is like now

Djerba Ajim is the name of the city on the Island of Djerba’s southwest corner. In Ajim, you can find a few structures meant to be in Mos Eisley. One structure used to be a bakery that served as the Mos Eisley Cantina. There are a few structures in the area, but most of them are crumbling. There is a stormtrooper painted on the side of the building.

Unfortunately, it is mostly a dump now. It was not taken care of. You can check Dr. David West Reynolds’s (Star Wars archaeologist) post here comparing the structure during his scouting trip and the film footage.

How to get to Ajim

All the roads in town are paved, so it is very easy to reach these shooting locations. You should familiarize yourself with a few scenes before going here so you know what to look for. It is not obvious at all, and things are falling down.

Location: bakery (ruins) | Mos Eisley Cantina (exterior)

Going to Tunisia soon? Get Ready at a glance:

Get travel medical insurance with SafeyWing.
Book your stay with Booking.com.
Check Flights with Skyscanner or Hopper.
Rent a car with RentalCars.com.
Download the Airalo app and get a Tunisian eSIM.
Take a tour with GetYourGuide or Viator.
Have a 1:1 consultation with me in advance!

Star Wars Map

Here are a few helpful maps I have created to facilitate your understanding of the Star Wars locations visually. The locations with blue squares are true filming locations. The green squares are the scouting locations. I hope this helps!

The orange map shows the entire country of Tunisia and where you can find all the Star Wars filming locations between Tozeur, Tatouine, and Djerba Island. The other maps are close-up versions of both the Tozeur and Tatouine regions.

Getting Around Tunisia

Tunisia is a small country, which makes getting around fairly easy. That said, it can also feel quite overwhelming when you’ve never been there and don’t know how things work. I was in Tunisia for two months and got around most of the time via train or louage. However, we did rent a car for one week to do a road trip around the entire country. It was fantastic and well worth it!

If you’re headed to Tunisia soon, make sure to take a look at all the blog posts about traveling in Tunisia that I have written for your convenience.

Read more: The Ultimate 10-day Tunisian Road Trip Itinerary

Train

There is a train that goes along the east coast of the country from Tunis to Metlaoui, with a few stops in between, including Sousse, El Jem, and Mahdia. To check the train schedules, click here. Trains tend to be delayed in Tunisia. Both times we took a train, it was delayed by one hour. The “first-class” ticket between Tunis and Sousse was 10.400 TND (3.50 USD).

Bus

Buses are available for travel around the country, but are not commonly used by tourists. They are not reliable and are harder to find information for.

Louage

A louage is the most practical and easy form of transportation in Tunisia. They are also very affordable. Louages are white vans with a red stripe on the side. Each city has a louage station. You simply go to the station, buy a ticket from the ticket window, give the ticket to the van driver, and wait until the van fills up. The vans only leave once they are full, but this doesn’t usually take very long.

Don’t worry about knowing where to go once you reach the station, because there will be many people there asking where you’re going. They will point you to the ticket window, and they will point you to the van to get into. It’s very simple.

Louages are one of the cheapest ways to travel. It costs 13 TND (4 USD) between Tunis and Sousse. The cost is dependent on the distance that you go. For example, Sousse to Hergla (30 minutes) is just 2.400 TND (.70 USD) and Sousse to Djerba (5 hours) is 35.000 (11 USD).

Read More: How to Take a Louage in Tunisia

Rent a Car

We found a 4-door Sedan on Rentalcars.com for $250 for the week, for our road trip in Tunisia. We declined the rental company’s insurance because I have car rental coverage on my credit card. It was a good thing, too, because I hit one of the small poles in the Mos Espa parking lot and scraped the side of the passenger door.

But the insurance company covered it, and I was reimbursed within a month. Also, the customer service at RentalCars.com was really helpful during the process, as they assisted me in gathering all of the documents I needed to submit to insurance.

Gas was fairly affordable as well. We filled up the tank for 90-100 TND (30-35 USD). We were three people, so splitting the costs of the rental car also made the trip very affordable for us.

Having your own transportation is a huge bonus in Tunisia, as there are many places where public transportation does not go. We were able to go on our own schedule, find accommodation outside of city centers, and stay as long as we wanted in places without worrying. It also allowed us to go to more rural areas that are not touristy.

The majority of the sites on this list would have been impossible for us to see without a rental car.

Read more: Complete Guide to Renting a Car in Tunisia 2024

FAQs

Tunisia is full of filming locations for the planet of Tatooine in the Star Wars universe. Even if you’re not a big Star Wars fan, visiting the sites is fun for everyone. Here are a few commonly asked questions about the Star Wars filming sites in Tunisia.

Was Star Wars filmed in Tunisia?

The scenes from the planet Tatooine were filmed in Tunisia. Tunisia has 24 governates (states), and one of them is called Tatouine, in southern Tunisia. The capital city of Tatouine is also called Tatouine, but there is not much to see in the city itself.

Many of the filming locations in Star Wars can be found in the Tatouine governate, as well as the Tozeur governate, which is the desert oasis region in the west of the country, near the Algerian border.

Is Tatooine based on Tunisia?

George Lucas was very inspired by Tatouine in Tunisia. It is otherworldly with its expansive deserts, rock formations, ancient Amazigh villages, and Ghorfa grain storage structures. As you travel around the Tatouine region, it becomes apparent just how much of Star Wars’ Tatooine was based on Tatouine, Tunisia.

Moons

In Tatooine, the distant planet in Star Wars, there are three moons: Chenini, Ghomrassen, and Guermassa. All three of these planets are named after towns that exist in Tunisia in the Tataouine governate. Note that the spelling changes slightly between the real place (Tataouine) and the fictional place (Tatooine).

Clothing

The Jedi wear long cloaks with a large hood. This clothing is greatly inspired by the southern Tunisian Berber tribes’ desert attire called a jalaba. When you are in Tataouine and Tozeur, you can see men wearing these every day. It makes you feel as if you are inside a Star Wars set.

Names

When you drive around Tunisia, it becomes very obvious that George Lucas borrowed several names for the Star Wars films from several places that already exist. Of course, the three moons are borrowed from real places, but there are more coincidences than that.

There is a small town called JarJar, for example. Also, there are beasts of burden in A New Hope resembling buffalo called Jerbas, named after Djerba Island.

Where is Luke Skywalker’s house in Tunisia?

The exterior of Luke Skywalker’s house at the Lars Homestead can be found in the Chott el Djerid salt flats, about 30 minutes west of Tozeur. The inside of the Lars Homestead can be found in the Sidi Idriss Hotel in the Matmata area of Tatouine.

Star Wars Tunisia Final Thoughts

Before coming to Tunisia, you could hardly call me a Star Wars fan. After two months in Tunisia and lots of time spent traveling around and visiting Star Wars sites, you can now say I’m slightly obsessed. I even started dreaming about Star Wars. That said, you don’t need to be a massive Star Wars fan to see these places.

From the ancient Berber villages and their ghorfa grain storage structures to the desert landscapes, Tunisia has it all. There is something for everyone. As you can see in my case, it turned me from not caring at all to a big Star Wars fan. If you’re coming to Tunisia, why not add a few of the Star Wars sites to your itinerary?

Read more: All blog posts about traveling in Tunisia

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