Tozeur Things to Do

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Avenue Bourguiba is the main street in Tozeur and you'll find plenty of shops and cafes here as well as the tourist office, a mosque and one or two restaurants. It's difficult to go shopping here as the traders have a keen eye for tourists and even if you are walking past they will call out "My friend, please have a look...".

The best place to view the sunset in Tozeur is undoubtedly the Belvedere Rocks. Located at the southwestern end of town, it is the only place in Tozeur that feels over-developed, but since it is mainly artwork (there is a huge statue of an eagle, among other things), I guess it is OK. There is also a huge sculpture of the likeness of Abdulkacem Chebbi, a local poet after whom the Tozeur's main street is named. (Check out the photo: doesn't he look like John F. Kennedy?)

Unfortunately, some of the site's charm may be lost in the near future, since we learned during our visit that a golf course will be built nearby.

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Known as Ouled el-Hadef, Tozeur's old part of town would be a typical, maze-like medina, like any other in the country, if not for one notable difference: the amazing protruding brick patterns on its houses.

In exchange for checking out his store, a local carpet salesman took us on a tour of Ouled el-Hadef. (We were glad to follow, since we had just spent a half-hour hitting dead ends or exiting the old quarter.) He showed us around the most beautiful streets and later let us go to the second floor of his store to get an overhead view of the area.

The architectural heritage of Tozeur is unique: the only other place to have a similar style is the nearby town of Nefta.

Ong Jemel gets its name from its particular shape: it litterally means "Camel's Neck" in Arabic. Due to its remoteness in the desert, Ong Jemel is only accessible by a four-wheel drive vehicle as part of an organized tour from Tozeur. Check out the many travel agencies on Abdulkacem Chebbi Street for prices and availability: often, tours of Ong Jemel will also include a visit of the nearby town of Nefta.

While we visited Ong Jemel in the morning, as part of a multi-day tour on our way east to Gabès, it is said that the best time to visit the site is early in the evening because of the sunset, which is supposed to be stunning here.

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Tozeur is an excellent starting point from which to explore the mountain oases of Chebika, Tamerza and Midès. These oases, which are a must-see experience, can be visited in a half-day trip from Tozeur.

Because there is only public transport to Tamerza, there are two ways to visit the mountain oases:
1) Book a 4-hour organized tour with one of the many travel agencies on Tozeur's main street, Abdulkacem Chebbi (most hotels also offer organized tours, but the quality may not be the same; we got burned once and learned our lesson);
2) If you have your own transport, it is relatively easy to follow the 75-km road that runs from Tozeur to Tamerza. The palmeraie of Chebika, around km 59, can be seen from far ahead. Midès is just 6 km further than Tamerza.

If you are travelling on your own, don't be alarmed by the military checkpoints. There are many Tunisian soldiers in the area because the mountain oases are very close to the Algerian border (Midès being only 1 km from Algeria)

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The "Lezard Rouge" is the former train of the bey of Tunis. It was put back into service in 1995 for a new purpose: to take tourists to the beautiful rock formations along Seldja Gorge. The scenery is outstanding and the train even stops a few times along the way, giving tourists the opportunity to get off and take photos in some of the best spots.

The train itself is somewhat of an attraction: its carriages are those that were used in the early 20th century, and the lush leather seats hint at the lifestyle of the bey. Unfortunately for us, we got on the train at the last minute, and there was only room left in the last wagon... which was the one used to keep the animals! Not quite as fancy. However, we could walk from one carriage to the next (each one is different) to see how they were decorated.

The ride, which lasts about an hour and a half, costs 20 dinars. (The relatively steep price reflects the fact this service is used almost exclusively by tourists!) The train departs at 10:30 a.m. on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays and at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

While we purchased our tickets on the spot, the train station clerk told us it was much better to book them in advance.

Tozeur - transliterated as al-Tawsar in Arabic - is a lovely place bordered by the mountains, the desert, a huge palmaerie, and a Chott (salt lake). Its ornate Dar Chrait Palace and other sites doubled as Cairo for the Oscar winning "The English Patient." The airport on the outskirts of town has plenty of space and a very long runway many huge world airports would envy. This is because, in addition to servicing various small daily flights to and from domestic sites like Tunis, the occasional world celebrity may show up for falconry, hunting, or other activities around this elegant oasis city. You don't have to be famous, though, to enjoy camel or horseback riding, 4-wheel quad-ing, ballooning, flying, hunting, camping, nature walks, or other desert activities here. From five star palace resorts with multiple pools and intricately ornate Arabesque architecture and great food, to camping in the dunes, and everything in between, it is available here in Unique Tunisia. Most major hotels are in the Zone Touristique.

Built in the authentic style of a Tunisian palace the Dar Chariet museum displays in a true life setting rare manuscripts, jewelry, ancient coins, antique weapons, doors, ceramics and ornaments as wells as wax figures of the traditional artisans at work.

A virtual visit of the museum at :