Djerba: Ksar Ghilane & Matmata 4x4 Sahara Guided Tour

About This Experience

This is the itinerary that puts Matmata and Ksar Ghilane in the same day without turning either into a photo stop, and it does it by staying small. The operator runs 4x4s and SUVs rather than buses, which is both why the group can change its plan and why it can take the mountain road and the desert track at all.

Pickup is at 6am. Once across the causeway the road climbs to Toujane, a Berber village strung along a pass and known for its honey and its weaving. Matmata comes next: the pit dwellings sunk into the ground, the Sidi Driss troglodyte hotel that served as the interior of the Lars homestead in A New Hope, and a visit to a family still living underground — rosemary tea, bread, honey and olive oil.

The afternoon is the desert. Ksar Ghilane, the hot spring, lunch, and free time on the sand before the drive home. The Roman fort of Tisavar sits within walking distance of the palms if you would rather have the ruins than the pool.

A tip at the Berber household is requested rather than included, and goes to the family directly.

Highlights

• Small-group 4x4 or SUV, never a coach
• The Toujane mountain pass, skipped by most Djerba routes
• Matmata's pit houses and the Sidi Driss Star Wars hotel
• Tea, bread, honey and olive oil with a Berber family
• The Ksar Ghilane hot spring and free time on the dunes

What's Included

• ✓ Hotel pickup and drop-off in Djerba and Zarzis
• ✓ Small-group 4x4 or SUV with driver
• ✓ Guide
• ✓ Toujane, Matmata and Ksar Ghilane visits
• ✓ Lunch

Not Included

• Drinks and personal expenses
• Camel and quad rides
• The customary tip at the Berber household
• Tips for the guide and driver

What to Bring

• Swimsuit and towel
• Sun hat and sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Closed shoes
• Small notes in dinars for the household tip

Good to Know & Caveats

• Pickup is at 6:00am; be ready at the door rather than in the lobby.
• The tour runs in 4x4 or SUV vehicles in small groups — no buses.
• Camel rides and quad biking are arranged on site and charged separately.
• A tip is asked for at the Berber family visit and supports the household directly.
• Part of the route is unpaved. If weather forces a change the operator offers a new date or a full refund.

Meeting Point

Hotel pickup at 6am from accommodation in Djerba and Zarzis, in a 4x4 or SUV rather than a coach.