Tunisia
Oases & Sahara
Region
In southwestern Tunisia, steppe and mountains give way to the Sahara: palm oases such as Tozeur and Nefta, the Chott el Djerid salt lake and the dunes of the Grand Erg Oriental near Douz define the region.
by Felix Gillen
In southwestern Tunisia, steppe and mountains give way to the Sahara: palm oases such as Tozeur and Nefta, the Chott el Djerid salt lake and the dunes of the Grand Erg Oriental near Douz define the region. You travel here for brick-built old towns, date palms, the salt lake and the first sand dunes of the Sahara.The region borders Algeria and areas covered by official travel warnings. Check the current travel advice, such as the UK FCDO Travel Advice for Tunisia, before making any plans.
Djerid and DouzThe Djerid region around Tozeur and Nefta is a chain of oases on the northern edge of the Chott el Djerid. Its old towns are built from light mud bricks with ornamental patterns, a building style unique to this part of Tunisia. East of the salt lake, Douz lies on the edge of the Grand Erg Oriental.Tozeur: Old Town Ouled el Hadef, Palmeraie, Dar Cheraït MuseumNefta: Corbeille palm basin and center of SufismDouz: Dunes, Musée du Sahara and International Sahara Festival in DecemberChott el Djerid: Salt lake, traversed by a causewayMountain Oases: Chebika, Tamerza and Midès in the border area with Algeria, which official travel advice warns againstClimate and Travel TimeTozeur receives only about 100 millimeters of rain annually. In spring and autumn, average daily temperatures range between 17 and 24 °C, while in July and August, average daily highs reach almost 40 °C.Getting There and SafetyTozeur-Nefta Airport is served by flights from Tunis, and long-distance buses from Tunis to Tozeur take about 7 hours. The German Federal Foreign Office advises against travel south of the line from the Algerian border via Tozeur/Nefta, Douz, Ksar Ghilane and Tataouine to Zarzis, against the immediate border area with Algeria and against individual, unorganised desert tours. Check the current official travel advice, such as the UK FCDO Travel Advice, before you go.
More places in Oases & Sahara
Douz is known as the gateway to the Sahara: the oasis town in Kebili governorate lies about two hours' drive southeast of Tozeur on the edge of the Grand Erg Oriental. You come for the first big sand dunes, organised camel rides and the Festival international du Sahara in December.The town has around 30,000 inhabitants, most of them from the Mrazig tribe. Douz lies on the edge of areas covered by official travel warnings, and independent desert trips are advised against: check the current travel advice, such as the UK FCDO Travel Advice, before you go.
Best Time to Visit
When is the best time for your trip?
17–24°C·10–13 mm(little rain)
In spring and autumn, daily averages range from 17 to 24 °C. From June to August, daily highs average 37 to 40 °C, and in winter, nights drop to 7 to 8 °C.
The climate data for Tozeur serves as a regional reference.Tozeur has a hot desert climate with approximately 97 millimeters of precipitation per year and over 3,100 hours of sunshine. Data sources: Institut National de la Météorologie, normal values according to Wikipedia.
Seasons
Jan
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Nice and warm
Mild, cool nights
Very hot
Best Time to Visit
▶Show detailed monthly data
| Month | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Sun (h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11.9 | 14 | 6.7 |
| February | 13.6 | 7 | 8.0 |
| March | 17.4 | 11 | 7.9 |
| April | 21.3 | 13 | 8.6 |
| May | 25.9 | 4 | 9.1 |
| June | 30.4 | 4 | 10.5 |
| July | 33.3 | 1 | 11.2 |
| August | 33.2 | 2 | 10.5 |
| September | 29.2 | 10 | 8.4 |
| October | 24.2 | 10 | 7.7 |
| November | 17.5 | 11 | 7.1 |
| December | 12.9 | 9 | 6.5 |
