Tunisian Sahara two-day film set tour from Sousse

The desert sands of Tunisia are sprinkled with Hollywood stardust. This two-day tour takes you to some of the country's top filming locations. You'll visit ancient Roman ruins and underground houses, cross a vast salt lake and spend the night in an oasis on the fringes of the Sahara. Hamdi, one of our expert local guides, says, “In Matmata, a cave village where the houses are hollowed out of the rock, the sandstone is soft enough to dig deep pits, and then carve out caves around the edge to form underground rooms. Each room opens onto the base of the pit, which becomes a central courtyard.”

Begin your desert adventure at El Jem Colosseum. This ancient Roman stadium used to seat 35,000 spectators, entertained by gladiatorial fights and chariot races. After your cultural fix, head to Matmata, for lunch and a visit to the rock-cut cave homes that starred in the Star Wars films. Finish the day in your very own oasis for an overnight stay in Douz, the ‘Gateway to the Sahara'.

In the morning, you'll cross Chott el Djerid, a rust-washed salt lake, before hopping into a 4x4 for a ride to Onk Jemal. Here, you'll explore a film set city built exclusively for Star Wars. After stopping for a Tunisian lunch at Gafsa, you'll round off the tour with a photo stop at historic Kairouan. You won't be able to resist taking lots of pics of the richly decorative mosques that give the town an abundance of character.