We started day three of our Tunisian adventure bright and early. We left Djerba via the ancient ‘roman road’ instead of the ferry and began making our way towards the city of Tataouine.
Now, let’s get a few things out of the way. Yes, the name of the planet Tatooine in Star Wars was inspired by the name of the Tunisian city Tataouine but no, that city wasn’t where any of the Star Wars filming took place. In all honesty, Tataouine is a pretty unexciting place, but it is kind of an essential stopover point on most Tunisian road trips.
As always, we would be making numerous stops throughout the day and the theme of this day was ‘Slave Quarters Row’ from The Phantom Menace.
Our first stop of the day was the Ksar of Medenine. Located in the middle of bustling Medenine this ksar is now mostly abandoned although there are still a few shopkeepers within the complex. To get the best view of the spot where filming actually took place, make sure to climb the sketchy looking stairs on the right hand side of the courtyard.
Our next stop was Ksar Hadada. This site was originally an Amazigh fortified granary village which dated back to the mid 19th century but a significant portion was redressed to film scenes from The Phantom Menace and now has been converted into a small hotel. It is worth noting that at the time we visited the hotel did not yet have the required permits to actually host guests but once it does it would be an incredibly fun place to stay.
I also feel I must say that Amazigh is another term for the Berber people who were the Indigenous people of North Africa, I feel like I must share this information because I was completely unaware of this and for the first few days when we were exploring sites and reading signage I kept seeing ‘Amazigh’ and wondered if the word ‘amazing’ just didn’t translate right in Tunisia… quite possibly one of my dumbest moments of 2024 tbh.
Anyway! This particular ksar is a tonne of fun, super picturesque and the on-site restaurant is a little expensive but very lovely.
This next image is a still from a scene from The Phantom Menace which was filmed at Ksar Hadada.
It’s also quite the contrast between the renovated for film parts of the ksar and the original unrenovated Berber structures.
I really love when these sites lean in towards their Star Wars history – it’s kitsch but really, if you are travelling to these places there is a good chance you are there because you’re a fan and as a fan, I bloody love it.
Our last stop of the day was Ksar Ouled Soltane.
Now, upon first google this also appears to be a filming location for The Phantom Menace but actually, this is not likely. Some fan sites state that this site was used as a backdrop for some of the Slave Quarters Row sets but upon further researching, this claim has been heavily disputed. It is far more likely that this particular ksar was scouted by the Lucasfilm team but not actually utilised.
Despite this more than likely not being a Star Wars site, it is still absolutely worth the visit.
This ancient Berber granary is quite a ways off the tourist path, which means that other than a few shopkeepers and a couple of local artists you can be pretty much guaranteed to have it to yourself – utterly glorious.
I decided to climb some of the stairs (do it for the ‘gram and all that) and let me tell you, those are some truly sketchy stairs. They don’t appear all that narrow when you look at them but when you actually try to ascend them… they are narrow and slippery as all heck!
Cute pic tho.
After purchasing a few little paintings from some of the local artists and befriending the cutest little kitty, it was time to say goodbye to Ksar Ouled Soltane and head towards where we would stay for the evening – Tataouine.
Stay tuned for another epic Star Wars spot and an unexpectedly uncomfortable Saharan desert crossing!
The Ksars: These three ksars are all free to visit and definitely worth a look, that being said, I would recommend either giving a donation to Ksar Hadada or dining at their restaurant, they are doing a great job with the upkeep of the site and it would be amazing for them to be able to get the permits to open as a fully functioning hotel
Hotel al Rayan: We stayed at this hotel in Tataouine and despite it having a lot of negative reviews online we actually thought it was pretty decent – the beds were comfy enough, the water was hot and the price included a pretty decent dinner. Just a few words to the wise, they only accept cash, they don’t have an elevator (so you’ll be expected to lug your suitcases up numerous flights of stairs) and the lass who works reception isn’t exactly renowned for a warm demeanor. All those caveats aside, this is still likely the most comfortable and well valued place to stay in Tataouine
Tours by Jamel: We absolutely loved our trip with Jamel and truly couldn’t have asked for a better guide. We booked our trip with Jamel directly via whatsapp messages, you can contact him through whatsapp on +216 98 202 283 or check out his website by clicking here
Remember: Supporting local vendors, artists and businesses is a fantastic way for your tourist dollars to do good within the communities you visit
