Canyons and Oases

Tozeur rises up out of the desert, nestled into a huge oasis that is home to hundreds and thousands of palm trees. This surprising, fascinating place feels a very long way away from Europe, which is in fact just a few hours away. The dazzling southern light pours into the avenues of the town. It forges a path for itself through the narrow alleyways of the old parts of town and between the tall, pale brick façades. These textured bricks form complicated diamond and chevron patterns on the walls. The small town of Nefta distinguishes itself from its neighbour thanks to its rich Sufi tradition; it is home to countless domes, marking sanctuaries and tombs of saints. It overlooks a palm grove that curls up like a bunch of flowers beyond a basin, called the Corbeille.

A few dozen kilometres from Tozeur and Nefta are Chebika, Tamerza and Midès, oases in a landscape of mountains that is one of the most moving sites in southern Tunisia. In this breathtakingly beautiful landscape every oasis is different. In Chebika, a wadi runs down the side of a steep mountain, forming waterfalls and rivulets where frogs have made their home. The old village of Tamerza, abandoned like a ghost village, looks out at a spectacular mountainous landscape; its lush oasis is fed by a towering waterfall. Last but not least, Midès, tucked away into a dizzyingly high canyon, boasts spectacular views. Further east, you can see another stunning landscape carved by erosion: the huge canyons at Dghoumès.