5-day Star Wars Tour

After breakfast, take a trip to the town of Tataouine, which inspired the name of Tatooine used by George Lucas in Star Wars, although no scenes were filmed here. Begin with a visit to the renowned Ksar Hadada, one of three ksours in the vicinity of Tataouine, which was used to film the slave quarters of Mos Espa in Episode I on August 10, 1997. This includes the scene where Qui-Gon communicates with Obi-Wan through a comlink, and the one with Shmi saying “He has no father…”.

Afterward, make your way to the Berber village of Chenini, and hike with a local guide. Enjoy a delicious traditional lunch in a local restaurant before proceeding to the second Ksar, named Ouled Soltane. This well-preserved mountain ksar, located southeast of Tataouine, has two separate courtyards and over 400 ghorfas or storage cells on four to five levels. Like the previous two ksours, it was used to film the slave quarters of Mos Espa in Episode I during August 1997.

In the evening, head to Matmata, where you will spend the night in a hotel that served as a filming location for Star Wars scenes.

During this day you will visit:

The Sidi Idriss hotel:
which includes 5 interior courtyards: 4 of them being surrounded by rooms, and the fifth, named “Star Wars courtyard”, constituting the restaurant. It was this that served as the setting for the Lars’ dining room and kitchen, as well as the courtyard.

The Canyon of Sidi Bouhlel:
Filmography:
– Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
– The English Patient (1996)

On the way to Tozeur and just after Chott Djerid, is the village of Dakas, and just 2 km north-east of this village, we find the Marabout of Sidi Bouhlel, this one being located at the southern end of the “Star Wars Canyon”, where several scenes were shot mainly from Episode IV for the Jundland desert (shooting in March 1976), as well as some passages from the pod race from Episode I.

Here are some scenes from the episode shot in this canyon:
Episode IV: Jundland Desert

R2-D2 is captured by the Jawas
Luke and C-3PO stumble upon R2-D2, and are immediately attacked by the Tuskens. However, they are rescued by Ben.
Upon discovering the sandcrawler and the Jawas, Luke and Ben are shocked to find them slaughtered by the Imperials.
As Luke and Ben observe Mos Eisley in the distance, they take in the sights and sounds of the bustling city.
Part I:

Tuskens shoot pod race competitors
Appendix: Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark: all the scenes of the film supposed to take place in Egypt having in fact been shot in Tunisia (for example: Cairo was filmed in Kairouan, and Tanis a short distance from the canyon) , the same goes for the scene where Indy threatens Belloq to blow up the Ark, shot in the Star Wars Canyon.

Dinner and night in a 4* hotel

During this day we will visit various Star Wars filming locations in Tunisia. The first visit will be the Lars Farm Igloo:
The igloo:
This is undoubtedly the main element of the decor: it simulates the surface entrance to the Lars farm, and has become almost a symbol of Star Wars, and in any case of Tatooine. It was originally built in 1976, then rebuilt in 2000, identically and in the same place. It is only a “hollow” decor: there is nothing inside and it leads nowhere.
Just around, there were other decorations that have completely disappeared over time and we can cite:
Hydroponic gardens:
Located behind the igloo, there is not much left, except the outline, and some pieces that formed the “roof”.
The craters:
There are 3 of them: a large one, a small one (the closest to hydroponic gardens), and a 3rd one that has completely disappeared. They represented the inner courtyards of the Lars farm (courtyards filmed elsewhere, see Matmata), including the largest one above which Luke leans when his aunt calls him, and at the edge of which he admires the twin suns. Only the outlines remain today.
Evaporators:
Nothing remains today, except their footprints where they were implanted.
The graves:
including that of Shmi: They are located about 150 meters north of the igloo, and only the footprints remain there.
The Great Dune: (Sea of Sands – Episode IV)
Further north of the igloo, and north of the Algeria -> Nefta road, where the Sahara begins, is an imposing dune, the “Grande Dune”, where were filmed:
– In Episode IV, the capsule of R2-D2 and C-3PO crashes in the “Sea of Sands” of Tatooine.
– As C-3PO walks past a Krayt dragon skeleton, a memorable scene is created.
– The capsule is discovered by stormtroopers in a scene that was later expanded with shots taken in the Yuma desert.
Mos Espa (Episode I and II):
Mos Espa:
the site most easily visible, and certainly the most attractive, is the reconstitution, in the middle of the desert, of buildings, which create an entire district of Mos Espa. The sets were created by Lucas film for the filming of Episode I, in July 1997 (in particular the wanderings of Qui-Gon and his troupe in the streets and on the market of Mos Espa), and reused for Episode II (Ani’s visit to Watoo). And at the request of the Tunisian tourist office, they were left as they were, for tourist purposes. A road leads there easily from Nefta.
Yardang Field (Episode I):
In the immediate vicinity of the sets above, is the “Yardang Field”, literally “field of yardangs”, a yardang being a rocky ridge created by wind erosion in desert environments.
This is where the landing of Queen Amidala’s ship on Tatooine in Episode I was filmed, as well as all the scenes around the ship (including the Maul/Qui-Gon duel).
Oung Jmel / Camel Rock
(Episode I):
2 or 3 km to the northeast of the higher scenery, is a famous rock in Tunisia, for its shape giving the illusion of the silhouette of a camel “Oung Jmel” roughly translating into “neck of the camel ”).
Episode I stopped there to locate Darth Maul’s landing site on Tatooine just opposite, and a short sequence of the pod race also passes just in front of the rock.
Night at the Ksar Rouge hotel or similar

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