"Excellent experience, nice hotel and dinner included, and the transportation was also great with a large, air-conditioned bus. I recommend it!"

Sousse & Monastir · Departures
Two days south from the Sousse hotel strip.
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The Experience
It is an hour closer to El Jem than Tunis, and its flagship two-day tour is one of very few that reaches Mos Espa.
From a pickup on the hotel strip to the salt pan and back.
Departures cover Sousse, Port El Kantaoui and Monastir, and the coach works round the strip in order. The far end of Kantaoui is collected first, so your time may be earlier than the headline one.
The TUI itinerary sleeps at a hotel in Douz. The smaller-operator alternatives sleep under canvas at a desert camp. Same landmarks, different night.
Day two of the TUI tour swaps the coach for a 4x4 and runs out to the Mos Espa film set. Most two-day tours from this coast do not — it is the single thing that separates them.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before applies to every Sousse departure on this page, which is useful in a shoulder season when desert weather can move a schedule.
Photo Gallery
El Jem, the cave houses, Douz and the Chott.


















The deciding detail is whether day two reaches Mos Espa.
| Feature | REACHES MOS ESPA TUI 2-Day via Onk Jemal | 2-Day Sahara Express | 2-Day Tour with Tent Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 408 ratings at 4.4 / 5 | 1,110 ratings at 4.7 / 5 | 139 ratings at 4.6 / 5 |
| Mos Espa Film Set | ✓ By 4x4 from Chott el Jerid | ✗ Route runs via Chebika | ✗ |
| Overnight | Hotel in Douz | Tented camp at Sabria | Desert camp |
| El Jem | ✓ | ✓ 40-minute guided visit | ✓ |
| Matmata | ✓ Lunch and cave houses | ✓ With a Berber family visit | ✓ With Sidi Idriss |
| Kairouan | ✗ | ✓ On the return | ✗ |
| Starting Price | From $151/per person | $118 per person | $174 per person |
| Free Cancellation | ✓ Up to 24 hours before | ✓ Up to 24 hours before | ✓ Up to 24 hours before |
| Check Availability | Compare | View Options |
More Options
Different departure towns, lengths, and prices — all with free cancellation and instant confirmation.
MOST REVIEWEDA full day from Djerba to the Ksar Ghilane oasis by 4x4, taking in the Ksar Hadada film location and the hilltop village of Guermassa on the way.
2-DAY CLASSICThe most-reviewed two-day run south: El Jem, Matmata and the Sidi Driss cave hotel on day one, a desert camp at Sabria, then Chott el Jerid, Chebika and Kairouan on the way home.
LOWEST PRICEThe cheapest way to sleep in the Tunisian Sahara from Djerba — two days by 4x4 through Tataouine, Chenini and Ksar Ghilane with a night at a desert camp.
SUNSET & SUNRISEA late start, a night in a desert tent and both a Saharan sunset and sunrise — with Ksar Hadada, the Chahbania salt lake and the Ksar Ghilane hot spring either side of it.
SMALL-GROUP 4X4A small-group 4x4 day trip from Djerba and Zarzis to Ksar Ghilane, with the Berber mountain village of Toujane and the Sidi Idriss cave hotel at Matmata.
BERBER VILLAGESA day across the Dahar from Djerba: the Chahbania salt lake at first light, the Tataouine market, and the hilltop Berber villages of Chenini and Douiret.
FROM SOUSSETUI's two-day southern loop from Sousse and Monastir: El Jem, Matmata, a night in Douz, then Chott el Jerid and the Mos Espa film set at Onk Jemal by 4x4.
FROM HAMMAMETTUI's two-day Sahara tour out of Hammamet, with accommodation, the El Jem amphitheatre, Matmata's cave houses and a crossing of Chott el Jerid.
From the Sahel Coast
Which two-day tour, what it reaches, and why Mos Espa is the deciding detail.
Sousse is the most practical northern base for a Tunisian desert trip. It is an hour closer to El Jem than Tunis, the hotel strip at Port El Kantaoui is easy to collect from, and the two-day tour that leaves from here is one of very few from any northern resort that actually reaches the Mos Espa film set.
Like Hammamet, Sousse is too far from the dunes for a day trip — six hours or so each way — so every Sahara tour on this page is an overnight one.
Day one is the standard southern run: the Roman amphitheatre at El Jem, which seated 35,000 for gladiatorial games and is still almost entirely intact; lunch at Matmata; and the rock-cut cave houses that appeared in the Star Wars films. The night is in Douz, the town that calls itself the gateway to the Sahara and has the dunes at the end of the street.
Day two is where this itinerary earns its place. You cross Chott el Jerid, the rust-coloured salt lake, then change out of the coach into a 4x4 for the run across open sand to Onk Jemal and the Mos Espa set — the film city built for The Phantom Menace in 1997 and left standing ever since.
Most two-day tours from the northern coast stop at Matmata and call that the Star Wars content. This one goes to the set itself, which is 250km further west and normally requires a Tozeur base. That is the reason to book it over a cheaper alternative.
The Sahara Express at $118 collects in Sousse as well as Tunis and Hammamet and is the most-reviewed desert tour in our catalogue at 1,110 reviews and 4.7 out of 5. It sleeps in a tented camp at Sabria rather than a hotel, and its day two runs Chott el Jerid, Chebika and Kairouan rather than Onk Jemal.
The two-day tour with a tent night at $174 covers similar ground with a smaller operator and a Berber family visit at Matmata.
If two days feels compressed, three-day itineraries also collect from Sousse and Monastir and spend the middle day in the dunes instead of on the road.
Pickups are early — around 5am — and the coach works along the strip, so guests at the far end of Port El Kantaoui are collected first. Take an overnight bag and leave your case at the hotel. From November to March bring a warm layer: the desert night drops close to freezing whatever the afternoon did.
Entry fees to archaeological sites are not always included; drinks and tips never are. The inclusion list on each tour page here is the operator’s own.
Guest Reviews
Ratings and review counts are the tour operators' live figures on GetYourGuide and may shift slightly day to day.
"Excellent experience, nice hotel and dinner included, and the transportation was also great with a large, air-conditioned bus. I recommend it!"

"Went on this excursion 14 & 15th August 2026. Best excursion we've been on! so much packed into the trip. Friendly staff online supporting queries. Pick up on time, great informative tour guide and fantastic coach driver. Air conditioned coach, lots of stops at Cafes and rest rooms. Lovely over night stay at Sunpalm 4* hotel with lively buffet lunch & breakfast (pool available too). The Collesum was fantastic, lunch at the Star Wars museum, Sunset in the Sahara during the Camel ride (which is optional if ypu pay 50 TND for per person) and there are horse carriage alternatives. Sunrise in the Sahara over the Salt Lake was breathtaking. 4x4 Sahara ride was fantastic fun, friendly and informative drivers. Star Wars set again was great to see. I highly recommend this excursion if you want to see most of Tunisia, great value for money, well looked after and memories forever."

"Absolutely amazing experience. Memories that will last a lifetime. So much was packed into our two day trip. Our guide, Ayda, was very knowledgeable and friendly. The coach was spacious and the air conditioning was welcomed due to the amount of travelling involved. The coach travel was broken up well with lots of rest stops at cafes. The value for money was remarkable. Food was lovely and you got plenty, we only paid for drinks which was very cheap. Take a swim suit for the stop over. I highly recommend this tour."
"Very well organised and great value trip. Mahmoud the guide coordinated everything to perfection and was both friendly and knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend"
"Everything was superbly organized and planned. Definitely a must-do if you're in Tunisia."
"Our recent journey to the Sahara was truly an unforgettable experience. The vast, golden dunes stretched as far as the eye could see, creating a breathtaking and serene landscape. We were incredibly happy with every aspect of the trip, from the warm hospitality to the expertly guided excursions. Witnessing the sunset over the desert was an absolutely amazing sight that will stay with us forever. We wholeheartedly recommend this adventure for anyone seeking a remarkable escape."

"Thank you to our driver Bachir and our guide DALI. An extraordinary trip! Thank you to them for their kindness and help. I highly recommend them!"

"This tour takes you to a huge number of sights in central Tunisia for excellent value. The journey is rather tiring, with several hours spent on the bus, but there are frequent breaks. If you can handle that, you'll experience a great deal in two days. The guide provides a wealth of information about the region, culture, economy, religion, education, etc., in both German and English. Our bus was quite new and well air-conditioned, but rather cramped. At 1.83 m (6 feet), it was just about manageable. The tour description is completely accurate. The transfer in the 4x4 vehicle (see photo, also accurate) is included, as are two lunches, dinner, and breakfast, excluding drinks and tips, as described. The hotel for the night was pleasant, in good condition, and functional, even featuring a pool. On the second day, you set off early (4:45 a.m. departure) to be on the salt flats for sunrise. The 4x4 drive is worthwhile if all passengers have a similar level of driving experience on winding roads."
Read all 408 verified reviews
See All ReviewsEl Jem's amphitheatre, Matmata's cave houses, a night in Douz on the edge of the Sahara, then the Chott el Jerid crossing and a 4x4 run to the Mos Espa film set at Onk Jemal. Starting from $151 per person.
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Pickups on the strip, the Mos Espa detail, and where you sleep.
No. The dunes are about six hours away, so every desert tour from Sousse, Port El Kantaoui and Monastir is an overnight one. Day trips from this coast reach El Jem and Kairouan, which is a different kind of day.
The TUI two-day tour at $151. Its second day crosses Chott el Jerid, swaps the coach for a 4x4 and runs out to Onk Jemal, where the Mos Espa town set built for The Phantom Menace still stands. Most two-day tours from this coast stop at Matmata and go no further west.
Around 5am, and the coach works along the hotel strip in order — guests at the far end of Port El Kantaoui are collected first, so your own time may be earlier than the headline one.
On the TUI itinerary, yes — a hotel in Douz, the town that calls itself the gateway to the Sahara. The Sahara Express uses a tented camp at Sabria instead.
Not always. Several operators exclude admission to archaeological sites and museums; drinks and tips are never included. Each tour page here lists that operator's own inclusions and exclusions.
Yes — three-day itineraries collect from Sousse and Monastir as well as Tunis, and spend the extra day in the dunes rather than on the road.
Still have questions? Email us at info@tunisiasaharatours.com
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