Many people who come to Tozeur do so for the three abandoned villages nearby, Chebika, Tamerza, and Mides. These three villages are easily accessible through the numerous local tour operators who sell seats per person to these villages and many other local attractions. For a half day trip, expect to pay 30-35 dinar per person. The 4x4's hold 6+ people, so if you have a group of four or more, simply hire the whole 4x4 for yourself - about 120-150 dinar.
The allure of these three villages is that they were abandoned during floods in 1969, and offer a window to what life was like in oasis villages back then. In reality, the mud and stone buildings are unoccupied and falling down, tourists swarm the sites in hordes, and local children will offer to sell you crystals throughout your journey. The sites are still worthwhile, though the journey there may be more spectacular than the villages - you drive into the Atlas mountains, and are only 1 km from Algeria.
Multiple natural swimming pools and waterfalls are along the drive. Bring swimming trunks and a towel.
If you do go, and are up for a hike, a beautiful 4.5 km gorge runs from Mides to Tamerza, and is worth the walk (). Hiring a guide should cost no more than 40-50 dinar total (per guide), though they may price the hike per person. Syndicated, official guides may (or may not) be found at Mides, and/or the Syndicat d'Initiative along the main road, which has various hours. Attempt to contact them before hand-one number given for them is 76-485-288. If you start the tour in the afternoon, begin the hike as early as possible, to allow for any problems or twisted ankles. The gorge will get dark long before the surrounding area.
If you do use a tour operator for transportation, it is recommended you pay half up front, and get a receipt that includes words like 'seatbelts' and 'driver speaks english' and anything else you find important. All this may be promised, but if you pay in advance in full, it will probably not be delivered.
If you have your own car, or a rental car, there is no reason you cannot do most, or all of this journey. All but a 100 m shortcut to Mides is on paved roads, and if you simply do not take the shortcut, you will be fine. Getting lost is nearly impossible, and following the massive number of tour companies will get you to the sites.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Tozeur
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Tozeur - updated May 2024
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Tozeur Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
