For a remote oasis town, Tozeur is bustling with activity. Most of the buildings in town are constructed of brick arranged in intricate patterns. The old quarter, called Ouled el-Hadef, is an interesting place for a stroll. The Dar Charait Museum has nice displays of pottery and decorative art, as well as rooms depicting scenes from Tunisian life. We also enjoyed taking a caleche (horse-drawn carriage) ride through the dirt lanes of the lush
palmeraie, one of the largest oases in Tunisia.
There are several day-trip possibilities from Tozeur. Nefta, with its deep bowl-shaped oasis, white-domed shrines and ornamental brickwork, is a picturesque village west of Tozeur on the road to Algeria. The topography north of Tozeur is dramatic, with mountains, gorges and spring-fed waterfalls and pools. The oasis villages of
Tamerza,
Mides and
Chebika are worth seeing on an organized four-wheel-drive tour.
Tozeur is 280 mi/450 km southwest of Tunis.