Sometimes you gotta do the tour

As an independent, budget traveller i have more often than not shied away from tours and travelled via public transport. Although more of a challenge, i believe in the old adage "getting there is half the fun". And there's something about loading up in a car, driving someplace, being permitted 6 1/2 minutes to take photos, just to be carted off to the next place that doesn't tweak my fancy. But Tunisia is different. The country is blessed with vast, rugged terrain that begs for 4X4 touring. Seeing how many of the most interesting sites are completely inaccessible by any form of public transport, what choice did i have? So, while in the southern city of Tozeur, i opted for one of the more popular getaways.

The most interesting tour for me, which i couldn't do on my own, was the one that heads out into the desert north and west of Tozeur. The 4x4 soon turns off road (as any good 4X4 should) and you're whizzed off to one of the salt lakes in the area (Chott El Gharsa). Personally, I don't find salt lakes that interesting. They don't really do very much. Nearby is the uber-hyped Ong Jemel (camels neck). It's an outcropping of a hill which looks, oddly enough, like a camels neck. But it's after that the tour gets fun. The drivers (notice i said drivers with an "s") maneuver their vehicles (notice vehicles with an "s") up, down and around large sand dunes to the squealing of the tourist holding on for dear life inside. OK, it's not really life or death, but it was fun. Unfortunately, for some stupid reason, i wasn't allowed to drive :(
Sadly, here is where I admit my nerdiness. After playing in the dunes for a while, the tour heads for the REAL highlight of the day. In the middle of freakin' nowhere are some of the sets used in the "English Patient" (boring) and "Star Wars" (awesome!). Tourists are allowed to wander around and clamber up on any of the sets pretending to be Jedi or what-have-you. With the locals walking around wearing traditional Cashabiya, it's easy to see where George Lucas got his inspiration for the Jedi attire. As a matter of fact, you can see elements of Tunisia throughout Star Wars. Chewbacca sounds like a camel. Luke Skywalker lived in an underground Berber home in Matmata. Even the name of Lukes' home, Tataouine, is a city in Tunisia. After the dorky fun at the sets, the tour head to what is says is Nefta, a village nearby, but turns out just to be a look-out over Nefta. A the tour finishes with a brief stop near the border with Algeria where you watch the sun set in the neighbouring country (while still in Tunisia)

Not a bad day, but here's the thing. You will NOT be the only one out there. If you're lucky, in the low season you may only have half a dozen other 4X4 on the same route, stopping at the same places at the same time. So, of course, with that many tourists in one place with no place to run, camel drivers and trinket sellers and the like come out in force to vie for your patronage. And they don't give up easily. As i sat watching the sunset, hoping for peace, all i heard was "1 dinar, not expensive, monsieur?". There's no escaping them. Being polite didn't help either. But i knew what to expect. I guess being forewarned is being forearmed.

Every hotel, tour agency and guy on the corner can arrange this tour, or others like them. While the Lonely Planet quoted 45 TD for the one I did, i only ever saw it advertised (very openly) for 30 TD. Which i honestly believe is worth it. Are these excursions touristy? ABSOLUTELY! But that shouldn't keep you away from going on at least one during your time in Tunisia. It's the only way to see some of the country's not-so-hidden treasures.