Our recent trip to Tunisia was a little too fleeting for my liking. While based in touristy Hammamet, we elected to do a 2 day whirlwind trip down to the south of the country to take in some of the many landscapes which Tunisia is famous for. Well, if truth be told, it was the promise of experiencing the fringe of the Sahara desert that saw us clamber into a cramped bus for a near full day’s journey south. But, despite the arduous journey, it did reveal some incredibly diverse landscapes after a mere 6 or so hours in.  A few kilometres before we arrived in Matmata, what had been a fairly bland landscape of nondescript villages and sweeps of rubble and litter, transformed into magnificent undulating stone desert.

Matmata is a small town nestled amongst these desert hills. It was here, that George Lucas made use of the terrain to film some of the scenes from the Star Wars series. In particular, the troglodyte dwellings of this town, were used in the original Star Wars movie. It became quite apparent during our 2 day, desert fly-by, that the south of Tunisia was ideal for film-makers, given the amazing variety of landscapes in such a relatively small geographical area. Anthony Minghella also used the Tunisian Sahara in filming scenes for the English Patient. A couple of hours drive, further south from Matmata is Douz, a virtual oasis on the northern outskirts of the sandy behemoth that is the Sahara desert. Then a few hours north west, you cross the seemingly interminable flat of Chott el-Jerid salt-lake – before arriving near the mountainous Algerian-Tunisian border. So landscapes morph from stone, to sand, to salt, to mountains all within a day’s drive of one another.

For me, the highlight of the trip was taking photographs in the Sahara. Douz, is certainly a tourist hub, and most notably for the camel trains leading tourists on short round trips through some dunes. We were merely touching the surface of the Sahara here, and so I only really got a sample of what this desert is all about on this trip. But nonetheless, the scenery at sunset was amazing. Below, are a number of silhouette shots that I took.

Camel Silhouette, Sahara

I was watching the two camels in the photo above, waiting for them to move, but then I caught movement further around to the left. I moved the tripod and panned around to the left and caught this scene below. I was looking for a uniquely Sahara image, and I think this one fits the bill. As the camel caravan started to move, one of the handlers threw something in the air, the action of which I have caught in crisp silhouette. Certainly, one of my favourite photos of the excursion.

Camel Caravan, Sahara

Eventually, the above fours camels and their handlers did move off, as per the shot below.

On The Move, Sahara

On the second day of the trip, we ditched the cramped coach (for a while at least) for a 4WD and headed to Tozeur and Chebika. The latter was spectacular. An hour from departing Tozeur, what initially loomed from the arid flat terrain as a barrier of stark rocky mountains, separating Tunisia from Algeria, later revealed lush pockets of date palms and waterfalls as we approached it’s foothills and Chebika. In fact, Chebika is described by the locals as a mountain oasis. The oasis and its bounty of date palms are nourished by the waters of a lively gorge. Lively for it’s waters, and indeed the throng of tourists that trudge into it’s foothills for a glimpse of this unique landscape. We were such tourists. Chebika, is a mere few kilometres from the border with Algeria, so I managed a wave to Algeria as well as snapping a few landscape shots. Oh, and I should mention that I also managed to assist my wife and sister negotiate the clay-caked terrain in thongs (flip flops for Brit readers). So if you do visit Chebika, do wear sturdy foot-wear. It actually rained while we were there, and it was extremely boggy.

Mountain-Scape, Chebika

Mountain Oasis, Chebika

Waterfall, Near Algerian-Tunisian Border 

After Chebika, it was a bus blur all the way back to Hammamet, save a stop at the Grand Mosque in Kairouan, Islam’s fourth holiest site. South-west Tunisia is definitely a place I’d like to spend more time in. One regret was not getting as far south as Tataouine, home to more of the magnificent desert landscapes of the Star Wars saga. But, most definitely I would like to have made more of an incursion into the Sahara. Something else for the travel agenda then.

The Grand Mosque, Kairouan 

I just returned from a week’s holiday in Tunisia. One of many interesting experiences on this trip, was having the opportunity to play with a couple of tiger cubs. I was completely unaware Tunisia had a tiger population, but it seems mass tourism has truly embraced the coast of this North African country, and they’ve managed to import a couple of them. We came across these cubs outside the entrance to Carthage Gardens, an amusement park in the tourist hub of Hammamet Yasmine. Despite the money racket that it was, we couldn’t resist the chance to have a photo with them. They are truly beautiful animals. The tiger below sat serenely alongside my sister, Anne, for a photo. When I did the same, the tigers started getting playful, clawing my boots and jeans. At one point a cub had my elbow in his mouth – and while he didn’t draw blood, there was sufficient pressure for it to cause concern and a hearty “OUCH!!!”. For a cub, his paws were almost the size of my fist – which gave me a bit of an insight into the awesome power of an adult tiger. Only time in my life, I have had my arm in a tiger’s mouth and can still claim to have retained it – and the only time in my life I intend to have my arm in a tiger’s gob – just for the record. Although, I’d love to photograph one in the wild. Another trip perhaps – and that would be India.

Tiger Cub, Hammamet Yasmine, Tunisia 

Tiger Antics, Tunisia