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Tunisia

Douz, the gateway to the Sahara

Known as the “gateway to the Sahara”, Douz was an important stop on the trans-Saharan caravan routes. Some 475 km south of Tunis, it is the place to head into the desert by camel or four-wheel drive.

Sand dunes of the desert near Douz
Smailtn · CC BY-SA 4.0

Key facts

Before you go.

Starting point
Douz, 125 km south-east of TozeurDouz (Wikipedia)
Best season
International Festival of the Sahara, four days, usually in November or DecemberDouz (Wikipedia)

Good to know

Three things to remember.

  • Many camel-trip operators are based in the town centre.

    Douz (Wikivoyage)

  • The festival features horse and saluki racing, camel wrestling, poetry and music.

    Douz (Wikipedia)

  • The Museum of the Sahara presents the nomadic culture of the Mrazig people.

    Douz (Wikipedia)

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Sources · 2 pages consulted, with the exact sentence used
  1. Douz (Wikipedia)
    Douz […] is a town in the Kebili Governorate in the south of Tunisia, known as the "gateway to the Sahara." By road it is located […] 125 kilometres (78 mi) southeast of Tozeur, and 475 kilometres (295 mi) south of the Tunisian capital of Tunis. In previous times it was an important stop on the trans-Saharan caravan routes. Every year Douz hosts the International Festival of the Sahara, a four-day celebration […] usually held in November or December, features traditional music and dancing, poetry readings, camel wrestling, and racing of horses and salugis. Douz is home to the Museum of the Sahara, which showcases displays on traditional nomadic desert culture of the Mrazig people […] (coordinates 33.45722, 9.025)
  2. Douz (Wikivoyage)
    Referred to as the "Gateway to the Sahara", Douz is a popular destination for tourists looking to experience the desert, either by camel or four-wheel drive. […] Take a camel trip out into the Sahara with one of the many tour operators based in the town center.

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