Toujane

Mon 8/5/23

It was drizzling and cloudy this morning, strong winds blew last night. It was a stark difference from yesterday's sunny day. After breakfast, we stopped by Ksar Ouled Debab nearby. However, the place was not maintained, and in bad condition. There is part of the Ksar which have been converted to a hotel though. 

Ksar Ouled Debab

We then made our way to Ksar Hedada, about 45km away, which is another Star Wars filming location for Episode 1 The Phantom Menace. The entrance fee is TND 2 per person. However, most of the Ksar has been converted to a hotel, so there wasn't really any remaining props from the Star Wars filming. 

Ksar Hedada

the converted to hotel section of Ksar Hedada

It was another 1.5 hours drive (about 70km) to our accommodation Dar Fatma in Toujane, a mountainous Berber village (EUR 40 per night per room with simple breakfast paid by cash), which is a traditional homestay with the local Berber family. Musa, a family friend who spoke English greeted us and we had some chit chat after lunch at the family house. According to Musa, the local economic activity at Toujane is agriculture and tourism, particularly hiking. We ordered a traditional Toujane grilled lamb dish from the house as we were hungry by then and didn't encounter any restaurants along the way. The lunch cost us 35 TND per person. We also had a traditional thyme and rosemary tea, served by the family's mother. The family did not speak English though, so we had to rely on Musa. It was still raining and very windy that afternoon, so we just spent the rest of the day lounging around the house compound, overlooking the mountains.

mountainous Berber village of Toujane

Dar Fatma Toujane 

our room at Dar Fatma Toujane

Toujane grilled lamb dish

served together with the lamb dish

Musa invited to have dinner that night, but we were tired already and had an early night today.