Tozeur: palms and Star Wars sets in the desert

The Tozeur oasis, with over two hundred thousand date palms irrigated by an ancient hydraulic system, remains one of the largest and most extensive in all of Tunisia.

A few minutes away, the abandoned village of Ong Jmel, in the surrounding desert, was used as a set for the planet Tatooine in the 'Star Wars' saga.

Continuing, you reach the Chott el Jerid, an immense salt lake that completely dries up in summer, leaving a white crust as far as the eye can see.

As evening falls, the historic neighborhood of Ouled el-Hadef, with houses of brick decorated by geometric motifs, closes the day among ochra-colored clay alleyways.

The irrigation system of the Tozeur oasis, which regulates water distribution among thousands of palm trees according to established rotations, dates back centuries and remains actively in use today.

Chott el Jerid, one of North Africa's largest salt lakes, creates optical mirages on the hottest days that blur the horizon between sky and earth.