Living in tents in Tunisia - under the stars in the Sahara

Living in a tent in Tunisia is an experience. We spent a night in a tent just outside Douz in Tunisia, at the gateway to the Sahara. Here is our story!

Living in tents in Tunisia - in the Sahara desert

Living in tents in Tunisia, in the desert, is a way to experience the magnificent nature that can only be found in this part of the world. Even though nature is barren here, it's very special. If you want to watch the stars in the night sky in peace and quiet - this is perhaps the best place to do it.

If you want to spend a night in a tent in Tunisia, there are several places to choose from. We stayed with Abdelati outside Douz, where the Swedish Marianne is also involved. We didn't get to meet Marianne, but you can read about life in the desert at Living in the moment and you can also read her fascinating story of how she ended up in the Sahara on the Zitouna Magazine.

Sahara sunset - at our tents in Tunisia

We arrived at "our" tents in Tunisia just before sunset. The first thing we did, of course, was to take our phones and photograph the sunset over the sand. So beautiful!

It is a special feeling to experience the sunset over the Sahara desert. You can't really put it into words, but the experience is magical.

Our guide also made us do some jumps in front of the sunset. Haha, so difficult to jump at the same time. Have you ever tried it?

What is Peter doing in the picture below? He is photographing the sunset I think ...! It was nice!

Bread by the fire

When the sun went down, a fire was lit and we were welcomed to sit down. It was our group (five people), the guys from the camp and a French father and his daughter. Here we got to see how to bake bread - by digging the dough straight into the embers! It's very tasty!

Dinner in the desert

After the good bread, it was time for dinner. The picture shows the waiter and the French girl, who was here with her father.

As often in Tunisia, a whole range of starters were served. First we had cold snacks, including tuna, olives and spicy sauces. This was followed by soup and a classic Tunisian "brick", a small fried pirogue.

The main course was lamb and root vegetables. This also tasted very good!

Evening by the fire - with music and singing

After dinner, we were again welcomed to the bonfire. Now there was not only a fire, but also singing and music. "What are the songs about?", we asked. Well, most of them are about unhappy love and about women who do not want to live with the men in the desert, we were told.

A night in a tent in Tunisia

As night approached, we watched the amazing starry sky. Then it was time to crawl into our tent.

Our tent was wonderfully cosy, yet simple. We had soft carpets, one bed each and a relatively dim light source between the beds.

Toilets were a short walk away, with nice sinks and lighting.

Sunrise in the desert

How we slept in our tent in Tunisia? I (Helena) slept very well, but Peter thought it was cold (as he does quite often). The next morning we woke up early, and went out to see the sunrise. It was a bit cloudy this morning, so we didn't get the best sunrise, but still it was beautiful.

Breakfast at our tent in Tunisia

After the morning photo session, it was time for breakfast. They set the table for us outdoors and the breakfast was actually, despite being relatively simple, the best breakfast during our trip in Tunisia!

We were offered bread baked under the embers, along with butter, soft cheese, marmalade and halva (confectionery eaten in Asia and the Mediterranean region). We were also offered tea, coffee, boiled eggs and dates and fresh fruit. So good!

Departure from our tent in Tunisia - towards new adventures

After breakfast, it was time to leave for new adventures. We were here on a press trip with a guide, a driver and a Finnish travel blogger, and of course we had a programme to follow.

What happened in the picture? Well, the car first got stuck in the Sahara sand, and in order to free it, some air had to be deflated. Then, in order to get going again, the tyres had to be re-inflated!

Film about living in tents in Tunisia

Camping or tenting in Tunisia - another option

Before we end this report, we also want to tell you that there are other options for camping or living in a tent in Tunisia. We looked at a campsite in Douz where you can come with your motorhome or caravan, or car or motorbike with a tent. It is also possible to rent tents, if you book this in advance.

We got a small tour of Camping Desert Club, which looked incredibly nice and well maintained. Here is everything you need as a camper, in the form of water, electricity, the possibility of emptying grey and black water, washing machines and more. The campsite is also within walking distance of the centre of Douz.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

There is a lot to see and do in the neighbourhood of Douz! As well as staying in tents in Tunisia, you can go camel riding or quad biking. It's also great to experience Tozeur, with its oases and Star Wars filming locations. If you want to travel further, we can recommend both Djerba and Tunis.

Have you spent the night in a tent in Tunisia? Or perhaps in another desert destination? Tell us about it!