Tunisia Way

Douz  is a town in central Tunisia, known as the "gateway to the Sahara." In previous times it was an important stop on the trans-Saharan caravan routes. Today, it is destination for tourists who are interested in seeing the desert, and a starting point for desert treks by camel, motorcycle, or four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Douz is a major palm oasis and as such a large producer of "diglat noor" dates.

Every year Douz hosts the International Festival of the Sahara, a four-day celebration of traditional desert culture. The festival, usually held in November or December, features traditional music and dancing, poetry readings, camel wrestling, and racing of horses and salugis (a type of dog, similar to a greyhound, native to the North African desert.)
Douz is home to the Museum of the Sahara, which showcases displays on traditional nomadic desert culture of the Mrazig people who now mostly live a settled life in the town.In the desert, the inhabitants'best friend has always been the dromedary. This animal ( one hump!) is tireless, even if it doesn't always hold its tongue where it should...

Dromedaries always seem thirsty. In fact, they are true walking reservoirs. In winter, dromedaries are able to stand months without drinking. When they find some water, they are able to drink quietly 135 litres in 10 minutes! It is worth visiting the animal suuq of Douz to learn about the range of dromedary races and attend to stiff haggling. It is a picturesque place to go, just like the thursday weekly market. The international festival of the Sahara, which usually takes place in the end of december, attracts people from all over Tunisia to attend to dromedary races.

The Méharée

A night in the desert is sure to provide unforgettable memories. Imagine: the starry sky, darkness all around, the sound of the wind sweeping the tents, and yourself, sitting around two small fires lit by your guide: one for the sand bread, the other for tea and the meal. The Méharée is a caravan traveling in the desert. A one night trip is enough to reach the depth of the desert. Douz inhabitants (named M'Razigians, after the nomad tribe M'Razig) enjoy wandering in the dunes to hide water behind the scarce bushes. They are then able to find these treasures back in case of emergency. Many other secrets of the desert wait to be discovered...