Star Wars Film Locations in Tunisia

Take the ultimate Star Wars pilgrimage to visit all the Star Wars film locations in Tunisia. Star Wars fans will particularly enjoy exploring the film locations from the original movie. Imagine yourself visiting the Cantina, stepping inside Obi-Wan Kenobi’s home, taking a selfie in front of the Jawa rock where R2D2 was kidnapped, walking through the streets of Mos Espa, dining inside Luke Skywalker’s home, plus more! Here we will show you some of the amazing Star Wars film locations in Tunisia!

Nefta

This will be one of the best Star Wars film locations in Tunisia. You will be able to find the Mos Espa film set in Nefta where it is beautifully located among the Sahara desert dunes.  Here you can freely walk around the film set to find the Pod-racing arena, the Mos Espa streets, Watto’s shop, market, and Sebulba’s Café.

Ksar Medenine

Ksar Medenine is an ancient granary located in the downtown area of Medenine city. This was used as the film set of the Mos Espa Slave Quarters Row where Shmi and Anakin lived.

Ksar Ouled Soltane

Ksar Ouled Soltane is one of the best-preserved Ksar (granary) located in southern Tunisia. This was used as background for some of the Mos Espa Slave Quarters Row shots in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

An interesting fact is that Ksar Ouled Soltane is located about 30 minutes drive away from the city of Tataouine. The planet Tatooine got its name from this town.

Ksar Hedada

Ksar Hedada is another Ksar (granary) in the country and was also another film location of the Mos Espa Slave Quarters Row in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. There is a scene inside Ksar Hedada where a balcony was used to film Shmi and Qui-Gon Jin talking about Anakin as he works on his Podracer.

Ong Jemel in Tozeur

Ong Jemel means ‘the neck of the camel’ and this is the film location of the epic lightsaber duel between Darth Maul and Qui-Gon Jinn. This is also where Darth Maul arrives on Tatooine and releases the Sith Probes. After finding Anakin and Qui-Gon, Darth Maul is seen flying over the cliffs.

Matmata

Luke Skywalker’s home is actually a Troglodyte home that still exists today and is located in the city of Matmata. These cave dwellings were transformed into vaulted rooms for the film set. In Star Wars Episode IV, this set was used for the interior courtyard shots of Lars Homestead for the Lars dinner scene. In 2002, the filmmakers returned to this film set where the site was featured again in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

Since the movie filming, this Troglodyte home has been turned into a private hotel called Sidi Driss. Some of the movie props are still left remaining on the premise. Talk a walk into Aunt Beru’s kitchen and sit at the same dining room table that the Lars family used. Any true Star Wars fan would be happy to know that you can actually sleep in Luke Skywalker’s home in this hotel for a very modest price.

Chott el Jerid

Chott el Jerid is part of a dry salt lake flats located near Nefta in South-Western Tunisia. This area was used as the film location for the Tatooine desert and the Lars homestead. You can still find an odd-looking igloo in the middle of the salt lake flat which was used as the exterior of the Lars homestead. The igloo was actually taken apart after the shooting of the first trilogy but was later rebuilt for the filming of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

La Grande Dune

Located west of Nefta is La Grande Dune – a large sand dunes area used as a film location for the landing area of the escape pod of C-3PO and R2-D2.

Ajim in Djerba Island

The town of Ajim is located near the ferry on the island of Djerba and was once the film setting for the Tatooine spaceport in Star Wars Episode IV filmed in 1976. You will find an abandoned traditional Tunisian bakery which was used as the exterior of the Mos Espa Cantina. There is also a historic mosque just outside of Ajim the town which was used for exterior shots of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s house.

Sidi Jemour in Djerba Island

Sidi Jemour is a popular beach for the Tunisian locals on Djerba Island. There is a burial site on this beach which was used as the Tosche Station for the Anchorhead. You might not recognize this film location as it was only used in the deleted exterior scenes with Luke and Biggs Darklighter and in the Special Edition for the scene showing Luke’s landspeeder heading towards Mos Eisley with Ben and the droids.

Sidi Bouhlel

Sidi Bouhlel, also named the “Star Wars Canyon” by Lucasfilm, was the film location for 9 shots in 1976. This canyon was used as the Juntland Wastes in the Star Wars movies, and it was also used in Raiders of the Lost Ark and in The English Patient.

Within the gorge of this canyon was where the Tusken Raiders attacked Luke Skywalker, eventually leading to Luke meeting Oki-Wan Kenobi for the first time. This was also the canyon where R2D2 was abducted by Jawas. Outside the gorge was where the Stormtroopers attacked the Jawas. The entrance of the canyon was where the Sandcrawler was wrecked after attacked by the Stormtroopers.

Visit these Star Wars Film Locations