Four ksars and numerous ghorfas take us to Tataouine
Dave the motorhome is resting within the secure walls of Hotel Sangho in Tataouine (N32.91455 E10.41648). We’ve had an amazing day working our way slowly south to Tataouine from our kipping spot in the Ksar at Metameur. We took the scenic route and stopped off at a few Ksour on the way. We’ve shot so many photos today it’s a good job we don’t use film any more – we’d have used up 10 rolls! So instead of my usual long wordy post, I thought I’d let the pictures do the talking (in glorious big size) – along with captions of course!
To have the Ksar to ourselves at night was amazing – if a little scary!
Just after 8am a woman arrived and started laying tea trays and cushions out – the hotel wasn’t closed!
We asked her name, but I’ve no idea how to spell it – when we told her we’d just let ourselves in she laughed and hugged Jay! The cost for a night in an amazing setting 12TD (about €6)
As we get nearer to Libya the DIY petrol stations get bigger!
Traffic control in Medenine – it was needed, there was a lot of traffic (which we saw twice as we missed the turning first time!)
On the road to Ben Kheddache, cars lie where they last stopped!
And it’s no wonder because some kind soul has taken all the tarmac again! Another 30km of filling loosening bumpiness, with random concrete blocks to look at
This time though at least there was a sign to tell us there was no road surface – shame we couldn’t understand it!
We climbed out of the valley onto the Jebel Haouaia mountains – the view back down to where we had come was breath taking
Perched on an escarpment the a sheer drop on three sides our second Ksar of the day Ksar Joumaa
Ksar Joumaa is being turning into a hotel at the moment, and a rather nice looking one too – this is the tea room!
But it’s the views you’d really come here for – imagine waking up to this in your little Ghorfa!
There are still more Ghorfa’s to be transformed into hotel rooms – these are just a few of them
That’s Ksar Joumaa perched on the left
Looks like it’s fresh goat today in the butchers – you can tell by the skin hanging outside
As we drive along we’re getting smiles and waves for nearly everyone – but not this lady who is busy waiting for the bus
I love the old trucks here – this photo could have been taken any time in the last 30 years
As we stop for lunch, Jay gives the solar panel a quick clean – it was covered in dust
The view from our lunch stopping spot isn’t too bad either!
Charlie is desert dog – he now even wears a scarf to keep the sand out of his eyes!
The cans in the back of that truck are full of petrol from Libya where it is so much cheaper – this is a delivery for one of the DIY petrol stations
On the road to Ghomrassen we stumble across a dinosaur – or rather it stumbles across us!
They are statues of a mother and baby iguanodon, as the skeleton of one such beastie was found nearby
Unfortunately it’s a broken baby!
Looking south our route looks a little scary….
…but in fact it was lovely and smooth and took us to Ksar Haddada – our third Ksar of the day
This is the Ksar that was used for the first (or 4th) Star Wars movie – Phantom Menace
It too has been done up and is now about to open as a restaurant.
It used to be a hotel and was booked out for 4 months while they filmed – by the time a re-opened the tour groups had gone elsewhere so it finally closed a year later.
George Lucas supposedly stopped here and signed this – but I suspect he might have spelt his own name right!
But if he did stop here (even if he didn’t sign that) then this would have been his loo!!
I can almost see Anakin and his Mother sitting outside talking to the Jedi
Riad took us around the place, he’s a really nice guy and the one who built the restaurant – good luck to him.
One room in the hotel section still has a guest in it!
A bit further down the road to our fourth and final Ksar for today, Ksar Mourabtine. It sits on a hill overlooking the new town where all the people have moved to…
.. and I think it was my favourite. Not as big as the others, but taller and very impressive
Charlie loved it too!
Ju x
one of my favorite posts yet! the piccies are so amazing! xoxoxo
Cheers Josh! Was talking abou you in Douz with the American lady after she spotted me wearing Ju’s Jeter T Shirt. You are the man. Love, Jay
Looks awesome,loving the pics of the old motors! thats what were into lol
Your van look so much brighter inside than ours too! maybe just the sunlight tho :P
Noticed you have air con,have you used it much? were considering getting it for ours for the dogs but suppose its a bit late now….doubt we would need it in europe as much as you would over there anyway.
Keep safe :)
pete
Hi Pete! The air con is some sort of evaporative air thing, which is supposed to be able to drop the inside air temp by a few degrees. It pumps water from a reservoir to the roof-mounted evap unit, all running off 12V. We’ve never got it to work properly, and only ever needed it in 40 degrees heat in Croatia and Bosnia in the middle of summer. I’d not bother with one, it was already fitted when we found Dave. Hah, we’ve had more sunlight today, been a great day and odd looking at photos on Facebook of snow back home, hard to imagine when you’re in a desert! Cheers, Jay
Wonderful photographs, thank you for sharing your travels with us. Wishing you a safe journey onwards & looking forward to the next post.
Thanks Colin! Take it easy, Jay
Great photos xxx
Thanks Manda, it was a stunning place, just incredible to be there, didn’t feel real, hence taking loads of photos to try and persuade ourselves we were actually there! Love, Jay xx
Love your blog. Will be looking at it daily. Looking at a Hymer motorhome from the same year as doing your trip is a dream, but no idea how it could work with kids and work commitments. Amazing photos, very inspiring!
Thanks Jane
With no kids we were able to save up and go – we’ll get ourselves some new work commitments when we get home :) Dave is a great van, the Hymers from around this era were really well made. Be sure to keep in touch and let us know your plans – it would be great to meet up on the road one day.
Julie
Thanx for the pictures!
I’m doing a research on the Mourabtine ksar. Could you tell me how did you get there to look for it on google earth? that would help a lot.
Vicente.
Hi Vicente
Have a look here: we’re pretty sure this is the ksar. We drove there in our motorhome, and some local guys told us where to find the ksar.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/33%C2%B001'54.0%22N+10%C2%B022'37.5%22E/@33.0259729,10.3548911,6097m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0
Cheers, Jason