The Grain and Grape

Author: Rob Skinner

One of my buddies is a huge Star Wars fan, and he organized a small group trip for a Star Wars Tour in Tunisia. We booked with Galaxy Tours for a 6-day Twin Suns Expedition. This is a combination Star Wars and Indiana Jones tour, and includes filming locations and behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the movies, as well as historic and cultural references. Not to mention a trip to North Africa, something a bit different than our travel around Europe.

Star Wars and Indiana Jones Tour

Day 1

We took an early morning train from Stuttgart to the Frankfurt airport, then a direct flight on Lufthansa to Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Our driver and tour guide met us at the airport, and we were off to the hotel. The Mövenpick Hotel in the La Marsa neighborhood is in a beautiful setting right on the Mediterranean Sea. The hotel offers a sauna and pool, an amazing Mediterranean buffet, and an outdoor patio overlooking the beach.

After settling in, we met up with a friend for dinner, an American expat who has lived in Tunis for six years. It was super interesting hearing about life in Tunisia as an expat, and Casa Lico was a great spot with an amazing grilled octopus dish.

Day 2

Our day started early, with an 0430 ride to the airport for a domestic flight to Djerba. Our flight was delayed, so we had time for coffee, croissants, and some second-hand smoke for breakfast while we waited.

Our tour manager, Davin Anderson, did a fantastic job of sending us descriptions for each sight we visited, with photos. These even included some of the recorded photos of George Lucas on his scouting trip to Tunisia. We could really see in the architecture at each location where the creative minds behind the films drew their inspiration.

Next up, a visit to the Storm Trooper Checkpoint!

Then, we ended this full day with seeing the sunset at Obi Wan’s house.

Day 3

Setting off to explore more of Tunisia, we traveled with our driver and guide, Marouen. After going to many sights that were scouted by George Lucas, including many mosques that date back to the 9th century, we were off to Tataouine.

We visited more inspirational sites, and some truly incredible looking structures that were originally storage facilities. The village of Ksar Ommarsia was used as the setting for the Mos Espa Slave Quarters.

For lunch, we had a traditional Tunisian ‘brik,’ which is an egg and herb mixture lightly fried in dough, lamb, couscous, and oranges for dessert.

Toward the end of the day, we arrived at Matmata, in southern Tunisia. This is the location where the Lars Homestead was filmed, where Luke Skywalker lived at the beginning of New Hope. We stayed in a nearby unique cavelike room, with a bathhouse with showers and toilets a short walk away. It was a little like camping, and a very cool experience.

Day 4

We started our day having breakfast in the same room where Luke Skywalker and his family ate in the first Star Wars movie, complete with Blue Milk. After a tour around the hotel, we were back in the van to head to the next site.

We drove across a large salt lake bed, to arrive at the Jundland Wastes canyon, again from the first Star Wars movie. With cameras and bottles of water, we trekked through the canyon from end to end, noting all the filming locations.

One of our tour guide’s friends delivered lunch to us, traditional sandwiches, “fast food” shawarma. After napping in the van, we awoke at our next stop, an oasis with a small waterfall and spring from an underground stream.

Our final sight of the day was another gorge, the inspiration for the pod racing scenes and living quarters in the fourth Star Wars movie.

Dinner was at a restaurant in the hometown of our guide. We ate an interesting dish with a black sauce, very good, and filling.

Each hotel we stayed at on this tour was so unique. This hotel had an artesian hot springs, great for relaxing at the end of the day.

Day 5

We awoke to the sounds of the call to prayer and roosters crowing. Galaxy Tours arranged for an early 0700 breakfast for us at the hotel.

Then we set off on four wheelers, our version of land speeders or pod racers, into the desert. It was so much fun! Arriving at a film set from across the desert was an incredible experience. Along the way, we stopped to see sights of interest, wildlife, and more filming sites.

After some great desert and sand dune driving, including racing each other at the Pod Racing Arena, we returned our quads and headed out again in the van with our driver. Our guide took us to one of his local spots for lunch, where everything was cooked a la carte. The time waiting for our dishes passed quickly with conversation about foods and tourism in Tunisia. The wait for lunch was worth it!

When in Tunisia on a Star Wars tour, of course you buy a traditional Tunisian cloak as a souvenir. This is called a burnous, available at local markets, the inspiration for what the Jedi and Jawa wore.

Day 6

Starting early once again, we visited the Mos Espa filming site at sunrise. We arrived early to miss the crowds, and as an early morning bonus, we caught a unique photo moment with a Momma camel and its Baby.

On this last day of our tour, we visited famous scenes from Indiana Jones. The city of Kairouan was used as a substitute for Cairo in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and there is definitely a resemblance to Cairo’s Old Town.

Our Star Wars Tour ended back in Tunis, where we opted to stay one more day to tour Carthage. A big Thank You to Galaxy Tours for this fabulous week.

Carthage

With one day left to explore before we flew out, we headed to Carthage, where our first stop was at the North Africa American Cemetery. This beautiful cemetery commemorates the fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marines lost in WWII, a reminder of the losses experienced in the war. We were there at the top of the hour, when they played My Country ‘Tis of Thee. It was incredibly moving.

The American Battle Monuments Commission manages this cemetery, and many other cemeteries and memorials around the world, and they do a fantastic job honoring our fallen countrymen.

We then went on to tour the ancient ruins of Carthage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walking through Phoenician and Roman villas and bathhouses from ancient times gives an idea of the long history of this part of the world.

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Tunisia is indeed a galaxy far, far away, and this unique Star Wars experience is one full of history, fantasy, and natural wonders. We highly recommend it.

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Cheers!

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