Chott el-Jerid
★★★ Chott el-Jerid — The Salt Lake
The Chott el-Jerid is the largest salt lake in the Sahara (over 5,000 km²) and one of the most surreal landscapes you will ever see. In summer, the lake is dried up — an endless expanse of salt crystals shimmering in the heat and creating Tunisia's most famous mirages. In winter, water collects on the surface, shimmering in all colors: pink, violet, orange, turquoise.
The road from Tozeur to Douz (via Kebili) runs 40 km straight through the Chott. It is one of the craziest drives in the world: a flat, white plain stretches to the horizon on both sides, the road seems to disappear into nothingness, and mirages dance in the distance. At several stopping points, you can get out and walk on the salt crust.
At the edge of the Chott, vendors sell "sand roses" — natural crystal formations of gypsum that look like rose petals. They form through the evaporation of mineral-rich water and are the most popular Sahara souvenir.
Achtung
Do NOT leave the paved road and marked stopping bays! The surface of the Chott can be deceptive — beneath a dry crust, there can be deep, soft mud. Cars and people have already sunk. Always stay on solid ground.
