Mides Canyon to Tamerza
- Hike
- Distance
- 5.7km
- Duration
- 2HRS
- Ascent
- 107M
Elevation profile
289-397 M / TERRAIN TILES SAMPLED ALONG THE TRACK
Photographs
Photos: Josep M. Gracia (CC BY-SA 4.0), Salaam Halila (CC BY-SA 4.0), Dennis G. Jarvis (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Start point
- Car
- About 70 km north-west of Tozeur via Chebika and Tamerza.
- Louage
- Louage from Tunis Moncef Bey station to Tozeur (verify locally), then taxi or tour.
- Bus / train
- SNCFT train Tunis-Tozeur, then taxi.
Nearby
The trail
A walk from the Mides oasis along its deep canyon and across the hills to Tamerza.
Mides is a small mountain oasis on the Algerian border whose old village perches on the rim of a narrow canyon with folded and faulted rock walls, used as a film location. Below it a watercourse winds between cliffs, and the path leaves the gorge to cross stony hills to Tamerza, the largest mountain oasis in Tunisia, the Roman Ad Turres. Old Tamerza was abandoned after 22 days of floods in 1969, and the new town is known for its waterfall and springs.
- Mides canyon rim and old village
- Folded rock strata
- Old Tamerza ruins
- Tamerza waterfall
Weather and season
- SEASON
- Oct-Apr
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.6 C | 4.8 C | 8 mm |
| February | 15 C | 5.2 C | 14 mm |
| March | 18.9 C | 8.6 C | 28 mm |
| April | 24.3 C | 13 C | 17 mm |
| May | 28.7 C | 17 C | 14 mm |
| June | 33.6 C | 21.7 C | 2 mm |
| July | 36.6 C | 24.7 C | 1 mm |
| August | 35.5 C | 24.1 C | 6 mm |
| September | 31.4 C | 21.1 C | 15 mm |
| October | 25.7 C | 16 C | 19 mm |
| November | 18.8 C | 10 C | 12 mm |
| December | 14.6 C | 5.9 C | 8 mm |
Monthly normals 2011-2020 at the start point, from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Shaded months are the season this trail is listed for.
Practical
- Water
- Cafes in Mides and Tamerza only; carry 1.5 L.
- Guide
- recommended
- Hazards
- Flash floods in the canyon after rain; the Algerian border is very close: stay on known paths and carry ID.
- Route
- Approximate line along mapped paths between verified waypoints. Follow a guide or a GPS track on the ground.
Go with a guide
These operators and clubs organise guided hikes in Tunisia:
- WildyNessTunisian booking platform for guided hikes with local guides (Cap Blanc, Mides, Selja, Dahar, El Haouaria), several with GPS downloads.
- Association Tunisienne des RandonneursHiking association in Tunis that runs and writes up group hikes across the country.
- Mosaic North AfricaTour operator offering custom hiking trips, including the Chebika, Tamerza and Mides oases.
- Destination DaharPublishes the official topoguide (12 stages, 194 km) of the Grande Traversee du Dahar.
- Grand Sahara AventuresDjerba-based operator running Berber village and desert treks in the south.
- Destination TunisTunis-based guide publishing and leading day hikes around Tunis and Cap Bon.