Ksar Ouled Soltane a Must-See in Tunisia
Visiting Ksar Ouled Soltane felt like stepping into a living time capsule in the small rolling desert hills of southern Tunisia. Tucked away near the city of Tataouine, this centuries-old granary – called a “ksar” – appears as if its still in use. Complete staircases reach the third and fourth stories, and hundreds of small rooms look like they can still hold the grain and other goods they were meant to store. This site, which dates back to the 15th century, is the posterboard of many Tunisian tourist advertisements, and for good reason; It is more stunning in real life when you actually see it.
Ksar Ouled Soltane dates back to the 15th century, built by the Berber Ouled Soltane tribe who had migrated from Libya. Like many other ksour (plural of ksar) in the region, it was designed not just for storage, but for protection. In a time when raids and tribal conflicts were a real threat, people needed a secure place to store their most valuable resource: food. The thick earthen walls, small entrances, and elevated storage rooms (called ghorfas) were adaptations to both environment and security needs. It protects against the natural desert heat, while also insulating it during colder winter months.
The site layout lends itself to a great experience. When you first enter, you’ll reach the first courtyard, which by itself is impressive. Tall three story structures with functional wooden doors. We thought we had seen the best, but it was only the start. The second courtyard is even more grand. It’s free to enter by the way.
For Starwars fans, this place has its history tied to the movie series. In Star Wars Episode 1 – the Phantom Menace, it was apparently used for the slave quarters row of Mos Espa – Anakin’s home as a child. You won’t see any props or decoration here. It’s as original as it can be and not made up for tourists. In fact, we were the only tourists there for the first hour, and likely one of the few that had visited that day.
There’s a few eager shop owners to show you the site. As it’s off the regular tourist routes – although shown on all the tourist advertisements, it’s quite quiet and peaceful. It’s a good thing for us, but not as great for the locals here. We bought a small water color painting from this artist, which we’ll hang at our place for later memories.
With no other tourists there, the site is all yours to walk around. You can take your time to sit on the stairs and admire the details and beauty.
In fact, climbing up the stairs gives a good overview of the whole courtyard.
Everywhere you turn, there’s a good photo. Since it was early May, we still had good weather before the unbearable summer sets in.
On a side note: you may notice that many of the photos that I took have a stronger color and contrast. This is due to the use of a polarizing filter that I always keep on my Canon lens. This is by far the best investment you can get aside from the camera and lens. Your photos will be more punchy and the true colors won’t be washed out in the glare. The one important thing to remember is that you need to turn the circular polarizer to the correct position so that it works correctly. The photo above shows an unpolarized photo and the one below of me sitting is with the polarizer turned correctly.
Not much more to say – Ouled Soltane is one of the farthest places we went to in our trip to Tunisia. It’s the most south you can go in the country. But even though it’s out of the way, it was definitely a highlight of our trip and visiting here made for one of the best travel days we’ve had so far.
Location:
Ksar Ouled Soltane is located about 30 minutes driving from Tatouine in the south of Tunisia. This is best paired with a site visit to Chenini and a lunch pause in the main city afterwards. You may also consider Guermassa as this is also impressive. You’ll want to drive here or consider hiring a taxi for half the day.
More Posts Here:
Our Exact Trip and Itinerary: Two Weeks in Tunisia
Explore the whole country: Your Travel Guide to Tunisia
Explore the South of Tunisia: A Visit to the Sahara and Dahar region.