I must give credit to my navigator, who dedicated long evenings researching and planning our routes. Google Maps sort of works, but it’s always looking for a quicker route, which, with patchy internet and often rough roads, isn’t a good idea. So, we always need an outline of our route in advance. We set off in the mid-morning, heading south towards the edge of the Sahara—a place that had us both excited.
After navigating through the local traffic, we made our way to Tataoine, which is about 100km and then another 18km to reach Chenini, with the final stretch taking us into the Atlas Mountains. I’m a big fan of mountains, and though the Atlas Mountains aren’t particularly high, they still inspire awe. As we wound our way around them, we were treated to extraordinary ochre vistas, with small hamlets and date palms scattered here and there, indicating the presence of underground water sources. What caught our attention was a perfect waterline halfway up the mountain range….wow! this place filled with water must have been incredible to see.
At the foot of an ancient Berber village, we arrived. (The Berber people, the indigenous population of North Africa, were driven into the harsh south due to wars with the more battle-ready Arabs from the East). It was just us and a chap who approached our car. Strangely, we seemed to hit it off (fated I’m sure), and with a good feeling and a desire to explore the rich history (my grandmother, who hailed from Algeria, was also Berber), he jumped in the car, becoming our guide for the next few hours.
Our first stop was the beautiful “Mosque of the Seven Sleepers.” According to legend, seven Christians slept here for over 400 years before converting to Islam. Each of them grew to an enormous height, becoming true giants. We also enjoyed the local interpretation, which involved six men and a dog who slept here for four centuries before waking up and seeking food in the village. Unfortunately, the villagers were afraid and drove them back into the cave, which was then sealed, with the mosque then built above. Interestingly the minaret leans slightly eastward, while the pointed dome deliberately tips even further towards Mecca, making this little mosque truly unique.
From there, we ascended to marvel at the troglodyte houses and storage rooms carved into the mountains, Rachel particularly liked the olive oil press. They were truly incredible, as were the panoramic views stretching across the mountains and into the Sahara. It’s difficult to capture the beauty that lies within the harshness of this place, but it’s simply stunning, and our guide was excellent!
Reluctantly, we tore ourselves away, as it was getting late and we had planned a stop at Ksour Ouled Soltanes. However, upon arrival, we found ourselves walking straight into a film set. It was all top secret, and it was amusing to see nearly all the curious villagers gathered in the small square. I had a quick chat with the Tunisian location director to see if there was any chance for Rachel and I to have a look around. After a conversation on the walkie-talkie, presumably with the producer, and a 45-minute wait, we managed to have a quick 10-minute walk around before filming resumed.
Constructed by the Berber people, the ghorfas were stacked grain-holding buildings and have withstood the hot climate since the 15th century. Although they have been abandoned for many years, the Ksar was originally built for protection against raids and designed to remain cool in the arid weather near the Sahara Desert. They were fascinating to look at with access into each ghorfa via the footholds to the front of the buildings only, so that would be marauder’s could be easily seen.
Dream Chasers 