Sidi Bouhlel

East of Tozeur is Sidi Bouhlel, and next to it is a canyon where many scenes from Star Wars (and other movies) were filmed. It is also known as Star Wars Canyon.

This is the entrance to Star Wars Canyon. The white building is the marabout (tomb of a Muslim saint) of Sidi Bouhlel.

This is the marabout of Sidi Ben Abbass, which is just next to Sidi Bouhlel.

Sidi Ben Abbass looks out over the desert and the Chott el-Jerid salt lake in the distance. The green thing is a date palm plantation.

On top of this rock is where the scene of the sandperson attacking Luke was filmed.

This is the part of Star Wars Canyon where scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark were filmed. Indy threatened to blow up the Ark at this location. Also, in the distance is the cliff in Star Wars, where Luke and Obi-Wan stand to look out over Mos Eisley.

This is the far end of Star Wars canyon.

It is a long and hot walk up the canyon.

This is the backdrop to the scene where the sandpeople were taking aim at Luke’s landspeeder.

Another look at the desert beyond the end of the canyon.

We walked along the top of the canyon to the end, and then descended into the canyon for the walk back.

This rock in the canyon was especially interesting. It was eroded in sheets, like puff pastry. There were also many fossils of shells in the canyon.

The rock from which Luke looks through his macrobinoculars at the sandpeople. (I’m not sure if this is the correct place.)

A scene from The English Patient was filmed here.

Artoo was hiding here until Obi-Wan came to rescue Luke.

This is the scene where the landspeeder was parked and Luke was lying unconscious in the foreground.

This is the location where Luke and See-Threpio first find Artoo, after he ran away from the Lars Homestead.

Returning back to the carpark, we arrive at the rock of our final stop.

This is the rock behind which the Jawas hid to ambush R2-D2.

Sidi Bouhlel as viewed from Jawa Rock.

Another shot of Sidi Bouhlel and the entrance to Star Wars canyon. Next stop, the salt lake and the Lars homestead.