Metlaoui Voyage Tips and guide

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• Take a louage (shared taxi) from the desert oasis-town of Tozeur to the dusty phosphate-town of Mataloui some 45 minutes away. Ask to be dropped at la gare de train.
• SNTRI bus. From Tozeur at 00:30, 08:00, 11:00, 13:00, 23:00 -- 30min-1hour, 3.110 DT. Seven SNTRI buses a day from Tunis take 6-8 hours and cost 22-23 DT. (updated Mar 2017)

• Le Lezard Rouge, Starts from the station of Métlaoui, ☏ +216 76 241 469, [email protected]. Tu 10AM; F & Su 10:30AM. Dec 21-Jan 4: F-M & W 10:30AM; Tu & Th 10AM. Current information: As of February 2018, the train is under maintenance and not operating for another few weeks or months. One of the most exotic tourist train rides in the world. Be sure to verify days/times beforehand. It has beautifully-restored wagons dated from 1904 and once was owned by the Bey of Tunis. It's painted a deep-red with gold trim on the outside. Inside, the interior is very luxurious with brocaded armchairs, overhead antique-globed lighting, brass fittings and mahogany panels. Wide roll-down windows on both sides offered views over the passing landscape that delight the eyes. Young waiters dressed in period garb and white gloves pass through with cold drinks. All in all, though geared only to tourists, it is a unique reminder of an unhurried time and well worth the special detour from Tozeur. If you are going as an individual, verify beforehand and get to the train station early. As 90% of the passengers are in tour groups, the train fills up. The journey is about 1h 45min. Photo stops are scheduled during the trip in the best locations of the canyons. Adults: 25 DT, children 2-12: 15 DT. (updated Mar 2017)

It might be better to stay in one of the many guest houses or hotels in Tozeur, and drive to Metlaoui by car or in an arranged tour.

• Hotel Thelja, Route de Gafsa, (On the main road from Tunis, Route 3, a few blocks from the bus station). Not very clean. (updated Mar 2017)