))) and continue travel to sahara. On the way, we drove and visited a wonderful monument of Roman heritage - the El Jem Amphitheater. Various oases, large and small, flashed outside the window. And the next point of our stop is the village, or rather the town, Matmata (Matmata), troglodyte abode. If you take a 2-day excursion to the Sahara, then you will not pass by in any way - Matmata a place of pilgrimage very popular with tourists. And not in vain! Expectations come true, breathtaking, because there is something to see. These "moon craters" are troglodyte abode - berber caves. 
In childhood, it seemed to me that troglodytes - This is something terrible, gluttonous and eating people. In fact, this is another name for the southern tribes of Tunisia, berbers. AND Matmata, originally, is the name of one of the many Berber tribes. It even sounds like mother-mother. Here is such a vicious circle.
Why is this village so interesting? First of all, the fact that Matmata famous for its Berber dwellings dug in the ground by caves. The project is simple, there are "multi-story options" :-) In the mountain, in the hill, they dig a huge pit-circle, 9-10 meters deep and the same in diameter. And then the so-called construction and design of troglodytes dwelling depends on the composition of the family and the economy. This is a common round courtyard ( house), and from it they dug various rooms - living quarters, bedrooms, closets, kitchens, and even a stall for cattle. 
I read several stories on the Internet related to the dwellings of the troglodytes-Berbers. The first thing they climbed from the inside was rope ladders. Yes, and that too. And how was cattle selected from a ten-meter pit? By the ropes? The fact is that there was a hidden, inconspicuous exit somewhere on the side of the hill, on which you can safely enter and exit. And the second story, although I believe that it also has a place to be - why such a cave dwelling? Allegedly, the Berber tribes escaped in these pits from the Egyptians sent by the Romans, with the aim of settling in these parts. And who will resist, kill those. Maybe this is quite likely. But the answer, as always, is simple and peeped at nature. Only animals - snakes and scorpions that live in burrows can survive in these harsh places, with temperature extremes, from unbearable heat during the day to minus nights at night. Indeed, when we were brought to Matmata, it was 40 degrees in the shade, and it was cool in the troglodyte monastery. And such an average temperature in the burrow-dwellings is constant, that in heat, that in cold. These are not my inventions: if you read how the journey to the Sahara began, you remember how lucky we were with the guide, Ahmed, a man with a higher pedagogical education who did not miss us all the way and put a lot of useful information into our ears. By the way, he himself looked something like a berber, also black :-)
Modern Matmata crawls out of its caves, ordinary houses appear. Many berbers live there and in the cave, berber caves Now they bring the owners a good income from the influx of tourists. 
Good profit come from hotels that do the same in caves. For example, a cave provides a cloister to a traveler, and most importantly, the atmosphere of troglodytes.
I almost forgot, Matmata and its environs became known around the world mainly thanks to George Lucas and his film " Star Wars"- the landscapes around the village and the Berbers' homes impressed the famous director. But more on that later.
Once, about forty years ago, there were incessant (in the Sahara!) Heavy rains and all troglodyte dwellings were literally washed out. It was then that ordinary, comfortable for living, home began to appear. Well, so as not to bore you much, we will visit the cave to the Berbers another time. there will be a video. So stay tuned!
Matmata is one of Tunisia's most striking sights; it is located in North Africa, on the spurs of the Atlas Mountains. This part of Africa found its solitude on the lifeless hillsides, where people can appear from nowhere and go nowhere. On another walk through the desert, you can find, for example, a satellite dish that will stick directly out of the ground. If you want to feel the color of Africa - find out all about holidays in Matmata, Tunisia in 2019, attractions, entertainment and prices and plan your trip.
Terrain Features
The main mystery of this area is the Berbers, related to the indigenous population of North Africa. The choice of this inaccessible area fell even at a time when the population was fleeing from the Roman conquerors. Therefore, the local population made their homes directly on the territory of the mountain slopes, and they prefer to make a home on their own directly in supple soil, which is rich in clay. Today, these caves are open to the eyes of tourists. To get great emotions, there are a couple of local hotels - completely underground type. This is the best unusual vacation for lovers of Africa in 2019!
Brief geographical information and climate
Matmata is located in southern Tunisia. Near it are the picturesque Atlas Mountains. The dry climate of this area reaches a peak in the summer months - there is practically no rainfall here, in June and July - completely. The average summer temperature is around 30 degrees Celsius. The least hot is in winter, then the average air temperature is approximately 17 degrees Celsius.
Matmata on the map
Safety in Matmata
Basically, the safety rules in Matmata come down to carefully monitoring the weather conditions. Due to the intense heat, you can suffer greatly from sunlight, and therefore, going to Matmata with an excursion or on your own, you should take clothes from natural fabrics in light shades, use sunscreens, and be sure to worry about the supply of clean drinking water.
In addition, communicating with the Berbers, show respect. And at the same time - remember that these people are literally fed thanks to tourists, and therefore, they can even pester you a little, wanting to earn money. If this behavior is uncomfortable for you, it is better to go to the settlement with a tourist group and stick to your guide.
Visa to Matmata for Russians
To visit Tunisia for tourist purposes in 2019, the easiest way is to book a tour with a tour operator - and get a tourist voucher, which must be presented at the airport. Nevertheless, you can simply purchase such a voucher (some travel companies issue it without buying a tour) and go with him to the country.
Planning a trip to Matmata: transport and accommodation
How to get there
The vast majority of tours in this area are conducted by organized groups. If you choose a general tour of Tunisia, which lasts for two weeks, then a stop in Matmata is an integral part of it. To begin with, all tourists take a short tour of the Berber population, their homes are clearly shown. After that, it is proposed to visit one of the underground restaurants. The cost of such an excursion will be around 5000 rubles.
Nevertheless, if you do not want to go with a group at all, you can get to Matmata on your own.
One of the most expensive options is to rent a personal car. The same method is the most convenient. So, you can leave any resort village and head along the only paid highway here, which will lead to. After which the usual road to Gabes begins. And after 46 kilometers you will enter a small city called New Matmata. After driving a few more kilometers, you will find yourself in the center of traditional Matmata. It can be noted that all roads are in reasonable condition, so you don’t have to worry about the safety of the car. It is also worth mentioning that most of the roads are located on mountain slopes, are quite winding and have significant slopes. Therefore, you should not relax while driving, and in case of detection of the first signs of fatigue, it is recommended to make a short stop.
Theoretically, you can use the available public transport, but such roads are not for groups, which include children and people of respectful age. There is a bus of a local state company that makes an overnight flight from Tunisia to Matmata. The cost of a single trip will be around 600 rubles. Gabes and Matmata are connected by several local routes, but no pattern was observed in their movements.
Where to stay?
The vast majority of tourists travel to Matmata only for a day, as a result of which the hotel infrastructure here is not too developed. There are several hotels in and around the village, but most of them are far from generally accepted standards. There are also tourist-oriented ones, there are some amenities:
- Ksar El Amazigh 3 *. Located a kilometer from the center of Matmata, it has an outdoor pool, terrace, restaurant and parking. Equipped with TV, air conditioning, telephone.
- Diar El Barbar Matmata 4 *. Located right in the village. The hotel architecture reproduces the Berber home. The hotel has a TV, internet connection, air conditioning, telephone. Also at guests' disposal are restaurants and a swimming pool.
Travel to Matmata: where to go, what to see, what to do?
Infrastructure Matmata
Local currency can be exchanged at several existing bank branches or at the post office. All are located in New Matmata, between the Berber settlement and the administrative center.
The only place to eat is a small tourist-type restaurant, which is located directly at the entrance to the territory of local residents, just to the left of the main road. The set lunch includes salad, fruits, couscous and shorba soup.
A fairly good institution is located on the territory of the Diar El Barbar Matmata 4 * hotel, where an order is formed based on selected items from the menu. In an extreme case, if time is running out, you may be asked to visit one of the catering establishments that are located in New Matmata. A small snack in this city will cost about 700 rubles.
Sights of Matmata
The main attraction of this area is the Berber settlement and their dwelling-burrows. At some distance from the road you can see numerous caves, the entrance to each of which will be painted with white paint. Above the entrance you can often find unusual painting in the form of a palm or fish, which are considered here as security symbols. Entering the house, you find yourself in a spacious courtyard, which is located in the open. From here you can see the dug rooms that serve as pantries, nurseries, living rooms and bedrooms. Locals allow you to calmly walk through all the rooms and examine the items you are interested in. You can even help an elderly grandmother and grind the grain by hand, get instructions from the family. It is interesting that some Berbers do not live in their homes, but come here only to be shown to tourist groups, and spend the night in the area of \u200b\u200bNew Matmata.
If the entrance is not painted with white paint - it is better not to go there. These are ordinary private dwellings not of a tourist type and strangers will not be welcome there. Despite the heat of the day, it’s rather cool inside, but in winter the walls keep heat well. Almost every house has a light and a satellite dish, thanks to an earlier state electrification program. Before leaving, leave at least one dinar, after which you can ask for some of the local supplies.
In addition to the Berber houses and the Berbers themselves, in Matmata there is one institution that will be interesting to see for fans of Star Wars. This is the Sidi Driss Hotel. He is famous for the fact that scenes from 4 episodes of the space saga were shot in it. Unfortunately, most of the scenery was hastily destroyed - because then no one knew what popularity this film would achieve. However, later part was restored.
Currently, the place where the film was made, turned into a hotel - but very strange. It consists of 5 Berber dwellings, which are underground. Booking a room at this hotel is only possible by telephone, which is very difficult, but looking at it is easy.
Places nearby Matmata
If you love African culture so much that you are ready to devote several days to this area, you can take a ride in the surrounding area. About 10 kilometers from Matmata there are several more Berber villages. The village of Tamezret is quite interesting - the streets of the settlement are on the hillsides, and the mosque crowns the hill. There is even a Berber Culture Museum in this village. Other settlements where the Berber population was preserved are Zarava and Taudzhut.
Things to do in Matmata
In general, in addition to observing the life of the Berbers, there is nothing in the village. Staying at the only decent hotel, you can swim in the pool under the moon. You should definitely charge your camera and batteries before the trip: you should take a picture of the village as a whole and take pictures with the Berbers - however, for this it is better to ask permission and also thank them with some gift or money.
You should definitely bring souvenirs from Matmata. Before leaving, do not forget to buy local aromatic herbs and spices, thyme and honey. These products are distinguished by freshness and pleasant taste.
Matmata is an interesting place for those who like the traditional culture of African tribes, who are not afraid of heat and communication with an unfamiliar culture. Novice tourists can visit this place with an excursion, experienced tourists can go on their own. The most logical thing is to make a trip no more than a couple of days, but these days should be spent with pleasure and in a good mood. Let the colorful Africa and friendly Berbers make you smile on vacation in 2019!
Video about the city:
Matmata from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Matmata.
- Hot tours all over the world
Matmata, the terrain on the southern spurs of the Atlas Mountains, the most “otherworldly” landmark of Tunisia, the “flying Dutchman” and “kin-dza-dza” in one bottle. On the lifeless hillsides, figures of people and animals appear out of nowhere, sometimes a satellite dish sticks out of the ground - there is reason to pinch yourself more painfully and rub your eyes. The mystery of Matmata is in the Berbers that inhabit it, the indigenous population of North Africa. Fleeing from the Islamic conquests, they came to this inaccessible area and settled right on the mountain slopes, tearing out their homes in malleable clay soil. Today, such caves can be not only inspected, but also spend the night here: in Matmata there are several hotels of the underground type.
One of the Matmata hotels - Sidi Driss - appeared in the Lucas epic about star wars - there it served as the home of Luke Skywalker.
How to get to Matmata
- most often sightseers come here in organized groups. A stop in Matmata is a mandatory part of a two-day excursion in Tunisia. In addition to visiting the Berber homes, tourists are fed here lunch in the same cave restaurant. The tour is conducted by all Russian tour operators working in Tunisia, the approximate cost is 160-200 TND.
- renting a car is the most convenient, albeit costly option. From any coastal resort of Tunisia or the capital, take the only toll highway in the country (A1 road) to Sfax. Then continue along the usual road to Gabes and inland - in 45 km there will be New Matmata (a town with a claim to civilization), and immediately after it - traditional Matmata. All roads are in good condition.
The roads in Matmata are laid along the mountain slopes, very winding, often with a large slope. Be extremely careful while driving.
- public transport is theoretically available, but this is not an easy road. The daily bus of the state company SNTRI leaves the capital at 21:30 and arrives in Matmata at 5:00. The fare is 27.50 TND. Matmatu and Gabes are also connected by minibuses; in this case, you will first have to get from Gabes to New Matmata - About 3 TND, and then from New Matmata to Berber caves - about 1.50 TND. There is no order in the circulation of minibuses.
Prices on the page are for April 2019.
Search for flights to Tunisia (the closest airport to Matmata)
Weather forecast for Matmata
As in the desert regions lying 100 km from the Matmata of the Tunisian South, it is very hot in summer. Be sure to take care of appropriate clothing and headgear. In October - November there are heavy rains, be careful while driving on mountain streamers.
5 things to do in matmata
- Visit the Berbers in the underground dwellings.
- Spend the night at the Skywalker House.
- Buy local products - honey, thyme and aromatic herbs.
- Take a picture at the observation deck of Matmata.
- Take a dip in the Diar el Berber's pool and enjoy a breathtaking view of the lunar surroundings.
Money
There is a post office where you can exchange currency and several bank branches. They are located in New Matmata, before the cave area, or in the administrative center of the settlements, after the Berber houses.
Matmata Restaurants
You can have lunch at the only tourist restaurant located at the entrance to the Berber territory, to the left of the main road. Fixed price for a set lunch of salad, shorba soup, couscous and fruit. Good restaurant at the Diar el-Berber (à la carte order). Another option is to have a bite to eat at New Matmata catering establishments, before exploring the cave dwellings.
Matmata is the most “otherworldly” attraction of Tunisia, the “flying Dutchman” and “kin-dza-dza” in one bottle.
Matmata Hotels
Yes, there are hotels here! One of them - Sidi Driss - even appeared in the Lucas epic about star wars - there he served as the home of Luke Skywalker. You can spend the night in such hotels only in search of the exotic (the sensations are really unforgettable), but you can’t count on amenities. In addition to cave houses, in Matmata there are also ordinary, more tourist-oriented hotels, for example, Ksar Amazigh and Diar el Berber. In the interiors of the latter, even a hint of chic is read: a bar with a "plasma" and a pool with a breathtaking view of the lunar surroundings.
Attractions and Attractions Matmata
The main attraction of Matmata is the Berber dwellings-burrows. To the right and left of the main road you will see numerous caves, the entrance to which is painted with white paint. Often on the doorposts are depicted fish and palms - protective symbols of the Berbers. Entering the "house", you find yourself in a spacious courtyard in the open air (in fact, this is not a hole), but cave rooms - bedrooms, living rooms, children's rooms and pantries - have already been dug in different directions from it. It is allowed to go everywhere and touch everything, you can even grind grain with hand millstones for a couple with a Berber grandmother.
It is better not to enter entrances that are not painted with white paint - these are ordinary private dwellings, not a tourist option, and they are not waiting for you there.
Pay attention to the microclimate of the rooms - even in the most incinerating heat inside the house is not hot. In winter, the walls perfectly keep warm, and the dwelling can be heated no worse than a Moscow apartment. By the way, all Berber houses received electricity under the national electrification program, and almost all homes have satellite dishes.
Although the inspection of the caves is formally free, it is recommended to leave the dinar on a saucer specially designated for this, as a gratitude for visiting the house. Instead, you can ask for something from the supplies - a garland of dried red pepper or a bunch of mountain thyme.
Maps Matmata
Around Matmata
After leaving Matmatu and following the main road, after about 7 km a series of mountain villages begins - Haddezh, Tamezret, Tuzhen, Zrauya. The houses here are made of stones - extremely primitive, they give an idea of \u200b\u200bhow our ancestors probably lived in the era of the early Middle Ages. Pay attention to local grandmothers, whose faces are decorated with traditional tattoos, marking belonging to a particular tribe.
As a rule, tourists come to this cave city by organized tourist groups (usually a stop in Matmata is an integral part of a two-day excursion in Tunisia). The tour includes not only a visit to the Berber dwellings, but also a wonderful dinner in a cave restaurant. An excursion can be purchased both from a Russian tour operator and at local travel agencies. The minimum cost of the tour starts from 150-170 Tunisian dinars.
If you don’t want to buy an excursion, then you can rent a car, but you need to understand that this is even the most convenient, but at the same time quite expensive option. In whatever city of the country you are resting, you need to follow the toll motorway, which is also called the A1 road. This is the only paid highway in the country. You need to follow this autobahn to Sfunks, then follow the usual Gabes road (inland) and in this way you will reach the small town of New Matmata. This is an interesting town that can please certain benefits of civilization. It is just behind this town that the cave city of Matmata is located. By the way, all roads leading to this city are in good condition, but you need to be extremely careful while driving, since there are many sections with a large slope and are too winding.
The situation with public transport is complicated, but theoretically it is still there, and you need to be prepared for a long and rather difficult path. A bus daily runs between the capital of the country, the city of Tunisia and Matmata of the same name. He leaves at 21.30 and arrives at his destination around five in the morning. A bus ticket costs about 25 dinars. You can get with transfers via Gabes, but it is even more tiring.
As a result, we can conclude that it is best to buy an excursion or rent a car (especially if the trip is planned not by two, but by a campaign).
The main attraction of Matmata for which numerous tourists come here is, of course, Berber dwellings, which are numerous caves located to the left and right of the main road (the entrance to them is painted with white paint). Often on the doorposts you can see the image of palms and fish, which are a kind of amulets for Berbers. First, visitors enter the spacious courtyard, located under the open sky, from which cave rooms, called burrows, diverge in different directions. Here you can see children's rooms, living rooms, pantries, bedrooms and other rooms, and this is not about some museum exhibits and decorations, but about real housing, in which local Berbers still live. Tourists can visit all rooms, touch different objects and even try their hand at some local crafts (for example, grind grain with manual millstones). You can enter only those dwellings that are painted with white paint, in other caves tourists may not be happy.
The indoor microclimate is unique, even in the most intense heat it is cool and comfortable there, and in winter the dwellings are very heated and there is no cold. Almost all homes have light, there are satellite dishes, so this place is not so wild.
Formally, acquaintance with visiting the caves is free and is included in the price of the excursion, but as a thank you for visiting the house, you can still leave a small amount. In return, locals can treat you with some gastronomic souvenir.
Given the great tourist popularity of this place, it is not worth surprising that just a few minutes from the cave city - in New Matmata there are several bank branches, you can easily exchange currency. Directly in Matmata there is one tourist restaurant that offers set meals at fixed prices.
Tourists who come on their own and wish to stay longer can stay at local hotels. No matter how surprising it may sound, there are hotels in the cave city. As you understand, for the most part this is not about modern hotels with all amenities, but about truly Spartan living conditions, which will be enjoyed mainly by extreme and exotic lovers. If you wish, you can stay in more comfortable conditions, where there is a plasma TV, good furniture and even a beautiful pool with gorgeous views of the surroundings.
There is also something to see around the cave city. Within a radius of 5-7 kilometers, a whole series of mountain villages is located, where attention is attracted not only by nature, but also by various structures made of bricks that look quite primitive. Looking at such structures, we can conclude how people lived on local lands during the Middle Ages. Also of great interest to tourists are grandmothers with tattooed faces. At one time, thus, the designation of belonging to a particular tribe took place, but now it is forbidden to do this at the legislative level.
Tunisia is a fabulous and amazing country in every way: here you will find ancient Roman amphitheaters, invincible Carthage, and the vast expanses of the Sahara. Tunisia has almost everything that only a person can imagine. But if you want something completely unusual, then you should go to the famous cave city of Matmata, where for about 1500 years the real troglodytes have been living in chalk grottoes on the mountain slopes. Moreover, troglodytes are not small extremely gluttonous and vicious creatures from children's fairy tales, but one of the most ancient tribes inhabiting Tunisia.
But if you expect to meet wild cavemen, dressed only in loincloths of skins, then you will certainly find some disappointment. After all, troglodytes are a fairly civilized people who dress like ordinary Bedouins. In their unusual homes you can often see TVs and refrigerators.
In the desert around the hills and on their slopes there are more than 700 caves and craters, in some of which the very troglodytes live. However, despite the “terrible” name, in fact, these troglodytes are just Matte Berbers. The cave city of Matmata owes its name to one of their tribes.
Craters have a rounded shape and reach ten meters in height and in diameter. Around the house, the courtyard, there are rooms up to twenty meters long. Quite often, troglodyte dwellings have several floors at once. Knotted ropes or ramps serve as stairs. Small alcoves in the walls are used as beds, and if the Berber housewife needs an additional shelf, then it is simply cut through right in the wall. Here is a living example of the most rational organization of the premises.
But why did the troglodyte tribes, educated in every way, choose such an unusual way of living? Some scholars are inclined to the version that troglodytes chose this way of life in order not to attract attention from the numerous conquerors who visited Tunisian land. But still, most likely, the fact is that the soil surface here is quite soft and it is easier to build a dwelling right in the ground than to use it as a building material. Also underground dwellings well save from the African heat of the day.
Today, the cave city of Matmata is more like a simple Tunisian village with standard land dwellings. However, the caves still remained, and next to them, as a rule, there are several tourist buses. Some caves, where you can often climb only with the help of a rope, have been turned into guest rooms and restaurants for those who want exotic things.
Tourists who have visited the desert hills of the city of Matmata in southern Tunisia are shocked by the amazing exotic “lunar landscape” in these places. Millions of people from all over the world saw them, while not suspecting that it was Tunisia. After all, George Lucas shot Star Wars here, and Stephen Spielberg - his production of Indiana Jones.
Book a hotel in Matmata
To get acquainted with the sights of Tunisia, in particular with the interesting places of Matmata, you will need to settle somewhere. Popular hotels of Matmata are listed below especially for you. Here you can book a room in the hotel Matmata in advance in accordance with your wishes and financial capabilities. For your convenience, here is information about the location of the hotels relative to the city center, as well as the number of stars.
Just select the hotel you like by clicking on the "View Hotel" button. Next you will find yourself on the page where you can book a hotel. There is more detailed information about him, reviews, ratings, photos, location on the map, features and, of course, prices.
If you want to see other hotels, you can simply select the city of “Matmata” from above, and you will see a list of all Matmata hotels available for booking.