Cinephiles and Star Wars nerds alike have more than one reason to celebrate this month. Not only can fans now see The Rise of Skywalker in theaters, but they can also visit Tatooine, thanks to Anantara Tozeur Resort.
The luxury hotel opened earlier this month in Tunisia, where scenes in three of the nine core movies were filmed. Anantara’s Tatooine Journey package includes time at Chott el Djerid, an enormous salt lake that served as the backdrop to the Lars family homestead in Episode IV: A New Hope; Mides Canyon, where pod racing scenes were shot for Episode I: The Phantom Menace; and spaceport settlements featured in Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
Young Anakin Skywalker had no trouble navigating the narrow corridors of Mides Canyon in his homemade pod racer.
Courtesy of Anantara Tozeur Resort
The tour also includes a desert excursion to Tozeur; the set of Mos Espa from The Phantom Menace; and Ong Jemel, an enormous rock whose name means “neck of the camel” in Tunisian. And yes, you can have a mini photo shoot on set in Tozeur, complete with lightsaber and Jedi cloak.
Between stops at filming locations, the tour takes people to see other incredible landscapes in the area, such as the mountain oasis village of Chebika and waterfalls in Tamerza. Those who go on the new Rise of the Resistance ride in Walt Disney World (or in Disneyland, when the attraction opens in Anaheim on January 17, 2020) will recognize the waterfalls in the queue as inspired by those of Tamerza.
The accommodations at Anantara Tozeur Resort are a far cry from the slave quarters on Tatooine.
Courtesy of Anantara Tozeur Resort
Guests who book the Tatooine Journey will enjoy a two-night stay in a room with a view of the Sahara Desert, transportation to Tozeur Nefta International Airport, and the excursions described above. From $1,250 for two guests. For reservation details, contact the resort concierge at tozeur@anantara.com.
