Douiret

Douiret is built up a steep hillside southwest of Tataouine, houses and storage cells cut into the soft rock in terraces below a ruined ksar on the summit, and it was almost entirely abandoned in the twentieth century when the population moved to a new village on the plain. A whitewashed mosque with a square minaret stands out against the ochre rock. A few restored houses now take guests, and the old village is walked through rather than lived in.

Background

The village is thought to trace its origins to a founding father, Ghazi Ben Douaieb Bou Kenana, who arrived in the area more than 600 years ago, possibly from the Tafilalet region of Morocco. In 1850 it had around 3500 inhabitants. Through the 20th century many people left, mostly for Tunis, and the last families moved to the new village of Douiret at the foot of the mountain. Troglodyte houses dug into the mountain follow the cliff in a winding line below the citadel. A path of about 3 km passes the abandoned dwellings, with the white mosque about halfway along, which people call Jamaa ennakhla, the palm tree mosque. Douiret lies 22 km southwest of Tataouine.

Source: Wikipedia, "Douiret"

What to look for

• The terraced village - houses and cells cut into the hillside in tiers.
• The white mosque - the whitewashed mosque standing against the ochre rock.
• The hilltop ksar - the ruined fortified granary on the summit.
• The cave houses - dwellings dug into the soft rock of the slope.

When to go

October to April is comfortable; summer is extreme. Late afternoon gives the best light. The climb is steep and exposed.

Practical notes

The village is largely ruined and the buildings are unsafe to enter. There is no shade and the climb is hard work. Facilities are limited to a couple of restored guesthouses.

Nearby

Chenini is north, and Tataouine is northeast.

Key facts