About
Chott el Djerid is a vast salt lake in southwestern Tunisia, and the country's largest. Its surface is a flat expanse of salt that stretches toward the horizon, and it is the kind of landscape that rewards a visit for its sheer scale and its quiet.
The landscape
For much of the year the lake is dry, and the salt crust takes on crystalline formations across its surface. In the heat, the flats shimmer, and the shimmer produces mirages that bend the horizon and make distant shapes seem to hover above the ground. Photographers come for these optical effects, and the open, almost colourless setting gives them plenty of room to work.
What a visit offers
- Sunset views across the salt, when the low light picks out the surface and the sky changes colour over the flats.
- Mirage-filled scenery, most striking in the warmer hours of the day.
- A gateway to the Sahara, since the lake lies at the edge of the desert and many travellers use it as a starting point for longer desert journeys.
The lake suits visitors who enjoy wide, uncluttered views and the strange beauty of a salt desert. Because it is open country, it is best approached with care: bring water, sun protection, and footwear that can handle a crusted, uneven surface.
If you are planning a trip to the area, the lake is a natural addition to a journey through southern Tunisia, where the desert landscape begins in earnest.