Making the Star Wars Pilgrimage to Matmata

“Well, if there’s a bright center to the universe, you’re on the planet that it’s farthest from” , described Luke Skywalker about Tatooine. It’s a fitting narrative. His homeland is a desert wasteland that stretches for miles from his underground dwelling till it disappears into the horizon.

I’ve always thought that scenes of Tatooine from the Star Wars: A New Hope was filmed in Tunisia’s Tataouine. I was sold by the name. In reality, most of Tatooine’s scenes were filmed in the village of Matmata in southern Tunisia. If you’re a Star Wars fan, coming to Matmata is like making a pilgrimage.

Known for its troglodyte dwellings- traditional underground structures created by digging a large pit in the ground, Matmata’s history goes beyond two centuries. Early Berbers settled in the village and practically dug a whole settlement into the stone environment, some as deep as 10 meters. The habitat is well structured, with a central yard surrounded by rooms, or rather, caves. The underground level is for living, while the upper level is reserved for food and vegetation. Entrance to the village is through a funnel-like tunnel that fans out when you approach the central yard that houses animals.

Matmata’s desolate surroundings and unique subterranean living conditions offer the perfect backdrop for the humble beginnings of a would-be Jedi warrior in a galaxy far, far away.

The Home of Uncle Owen

The Hotel Sidi Driss should be the first place for any Star Wars devotee to visit, being the location of Uncle Owen Lars’ homestead. Like the rest of the buildings in the village, the hotel is built into the ground with a series of tiny caves. Open all year round, it’s kept in almost the same condition as how it appeared in A New Hope back in 1977. Movie decorations were taken down after filming for A New Hope wrapped, but was rebuilt for Attack of the Clones. The hotel has five pits, of which four have rooms, and the fifth- the Star Wars pit, is actually the hotel’s restaurant. Before 1995, the room was used for storage, but a fan restored it to the original movie state. Today, you can actually dine here, totally reliving the scenes filmed here, and probably making it the closest you’ll get to be part of Star Wars.

If you’re hard core fan, book a room for an unusual overnight experience. For 20 USD, you get a room, dinner and even breakfast. Being underground means the rooms can get a little damp. And let’s not forget, Matmata is a simple village in the middle of the desert, so expect minimal amenities in the rooms. Each cave (or room) has a bed with basic Berber furnishings. You’ll also have to bear with communal toilet and shower facilities. But to wake up in the same place that Luke Skywalker once stayed, it might be worth your effort.

More than Star Wars
Beyond Star Wars, a visit to Matmata should include a quick lesson on Matmata’s history. There is a tiny museum behind Hotel Sidi Driss documenting the town’s history and gives visitors a peek into a typical villager’s daily life, with mocked up kitchens, bedrooms and dining rooms.

If you can, try visiting other cave dwellings without outdated futuristic props from the movie for a better representation of Berber living.

How Long Should You Visit?
There’s really no need to spend more than a night in Matmata. Make it part of your pit-stop on your holiday in the area. If you’re on a Star Wars pilgrimage, head over to Tatauoine to visit the well-preserved granary vaults featured in The Phantom Menace.

It’s easy to get to Matmata from Tunis, with daily bus service via Sfax and Sousse. You can also drive there, which takes around 45 minutes from Gabes.

Matmata may be a place of Star Wars discovery, but it is still  raw and untainted by commercialization resulting from tourism. Don’t visit expecting modern amenities and facilities. Be prepared to rough it out here. But for those who want to live and breathe Star Wars, a trip to Matmata awaits.

Have you visited Matmata before? Is it worth making the trip?

Trivia: Did you know that Matmata was used as a mission map in Call of Duty 2, as part of the North African campaign?

Pictures from Wikipedia and Pinterest.