Ong Jmal and Mos Espa: the Star Wars desert

Ong Jmal (also written Ong Jemel) means “the neck of the camel”, and the rock formation does look like one. It lies between two salt lakes north of the Nefta oasis, in a landscape of dunes that feels like another planet.

Here, in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul arrives on Tatooine and releases his probes. Nearby stands the Mos Espa set: nearly twenty domed buildings built for the spaceport town. The film crew spent almost five months here and even built the road to the Nefta–Tozeur highway.

It is about a 90-minute drive from Tozeur. The best light is early morning or late afternoon, and it is wise to go with a local guide who knows the tracks.