Cycling in South Tunisia: Metlaoui to Tamaghza Through the Thelja Gorge

Cycling in South Tunisia gave us one of the most spectacular days I’ve ever had on a bike. On the second day of our Nomadic Bike trip, we rode about 80 km from Metlaoui through the Thelja (Selja) gorge, across the phosphate mining hills to Redeyef, and on to Tamaghza, where the last of us arrived under the stars at 10 pm.

You can read what happened the next morning, from Tamaghza to Chebika and Tozeur, in Cycling South Tunisia: Tamaghza, Chebika and Tozeur by Bike.

Morning in Metlaoui

The weather was really good and everyone was excited to hit the road. We had our morning coffee, fixed the last bikes and asked our friend Hama, our local guide from Metlaoui, for the plan. “Today we ride the Thelja mountains,” he said, “then Redeyef and Midès, until we reach Tamaghza. Tonight we sleep in Tamaghza.” Between the mountains, then the phosphate mining area, then the farming area, and finally Redeyef: around 80 km in total. “It’s an easy day,” he kept telling us. We would find out later.

Inside the Thelja Canyon

Then the valley closed in around us and we were inside the Thelja canyon. Walls of rock so high that our bikes looked tiny, an old railway line running through the gorge with tunnels carved straight into the cliffs, and a completely different scenery from anything we’d seen before. Everyone kept saying the same words: “Stunning! Really beautiful!” Ismail went off looking for a waterfall, Dhia just stood there looking stunned, and Tarek told me, “I’m thinking of moving and living here. I’m sure it will be a beautiful life.”

Deeper in the gorge there was even water: a small river, green grass and reeds, and a huge rock overhang where the whole group stopped in the shade. In the middle of the desert, it felt like a secret garden. Looking at those mountains, I told our friends who were planning to sleep without a tent that night: get ready!

The Phosphate Hills: “The Survivors”

Out of the canyon we entered the phosphate mining area, and the landscape turned white, almost like the moon. At one junction the whole group stopped because nobody could decide whether to turn left or right. Then came a very steep uphill in the middle of the mines. Mouna was doing great, while part of the group was struggling at the back; we started calling the ones at the front “the survivors.” With 18 km left to Redeyef, the road was pure desert. Leila was the first to reach the top, followed by Hama and Anis, and we all rested together before the descent.

A Late Lunch in Redeyef

We finally arrived in Redeyef at almost 3 pm, so hungry that finding food was our only mission. We ended up with a special chicken barbecue, and of course the big question was jelbena or kamounia (both, anything is fine!). Mouna looked ready to finish all the food by herself, while Leila was completely exhausted; every time someone tried to encourage her, it only made her more tired, so we told her to just go inside and eat. Food is always half of every Nomadic Bike ride, and after that morning, this lunch was perfect.

Night Ride to Tamaghza

After Redeyef we rode close to the Algerian border, entered the Tozeur governorate and saw the sign: only 17 km left to Tamaghza. The sun went down while we were still on the road, and that sunset ride is one of my favorite memories of the trip.

We reached Tamaghza in the dark. Tarek was there, Mouna was there, and Idriss was calling us from somewhere in the darkness with a tiny light. Some friends had arrived long before, others were still behind us, so we took a group photo under the stars. Mouna made it all the way, and honestly, all the Nomadic people were proud of her. By 10 pm the last riders arrived safely (Mahdi in his safety vest, because “we need to protect ourselves”). The ones who arrived late found everything ready: a bonfire, a camping spot and a coffee.

Not everyone pedaled the last 10 km. A few friends finished on a truck, and the jokes started immediately: “I’m not one of those who jumped on the truck, I finished by myself!” And Hama, still smiling: “It’s an easy day, only 80 km.”

Continue the story: a freezing night, the oasis of Tamaghza, Chebika and Tozeur.

Tips for Cycling in South Tunisia: Metlaoui to Tamaghza

• It’s about 80 km, and not as easy as it sounds. Count on gravel, canyon tracks and steep climbs in the phosphate area. Start early.
• Use a gravel or mountain bike. The Thelja canyon track is rocky in places.
• Plan lunch in Redeyef, the only real town on the way. There’s not much between the canyon and Redeyef.
• Bring lights, a reflective vest and a warm sleeping bag. We finished in the dark, and nights in the South are cold.
• Ride with a local. In Metlaoui, ask the Nomadic Bike community to connect you with Hama, who knows every track in the region.

Planning your own ride in the South? Rent a gravel bike for the Sahara and South Tunisia, ask questions in our Cycling in Tunisia forum, or read our Cycling Tunisia tips.