Djerba-Zarzis Airport · IATA: DJE

Car Rental at Djerba-Zarzis Airport

Explore the island of Djerba and the south on your own schedule — car delivered to arrivals. Pick-up is already set to Djerba; just choose your dates.

10 km to Houmt Souk
3 hrs to the Sahara
from €25 per day
7 / 7 days available

Why Rent at Djerba

An Island You Can Cross in 30 Minutes — and a Desert Three Hours Away.

Djerba is Tunisia's most visited destination, but most visitors see only the hotel beach. A rental car changes the equation entirely — from the ceramics village of Guellala to the Saharan edge at Ksar Ghilane in a single day.

Explore the Whole Island

Djerba is 25 km across, flat, and full of whitewashed villages, olive groves, and secluded beaches that hotel shuttles never visit. A car gives you access to all of it on your own schedule.

Day Trips to the Deep South

Matmata's cave dwellings, Tataouine's ksar villages, and the Saharan oasis of Ksar Ghilane are all reachable as day trips. No guided tour needed — just a car and a road south.

No Upfront Payment

Book your car and pay nothing until pickup. Your rate is fixed at the time of reservation — no sudden surcharges, no "desk only" extras. Transparent from the first click.

Where to Go

From Island Beaches to the Edge of the Sahara

Djerba rewards the curious traveller who ventures beyond the hotel zone. And the mainland south of the causeway offers some of the most dramatic landscapes in all of North Africa.

El Ghriba Synagogue & Houmt Souk

15–20 min

El Ghriba is among the oldest synagogues in the world, with foundations traditionally dated to 586 BC. It remains an active place of worship and hosts a large pilgrimage each spring. The building's ornate blue and white interior is unlike anything else in Tunisia. Houmt Souk, the island's main market town, is 15 minutes from the airport — a working medina with foundouks (merchant inns) converted into small hotels and a genuinely local café culture.

Guellala & the Pottery Villages

25 min

Guellala on the island's south coast has produced pottery for at least two millennia. The village sits on clay-rich hillsides above the sea, and its workshops are still family-run. The Guellala Museum is built into a series of troglodyte caves and traces the island's full cultural history — Berber, Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Ottoman and Jewish traditions all present in a single collection.

Matmata & Star Wars Locations

2 hrs

The Berber troglodyte village of Matmata is built into the hillside as a series of crater dwellings — the same pit-house architecture that George Lucas chose as the setting for Luke Skywalker's home planet Tatooine in 1977. The Sidi Driss Hotel still operates in the same cave complex used for filming. Tataouine, which directly lent its name to the fictional planet, is another 30 minutes south and surrounded by ancient ksar fortified granaries.

Ksar Ghilane — Saharan Oasis

3 hrs

Ksar Ghilane is a thermal spring oasis at the edge of the Grand Erg Oriental — the great sea of sand dunes that forms the Tunisian Sahara. The drive from Djerba passes through Tataouine and Douz, the self-styled "Gateway to the Sahara." At Ksar Ghilane you can bathe in the natural hot spring pool surrounded by dunes, watch the sunset from camel-back, and sleep under Saharan stars. It is one of the most spectacular day trips in the entire Mediterranean region.

Practical Information

Driving on Djerba and Beyond

Documents Required

  • Valid driving licence (held at least 12 months)
  • Passport or national identity card
  • Credit or debit card for deposit
  • International Driving Permit for non-EU licences

Getting Off the Island

  • Roman causeway to El Kantara: free, 7 km, road GP1
  • Ajim ferry to Jorf: free for cars, departs continuously
  • Drive south for Tataouine, Matmata and Ksar Ghilane
  • Roads are paved and well-maintained throughout the south

Airport Essentials

  • Airport is on the island, 10 km from Houmt Souk
  • Currency exchange and ATMs in arrivals
  • SIM cards available from local operators
  • Fuel stations throughout the island and on the mainland road south

Support

  • WhatsApp: +216 53 534 604
  • Available 7 days a week
  • We track your flight — no stress if delayed
  • Pay at pickup, not online

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get from Djerba Airport to the island?
Djerba-Zarzis Airport is already on the island — you don't need a causeway or ferry to reach it. The airport sits 10 km from Houmt Souk, the main town. Your rental car is at arrivals and Houmt Souk is a 15-minute drive away.
Can I drive from Djerba to the Star Wars filming locations?
Yes. Matmata, where the cave dwellings used as Luke Skywalker's home were filmed, is about 2 hours from Djerba by car. The Sidi Driss Hotel still operates in the same subterranean complex. Tataouine — which gave its name to the planet Tatooine — is 1 hour 30 minutes away. Many visitors combine both in a full day trip from Djerba.
Is it easy to drive on Djerba island?
Very easy. Djerba is flat with well-maintained roads and light traffic. The island is about 25 km across, so every beach, village and point of interest is within 30 minutes. Parking is free and plentiful at almost every site. Road signs are in Arabic and French.
How far is El Ghriba Synagogue from Djerba Airport?
El Ghriba is in the village of Erriadh (also known as Hara Sghira), about 7 km from the airport — a 10-minute drive. It is one of the world's oldest active synagogues and a remarkable piece of living history. Photography inside the main prayer hall requires a small fee.

Ready to Drive from Djerba Airport?

From island beaches to Saharan dunes — your rental car is at arrivals when you land. Reserve in minutes, pay at pickup.

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