Mides is little visited, primarily because there are few means of getting here except on an organized trip or with your own vehicle. Mides may be the most attractive of Tunisia's mountain oases, with a stunning gorge stretching for 3 km. The gorge was used as part of the village's natural defence in older days. The gorge is distinct with its round shapes, and strong contrasts in colour. The modern village is no more than number of white houses scattered around the barren hill above the oasis. It is like the locals didn't know how to arrange themselves when external threats were gone in modern times. The traditional village was abandoned in 1969 when a flood after 22 days of rain destroyed many of the houses.
Practicalities
There are two camping grounds in town. They are basic, but with friendly staff. If you want a hotel for the night, go to Tamerza (6 km). Little in terms of restaurants, there are a few basic cafes. Go to Tamerza for better eating. No options for changing money, try to do it in Tamerza, but don't be surprised if the hotels won't do this for non-residents. In such a case, exchange money in Tozeur. There are no quick forms of getting to or away from here. There are donkey rides for tourists to Tamerza, but apart from that you might have to resort to hitching.
