Chott el Jerid

Chott el Jerid, between Tozeur and Kebili, is the largest salt pan in the Sahara, covering about 7,000 square kilometres. For most of the year it is a dry, cracked crust of salt, sometimes tinted pink or green by minerals and algae; after winter rains, shallow water can cover parts of it. A raised causeway road crosses it for around 60 km, with roadside stalls selling desert roses and salt crystals. The flat horizon produces frequent mirages in the midday heat. Sunrise and sunset crossings are the most striking.