Sometimes called 'The Gateway to the Desert', Douz is best visited on its Thursday market day which attracts traders from a wide area selling everything from dates and spices to sheep and camels.
It is also a major center for desert trekking - either by camel or in 4-wheel-drive vehicles.
Anyone planning a desert safari needs to inform the National Guard and ensure their vehicle is equipped with a full tool kit and handbook, spare tires, fuel and water, a compass and emergency rations. It is also advisable to hire a local driver.
The Douz Museum explores the history and culture of the Tunisian desert.
Douz also hosts an annual Festival of the Sahara (held in November or December each year), which includes camel and greyhound racing, folk dancing and poetry recitals.