杰里德盐湖(Chott El Djerid)是撒哈拉沙漠里最大的内流盐水湖,总面积超过5000平方公里。这片广袤的盐碱地横跨突尼斯南部的托泽尔(Tozeur)和吉比利(Kebili),海拔高度大约在10到25米之间。这里不只是地理意义上的大,更是很多旅行者梦寐以求的异星风景。如果你看过《星球大战》,卢克天行者在双日落下的背影,背景里那片荒凉寂静的盐滩就是在这里拍的。
杰里德盐湖的面积根据降雨量波动,旱季时看起来更像是一片望不到头的白色荒原。虽然名叫“盐湖”,但大部分时间你根本看不到成片的水面,只有一层厚厚的、被太阳晒得干裂的盐壳。这层盐壳覆盖在含盐极高的泥沼之上,由于富含各种矿物质和嗜盐微生物,地面经常呈现出粉红色、紫色甚至是诡异的浅绿色。
在杰里德盐湖开车,最神奇的体验莫过于海市蜃楼。由于这里夏季气温能轻轻松松突破50摄氏度,强烈的地面辐射会让光线发生折射。你会发现远处地平线上似乎出现了一片波光粼粼的湖泊或是摇曳的棕榈树,但等你开过去,那里依然是干涸的盐碱地。这种现象在当地被称为“Fata Morgana”,传说以前不少商队都因为追踪这些幻象而在沙漠里迷了路。
这里的特产不是什么农作物,而是一种叫“沙漠玫瑰”的石膏结晶。它们在湖底的盐层中慢慢生长,外形极像盛开的花瓣。路边常有当地的小贩摆摊售卖,价格不贵,大概几第纳尔就能买到一块形态很漂亮的标本。这些结晶是盐湖地质活动最直观的见证。
横穿杰里德盐湖的是著名的 P16 公路,全长将近90公里。这条路其实是修在盐湖中央的一条长堤上,两边就是一望无际的盐滩。从托泽尔出发去杜兹(Douz)看撒哈拉沙漠,这条路是必经之地。路况整体不错,但两旁堆积的盐丘会让你觉得自己正行驶在某种外星基地的补给线上。
千万别被看起来坚硬的白色盐层骗了。盐壳下面往往是深不可测的软泥滩。很多游客想把车开下公路拍照,结果瞬间陷车,在荒无人烟的盐湖中心这绝对是个噩梦。路边经常能看到生锈的废弃巴士或是小船,有些是电影道具,有些则是倒霉的探险者留下的残骸。拍照时老老实实把车停在路边紧急停靠带即可。
如果你是《星球大战》影迷,一定要顺路去附近的翁杰马尔(Ong Jmal)。那里保留了完整的塔图因星球场景,圆顶的沙漠建筑在盐湖边缘的落日映衬下,真的会让人产生身处遥远星系的错觉。建议下午四点左右到达,此时光线柔和,盐结晶反射出的粉色调最明显,怎么拍都像大片。
这里完全免费。P16公路是一条正常的省级干线公路,任何车辆都可以自由穿行。你只需要支付租车或包车的费用,沿途有几个观景台和简易休息点,停靠拍照都是不收钱的。
每年11月到次年3月是最佳时期,白天气温通常在15到25摄氏度,体感非常舒服。夏季也就是6月到8月期间,这里极端高温超过50摄氏度,且没有任何遮蔽物,紫外线和热浪会让户外停留变得异常痛苦。
路本身很好走,纯柏油路面,普通轿车就能通过。如果不想开车,可以在托泽尔租一辆带司机的四驱越野车,半天行程大约150到200突尼斯第纳尔。当地司机更熟悉海市蜃楼出现的点,还能顺便带你去更偏僻的《星战》取景地。
Morten Kristensen Guess where they filmed Star Wars! This is the planet Tatooine, and it's such a unique place! It's completely flat with the hills in the far distance, and Chott El Djerid feels like you've just landed on another planet. It's a dried-out salt lake, about 90km across, and you can see white or brownish salt as far as you can see. Isn't it amazing? We went on a well-air-conditioned tourist bus, but when we stepped outside, on the very middle of the "lake", the temperature rose above 50 degrees Celsius in July! So, it's a good idea to bring and take water aplenty. It's funny, though, because there are so many tourist buses here, there's a really tiny kiosk (it's a tent) where you can buy ice-cold Coca-Cola! Buy one, and you'll feel like you're in an infamous dessert commercial for that marque! You will definitely feel the dessert, the salt lake, the burning sun and the flowing water beneath the broken salt flakes. I'll never forget this experience!
Lisa Skalecki Our tour group crossed this dry salt lake on the way to Tozeur, it was a really cool place to stop for a scenic stretch-your-legs. The tourist souvenirs for sale on the side of the road were nice and very reasonably priced.
Marta Skorubska Amazing experience, went there for a sunrise, remember those goosebumps till now, remember to wear something warm I know it's a worm country and a desert but at night and in the morning it's quite cold
Szasz Monika The best place to see the sunrise.
Manel Hamza An outstanding view !!! It's literally when the sky meets the land !! The desert of the salty snow