Chott el Gharsa

The Pod Crash

By Pamela Green
Photography by Gus Lopez

Along Chott el Gharsa, not far from the Mos Espa set, there is a valley that has been used for filming scenes from The English Patient, as well as shots for a highly anticipated sequence from the upcoming Star Wars prequel movie.

Location and Directions: We are unable to supply directions and location information for some of these out of the way prequel sets, because it is our understanding that Lucasfilm might still use these locations for additional reshoots. If at some point in time we get indication from Lucasfilm that releasing this information won't interfere with their projects, then we might be able to distribute GPS coordinates and directions. But, please don't ask us now, because we can't tell you how to reach these sets--as Star Wars fans we need to be considerate of their work. The good news is that we do supply plenty of information on nearby A New Hope sites, which on their own make a fascinating vacation plan.


The first thing you see on the road to the pod crash scene is the distinctive formation, called by the locals "Camel Head Rock." You might recognize this formation, and this location, from the desert scenes in The English Patient.

It's a long way from a World War II-era doomed romance to an adventure set in a galaxy far far away, but in physical distance, it's only a few meters walk from the setting of one movie to the other.

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