The ash ring
Black amid the sand.
NASA — Public domain · Rolfcosar — CC BY-SA 4.0 · unnamed NASA astronaut — Public domain
Waw an Namus is a volcano in the Sahara, in the eastern Fezzan of southern Libya, known for a broad caldera ringed by a huge apron of black ash. Its dark colour contrasts sharply with the pale desert around it, so that it stands out clearly from space. Strangest of all, small lakes and plants lie inside the caldera. Its name means oasis of mosquitoes, a reference to the small lakes and the many mosquitoes they support. The origin of the volcanism here and at Al Haruj to the north is still unclear. Researchers also differ on its age, with tests giving about 200,000 years while other evidence points to a much more recent origin. You stand on the rim of the caldera and see a scoria cone at its centre, with blue and green lakes and thick reeds around it. Black ash stretches far around you, then yellow sand to the horizon. A smaller crater lies to the north-west. The space photos here give a sense of the scale of the place. It lies in a very remote spot, hundreds of kilometres from the nearest city, and you can reach it only on a long desert trip by four-wheel drive with full supplies. Carry everything you need, and bring protection against mosquitoes. Sources say foreigners need a tour operator or local sponsor to visit Libya. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to this area, so check official guidance before making any plans.
Black amid the sand.
Blue and green in the caldera.
Rising at the centre.
Eastern Fezzan, Sahara, southern Libya
Oasis of mosquitoes, a reference to the lakes and the many mosquitoes around them.
No, it takes a long desert trip with four-wheel drives and full supplies.