Waw an Namus

Waw an Namus lies hundreds of kilometres from any town in the Libyan Sahara: a volcanic caldera whose black ash darkens the sand for kilometres around and is clearly visible from space, with a central cone and a ring of small lakes coloured blue, green and red by minerals and algae, fringed with palms and reeds. The name means oasis of mosquitoes, and there are plenty of them at the water. Expeditions camp on the caldera rim.

The landscape

• The coloured lakes - blue, green and red rings in the black bowl.
• The ash apron - black ash spread over the desert around the caldera.
• The central cone - the volcano's cone in the middle of the caldera.
• The rim camps - expedition camps on the caldera edge.

When to go

November to February, expedition season, as for the whole deep south. Arrange the trip through specialist local operators.

Good to know

This is among the remotest places a vehicle can reach, and it takes a specialist expedition with serious fuel and water logistics. The mosquitoes are real at the water; vehicle tracks scar the fragile crater for years, so drive and walk where guides direct.

Nearby

Nothing - empty Fezzan desert on every side.

Key facts