Tmassah

Tmassah is a small oases in Fezzan. The name Tmassah is often spelt in various ways, including the forms: Tmessah, Tmessa, Timessa and Tamessah; the form used in the above header is also the one used in Google map. The oases is often visited by tourists and desert travellers in their way to Waw al-Kabeer and Waw an-Namus via an off-road track. The terrain is rocky and therefore drivers should allow a considerable amount of time to cross the 300 (or so) kilometre long track from Tmassah to Waw an-Namus. A 3-day return journey from Tmassah to Waw al-Kabeer and Waw an-Namus would be ideal.

Tmassah is located about 272km south-east of Sabha (Sabhah), via Ghudwah and Taraghin, or about 200km east of Murzuq (Marzuq). The oases can also be reached via two off-road tracks from Sabha, one arrives at Umm al-Aranib, from which you would continue a further 120km via the tarmac road; and the other track arrives at Zwila (Zuwaylah in the above map, or Zawilah in Google map) - about 77km before your reach Tmassah. The tarmac road terminates at Tmassa.