Waw an-Namous: an-Namus: al-Namous

Name: Waw an-Namus
Summit Elevation: 547 meters (1,795 feet)
Type: Caldera
Latitude: 25.05°N
Longitude: 17.55°E

Waw an Namus , also known as Waw al-Namus or an-Namous, is one of the remotest destinations in Libya, located deep in the Sahara desert, south-east of Sabha and south of the Harouj volcanic field. The name also appeared as Uau en-Namus as a title of a book by the Italian geologist Angelo Pesce (Uau en Namus, South-Central Libya and Northern Chad, published by the Petroleum Exploration Society of Libya, 1966).

Waw n-Namus volcanic field is about 4 km wide, with 100-meter-deep caldera, with yellow sulphur deposits around its 150-meter wide crater. The volcano is surrounded by an area of black deposit of ash between 10 to 20 kilometers wide, which gave it its name: the Dark Spot, as it appeared in Google Earth.

Waw an-Namous is often referred to as the eighth (natural) wonder of the world - a title also assigned to Libya's Man-Made River. There are 3 small lakes in the area, which are an attractive destination for many travellers.

The name Waw an-Namus means   the "Oasis of Mosquitoes", or according to other interpretation "The Crater of the Mosquitoes" , from the fact that the surrounding small lakes are infested with mosquitoes, and therefore camping nearby requires nets and repellents. I have noticed that eating raw garlic (crushed in olive oil) appears to keep mosquitoes at bay - probably (?) the smell of garlic that comes out with the sweat that keeps the insects away from your skin, just as it is a well known fact that garlic and onion plants in the garden keep mosquitoes away.