180 kilometres south of Zellah Oasis is a 45,000 sq. km area known as the Harouj al Aswad, ("the Black Mountains"). It is the largest known dormant field of volcanoes in North Africa and a forbidding world of granite and basalt. Heading south, there are amazing surprises. This was once a fertile pastureland, and rock art found here depicts wild animals such as lions, elephants and giraffes.

This land now appears to be completely barren, but quite unexpectedly, you come across deep holes in the surface of the land. When you look down into these dark holes, you see palm trees growing, just tall enough to reach the light and flourish.

There are also Stone Age tool-making sites.

Further south, the lava flow ends and the land falls away dramatically into a valley in the far north of Jebel Al Marouf, near the Wadi al Hadd. The view ahead is quite unexpected. This is Libya’s own “Monument Valley”. Large natural sculptures of all shapes and colours abound, from ice white to reddish brown, standing on a sandy coloured valley floor. It is a beautiful site and one which very few have ever seen.

A little further still, in this same valley, begins the outskirts of a petrified forest. The rock-hard tree trunks are perfectly formed, with their age rings clearly visible. Some of the trunks are about 4-5 metres (13-16 feet) long.

The sand here is hot, and soft in the daytime and it is almost impossible to drive further into the forest, where the trees are possibly more numerous.
 

Petrified trees

Volcanic crater

Waw an Namus

About 100 kilometres south of the above valley is Waw an Namus ("the oasis of the mosquito"), an unworldly site.

Situated almost at the very centre of the Sahara, one of the remotest places on earth, is the most remarkable and unexpected sight of Waw an Namus, a dormant volcano, although there is still evidence of slight activity.

Approaching it from afar, you see the familiar picture of a dark grey volcanic mound, one which does not look special from this point. About 10 kms away from the mound, black volcanic ash begins to cover ground -- in striking contrast to the the pale whitish-yellow sand. Soon you reach the rim of the 4 km. diameter caldera, a very deep, steep sided hollow, where the ground has imploded from previous eruptions.

The scene viewed from this point is one of overwhelming and rare beauty. A complete eco-system survives here. At the lowest point of the caldera is the central cone of the volcano. Surrounding this cone are 3 palm-and-reed-fringed lakes of different hues: deep blue, bright green and vibrant red. The colours are the result of the differing algae in each lake. It is common to see flocks of white birds flying low over this, their habitat. Small animal footprints invade the pristine sand. Inside this caldera, you wander in admiration from one end to the other among lush vegetation. Walk up the track to the top of the central cone. The views are completely stunning. A visit here is an unforgettable experience.
 

blue and red lakes

Zweila and other sites

On the way from Waw an Namus to Sebha we stop at Waw al Kabir, an army camp with welcome beds and showers; Tmissah surrounded by palm studded dunes where the paved road at last begins; and then onto Zweila and Sebha. .

On the outskirts of Zweila oasis is a set of seven two-storied early Islamic tombs, known as As-Sahaba. They are the last resting places of seven Companions of the prophet Muhammad. They died in battle defending the town. There are believed to be extensive Islamic ruins buried in this area. There is also evidence of early Byzantine ruins. Excavations are now underway.