Al-Marsous Mountain | Volcano eruption in the Black Desert, Egypt

• 16 / 5 / 2023

Volcano eruption in Egypt 

if you would like to book an Egypt tour, please continue reading and choose from our variety... Unlike its neighbor the White Desert, the Black Desert is in stark contrast with volcanic-shaped mountains often resembling a scene from a Star Wars movie. The hills and floors are scattered with small volcanic black stones lying on the orange and brown colored sands.

It is possible for people to climb the soft peaks with lovely views across the desert area and take some picturesque photographs. The Black Desert is a ‘passing through’ point due to no facilities around as it is totally uninhabited The landscape is of secluded plains with the dunes (small mountains) being of different sizes and formations. Rather than being considered as mountains, they are more like volcanic cones rising out of the desert.

 It is considered one of the must-visit places during Egypt desert safari trips as well as Egypt Day tours. It can be seen as you pass the road from Bahariya to Farafra.

We often hear about various names for mountains and deserts in Egypt, but the Al-Marsous Mountain in the Black Desert is one of the most famous landmarks in Egypt and tourists come to it from all sides, but the change in the desert floor from beige to black, 50 km south of Bawiti, To the beginning of the black desert.

Egypt volcano

Formed by eroding mountains, which spread a layer of black powder and stones on the peaks and plateaus, and look like a landscape outside of an accident, the Black Desert is a popular stopover for excursions carried out from Bahariya Oasis and is usually combined with a White Desert tour. Considering one of the most important tourist destinations for Egypt's Desert Safari adventure.

Where is the volcanic mountain Marsous located?

Jebel Al-Marsous is located within the Black Desert approximately about 4 to 5 hours drive from Cairo is the location of the Black Desert in Egypt, located near the White Desert, the most popular area among tourists looking for an escape from the usual sites in Egypt for an adventure Of a different kind, in addition to the presence of a large number of landscapes in this area, which is one of the most exciting areas.

Why is the Black Desert called by that name?

The Black Desert, it is an area of ​​volcano-shaped and widely spaced hills, distributed over a length of about 30 km in western Egypt between the White Desert in the south and Bahariya Oasis in the north, and most of its hills are covered with basalt sills, giving it a distinctive black color.

geology of the black desert

The mounds of the Black Desert, reaching up to 100 meters in height, vary in size, composition, height, and shape, as some are darkly and composed of iron quartzite, and others, are redder as the surface rocks consist of iron sandstone. Dark, dating back to the Jurassic period 180 million years ago. As for paleobiology; The remains of petrified shrubs and forests have been found in the Black Desert suggesting that they once wore a dress of greenery and freshness.

Features of the volcanic mountain Marsous

The Black Desert is characterized by its isolated hills, which constitute one of the most important features of the landscape that distinguishes the Bahariya Oasis Depression from other desert depressions.

The hills are spread like an archipelago of islands forming what is now known as the “Black Desert.” Moreover, the hills vary in size, composition, height, and shape as some are dark in color consisting of dolarite and iron quartzite while others are more reddish in color as the surface rocks consist of Iron sandstone. Some desert hills are made of white limestone.

On the outskirts of the black desert, there are glowing black volcanic hills that give the whole place a special charm at sunrise and sunset. As for the lunar nights and their beauty, especially when there is a full moon, the desert looks like an oil painting of an eco-resort amidst the clouds.

Moreover, near the end of the desert, there are black volcanic ridges that prove the eruption of dolite, a dark volcanic material, dating back to the Jurassic period, 180 million years ago where these eruptions led to the formation of this type of black rock.

volcanic mountain marsous

Al-Marsous Mountain is considered one of the most famous mountains of the Black Desert. It is a volcanic crater completely covered with volcanic jasper. This material is spread beautifully on the mountain as if it draws the wrinkles of time on its rocks and gives it the glory and reverence of history.

Another example is “Mountain Panorama”, which visitors to the Black Desert used to climb to take panoramic photos of the Black Desert from a high point, hence its name, “Mountain Panorama”. “ The English Mountain” is the most famous.

It is a historical tourist attraction where tourists go to visit the ruins dating back to the First World War. During that period the British occupation forces took advantage of this mountain to station their forces there as it is the highest point in the black desert. When they are at their top, they will be able to detect any infiltration of enemy forces.

This made Captain Williams of the British Army order to build a building consisting of three rooms and a bathroom to monitor and control the Libyan Senussi forces attacking the oasis at the time. Finally, we hope you enjoyed our insightful work