This Sahara giant is the closest thing Earth has to a Martian volcano

Countries & Cities · Published 30 September 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Rising from the sandstone plains of northern Chad, Emi Koussi is the Sahara's highest peak. This massive shield volcano, stretching up to 70 kilometers wide, features nested calderas and a dry salt lake. Its unique geology makes it a primary terrestrial analog for studying the Martian volcano Elysium Mons.

Located at the southern end of the Tibesti Mountains, Emi Koussi is a pyroclastic shield volcano reaching an elevation of 3,415 to 3,447 meters. It dominates the landscape, rising roughly 2.3 to 3 kilometers above the surrounding Saharan plains. The volcano's structure is defined by two overlapping calderas that form an elliptical summit area roughly 15 by 11 kilometers wide. Within this complex sits a smaller, distinct crater known as Era Kohor, or the Natron Hole, which contains white salt deposits on its floor at an elevation of approximately 2,670 meters.

The geological history of the Tibesti massif is complex, with volcanic activity potentially linked to mantle plumes or the tectonic collision between Africa and Europe. While the oldest rocks beneath the volcano are Precambrian basement materials, the volcanic edifice itself rests on Cretaceous and Paleozoic sandstone. Emi Koussi was active over one million years ago, though it still exhibits ongoing fumarolic and hot spring activity. The summit region is characterized by lava domes, cinder cones, and scoria cones, with individual lava strata clearly visible in the steep walls of its summit cliffs.

Scientists frequently compare Emi Koussi to Elysium Mons on Mars. Both share morphological features like caldera rims where lava once spilled out of pre-collapse craters. However, Earth-based volcanoes like Emi Koussi are uniquely shaped by terrestrial processes, such as the widespread furrowing caused by flowing water, which creates shallow valleys absent on the Martian surface. Despite its status as one of the most recognizable landmarks on Earth when viewed from orbit, the region remains remote and difficult to access, leaving much of its volcanic history poorly studied.

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