Nalut Ksar

The ksar at Nalut stands on the edge of the escarpment above the town, a granary of several hundred cells built up and into the rock in tiers so that the whole thing reads as a honeycomb from below, with narrow passages and stairs threading between them. It served the surrounding Amazigh communities as a communal store and strongpoint, and the position on the cliff edge gives a long view over the plain to the south.

What to look for

• The honeycombed cells - several hundred stores built in tiers into the rock.
• The passages - the narrow stairs and lanes threading between the cells.
• The escarpment position - the ksar on the cliff edge above the town.
• The southern view - the plain running away below the escarpment.

When to go

March to May and October to November are the comfortable months. Summer in the western Nafusa is very hot. Access depends on the keyholder.

What to expect

Parts of the structure are unstable and passages are narrow and dark. Access depends on finding the keyholder. Travel in Libya requires arrangements through a licensed operator.

Nearby

Kabaw is east, and the Tunisian border is west.

Key facts