Nkob

Nkob sits in a palmeraie on the southern side of Jebel Saghro on the road between the Draa and the Tafilalt, and its claim is arithmetic: something like forty-five kasbahs stand in and around the oasis, more than any other settlement in Morocco, in every condition from occupied and maintained to melted back into the ground. They belonged to different families and lineages and their number reflects a fragmented social structure rather than a single lord. Several have been restored as guesthouses, which is what has kept them standing. Above the village Jebel Saghro rises - a volcanic range of black spires and plateau that carries some of the best winter trekking in Morocco, when the Atlas is under snow and this is dry and cold, and Nkob is one of the trailheads. The Tizi n'Tazazert piste crosses the range from here to Boumalne.

What you actually see

• Forty-five kasbahs - more than any other Moroccan settlement, in every condition.
• A fragmented structure - many family towers rather than one lord's fortress.
• Restored guesthouses - the reason several of them are still standing.
• Jebel Saghro - black volcanic spires above, and the winter trekking range.

When to go

October to April; winter for Saghro trekking. A day, or longer as a trailhead.

Honest expectations

Many kasbahs are ruins and cannot be entered. The village is small with limited services. The Tizi n'Tazazert piste over the range needs four-wheel drive. Summer heat is severe.

Nearby

Jebel Saghro rises to the north; Tazzarine and the Draa are east and west.