Auberge Bassou

We found a peaceful retreat at Auberge Bassou, just a few minutes from Nkob. The rooms are simple but tastefully decorated, arranged around a green courtyard full of birds. Ibrahim and his sister run the place with a real understanding of what guests need, and that care showed in the food, whether we wanted an excellent dinner or something quick in the afternoon. The highlight of our ten days in Morocco was the day tour Ibrahim guided in the Jebel Saghro. He described the group tour, usually for three to five people, when we mentioned our plan to hike for a few hours while crossing the mountains toward Todra gorge. He encouraged the idea but didn't push or try to sell us anything. We decided to take him up on it and changed our schedule. The central Jebel Saghro is an amazing area, and having Ibrahim with us all day made it even more memorable. It also let us see it without committing to a four to five day hike, which wasn't an option for us. We spent an hour and a half with an Amazigh family and got a small glimpse of their life, without it feeling like a show for tourists. My daughter and the family's three young girls became best friends in just 20 minutes, even though they didn't share a language. If you're going to Nkob, don't miss this place. One practical note: the road north from Nkob toward Boumalna and Tinghir barely appears on Google maps, but it's in excellent condition.

Brahim and Brigitte were so friendly and helpful that we'd happily come back. We ate well, enjoyed a great music night, and took a really interesting trip into the Saghro mountains with Brahim, who knows the area inside out. The rock formations left by a volcano eruption 400 million years ago were amazing.

Brahim really knows the Sahro Mountains, and his 4x4 tour comes with expert guiding and sharp humour. The owners gave us a warm welcome, the rooms were cosy, and the food was good. The whole place has a lovely atmosphere. He speaks French, English, Arabic and Betber.

We stayed longer thanks to the live music. The place is beautiful, the bathrooms were clean, and the people were very warm. The dinners were some of the best we had in Morocco, and there's also a camping option and mountain trips.