Best castle destinations in Africa

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North Africa's fortified hilltop towns function much like castles elsewhere, built for defence along historic trade routes through the mountains. Southern Africa adds a different, colonial-era fortification tradition reflecting its coastal trading history.

The destinations on this list range from desert fortifications built from rammed earth and still inhabited in places to colonial-era stone forts reflecting European trading history along the coast. Both tell very different stories about the continent's past.

Visiting forts and fortified towns still partially inhabited tends to reveal far more about daily life than the more museum-like colonial sites elsewhere on the continent. Local guides can offer useful historical context on specific families and trade routes. Visiting in the early morning also tends to mean cooler temperatures and noticeably fewer visitors at the busiest sites.