Palm Grove (Palmeraie)
A thousand-year-old palm grove turned playground. There is no monument here. You come to breathe out - camel at sunset, quad in the Jbilat desert, golf and large pools, ten minutes from the medina.
History & context
The legend is a fine one: in the 11th century, Almoravid soldiers were said to have sown, by spitting the stones of their dates, the Marrakech palm grove. The reality is an oasis planted and watered by hand, fed by khettaras - those underground galleries that draw water from the Atlas and carry it down to the roots.
For centuries, the palm grove fed the city: dates, shade-grown crops, water. Thirteen thousand hectares, more than a hundred thousand trees, ten kilometres from the walls.
The 20th century transformed it. Resorts, villas, golf courses and clubs moved in, drawn by the quiet and the palms. The oasis lost close to a third of its surface in twenty years, before a protection plan tried to hold the retreat. You come now to breathe out of the medina: a quad, a camel, a pool and sunset on the palms.
The city grew around it. The oasis, itself, still holds on.
Highlights
A neighbourhood is not visited in one go: here are the stops in the order of a walk.
Camel rides
The classic: a caravan between the palms, usually with a tea stop. One to two hours, late in the day for preference.
Quad and buggy
Red-earth tracks between the oasis and the Jbilat desert, helmet and goggles. Thrills, dust included.
Golf and resorts
A 27-hole course among the palms, the snow-capped Atlas beyond, and the oasis's big pool resorts.
The oasis at sunset
The golden hour on the palms: late-day excursions stop for tea, as the light fades.
Get your bearings
A 13,000-hectare oasis: you move around by quad, horse-cart or camel, not on foot. Reckon on a taxi from the medina.
In pictures
The best photo spots
An oasis best photographed at sunrise and sunset.
Palms at sunset
Raking light between the trunks and the silhouettes of the palms. Aim for the last hour of the day.
The caravan
Frame the line of mounts along the dirt track, palms in the background.
The green and the Atlas
The contrast of the lawn, the palms and the snow-capped Atlas beyond.
Guided walks & experiences
Le quartier se découvre librement. Mais un guide ou un food tour en révèle l'histoire et les bonnes adresses.
Quad: palm oasis and Jbilat desert
Camel ride in the palm grove
1000cc buggy: palm oasis and Jbilat desert
Booking via GetYourGuide, our ticket partner. Indicative prices; we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
On the ground
Where to take a break without leaving the neighbourhood.
Visitor tips
- The palm grove is not visited on foot: plan for a quad, a horse-cart, a camel or your hotel's car.
- Book activities (quad, camel, buggy) in advance. Departure usually includes hotel pickup.
- Late in the day is the best time: soft light, heat gone, and tea at sunset.
- Avoid the camels offered by the roadside without a fixed price: go through a clear offer.
