Palmeraie (Marrakesh)

Gardens in Marrakesh

La Palmeraie De Marrakech
CC BY-SA 2.0 / Viault

Palmeraie (palm grove) is a palm oasis of several hundred thousand trees outside of Marrakesh, Morocco. Situated at the edge of the city’s northern section, it measures 5 miles (8.0 km) in length, and covers an area of 54 square miles (140 km2). It is known for its eponymous palm trees and resorts, as well as the Palmeraie Rotana Resort, and Nikki Beach It is approached on the Circuit de la Palmeraie, which branches off from the N8 highway to Fez.

Where is the Palm Grove of Marrakech located?

El Palmeral is located on the Route de Fès in Marrakech, northeast of the city, occupying some 7,000 hectares of land.

How can you get to the Palm Grove of Marrakech?

By taxi or carriage. The Palmeral, located on the outskirts of Marrakech, can be reached by taxi or by hiring a carriage ride from the city center. You can rent the carriage in the medina area or in the New City. From the popular Jemaa el Fna square, the journey takes two hours.

By bus. There is a tourist bus service, City Tour, which has a route, ‘Ruta Tour Palmeral’, which is made up of 13 stops and addresses the North area of ​​the City, in which the Palmeral of Marrakech is visited. The duration of the tour is approximately one hour. Other tourist companies also propose itineraries for small groups, which depart from the hotels towards the Palmeral. The price is from 20 or 25 euros per person.

What is the best way to visit the Palm Grove of Marrakech?

Taking a camel ride through the Palmeral is undoubtedly the most recommended and widespread activity to get to know the Palmeral. An authentic experience that you will not regret.

History of Palmeraie (Marrakesh)

Although legend mentions that this Palmeraie was created from date seeds cast off centuries ago by Arab warriors, it was created during the Almoravid period, using a khettara network.

The ancient tale (more than 1000 years old) refers to this garden of palm trees as “the ardent children of the African earth and sun”. Sultan Yussef Ben Tachefine, while searching for land to establish his Almoravid dynasty had camped at the plain of Haouz. His soldiers, who had camped there, after consuming palm-dates had thrown the date seeds around and some of them had dropped into holes created by the lances which they had pitched there, and these sprouted into trees. Many centuries later the same plain had become an oasis of a lush garden of 50,000 trees. Here, Stuart Church, an American architect and designer, and Jaoud Kadiri created their dream project of building an edifice of oriental culture and Buddhist philosophy, which they called the Dar Alhind, which is a mansion which permeates the spirit and traditions of India.

Now there are over 100,000 date palms, as well as olive and fruit trees. In the present day, nearby reservoirs and artesian wells supply the irrigation.

In the town planning norms of the 1920s, buildings were not allowed be built to heights taller than the palm trees and as a result palm trees have grown in pavements also. However, in recent years urbanization has affected the area.

The Palmeraie (Marrakesh) appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Marrakesh!

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Visiting Palmeraie (Marrakesh)

Hours:

9am-5.30pm


Price:

adult/child Dh40/free

Address: Musée de la palmeraie, Art contemporain et nature, Marrakesh, Morocco
Duration: 1 hours

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Tours and Activities from Marrakesh

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