An oasis you have to walk into
From the N10, Skoura looks like a strip of palms beside the road. The real oasis begins once you leave the car: shaded paths, small gardens and kasbahs that cannot be seen from the tarmac. It is big enough to get lost in, but people here are quick to point the way.
A local guide adds a lot. They can explain how water is shared between the gardens and show you the khettaras, the underground channels that bring water into the palm grove.
What to see and do in Skoura
Most visitors combine one or two kasbahs with a walk, which fills half a day without hurry.
- Amridil Kasbah, the seventeenth century kasbah once shown on the 50 dirham note.
- The Ben Abou kasbah and other kasbahs hidden among the palms.
- A guided walk or horse ride through the gardens.
- A picnic in the shade, or an afternoon at your guest house pool.
The Monday souk
The weekly market is held on Mondays and draws families from villages across the area. It is a working market rather than a tourist one: vegetables, fruit and meat, alongside local products that are hard to find in Ouarzazate. Market days occasionally change, so confirm before planning around it.
Staying the night
Skoura is a popular alternative to sleeping in Ouarzazate. Most places to stay are lodges, guest houses and restored kasbahs run by local families, so the choice is wide. Think about atmosphere, facilities and how close you want to be to the kasbahs you plan to visit.
Passing through with Ouarzazate Tours
Several of our trips cross the palm grove. The 1000 Kasbahs Road and Todra Gorges day trip visits Amridil, the Valley of Roses and Dades Gorges day trip begins through Skoura, and the Erg Chebbi desert tours, the 4 day South Oasis Route and the Marrakech to Fes tour all stop here.
Questions and answers
Where is Skoura?
East of Ouarzazate on national road N10, on the way to the Valley of Roses, the Dades Valley and the Todra Gorges.
When is the Skoura market?
Every Monday. Market days can occasionally change, so confirm locally.
Which Ouarzazate Tours trips go through Skoura?
The 1000 Kasbahs Road and Todra Gorges and Valley of Roses day trips, the Erg Chebbi desert tours, the South Oasis Route and the Marrakech to Fes desert tour.
More places nearby
All destinations
Ait Ben Haddou
A fortified village of packed earth from the seventeenth century, on the old caravan road and on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987. Thirty kilometres from Ouarzazate.
Telouet Kasbah
A weathered earthen palace from 1860 in the High Atlas, home of the Glaoui family, with painted cedar ceilings and Andalusian style rooms behind its crumbling walls.
Taourirt Kasbah
The kasbah at the heart of Ouarzazate, a former Glaoui residence on Boulevard Mohamed V with Amazigh patterns outside and carved cedar, painted walls and zellige inside.