Below the new town of Boumalne, on the floor of the Dadès valley, lies the patchwork of date palms, fig trees, almond groves, and small vegetable plots that have supported life here for centuries. The oasis is fed by a complex network of khettara (underground channels) and seguia (surface canals), an irrigation system inherited from medieval Berber agriculture and still maintained by the families who own the plots.
A leisurely hour's walk through the gardens — the path is signposted at the bottom of the town centre — gives a sense of how Moroccan oasis farming actually works. Wheat, alfalfa, and broad beans grow in the shade of the palms; in season, vendors sell figs and dates at the roadside.
Best in late afternoon when the heat is off; bring water and a hat.