The palm grove that surrounds Skoura covers several thousand hectares and contains an estimated 300,000 palm trees, along with olive groves, rose gardens (the Draa Valley roses are harvested for rosewater and essential oils), pomegranates, and small kitchen gardens. It is threaded with a network of ancient irrigation channels fed by the Dades River, and the paths between the trees, the walls, and the channels form a maze that rewards unhurried exploration.
You can walk into the grove freely from the main road, but within five minutes you will be completely disorientated by the repetition of paths and walls. This is not a carefully managed tourist attraction with signposts — it is a working agricultural landscape that happens to contain magnificent medieval ruins. Hiring a guide for a half-day walk is a practical necessity rather than a luxury. Most guides can be arranged informally at the roadside cafes in the village or through guesthouses in the area. Expect to pay around 150–200 dirhams for a half-day.