The town of Tinghir, 14 km south of the gorge, sits at the edge of Morocco's largest palm oasis. The palmeraie stretches along the Todra River valley in a long ribbon of green against the desert plateau: date palms, fig trees, pomegranate, and barley fields irrigated by an ancient network of khettara (underground canals). Walking through the oasis is one of the most rewarding things to do in this part of Morocco — there are few formal paths, but Berber farmers tend to be hospitable and the walk is hard to get wrong.
The old kasbah quarter of Tinghir itself, built of traditional pise (rammed earth) in shades of terracotta and ochre, is worth an hour's wander. A French Foreign Legion fort was stationed here in the early 20th century, and locals can point out the remnants. From Tinghir you can hire a petit taxi to the gorge entrance for a few dirhams.