Ile-Ife has several sacred groves within and around the city where traditional Yoruba religion is still actively practised. These are living religious sites, not heritage parks. Shrines to the orishas (Yoruba deities) stand among ancient trees, and ceremonies and offerings take place at regular intervals throughout the year.
Visitors are generally welcome with a local guide, and the market near the entrance sells ritual materials — items of coloured cloth, small iron implements, calabashes — that give a good introduction to the material culture of Yoruba religion. The closest analogue in the region, and the most famous, is the Osun-Oshogbo Sacred Grove about 30 km north, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and worth the trip; but Ife's own groves have the advantage of being closer to the museum and palace and less visited by organised tours.