Morocco Top Trips · Updated 30 October 2026
Ask people in southern Morocco about the biggest oasis and most will point you to the Tafilalt, the great palm-filled plain around Erfoud and Rissani on the road to the Sahara. It is often called the largest oasis in the world. Measured by area, Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia usually takes that title, but the Tafilalt is certainly the largest in Morocco and one of the biggest anywhere, and it is a remarkable place to see on the way to the dunes.
The Tafilalt and the Ziz Valley
The oasis is fed by the Ziz river, which flows down from the High Atlas through a deep, palm-lined gorge north of Errachidia. As the valley opens out, the river spreads into a green band of date palms, small fields and mud-brick villages that runs south towards Erfoud and Rissani. The view from the road above the Ziz gorge, with the river winding through miles of palms, is one of the great sights of a southern Morocco road trip.
Life here has always depended on water. Farmers share it through old irrigation channels, and palms shade the crops planted beneath them, from wheat and barley to vegetables and alfalfa. Many villages are built as ksour, fortified mud-brick settlements with a single gate.
Dates, history and Rissani
The Tafilalt is date country. The famous Medjool date originally comes from here, along with dozens of other local varieties, and in autumn you will see dates drying in the sun and sold by the crate in Erfoud and Rissani.
The region also has a long history. Near Rissani lie the remains of Sijilmassa, the medieval caravan city that traded gold, salt and goods across the Sahara. The Alaouite dynasty, Morocco’s royal family, also has its roots in the Tafilalt. Rissani’s market days, when people come in from the surrounding villages, are a good time to visit.
Other oases worth seeing in Morocco
- The Draa Valley: a long ribbon of palms and kasbahs following the Draa river from Agdz towards Zagora.
- Skoura: a quiet palm grove east of Ouarzazate, dotted with old kasbahs such as Kasbah Amridil.
- Fint: a small, peaceful oasis tucked into the hills just outside Ouarzazate.
- Tinghir and the Todra: green palm groves below the town, leading up to the cliffs of the Todra Gorge.
When to visit
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most comfortable times, with warm days and cool nights. Autumn is also date harvest season. Summer days are very hot in the oases, so if you travel then, plan walks for early morning or late afternoon. Winter days are usually pleasant and sunny, but nights get cold.
Seeing the oases on a tour
You do not need a special trip to see Morocco’s oases. Most routes to the Sahara pass through them. On our 4-day private Sahara tour from Marrakech you drive through the palm groves of the Dades and Todra valleys, and the road from Merzouga north to Fes follows the Ziz Valley and the Tafilalt. See all our desert tours from Marrakech for shorter and longer options.
Related reading: Morocco’s hidden gardens.
