Welcome to Morocco! Our private driver/tour manager will be awaiting our arrival at Casablanca Airport. Once we have made our introductions, we will head up the coast to the current imperial city of Rabat. Upon our arrival here, we'll have a the opportunity to shoot this current capital of Morocco where new and modern is juxtaposed with the old. We will embark on a guided tour of the city and visit this city’s most important monuments including the Royal Palace, the Hassan Tower, and the Mausoleum of Mohamed V. We will also explore the blue and white painted streets inside the Kasbah of the Udayas.

After our guided tour of Rabat, we'll head up the coast to the charming seaside city of Asilah. Upon our arrival, we'll check into our accommodations and have a little downtime. And have a little downtime before meeting the group once more and heading to our welcome dinner.

Today, we’ll have the entire day free to explore and capture the beauty of Asilah during this photographic Morocco immersion. This charming city is renowned for its vibrant street murals, painted by artists from around the world every summer after its annual whitewashing. The medina walls serve as a canvas, turning the city into a colorful maze, where art surrounds you at every turn, offering a unique photography experience. 

Take a break from shooting the rich culture and lively streets to enjoy a delicious seafood lunch or relax at a local café while people-watching. Don’t miss the opportunity to capture the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean at the ramparts, providing breathtaking views and one-of-a-kind photos of Asilah’s beauty.

Our photographic immersion in Asilah explores one of the most picturesque cities of Morocco and offers opportunities to refine your photography skills with the help of our photography guide. 

Photographer Notes

After breakfast, we'll say au revoir to the coast and head into the Rif Mountain range, arriving around midday in Chefchaouen, the magical Blue City of Morocco. This charming small city, nestled between two peaks that resemble horns, derives its name from the Berber word meaning "horn" ("chaouen") and is famous for its blue walls and streets, making it an ideal destination for a photographic immersion.

Once we arrive, we will check into our accommodations and then re-join our tour manager for an orientation walk in the city. After we get our bearings, we’ll have the freedom to explore on our own. Be sure to hike to the Spanish Mosque in the late afternoon to capture the sunset over the city—a perfect spot for enthusiasts taking part in this photography immersion.

Photographer’s Notes:

This morning, we’ll have a little more time to explore and take advantage of the morning light before we depart Chefchaouen and begin our journey to the spiritual capital and the first imperial city of Morocco: Fes. 

On the way, we will stop to visit and photograph the ruins of the Roman outpost city, Volubilis. Although severely damaged by an earthquake in the 18th century and subsequently further damaged by Sultan Moulay Ismail’s architects (who used pieces to build the gates of the city of Meknes), it is still “an exceptionally well-preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire”, according to the UNESCO World Heritage listing. The city was reclaimed by the local Amazigh tribes around 235 AD and it was near here in the 8th Century that Idriss I established the first dynasty of the Kingdom of Morocco. We will time our visit here so that we can take advantage of the afternoon light to enhance our photographic immersion at this ancient site. 

After our visit here, we’ll make the final leg of the journey to Fes where we will check into our riad accommodations. Once we’ve gotten settled, dinner will be served at our riad.

Photographer’s Notes:

Today after breakfast, our local guide will meet us at our riad for a guided tour of Fes. To start our tour, we will first go to the Royal Palace and then walk through the old Mellah (Jewish Quartier) of the city. 

From here, we will head to one of the Borj (towers) and get a panoramic view of the entire medina. Next, we’ll head to a mosaic house where we will have a demonstration of the traditional pottery methods utilized by Fassi artisans – we’ll see every step of the process from the formation of the clay to the piecing together of the mosaics. This visit is an excellent opportunity to photograph both this colorful artform and the artisans at work creating them!

After this, our guided tour will take us into the medina of Fes where we will discover the ancient streets and neighborhoods, visit the various artisan sections, including the tanneries – a favorite stop for photographers. We will also see the important historic monuments such as the Tomb of Idriss II and the Al-Qarawaiyin University – the oldest continually operated university in the world. Our tour will end by the mid-afternoon at which time we’ll have the rest of the afternoon and evening free to explore the medina on our own. Don’t worry if you get lost – that is all part of this experience.

Photographer’s Notes:

After breakfast, we will depart from Fes and head to the desert. Our first stop on the way will be the interesting Alpine-like city of Ifrane. Driving through this city, you may think that you have been teleported to Switzerland. The city’s biggest claim to fame is a statue of the now extinct Atlas lion that once roamed the lands, but the best part of the city is the European-like cafe in the main square that serves great coffee and delicious sweets.

After a quick stop here for coffee and a snack, we’ll continue into the Middle Atlas Mountains and through the largest cedar forest in Africa which is also home to the barbary apes (aka Atlas Monkeys). These little guys love to get their picture taken. Just be prepared to pay a toll in peanuts – they may not let us pass without it!

After we’ve crossed through the Middle Atlas Mountains, we’ll pass through the city of Midelt located on the high plains between the Middle and High Atlas Mountains. We’ll likely stop in this area for lunch and then continue through the High Atlas Mountains via the Ziz River Gorge. Take note of the change of landscape as we enter the desert region and make the final leg of the journey to Merzouga and Erg Chebbi, one of the sand seas of the Sahara. Upon our arrival, we’ll check into our riad on the edge of the big dunes. Just before sunset, we will be transported to the big dunes via 4x4s for the opportunity to shoot as the sun goes down – a “must do” for photographers! We’ll return to our riad for dinner and some well-deserved rest after this long day of traveling. 

Photographer’s Notes:

This morning, we may wish to wake early to photograph the changing color of the sand dunes as the sun rises. After this, we’ll enjoy another breakfast at our riad on the edge of the dunes.

After breakfast, we will enjoy a special tour of the desert region. If the season is right, we may have a chance to have tea with a nomad family. The tour will include a stop at the village of Khamlia, a community of Gnaoua musicians. We’ll enjoy tea while they perform, and we dare you to try to keep from moving in time to the music! This will be a great moment for photographic and cultural immersion, capturing the musicians and the dancing!

After the tour, we will head back to the edge of the dunes, where we will prepare for our overnight stay in the desert. Just before sunset, we will climb aboard your trusty camel (or take a special 4×4) and trek to our luxurious desert camp. The reddish-gold hues of the sand at sunset will offer plenty of opportunities for photographic captures. Dinner will be served, and traditional music will be played around the campfire before we retire to the warmth of our cozy tent for the night.

Photographer’s Notes:

This morning, we’ll want to be sure to get up early to watch the sun rise over the dunes (set your alarm!). Grab some coffee and climb up the nearest dune and watch as the sun sets the sand aflame. After this near transcendental
experience, we’ll have breakfast at camp and prepare for our day and, when we are ready, we’ll be transported back to the edge of the dunes via 4x4 where we will find our driver and more conventional means of transportation.

From here, we’ll make our way towards Dades Valley. Our first stop will be to visit the ancient irrigation system that once brought water to the desert from the distant Saghro Mountains. These lines of giant molehills are amazing from the surface, but we’ll also go down below to see the tunnels that once carried water for nearly 30 kms.

Our next stop will be the oasis town of Tinghir. Here, we’ll enjoy a guided walk of the Palmeraie and through crumbling kasbahs before heading to nearby Todgha Gorge for a stroll through the most impressive part of the canyon. From here, we’ll make the last leg of our journey to Dades Valley where we will stop for the night. Once we get checked in settled, we’ll enjoy dinner at our
accommodations.

Photographer’s Notes:

Today is all about exploring how the locals live in this magical place where time seems to run slow and fast simultaneously. After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll head to the “next valley over” in the heart of the Rose Valley. 

On the way, you can visit a local market and then go to the home of a local family where you can help to prepare lunch (or just relax) and then join the family for a traditional couscous lunch.

After lunch (and a little relaxation), you can explore a little more of the Valley either by car or by foot before heading back to your hotel in time for dinner.

This morning, after breakfast, we will depart from the hotel and drive along the Road of 1000 Kasbahs from the Dades River Valley to the M’Goun River Valley. Both river valleys make up the “Valley of Roses” where the fragrant Rosa Damaskina bloom each spring. Harvested every year, these pretty pink buds are distilled into valuable rose oil which is sold to perfumeries around the world. The rose water by-product is also used for everything from medicine to creamy rose cream.  

After making a quick stop at a local rose cooperative to learn more about the process described above, we'll drive to Kasbah Tamaloute at the base of M'Goun mountain. We’ll have a few minutes for tea and toilets before beginning our walk along the M'Goun River through the local Berber gardens. Along the way, we'll visit Kasbah El Hott, one of the oldest kasbahs in the region, and enjoy more tea with the family that still lives here. After tea here, you'll walk back through the Berber village and enjoy lunch with a local family. This is a fairly easy walk suitable for all fitness levels. 

After we have explored this area, we will transfer to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou. If this impressive ksar looks familiar, it may be because it has often served as a backdrop for many movies and tv shows throughout the years. We’ll arrive here in time to do some shooting in the afternoon light (hopefully after most of the crowds have left). We’ll have plenty of time to explore as we will be staying at a kasbah nearby. 

After our initial exploration of Ait Ben Haddou, we’ll head to our nearby accommodations, check in, and enjoy dinner at our kasbah for the night.

Photographer’s Notes:

Early this morning we will head to nearby Ait Ben Haddou to capture this impressive site in the morning light. When we’ve finished shooting, we’ll return to the kasbah for breakfast and to gather our things before continuing our journey to Marrakech.

Today’s adventure will take us over the High Atlas Mountains via the famous Tizi n’ Tichka Pass. Although this road has been much improved in the last ten years, it still offers some breathtaking views (and quite a few curves) along the way. We’ll have several stops to take a break from the switchbacks and capture these vistas. 

We’ll arrive in Marrakech by late afternoon. After we check into our riad, we’ll wade into the see of excitement that is Jemaa el F’na – the busiest square in all of Africa – which transforms as the sun goes down to a large open air theater featuring everything from snake charmers to acrobats. If you get a bit
overwhelmed, you can always retreat to one of the many terrace cafes that give you a birds-eye view of the chaotic scene.

Photographer’s Notes:

After breakfast, our local city guide will meet us at our riad and show us all around Marrakech. Our tour will include visits to some of the important monuments of the Red City such as Bahia Palace, Ben Yousef Madrassa, and Koutoubia Mosque. In between these important sites, we'll explore the various
artisanal sections of the souks where people have practiced their crafts for centuries. 

Our tour will end after lunch, leaving us with the rest of the day free to explore on our own. Of course, nearby Jemaa el F'na offers more opportunities for photographs, especially from one of the cafes overlooking the square where you can watch the sun set over the famous Red City and watch the square come to life. Whether capturing the vibrant street scenes or the bustling market life, this is a perfect opportunity to develop our urban landscape skills.

Photographer’s Notes:

This morning, after breakfast, we’ll head to the coast once again to the charming walled city of Essaouira. On the way, we’ll stop at a local argan oil cooperative to see how this precious oil is produced with the help of local goats (and if we’re lucky, we may even get to see a few of these tree-climbing goats).

Upon our arrival in Essaouira, we'll check into our accommodations and then meet our tour manager for an orientation walk of the city. Since we will be arriving around lunch-time, our first stop at the wharf, where we can pick out our lunch from the fresh catch of the day and take it to a local restaurant to have it grilled Moroccan-style. Don’t like seafood? No problem, the restaurant will have some choices.

After our orientation walk, we'll have the rest of the day free to explore this charming city and the adjacent beach on our own. Essaouira’s unique blend of culture, history, and natural beauty offers endless opportunities for capturing stunning images. In the late afternoon, head to the ramparts to catch the best show in town - the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean to the soundtrack of the many street musicians that perform in the nearby square!

This morning, we’ll have time to do a little shooting and/or exploration of this charming city before we regroup for our cooking class. Our private chef/teacher will meet us at our riad and take us on an odyssey through the souks to find all the fresh ingredients that we will need. After gathering everything, we'll head to the kitchen where we will have a hands-on cooking class to learn how to make a traditional Moroccan meal. After working up an appetite, we'll sit down and enjoy your creations with our host and her family. Of course, this offers another chance to practice our urban landscape and still life photography as we capture the bustling souk and the essence of Moroccan cuisine.

After lunch, we’ll have more time to explore Essaouira before meeting up again for a farewell dinner where we'll share our special photos and relive our adventures together.

This morning, after breakfast, you will transfer to the airport in Casablanca in time for. you departing flight.

ETA to the Casablanca Mohamed V Airport is 1 PM, so please be sure to book a departing flight for after 4 PM. If you would like us to book your a hotel room (for an early departure on Day 15) near the airport, we will be happy to do so!