Morocco Mystery

You will depart on an overnight flight from home to Casablanca, Morocco (CMN). We recommend your arrival to be tomorrow (October 18), by 3PM, in order to take part in the welcome dinner.

You will be transferred from the airport to the hotel upon arrival. Meet this evening for an introductory meeting followed by your welcome dinner. The next day will be a full day of photography in Casablanca from the local markets, architecture in the French Quarter, and an interior tour of King Hassan II Mosque. There will be additional photography outside the mosque as well along the ocean. Overnight Casablanca (Dinner; Breakfast, Lunch)

Depart the bustling city of Casablanca and make your way to a more typical Moroccan city, Essaouira, via the coastal route. Along the way stop in El Jadida, for a photography stop. It has earned a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Specifically, it’s known for its Portuguese-built old medina, with its ramparts and labyrinthine of streets. The city also boasts stunning beaches and a rich history, including Portuguese cisterns and colonial architecture. Continue on to a lovely lunch location on the beach.

Your final destination is the Portuguese Fort town of Essaouira. A charming place of white shops and houses, set against a clear blue sky. Over the centuries it has been home to Phoenicians, Romans, Portuguese, and a large Jewish population. We may have time in the evening for a leisurely stroll through the town or along the colorful harbor. Ron may organize a photography session at dawn, walking to the harbor for sunrise. Essaouira is full of the irresistible angles and picturesque sights that are so attractive to photographers. Overnight ESSAOUIRA. (Breakfast, Lunch; Breakfast, Dinner)

Make your way to Marrakech, with a stops along the way to photograph goats climbing the Argon trees for their fruit and perhaps stop at the Women’s Argon Oil Cooperative to see how the famous Argon oil is processed. Late this afternoon you will depart the hotel for a photo shoot, of what Marrakech is most known for: the famous Djemaa el-Fna Square, perhaps the greatest open-air spectacle in the world, where one can see the colors and feel the pulse of Morocco. Traveling back in time 2,000 years, you’ll see snake charmers, magicians, acrobats, and dancers, delighting children and adults alike. Overnight MARRAKECH RIAD. (Breakfast, Dinner)

You’ll travel today along the Road of 1,000 Kasbah’s. Your destination for the next two evenings is a renovated kasbah hotel, providing an ideal location for private photography in the early morning and late afternoon. The setting is the middle of a palm grove with lush greenness and olive tree branches, the hotel also offers a garden all its own. Skoura provides a respite from the busy medinas of Fez and Marrakech. Ron will provide photography presentations during the middle of the day or evening at the hotel. Overnight KASBAH SKOURA. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinners both days)

Today your destination is the Sahara where you will have two days to capture the sunset and sunrise over the dunes.  After enjoying lunch en-route, continue to Erfoud, an oasis region at the edge of the Sahara. The next day you are invited to enjoy Sudanese music and dance at Khmlia, where we learn about life in the Sahara (participants can take donations of school supplies to the Sudanese school). If there is time this afternoon, enjoy your camel ride for sunset photography, or perhaps rise early for sunrise. Camels will carry us to the Erg Chebbi, Morocco’s only genuine Saharan Erg – a huge, drifting expanse of sand dunes that typify much of the Algerian Sahara. The dunes themselves are fascinating, especially as the sun reaches the horizon and the colors change from pink to gold to red. This will be your most extraordinary and unforgettable desert experience. Don’t forget to pack your bathing suit in your overnight bag. Accommodations are in a Sahara lodge or in typical Berber tents with mattress and blankets, which now have their own bathrooms and dining tent) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinners both days)

After sunrise photography in the desert, have breakfast and drive north to Fes. Your escorts will take in to account the interests of the group and stop for photographic opportunities they feel appropriate and timely.

Fes, arguably the symbolic heart of Morocco, as all the great dynasties have left their mark on the city; it has, however, retained its Arab identity. The medina, Fes el-Bali, is one of the largest living medieval cities in the world. Its narrow, winding alleys and covered bazaars are intricate in their design and are awash with brilliant colors – a veritable assault on the senses as you squeeze past recalcitrant donkeys and submit to the sounds and smells of this jostling city. The dye makers, hills of spices, tannery vats, and palaces of merchants will beckon us. During a visit to a tannery we can watch the tanners as they work in the varied colors of this land. Your lodging in Fes are just within the medina walls, providing an excellent location for photography. Overnight FEZ RIAD. (Breakfast, Dinner; Breakfast, Lunch)