Morocco Atlantic Coast
Enigmatic Morocco is a melange of traditional and modern worlds. We’ll focus on the small cities of the Atlantic coast, beginning with Marrakech and the cacophony at Jemaa el-Fna Square before we travel to the ksar and kasbah of Ait BenHaddou. From there, we will venture north to Taroudant, Essaouira and El Jadida, three of the most interesting towns along the Atlantic coast.
Tour Details
November 13-22, 2022 — Completed
This is a 9-night, 10-day tour. Including travel days to and from Morocco, it is a 10-night trip, and you’ll be arriving home late on the 11th day. Your adventure begins with an overnight flight to Marrakech on November 12 and ends at the airport in Casablanca on November 22.
$7,995 + applicable taxes. Register below.
Skill level
Open to all who have an understanding of the basic principles of photography and of their cameras.
Group size
12, with 2 instructors — 6:1 ratio
Tour Leaders
Registration
This event has passed. Thanks for your interest!
| • Deposit of $1,995 is required to reserve a single spot on the tour. |
| • Deposit of $3,495 is required to reserve spots for a couple. |
| • Balance of $6,000 (single) or $9,000 (couple) is due on August 15, 2022. —> Pay balance here. |
| • You may choose the “Pay in Full” ticket if you desire to pay all at once. |
| • Last day for a cancellation request is August 14, 2022 (see cancellation and refund policy). |
| • The workshop fee does not include airfare, lunches, drinks, or tips to our local guides and drivers. |
The Morocco Experience
This photography tour will feature long days and nights with intense periods of photography. It’s not a workshop—there will be no formal classroom instruction or lectures. Our main focus will be to photograph through all the days and nights.
That doesn’t mean the tour won’t be a learning experience, but the foremost goal is to provide you with a safe, comfortable and organized opportunity to create images of this exotic country. You’ll be working closely with people of varying levels of photographic experience, and we’ll all learn from one another while making friends along the way.
The trip is suited for people of all photography levels. The leaders will provide instruction on night and low-light photography techniques in the field, and will share some articles in advance of the trip to get you started. We will be available to work with you one-on-one in the field, offering as much or as little creative and technical advice as you want. Night photography will be a big part of the trip, but we will need to be flexible as it’s not always possible to get advance permission to photograph at different locations. We’ll always have a local guide with us to negotiate when needed.
Most of our night photography will be under moonless desert skies at Ait BenHaddou (a ksar or fortified village) or under mixed artificial lighting in urban areas.
Itinerary
November 13: Marrakech. Marrakech is known as the southern pearl of Morocco. Upon arrival we’ll proceed to our accommodations to relax and freshen up before heading out to the famous Jemaa el-Fna Square, one of the center attractions of Marrakech and a perfect place to begin exploring this exciting city. Dinner will be in the hotel, and then we’ll go back to the square for more photography if you have the energy.
November 14: Marrakech / Ait BenHaddou. After breakfast we will travel to Ait BenHaddou over the Tizi-n-Tichka pass through the High Atlas Mountains. We’ll pass through remote mountain villages and stop for lunch on the pass. It’s a long journey with lots of interesting sights and scenery along the way. We’ll arrive in time for dinner at the fabulous Ksar Ighnda, our hotel for the next three nights. After dinner we’ll photograph at the Kasbah Ait BenHaddou.
November 15-16: Ait BenHaddou. Ait BenHaddou is a historic ksar (fortified village) along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. It is one of the best examples of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ksar was founded in the 11th century, but the oldest surviving buildings date from the 17th century. A few families still live within the walls, but most live across the river in modern buildings. We’ll have a full day to explore the narrow passages and structures, to visit with artists and craftspeople, and to photograph models in traditional dress. We’ll break for dinner and return later for more night photography.
November 17: Ait BenHaddou / Taroudant. We will continue on the journey through Ouarzazate and on to the Berber market town of Taroudant, a city in the Sous Valley. Taroudant is known as the "Grandmother of Marrakech" because it looks like a smaller Marrakech with its 6 kilometers of surrounding ramparts. It’s a market town and has a souk near each of its two main squares––one Arabic and one Berber. The Berber market, called Jnane al-Jaami, sells spices and dried fruits, and the Arab souk specializes in handicrafts such as terracotta, wrought iron, pottery, brass and copper, leather and carpets, rugs and jewelry. We’ll explore and photograph the souks and possibly the tannery outside the city walls.
November 18: Taroudant. After breakfast we may visit Tafraout in the central part of the Anti-Atlas mountains, or we may return to the medina of Taroudant for further exploration. Dinner will be at a local restaurant, and then back out to photograph.
November 19: Taroudant / Essaouira. We will travel to the coastal city of Essaouira, a picturesque fishing town on the southwest coast and one of Lance’s favorite places in Morocco. Essaouira overflows with art and culture. There is a citadel at the harbor, which is a working fishing port. Photographic opportunities abound, and it’s the best place on our itinerary for shopping for handicrafts––especially pottery and woodcarving.
November 20: Essaouira. After breakfast we have a free day to explore the medina of Essaouira or to walk along the beach searching for unique photographic opportunities. Twilight and night photography in the medina.
November 21: Essaouira / El Jadida.We will travel north along the coast to the unique port town of El Jadida, known for its Portuguese citadel and cistern. We’ll also photograph the ancient ramparts of the city, by day and by night.
November 22: El Jadida / Casablanca / Departure. Sadly, today we’ll make the 1.5-hour drive to Casablanca airport for our return flights home.
What You Should Know
Participants must have at least basic photo skills, know their cameras well, and be comfortable shooting RAW in manual mode with a DSLR or high-end mirrorless camera.
Night photography experience is not necessary, but helpful. As with most of our international tours, we will not be offering formal lessons or image reviews, but will provide assistance in the field as needed.
We’ll be photographing day and night. Night photography in Morocco can be tricky, as it is difficult or impossible to acquire permits or advance permission and it is not something Moroccans have much experience with. We’ll need to go with the flow and follow the lead of our guide, who will always be with us to intervene should a situation arise while photographing at night.
Although many Moroccans are wary of being photographed, this trip presents great opportunities for photographing people. We’ll have individual time with models in traditional dress, as well as random opportunities as they arise––and Ali, our guide will make sure that they do.
If you would like to attend this workshop but are unsure whether you have adequate night photography skills, we can offer pre-workshop tutoring to get you ready for your adventure with us. Alternatively or additionally, a few of us have written books that may be productive pre-workshop reads.
What You Will Learn
As this is a photo tour rather than a workshop, the emphasis is on getting participants to great locations with great light, and making sure that everyone has the trip of a lifetime. We figure that you don’t travel to Morocco very often, and you wouldn’t want to spend your time in a classroom!
That said, we do encourage you to think about and set goals for the trip.
What would you like to gain from this experience?
great images?
lasting memories?
experience Moroccan culture?
a break from work-a-day stresses?
learn some new photography skills?
The instructors will be available for one-on-one guidance in the field as much as time permits. You can pull us aside during quieter moments to check out your images if you’d like.
Night Conditions
Logistics & General Info
Travel
You are responsible for your airfare to Marrakech (RAK) and from Casablanca (CMN). All transportation in-country is included in a roomy tour bus.
Lodging & Food
The tour will be based in five different 4-star hotels or riads. The trip includes breakfasts and dinners, beginning with dinner on the first day and ending with breakfast on the last. We will eat well, with breakfast at our hotel each morning, lunch on the road, and dinners in the hotels or fine dining restaurants each night.
Weather
Expect daytime highs in the 60s F, lows around 50.
Recommended Attire
The best way to prepare is to bring layers, including waterproof and windproof outerwear, a lightweight and medium weight jacket, and good walking or trail shoes. A pair of lightweight gloves and a cap might come in handy. Avoid flashy clothes and in general dress modestly so as not to stand out in a crowd.
Exertion Level
The exertion level of this workshop is Easy. (See more about our classifications.)
No vigorous activity will be required, but please consider your physical abilities and limitations prior to registering. Most locations will be easily accessed and there is no hiking involved on this adventure. We have designed this trip to minimize time on the road, but due to the distances we need to cover, we will spend a fair amount of time in the comfortable tour van.
Considerations
Morocco is an Islamic country, but not an especially conservative one. Still, being aware and respectful of cultural mores is important. Women do not need to cover their hair, except when entering a mosque.
Traveling with a small group can be a great experience, provided everyone is respectful and appreciative of one another’s space. We’re on this journey together and keeping this in mind will make everyone’s experience better should a minor glitch or hiccup occur.
Please read our FAQs section for more information about skill and gear requirements, and other information that pertains to all our workshops.
If you have questions, please contact us—we're happy to talk it over with you.
New Friends in Far-flung PLaces ...
“I quickly teamed with Andy and Roland, two fellow young travelers from England and Germany who were on a similar quest.”
Morocco derailed my naively planned tour of all of Europe.
To my mother’s disbelief, in March 1986 I left home on my first international trip alone, with a backpack and a copy of Europe on $10 a Day. I had planned to spend a day or two in pretty much every country in Europe, believing that such a thing was not only possible, but a good way to see the world. Needless to say, things didn’t quite go as planned—though I did manage to squeak by for a few days on $10 or $15.
After about two weeks in Belgium, England and Spain, I found myself on the ferry to Tangier. Rick Steves had warned me about the hustlers who would do their best to find a way to separate me from my small wad of cash, and also try to keep me in Tangier. He was right, and I quickly teamed with Andy and Roland, two fellow young travelers from England and Germany who were on a similar quest.
The three of us hopped on board a train headed for Rabat, and then on to Casablanca and Marrakech, and eventually down the Atlantic coast to Agadir. It was a new world for each of us, and we traveled together in Morocco for about three weeks, sharing accommodations, meals and memories in the making. So much for seeing all of Europe!
Memories from that trip linger to this day––a shared $3 hotel room painted lemon yellow with a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling, an actual monkey on my back and Roland teaching me to ride a motorcycle on the beach in Agadir.
I returned to Morocco in 2018 to scout and plan, and again in 2019 with a National Parks at Night group. I can’t wait to return next year, and to share this intriguing country, its vibrant culture, and it’s warm friendly people—yet again with more new friends.
