Essential Morocco, Nov 27 - Dec 10, 2017 — FULL - Pixelchrome Photography Tours

ESSENTIAL MOROCCO
Nov 27 - Dec 10, 2017

with Jeremy Woodhouse

Overview

A photographic journey through magical Morocco. This 14-day tour will cover most of the highlights of this beautiful country. We will travel in late Autumn, when temperatures are still relatively low to allow us relaxed exploration of the country.

If you'd like to join me on this trip, please send an email, (info@jimcline.com) and ask to be added to the Interest List. You will be sent an email when more information becomes available and/or the trip is released.

Itinerary

with Jeremy Woodhouse& Tonya Colson
November 27 - December 10, 2017, 14 Days / 13 Nights

Day 1: Monday, November 27: Casablanca
Guests arrive throughout the day and are met at the hotel by our trip leader that evening for dinner and introductions.

Day 2: Tuesday, November 28: Casablanca
Your photo leader and your local guide, will meet you upon arrival in Casablanca, as you board the deluxe, air-conditioned coach. We will have our first photography session at the Central Market, with its busy commerce (fish, meats, flowers, crafts) and bright colors.

Next we will visit the King Hassan II Mosque, having an interior tour at 2 pm. North of the medina and rising up on a point above the Atlantic Ocean, the mosque is the largest religious monument in the world after Mecca, and was entirely funded by citizen donations. It was completed in 1993, after 6,000 Moroccan craftsmen worked on it day and night for five years. The minaret is offset from the enormous rectangular twenty-two acre prayer hall; three times the size of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Rome.

After lunch at a lovely restaurant, our group will have the option to photograph in Casablanca’s Medina, a bustling array of shops, vendors, and restaurants. In North Africa, only Cairo can compete with Casablanca in growth, verve and vibrancy, but it is this city facing out to the Atlantic that seems the more oriented to the international pattern of trade and sympathetic to Western influences.
Overnight  (L, D)

Day 3-4: Wednesday & Thursday, November 29 & 30: Essaouira
Driving south along the breathtaking coast, we will travel to El Jadida, where we will photograph the ancient Portuguese fort and cistern. Lunch will be at a lovely oceanfront restaurant with incredible gardens. Our final destination is 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.

Essaouira (pronounced Esa-weera) is the most popular of the coastal towns, with magnificent beaches and relaxed atmosphere. The fortifications of the old city are a mixture of Portuguese, French, and Berber military architecture, and their massiveness lends a powerful mystique. You’ll find narrow lanes, whitewashed houses with blue painted doors, tranquil squares, pleasant cafes, and artisans. Essaouira is full of the irresistible angles and picturesque sights that are so attractive to photographers.
Overnight (B, L, D; B, L)

Day 5: Friday, December 1: Marrakech
After breakfast drive east to Marrakech, the city of drama. In the late afternoon we’ll have our introduction to 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. Drift with the smells and sounds of the souks, haggle passionately for carpets, or dine in some of the best restaurants in the country.

Marrakech follows the beat of an African drum. This imperial city has been almost continually occupied since Neolithic times, and was once the Berber capital. Traveling back in time 2,000 years, we’ll see snake charmers, magicians, acrobats, and dancers, delighting children and adults alike.

Time and facilities permitting, your photo leader will organize an image review and feedback session for participants so that he can gauge each person’s progress and help them to improve, if necessary, for the rest of the trip.
Overnight (B, L)

Day 6: Saturday, December 2: Ait Benhaddou
Early morning photographic shoot at Majorelle Gardens, with it’s brightly colored buildings and abundant plant life. We leave Marrakech behind as we continue on to one of the most exotic and best-preserved Kasbahs in the whole Atlas region; it has been used for scenes in films such as Lawrence of Arabia and Jesus of Nazareth. We’ll eat lunch with the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou in view; UNESCO has designated this as a World Heritage Site.
Time permitting your photo leader will moderate a group photography critique this evening.
Overnight (B, L, D)

Day 7, Sunday, December 3: Erfoud – Merzouga
After an early breakfast, we will continue our explorations with a photography stop along the way. We travel to Erfoud, an oasis region at the edge of the Sahara. We will then travel a short distance by Land Rovers To Auberge de Sud in where camels will be waiting to 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. Imagine yourself spending a night in the Sahara desert, being awakened in the dark of the morning by a Berber tribesman, mounting a camel, and, overlooking the ancient dunes, welcoming in a breathtaking Saharan morning at first light. This is just one of the remarkable adventures awaiting you. Don’t forget to pack your bathing suit in your overnight bag. Overnight (Accommodations are in typical Berber tents with mattress and blankets in the middle of the dunes). (B, L, D).

Day 8: Monday, December 4: Merzouga – Middle Atlas - Fes
After breakfast we begin our drive to Fes. This will be the longest day of driving and your guides will take in to account the interests of the group, stopping for photographic locations along the way. After lunch, we climb into the Middle Atlas, the moorlands, and granite outcroppings; brooding skies and sheep pastures may remind you of the British Isles.
Overnight (B, D; B)

Day 9: Tuesday, December 5: Fes – Ancient Medina Tour
Today we will enjoy a full day guided tour of Fes, Morocco’s oldest imperial city and the center of culture and religious learning. Fes is 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 of 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, vats of tanners, 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. There is another day to return to the medina for your favorite photo locations, relax, shop or work on your images at the hotel. You can also have an optional hammam break (bath house). Time permitting, your photo leader will moderate another image review and discussion at the hotel.
Overnight (B, L; B)

Day 10: Wednesday, December 6: Fes – Photo Shoot
This will be a free day to explore and capture Fes on film. Whether you visit the potters, King’s palace, or just wander for candid photos, Fes is worth the extra day.

In the afternoon, we will arrange a photo shoot with some traditionally dressed men and women. Since it is hard to capture people pictures in Morocco, this photo shoot will allow you the opportunity to catch a few great people pictures.
Overnight  (B, D; B)

Day 11 – 12: Thursday & Friday, December 7 & 8: Chefchaouen
From Fes we arrive late this afternoon in the Rif region of Northern Morocco and the town of Chefchaouen (shef-shau-en), built into the mountainside. The town was founded in 1492 by Moorish exiles from Spain, often called Chaouen by Moroccans. Chefchaouen was known as the hashish capital of Morocco and has been a favorite haunt of backpackers for years. Hash has been grown since the fifteenth century, and is called Kif, the short version of the Arabic word for pleasure. Our accommodations are set in the hillside just above the town, away from the hustle and bustle of the medina, yet walking distance to the areas we will be photographing.

In the medina, people sell all sorts of vegetables and fruits amid the narrow cobbled alleyways of whitewashed walls and blue doors. Chaouen offers many native handicrafts that are not available elsewhere in Morocco, such as wool garments and woven blankets. The local goat cheese is also popular. Pack mules are still led throughout the streets carrying many of the handcrafted goods and supplies as they have for centuries. The eager merchants are more than willing to discuss their merchandise and engage in the time- honored art of negotiation.

The open-air market is one of the oldest and most charming, with steep narrow streets, paved with stones that have been polished by countless feet over the centuries. The homes are painted white, azure blue, indigo, and purple and have blue shutters and elaborately decorated doorways. Notice the small squares, ornate fountains and ochre tile.
Overnight (B, D; B)

Day 13: Saturday, December 9: Casablanca
This morning venture south returning to Casablanca. There will be photographic stops and lunch along the way. You will have time to relax at the hotel before meeting for the group farewell dinner.
Overnight  (B, L, D)

Day 14: Sunday, December 10: Casablanca – Home
After breakfast, we’ll leave for the airport for the flight home. (B)

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Trip Details

Dates: Nov 27 - Dec 10, 2017
Cost: $5,775
Single Supplement: $1,075 if available
Maximum Group Size 12
FULL

I am interested in this tour

Trip leaders
Jeremy Woodhouse & Tonya Colson. This trip is limited to 12 participants.

Cost includes

Moroccan guide from day 1 to 14.
Accommodations in hotels, Riads and camp as noted in the itinerary or Similar.
Meals during the trip as noted in the itinerary
Camel ride in Erg Chebbi
Ground transportation as needed from day 1 to day 14.
Sightseeing as noted in the itinerary
Mineral water will be served in the car and with your meals (Lunch and Dinner)
Local guides in Casablanca, Essaouira, Marrakech, Fez and Chefchaouen
Services and assistance of local travel agency in Morocco for the organisation of this trip.

Cost does not Include