Trekabout Photography Workshops - Creating Adventure Through Photography
Workshops, Tours, Adventures with AIPP* Accredited Professional Photographer Mark Rayner and the Dream Team
Lyrical landscapes carpet this sublime slice of North Africa like the richly coloured and patterned rugs you’ll lust after in local cooperatives.
The mountains – not just the famous High Atlas but also the Rif and suntanned ranges leading to Saharan oases – offer simple, breathtaking pleasures: night skies glistening in the thin air; views over a fluffy cloudbank from the Tizi n’Test pass.
On lower ground, there are rugged coastlines, waterfalls and caves in forested hills, and the mighty desert.
Truly, this is a land of wonder.
20th March 2020 – Arrival Casablanca
Welcome to Morocco! You will be greeted at the gate when you land in Casablanca Airport, you will be accompanied through customs formalities and taken to your private driver who will be waiting outside. Transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Overnight at Barcelo Anfa
21st March 2020 Rabat
This morning, you will visit the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world and constructed by the very best artisans in the kingdom. You’ll then drive for 1.5 hours north to the capital city of Rabat.
Once you arrive to the city you’ll check in at your hotel and freshen up and then out to explore the city. First off, you’ll stop at the Chellah necropolis. Established originally as a Phoenician colony, the ruins feature remnants of Roman settlements from the 2nd century, and early Arab rebuilds as early as the 7th century.
From the Chellah, you’ll head to the Yacoub al-Mansour Esplanade which is home to two must-see monuments: First, the King’s Mausoleum, which was built in 1971 and which houses the remains of the late king Hassan II, Prince Abdallah, and their father King Mohamed V. In front of the Mausoleum, you will find the Hassan Tower, an incomplete red sandstone minaret which began construction in 1195AD.
Your next stop in your visit will be the Kasbah des Ouadayas, an Almohad fortress built in 1150AD.
After sightseeing the Kingdom’s capital, you can take a stroll through the winding blue streets in the Ouadayas, and enjoy a mint tea at Cafe Maure overlooking the Bou Regreg River.
Once you come back from your visits, you will have dinner at your hotel included and an evening at leisure to relax.
Overnight Riad Dar Dar
22nd March 2020 Chefchaouen
After an early breakfast, we head out for the 3.5 hours drive to Chefchaouen with lunch on the route. Upon arrival at Chefchaouen, begin your discovery of the Blue City! Known for its signature powder-blue walls and its calming charms, the village was founded in 1471AD. You will be met by our favourite local of Chefchaouen, who will be with you and your guide for what should be a great morning of discovery and photography!
He will lead you to his favourite haunts as well as the signature locations of Chefchaouen, starting with the Kasbah in the centre of town offering breathtaking panoramic views from the top of the tower.
You can also meander up the town’s waterfall, where locals meet to chat and do laundry, where you can relax with your toes in the water at one of the river bank’s small coffee shops!
From there, you can walk up the hill to the old Spanish Mosque and observe the sunset over the charming Blue Village. Throughout your morning, you’ll be led by an amazing local guide who will show you the town’s best spots and take memorable shots of the blue village!
Overnight Dar Ba Sidi
23rd March 2020 Volubilis Ruins & Welcome to Fes
After breakfast we head off to Fes with stops to Meknes and the Volubilis ruins. Your driver will take you to the splendid roman ruins of Volubilis. Imagine Morocco in the 1st Century: an epoch of tumultuous transformation, where people from all over the Mediterranean and Northern Africa were migrating to the fertile Middle Atlas Mountains. Volubilis, located about 30 kilometres from Fes, is an ancient Berber and Roman city considered by many as not only the capital of the Kingdom of Mauretania but also the administrative centre of Roman Africa.
Today, you’ll wander among the dramatic ruins up-close-and-personal through the homes, temples and public buildings of the Greek, Syrian, and Jewish city dwellers. Exceptionally well preserved, the ruins offer beautiful and colourful mosaics adorning many of the floor spaces, and you can just picture what it was like to wander the cypress-lined city in its Golden Age!
You’ll leave Volubilis to sit down for lunch and a tour of the stunning imperial gates that dot the neighbouring city of Meknes.
After lunch, we continue to Fes, and will arrive in the afternoon and check into Riad Myra! Enjoy a welcome mint tea and have the rest of the day at leisure. Your dinner this night will be at your riad.
Overnight Riad Myra
24th March 2020 Fes
After breakfast, you’ll depart for a jam-packed day of touring with your guide!
Founded in 781AD, Fes is now considered the world’s largest car-free urban zone. Beware of mule-drawn carriages that speed through the alleyways and check out a local pharmacy with its mysterious canisters of roots, flowers and powders.
Your lunch is included as part of the amazing culinary experience on a Tasting Trails of Fes: We’ll visit three different food souks allowing the chance to try traditional Moroccan street food including dried meats, milawi, harsha, briwats, spicy sardines, spicy potato cakes, soups, olives and more. At the honey souk where you’ll be able to taste an array of delicious wild honeys, discuss their flavours and health-giving properties and find out why honey is so important in Moroccan cooking and Islamic culture. We’ll investigate traditional cooking methods by visiting a furnace where the water for the communal bath house ‘hammam’ is also heated, and a 400-year-old ‘furan’ or communal oven and bakery.
Discover the world of spices and their uses and the secrets of the male-oriented domain of the tea den under the guidance of a culinary leader and story-teller
.
Your day will also include stops at the medina’s Jewish quarter, the medersas, and the legendary tanneries, where ancient techniques are still used to prepare Moroccan leather which is then used in a variety of goods from clothing to bags and other handicrafts.
In addition, you’ll also stop by the world’s oldest and longest operating learning institution, the University of Al Quaraouiyine, founded in 859AD.
You will also be visiting traditional artisan that specialise in ceramics, metalwork or woodcarvers specialising in intricate geometric artisan work.
Overnight Riad Myra
25th March 2020 Sahara
Today we embark an early morning scenic drive that will lead you to the golden dunes of the Sahara! With several panoramic vistas for photo shoots as well as a lunch break en route and a stop to visit the bustling Rissani Market.
Your drive will take a total of roughly 8 hours and will lead you to the very end of the paved roads where you’ll hop out from the car and onto the camels that will take you on a beautiful path through the tall sand dunes arriving into your luxury camp.
Mint tea will be served as you arrive, after which you’ll have some time to enjoy the camp and contemplate the peaceful quiet of the Sahara.
Dinner will be followed by a campfire and some live music by the camp’s staff who will perform tribal music.
You can then enjoy the starlit sky and an astro shoot before going to the sleep in the comforts of your well-appointed tent.
Overnight Desert Luxury Camp
26th March 2020 Dades Gorges
Fresh from your Saharan adventure, this is the day you’ll explore the mesmerizing rock formations and twisty roads of the gorges of the Atlas Mountains! Your day begins with an optional sandboarding and sunrise over the dunes in your luxury camp, followed by a hearty breakfast and a departure from your camp heading towards Rissani and Sijilmassa, and you’ll continue onto Tinghir for lunch.
After lunch, you’ll continue onto the Dades Gorges where you’ll check in at Chez Pierre and have the rest of the afternoon at leisure.
We wouldn’t usually dedicate a new paragraph to a meal, but this is a special exception - as you’ll understand when you get to the gorges, you will be in a very remote and rural part of the country, so you ordinarily would expect a wholesome but standard meal. Instead, the brothers who run Chez Pierre have made an art of their meal service, crafting creative dishes based on locally-sourced ingredients, and we’re willing to bet that this dinner is one you’ll remember!
Overnight Chez Pierre
27th March 2020 Marrakech
Fresh from a good night’s sleep at Chez Pierre, you’ll depart by 9:30AM for 6 hours drive to head to the ancient fortress of Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou and the beautiful ochre city of Marrakech.
A UNESCO world heritage site located in the foothills on the southern slopes of the High Atlas Mountains, the fort of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a striking example of southern Moroccan architecture. The fort is a mainly collective grouping of dwellings, with imposing defensive walls that are reinforced by angle towers and pierced with a baffle gate. It is an extraordinary ensemble of buildings offering a complete panorama of pre-Saharan earthen construction techniques.
You’ll have the chance to for a longer lunch break here to take some great photographs of the fortress both up close and from a panoramic overlook.
After lunch near the Kasbah, you will be visiting the Atlas Movie Studio in Ouarzazate where one of the most famous movies were shot such as Gladiator, Game of Thrones, etc.
You’ll continue towards Marrakech on one of the most scenic drives you’re likely to take in your life, venturing through the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas mountains and back down on the other side into the dry flat plains of Marrakech.
The final activity of the day will be dinner at La Maison Arabe, where you can dine poolside enjoying the calm live performance by a talented luth player.
Overnight at Dar Sara
28th March 2020 Marrakech
We won’t judge you for wanting to linger at your breakfast table, but we hope you’ll be ready to go by 10am to tackle your jam-packed day of sightseeing in Marrakech!
Your day will break up into a morning and afternoon block, with a stop for a 12pm lunch in between at Le Jardin.
In the morning, you’ll see the Koutoubia Mosque (the iconic sight of Marrakech), the Bahia Palace (a stunning example of traditional Moroccan architecture), and the Saadian tombs.
Afterwards you will head to the medina for lunch at Le Jardin, followed by afternoon visits of the medina and the souks. As you walk through the medina, you will also see medersas or religious schools, the Jewish quarter, and delve into the myriad pathways of the Souk.
The term Souk refers to the markets, and the markets of Marrakech are located in a serpentine set of alleyways with twists and turns that can confuse even frequent travellers to the city!
The souk is laid out in different sections each focused on a different set of goods (Clothes, spices, lamps, shoes, traditional crafts, etc) and offer many excellent opportunities for photographing both people and architecture.
You’ll be joined this day by an expert local photographer who will help you capture the most photogenic spots in the lively medina.
As day turns to night, you’ll head to Djemaa El Fna square for a spectacle unlike any other - with snake charmers, musical performances, and henna artists combining for a circus of activity.
Overnight at Dar Sara
29th March 2020 Marrakech
Your day will begin with your driver picking you up from your riad to head for the Majorelle Gardens.
Global fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent made his 2nd home in Marrakech for many decades, and his vision drove every detail behind the lush Gardens, accompanied by a small but must-see Berber Museum!
After your visit to the Majorelle Gardens, you can head next door to the Yves Saint- Laurent Museum, which honours the fashion icon’s love of Marrakech and builds upon the collections housed at the Majorelle gardens.
The building itself if a work of art and houses a permanent collection of some of YSL’s best known designs along with rotating installations dedicated to themes about which he cared.
Taking your time to enjoy the gardens, take photos of the incredible plants and landscaping, and then enjoy the two museums.
You’ll head back into the medina to have lunch on the terrace of Le Nomad before heading to visit the Photography Museum of Marrakech.
It’s an incredible small museum that shows photos of Morocco dating back to the 1800s so you can see both how Morocco and the art of photography has developed through history.
Later around 5PM, you will enjoy an immersive and fun experience: a Moroccan Tagine Cooking Class! Accompanied by a local “dada”, or expert cook, and with the help of an English translator, you will dig into all of the key components of a Moroccan meal, starting with how to prepare the famous Moroccan mint tea.
Next, you’ll sample some tasty local bread and hear all about how to cook traditional Moroccan bread. From there, the hands-on portion of the course begins as you will prepare two different staples of Moroccan starters, a tomato and cucumber salad and a 2nd salad using eggplant (please note: the exact salads may change depending on the day’s ingredients).
After that, you’ll finally learn to prepare your main course, the famous Moroccan Tagine of chicken with preserved lemons. While your tagine is cooking over the fire, you’ll also prepare Moroccan cookies with almond paste. The class ends with a dinner where you eat your very own masterpiece!
Overnight at Dar Sara
30th March 2020 Atlas Mountains
This day will mark your introduction to a very different component of Moroccan culture: the Berber way of life in the High Atlas Mountains.
After breakfast, you’ll head out from Marrakech for a drive to the village of Imlil where you’ll meet our expert mountain guide who will accompany you throughout your day. You will have the opportunity to visit nearby Berber villages. We will provide walking sticks, rental hiking boots if needed, as well as a mule for you to ride in case you get tired during the hike.
The difficulty and duration of the hike can be adjusted entirely hours depending on your physical aptitude and desires, but the typical route is a 3-hour moderate difficulty climb into the Atlas Mountains where you see phenomenal landscapes and learn all about the local culture, history, and fauna / flora from our mountain guide.
You’ll have lots of stops along the way to photograph the incredible natural landscapes. The payoff to the hike comes when you settle down in the terrace with a stunning view of Mt Toubkal.
A warm mint tea awaits you as sit down, followed by a tasty meal in a berber village. The lunch break leaves plenty of time to admire the view, and you'll return back on a different route to be back in Imlil.
Overnight at Dar Sara
31st March 2020 Essaouira
After breakfast, you’ll drive west to Morocco’s Atlantic coast for two nights in the charming coastal city of Essaouira with a stop to visit a local argan oil cooperative. The argan oil is pressed by locals and used for nutrition and traditional medicine (also used to fabricate traditional black soap used in hammam treatments!). Today there is a great exploitation of the argan forests because of the growingly popular cosmetic values of argan oil. The product has become very expensive, not only because about 40kg of the raw fruit is needed to extract 1 kg of oil, but also because it takes about 8 hours of manual work, mostly by women living in rural areas.
From the Argan Oil Cooperative, you’ll stop by to see the famous goat tree and head to a local vineyard called le Val D’Argan for a tasty lunch (which is included) and visit of the vines that produce fantastic white and grey wines.
Overnight Sofitel Golf & Spa
1st April 2020 Essaouira
After breakfast, join your local guide to explore Essaouira. You’ll see the city’s old ramparts, the medina, the artisan cooperatives, and the Jewish heritage sites. With its brilliant blue and white architecture, windswept beach and easy-going charm,
Essaouira is a lovely change from the hectic pace of Marrakech. On your guided visit, you'll learn all about the city's history and the influence left over the centuries by the Carthaginians, Romans and Portuguese. Behind the 18th century sea walls are thuya wood workshops, artists’ enclaves and silent alleyways where cats sun themselves and veiled women emerge from studded doorways.
The harbour is a photographer’s dream, with fishing nets laid out on the quayside, boats unloading their catches and the smell of freshly-grilled sardines and lobster in the air.
After lunch, spend a leisurely afternoon relaxing by the pool at your hotel.
Overnight Sofitel Golf & Spa
2nd April 2020 Departure
Today you will transfer back to Marrakech where you will be dropped off at the airport for your onward flight.
With over 15 years in the travel industry, Gail has in depth knowledge of a vast number of
countries and loves nothing more than to investigate the hidden gems of any destination.
Private transportation in a Mercedes Minivan with A/C and wifi
13 nights’ accommodation
11 Breakfast, 6 Lunches 5 Dinners - meals that are included are 3-courses with soft drinks and tea/coffee; however, exclude alcohol
Activities as shown in the program
Services of an English-speaking national guide
Exclusions :
- International airport departure tax
Any visas required
Services not mentioned in the itinerary
Late check out at hotels
Meals and drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
Tips for leaders, guide and driver
Expenditure of personal nature
Travel Insurance
Cost: AUD $9655.00 Based on Double Occupancy (per person)
AUD $1670.00 Single Supplement
For more information please call Mark on 0459221678 or drop an EMAIL
To book please complete the Booking Form -> HERE