Strabo Photo Tour Collection

Morocco: New itinerary led by John Weiss. Tour has sold out last five years, sign up soon!!!

Because of high demand, we will consider a second tour April 21-May 3.

This new itinerary has been designed to offer our inquisitive travelers the traditional Morocco, along with the enchanting town of Chefchaouen, located in the Rif Mountains in Northern Morocco. Chaouen, as Moroccans refer to the town, nestles in the hollow of two mountains, from which it takes its name. Steep narrow streets with white and indigo lime-washed buildings, small squares, ornate fountains, and houses with elaborately decorated doorways and red tile roofs make this a delightful town. Esteemed as a holy town, with a population of just forty thousand, it has eight mosques and several monasteries. The tour itinerary encompasses Marrakech, Fes, and also spends an evening in the Sahara, giving participants time to capture the pink and purple heud sunset over the dunes.

Morocco is a beautiful country filled with friendly people. We will have a cordial welcome in this land with its irresistible allure and warm hospitality. We begin in Casablanca with dinner at Rick’s Café ("Play it again, Sam."). Next, we move to the Rif Mountains, followed by Fes, an ancient city, with its spectacular medina - where time seems to have stood still and photographs beckon around every corner. You will see veiled women and laughing children, donkeys pulling carts, and vendors carrying huge mounds of bread trays above their heads. We will visit centuries-old villages and craftsmen's workshops, sharing experiences and sipping mint tea, symbol of the warm, sincere Moroccan generosity.

Imagine yourself spending a peaceful 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.

Moving on to Marrakech, with its ramparts and colorful markets. There we will visit the famous Djemaa el-Fna Square, perhaps the greatest open-air spectacle in the world. We will see the colors and feel the pulse of Morocco. Traveling back in time, we'll see snake charmers, musicians, magicians, acrobats, and dancers. Please join workshop leader, John Weiss, for this incredible cultural and photographic opportunity. This is an amazing tour, one that has sold out the last five years (we recommend signing up early).

Itinerary

April 8: Home

There are overnight flights from the U.S. to Casablanca, Morocco. We recommend flying Royal Air Maroc/Delta in order to land in Casablanca on time to begin our adventure tomorrow morning at around 7a.m.

April 9: Casablanca

John and your local guide, Ismail, will meet you upon arrival in Casablanca, and we will 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 exterior of the King Hassan II Mosque. 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 6000 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. After lunch at a lovely seafood 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 SHERATON TOWERS(L,D)

April 10 - April 11: Rabat - Chefchaouen

This morning we depart early for the Capital City of Rabat. There are areas closed to traffic, making this an ideal location for photography. The Oudaia Kasbah interior is a delightful whitewashed Andalusian village built by refugees, combining winding city streets, public gardens and iridescent blue and white houses.

Re-boarding the coach, we will 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 lead 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 thousands of 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 DAR CHEFCHAOUEN. (B, D; B)

April 12 - April 13: Fes

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. We return to the winding streets of Fes el-Bali for another full day of photography. John will moderate a group photography critique during one of the evenings in Fes. Overnight RIAD YACOUT. (B; B, L)

April 13: Erfoud – Merzouga

After an early breakfast, we climb into the Middle Atlas, the moorlands, granite outcroppings; brooding skies and sheep pastures may remind you of the British Isles, driving through majestic cedar and cork forests, where troops of Barbary apes forage and bird songs fill the chilly air. Since this will be our longest day of driving, your escorts will take into account the interests of the group, and stop for photographic opportunities they feel appropriate and timely. Examples of such locations are the spectacular Ziz Valley, often called the “Grand Canyon of Morocco,” which offers sweeping vistas and fascinating rock formations.

After lunch en route, we will continue to Erfoud, an oasis region at the edge of the Sahara. We will then travel a short distance by Land Rovers to our Berber tents in the desert. The next morning is a special one, 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. Overnight AUBURGE DU SUD. (B, L, D) (Accommodations are in typical Berber tents with mattress and blankets. Comfortable rooms may be available in the lodge, though these cannot be guaranteed - nor can a single room).

April 14: Tinerhir

As we leave the Sahara, we will visit Khmlia, where Sudanese musicians and dancers will perform just for us. There is also an opportunity to visit an operational, one-room schoolhouse. Participants may wish to take school supplies, soccer balls, etc. to donate to the school. Driving back to Erfoud we will re-board our coach, and travel west. Resuming our drive, we will arrive at the Todra Gorge, where soaring cliffs and massive walls interrupt the path of the sun. There will be time for photographing this amazing gorge, enjoying time for a short walk or relax while watching the enthusiastic rock climbers. Overnight KASBAH LAMRANI. (B, L, D)

April 15 - April 16: Skoura

This morning we will learn about the different styles and techniques employed in the creation of Berber rugs, meeting and photographing the women weavers who made them. If we want to make a purchase, we will follow the ancient Moroccan custom of bargaining for our choices, as we sip mint tea. Turning off the main road, we will enter the stunning Dades Gorge, filled with unusual red rock formations and fascinating villages and Kasbahs. On the way we may see Berbers tending their camels or sheep, women swathed in dark haik, embroidered with vivid colors, or children playing soccer in a stony desert field. After lunch we continue driving to our accommodations for the next two evenings, a renovated Kasbah hotel provides and ideal location for private photography in the early morning and late afternoon.

We will spend the next day in and around the hotel. A walk through a small palm grove leads to the gorgeous site of Amerhidil, a Kasbah located on the opposite side of the river behind the hotel. King Hassan II was so taken with the architectural beauty of Amerhidil that he decreed its image be placed on the 50 Dirham Note. This afternoon there will be free time, so you can enjoy more photography within walking distance of the hotel or relax amongst the gardens and veranda of Kasbah Ben Moro. John will moderate a group photography critique late this afternoon. Overnight HOTEL KASBAH BEN MORO. (B, L, D BOTH DAYS)

April 18 - April 19: Marrakech

We will continue 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 will eat lunch with the Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou in view; UNESCO has designated this as a World Heritage Site. The “Valley of the Thousand Kasbahs” will take us through stony desert landscapes with many villages and Kasbahs.

Driving towards Marrakech, we will cross the High Atlas Mountains at 7,400 feet, with panoramic views of arid mountains and lush oases shadowing the rivers far below. This evening we will have our first 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. 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.

The next morning we will stop to visit the exquisite Majorelle Garden. It is part of the former residence of French artist Louis Majorelle, beautifully renovated by the late couturier Yves St. Laurent. In among the floral smorgasbord is what was Majorelle’s deep-blue villa, which is simply breathtaking. Later in the day we will explore more of Marrakech and its fabulous souk (market), home to a maze of Berber rug vendors, dried fruit and spice stalls, leather and ironworkers’ shops. We will capture a glimpse of daily life, as we stroll the narrow streets; perhaps we’ll see a young boy taking his family’s bread to the community bakery, veiled women carrying bags of food for the next meal, or children playing in the streets. In the afternoon we can return to Djemaa el-Fna, where even more photo opportunities await, or those that would like a bit of relaxation can rest at the beautiful hotel. Overnight HOTEL TICHKA SALAM (B, L, D BOTH DAYS)

April 20: Casablanca

After breakfast this morning we will have more time in Marrakech at leisure, with various photo opportunities en-route back to Casablanca, arriving in time to freshen up before enjoying a farewell dinner. Overnight LE MERIDIEN. (B, L, D)

April 21: Casablanca – Home

After an early breakfast, we’ll leave for the airport for the flight home. (B)

Accommodations

Please contact us for more details.

Guides

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Food & Drink

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Notes

John Weiss has been a passionate photographer for 30 years. He began at M.I.T. as an apprentice to Minor White, the legendary photographer and educator. An inspiring and gifted teacher, John established his own reputation as director of the photography program at the University of Delaware, where he was the recipient of an "excellence in teaching" award. Numerous prominent public institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, have collected Weiss’s photographs. John received the 2006 teacher of the year award from the Santa Fe Center of Photography.

An important element of your photographic experience is John's critique of your work and his presentations on making creative photographs. In addition to a personal one-on-one review session with John, he will offer two group critiques of the photographs you make while on tour. It's important that you have a laptop or some other storage device so you can access and download your images. For those shooting film, we suggest you bring a folio of up to 20 photographs (hard copy).

Pricing Info

Tour land cost: $3,945 US Dollars based upon minimum of 8 paying participants. There is a small group surcharge of $300 if 6-7 paying participants. All our program prices are based on double occupancy unless noted in exceptions.

Single room supplement: $655; single rooms are subject to availability and are not guaranteed. We try to accommodate travelers who request single accommodations, as well as travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested, or if we are unable to find a suitable roommate, you will be required to pay the supplement.

Note: The land costs on international tours is based upon current exchange rates. Although the rate has been relatively stable, should it change, there may need to be an adjustment in the land cost.

General Tour Info (includes, excludes and other details)