October TBA, 2025 | Sunday at breakfast through Saturday's final dinner | arrive by the 12th
(although we recommend that you use our included extra night and arrive on the 11th, to combat jet lag and possible airline delays)
depart on the 30th | 15 full days, 16 nights, 17 nights if you come in early

COVID SAFETY: Please read our COVID-19 Information and Prep page.

Because of the devastation caused by the earthquake in Morocco, Barefoot Contessa Photo Adventures (BCPA) is postponing this workshop to 2025 to give the country a chance to recover. But in 2025, Join BCPA for 15 full days and 16 nights in Morocco, a country about the size of California, exploring and photographing many of its iconic sites as well as many out-of-the-way locales unknown to most foreigners. Our multi-lingual Berber drivers know this country well, coming from a strong nomadic tradition, and in 2022, they showed us so many special opportunities for photography and meeting local people. These same drivers will be with us again in 2023, and we are delighted, as they became family!

We will start off in Casablanca and end up in Marrakech. In both these cities and others, we will explore ancient medinas, those historic, walled parts of cities with narrow streets and alleys, most with no auto traffic. We will also photograph small villages, large and local markets, architecture, daily life, artisans, landscapes, deserts, and the Low, Mid, and High Atlas mountains, and some stunning scenery.

Our drivers will transport us in small, 4WDs with plenty of room for luggage and photo gear. This type of travel allows us access to remote and off-the-beaten-track locations inaccessible to regular vans.

For most of our journey, we will be staying in beautiful, traditional houses converted into four-to-five-star dars (built around a garde — see above) and riads (constructed with a center courtyard). In the beginning, we will stay in a very convenient four-star hotel within walking distance of United National Square, restaurants, and markets. In most of our locations, we will have access to WiFi, there are ATMs almost everywhere.

Yes, we will cover a lot, but for 2023, by adding two more days, spending two nights in most of our locations, and concentrating on areas that our participants particularly loved in 2022, we have more time to take in both the highlights and small treasures of this amazing country ... more time to savor serendipitous discoveries through quiet exploration as well as spur-ot-the-moment stops for photography. After all, one never knows what one will find where, and we are always open to taking advantage of those moments such as this conversation I had with a baby camel we found with her parents by the side of the road. There will be unique experiences with local Berbers and nomads, opportunities to see Moroccan artisans creating their beautiful pieces as they have for centuries,

We cannot show you everything, and the following paragraphs only grace the surface of all the locations that you will visit and the experiences you will have, but you will see a rich diversity of cultures, architecture, and topography. You can't help but go home with a love for Morocco and its people.

We will begin our photographic adventure in Casablanca (literally, "white house"), considered by many as the gateway to Morocco. While the origin of the city is not known, a Berber village called Anfa stood on the present-day site in the 12th century. Later, it became a pirates’ base that was destroyed by the Portuguese in the 16th century.

The famous Mosquée Hassan II is not to be missed with its impressively tall minaret, the second tallest in the world. This magnificent mosque celebrates the three religions that look to a single god, and for those who wish, non-Muslim visitors may take a guided tour during certain days and hours.

For many, just exploring the exterior at the ends of the day affords plenty of photographic opportunities. One feels dwarfed next to this edifice, the seventh largest mosque in the world.

With a strong history of French occupation, one can speak both Arabic and French in Casablanca with schools in both languages. And Morocco is proud of its long-standing friendship with the United States, so you will find that a number of people also speak English.

From Casablanca, we will visit "The Blue Pearl" of Morocco. Chefchaouen (shef-SHOUW-en — as in cow) with its little alleys, narrow passages, and untold numbers of steps is a feast for any photographer's eye. Founded in 1471, it was the Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition in 1492 that brought with them their tradition of painting buildings blue. a practice that has continued, centuries later, to this day.

After two nights and plenty of morning and evening opportunities, complete with conversations with local merchants and perhaps doing some laundry alongside local ladies by the Ras-el-Maa river, we will continue on our journey, taking in in some UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as the low, mid, and high Atlas mountains with their twisty, windy roads and hair-pin turns, among other sites.

We will spend a full day and two nights in Fes, the most ancient of Morocco's Imperial Cities. It is home to the University of Al-Karaouine, considered by the Guinness World Records as well as UNESCO as the oldest continuously-operating, degree-granting university in the world. There will be guides to take us through the bustling labyrinth of the Fes souks where many artists practice their crafts. Stall after stall house shops with everything from food to just about anything made in Morocco. We will also see potters working on delicate and intricate designs, and we will visit the iconic dyeing vats, some dating back over 1,000 years. Nearby, leather shops beckon visitors with their new-leather aromas and buttery-soft goods.

From there, we cross the Middle Atlas on the way to the Sahara, stopping one night along the way in an area known for its fossils. Nearby, there is an outlet with counters, sinks, vessels, and all manner of items made from the rock containing these fossils.

One of the highlights of the trip involves spending two nights in the desert in luxurious private tents, a five-star "camping" experience with ensuite facilities — yes, flush toilets, a shower, and sink — and lovely furnishings and carpets.

There will be the erg that is, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, "an extensive area of desert covered with shifting sand dunes." It is vast and impressive and worthy of many photographs. We will enjoy a camel ride, exploring the dunes, and in the evenings around a fire, music, perhaps dancing, courtesy of the local Berbers who have been in this area since 10,000 BC! Two of our guides are local Berbers, and you may well see them drumming along with the others.

During the day, we will travel over the reg — flat, pebbly desert — where one can find small settlements of Nomads, some Berber and some Arab or Bedouin. They may offer us tea, the national drink of Morocco, and we may take shelter under one of their tents.

From the Sahara, we will visit a Berber rug-weaving cooperative where we can watch the process from carding the wool, to spinning it, and finally seeing it woven into beautiful rugs. For those wishing to buy a carpet, this may be the perfect place (they ship). After enjoying tea with our new friends, we will drive through more Atlas mountains to the famous and stunning Gorges du Dadès where we will spend two days to catch our breaths and check out the nearby pass. There, we will stay at a stunning dar designed by a well-known Moroccan architect. You will fall in love with this place, and everyone agreed in 2022 that we needed another day in this beauiful place.

This will be the perfect place to catch up on developing your photographs. While we will not have time during this adventure to have daily critiques, we will manage quite a few, and Arnie and Margo will be with you every step of our journey to help you make the best and most meaningful images you can. After all, who knows when you may return to this exotic land.

We will take two days to travel to our next main location, Essaouira, a busy fishing community just outside the walls of a wonderful medina where you may engage in conversation with any number of people and where you will find so many photographic treasures in the narrow alleys. Down by the water and fishing boats, you may be able to sample oysters shucked right before you while you wait. In the medina, there will be many merchants who will want to sell their wares, but when you say, "No thank you," they are happy to sit or stand and chat with you.

Marrakech is our final destination on this adventure. Founded in 1070-72, it was according to UNESCO, "for a long time, a major political, economic and cultural centre of the western Muslim world." Today, Marrakech is one of the busiest cities in Africa and serves as a major economic center. The medina shows that history in its varied architecture within the old fortified walls. You will also find many colorful stalls packed with vendors selling everything from food to dry goods to spices and rugs. It is a feast for any photographer. In the medina, you will not find cars, but you do have to watch out for motor scooters and carts, the preferred method of transporting goods or luggage.

Here, as always, you'll be able to celebrate your passion for photography, hone your seeing and imaging skills, and learn about the magic of light to make wonderful photographs. And you will learn a lot about this special country. And remember, we have only scratched the surface of all that we will see and experience.

We are limiting this workshop to a group size of 12 plus Arnie and Margo. This usually works out to 6 participants and their guests or 8 participants and 4 guests. Pricing below is for a full 15 days and 16 nights, and we include most everything (including tips) except for some meals and items of a personal nature. We also have pricing for photographer couples.

Meanwhile, be sure to carefully read our FAQs, as well as the various links in the box below. They should hopefully answer almost any question you might have.

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Please get travel insurance that includes medical evcuation!

Fees:  to be updated for 2025

Travel insurance is highly recommended to ensure protection against any unforeseeable events. We are a small company and cannot be held liable for those who choose not to buy traverl and medical evacuation insurance.  Sharon Erickson, our trusty travel agent, can help you with that. And, no, we do not get any credit for referring you to her, only a thank you!