Morocco Photography Tour: 8 Days from Fez to Marrakech

Overview

Highlights

• Golden hour over Fez from the Merinid tombs
• Blue hour and empty sunrise lanes in Chefchaouen
• Two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes with a Milky Way session
• Camel caravans, nomad portraits (with consent) and Khamlia musicians
• Todra Gorges and the Dades hairpin road at sunset
• Night in Aït Ben Haddou to shoot it at sunrise

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1

   Day 1: Arrival in Fez, golden hour over the medina

   Your driver meets you at Fez airport or train station and takes you to your riad. In the late afternoon you drive up to Borj Nord and the Merinid tombs, on the hill above the old city. From here the golden light falls on thousands of roofs, minarets and the green hills behind. Stay for the blue hour when the lights of the medina turn on. Night in a riad in Fez.

   Overnight: Fez

2. 2

   Day 2

   Day 2: Fez – Chefchaouen, blue hour from the Spanish Mosque

   You drive about 3 hours 30 minutes to Chefchaouen through the Rif mountains. After check-in, you have the afternoon to shoot the blue alleys, doors, stairs and flower pots in soft light. Before sunset you walk about 20 minutes up to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint. From there you photograph the whole blue town as the lights come on during blue hour. Night in a riad in Chefchaouen.

   Overnight: Chefchaouen

3. 3

   Day 3

   Day 3: Sunrise in Chefchaouen – Ifrane – Midelt

   Wake up early: between 07:00 and 09:00 the streets are almost empty and the light is soft. This is the best moment for clean shots without people. After breakfast you drive back through Fez and up to Ifrane, with its cedar forest and Barbary macaques, a good chance for wildlife images. In the late afternoon you reach Midelt, a town between the Middle and High Atlas mountains. Night in Midelt.

   Overnight: Midelt

4. 4

   Day 4

   Day 4: Ziz Gorges – Merzouga sunset and Milky Way

   This morning you follow the Ziz Gorges and stop at viewpoints over the long palm valley. In the afternoon you reach Merzouga and ride to camp in time for sunset on the high dunes of Erg Chebbi, with long shadows and soft curves. After dinner, the camp lights go down. With almost no light pollution, it is a great place for a Milky Way and star session (best around new moon). Night in camp.

   Overnight: Merzouga (Erg Chebbi)

5. 5

   Day 5

   Day 5: A full day in the dunes

   Start with sunrise on the dune ridges, when the sand is red and the lines are sharp. During the day you photograph camel caravans in silhouette, a nomad family and their tent (always with consent and respect), and musicians in Khamlia village for portraits. In the harsh midday light you can rest or edit. Return to the dunes for a second sunset. Second night in the camp.

   Overnight: Merzouga (Erg Chebbi)

6. 6

   Day 6

   Day 6: Rissani market – Todra Gorges – Dades hairpin road

   In the morning you visit the Rissani market, rich with colour, faces and old trades. Always ask before you photograph people. Then you drive to the Todra Gorges, where the afternoon light enters the narrow canyon and lights up the rock walls. In the evening, you shoot the famous Dades hairpin road from above at sunset. Night in a kasbah-style hotel in the Dades Valley.

   Overnight: Dades Valley

7. 7

   Day 7

   Day 7: Rose Valley – Ouarzazate – Aït Ben Haddou golden hour

   You drive through the Rose Valley and Skoura area, with old earth kasbahs and palm groves. After Ouarzazate you arrive in Aït Ben Haddou in the afternoon. You shoot the ksar at golden hour from the hill and from the river side. Because you sleep in the village, you can also photograph it at night under the stars, when most visitors have left. Night in Aït Ben Haddou.

   Overnight: Aït Ben Haddou

8. 8

   Day 8

   Day 8: Aït Ben Haddou sunrise – Tichka – Marrakech

   Your last shoot is the sunrise on Aït Ben Haddou from the riverbed, when the first light turns the earth walls orange. After breakfast you cross the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass, with many curves and mountain villages to photograph. You arrive in Marrakech in the afternoon, and your driver takes you to your hotel or the airport. End of the tour.

Route map

Fez → Chefchaouen → Ifrane → Midelt → Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) → Rissani → Todra Gorges (Tinghir) → Dades Valley → Ouarzazate → Aït Ben Haddou → Tizi n'Tichka pass → Marrakech

Accommodation by category

Choose your hotel category. The final hotel names are confirmed when you book, depending on availability.

Photo gallery

Frequently asked questions