We recommend arriving one day early so that you have time to get over your jet lag and adjust to the local climate – and of course to explore the bustling streets of Casablanca.

If you like, Better Moments can help you book a hotel room.

Today, you will meet your fellow travelers as well as your workshop leader: National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg,

In the evening, we will have a welcome dinner at the hotel, and you will be briefed on what will happen and what to expect over the next couple of days. Moreover, National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg will give a lecture on Morocco as a photo destination.

If you arrive at Casablanca International Airport today, you will be welcomed by a Better Moments team member who will meet you in the arrival hall.

Today, we will all travel to Rabat, the administrative capital of Morocco. The lively city has a lot to offer in terms of street as well as architectural photography. We will visit the stunning Mausoleum of Mohammed V – a masterpiece of modern Moroccan architecture, which houses the tombs of old kings – and the famous Hassan Tower. The minaret and its adjoining mosque were meant to be the largest in the world, but were actually never finished.

No visit to Rabat is complete without strolling through the narrow winding streets of Oudayas Kasbah, a city within the city, which has been home to Arabs, Andalusian immigrants and powerful sultans. We will go for a stroll and capture the exquisite gardens, Rabat’s oldest buildings and the busy life around Rabat’s hippest cafés.

In the evening, we will have a welcome dinner at the hotel, and you will be briefed on what will happen and what to expect over the next couple of days. Moreover, National Geographic photographer Sisse Brimberg will give a lecture on Morocco as a photo destination.

After breakfast, we will hit the road again and travel towards Fes. There will be a stop in Meknes along the way for some hands-on practice of travel and portrait photography with guidance from Sisse Brimberg:

The city of Meknes, or “the Moroccan Versailles”, is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, which was founded at the end of the 17th century by Moulay Ismail. Highlights will include the impressive Bab Mansour, the most preserved gate in Morocco, and Hri Souania, a complex of three different buildings that were used to store food and water but now function as a backdrop for motion pictures. We will also visit the old Medina where you will have plenty of opportunities for street photography. Capture women weaving colorful blankets and rugs, men sewing tunics or performing blacksmithing tasks, while the smell of bread from the communal bread oven permeates the air.

After dinner, we will meet for an image review session where you can present a selection of photos to the group and receive valuable feedback from Sisse.

The whole day will be devoted to capturing the essence of the place through street and people photography in Fes, the oldest cultural and spiritual imperial city of Morocco, which was founded in 790 B.C. by Moulay Idriss II.

Highlights will include:
The medieval Medina, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Madrasa of Al Quaraouiyine; originally a mosque, it is the oldest existing, continually operating and the first degree awarding educational institution in the world
A visit to the Arabian House to observe various craftsmen performing their work reminiscent of ancient techniques – a great chance to capture stunning portraits!

After dinner, Sisse will talk about street photography and share some useful tips and tricks of the trade. We will then review photos taken during the day, and Sisse will offer advice on how to improve your photography.

Early in the morning, we will leave Fes and go on a scenic drive through the Middle Atlas Mountains with several stops along the way to take landscape pictures, including:

Ifrane, the “Switzerland of Morocco”, which is located at 1,664 m above sea level and known for its alpine-style architecture with slanted roofs, a necessity due to heavy winter snowfalls.

Azrou will give us a break from the crowds and noise of the imperial cities. Tucked into the hills of the Middle Atlas, Azrou is a great place to observe daily mountain Berber life and a traditional souk. Photograph locals haggling over handcrafted items, enjoying a glass of fresh mint tea, or running their weekly errands at the thriving market.

Beni Mellal is the place where Arabs from the plains and Berbers from the mountains meet to sell their respective goods – from fresh fruit and vegetables to cotton, wool and woven blankets. If time allows and the market is open, we will make a photo stop here.

We will stay at a hotel in the mountains for the night.

After breakfast, we will drive to Marrakech with stops along the way to take landscape pictures. We will use the afternoon for a street photography session in Marrakech, which typically offers a variety of life and scenes. The reddish Terracotta clay color of the buildings is an interesting contrast to the green vegetation of the city’s many parks and gardens, providing a unique background for photos.

In the evening, we will have dinner at a rooftop restaurant which offers local delicacies as well as stunning panoramic views over the city. A perfect place to sit back and watch the city’s lights come on.

Back at the hotel, we conclude the evening in a relaxed atmosphere and share and review the photos taken during the day. Sisse Brimberg will present a selection of the photos she has taken during our adventure so far, and show you some useful ”do’s and don’ts”.

Today, we will explore Marrakesh with our cameras all day. Marrakesh’s souk is renowned and the perfect playground to practise your newly acquired street and portrait photography skills. Tanneries, vegetable vendors, snake-charmers, spice bags, magicians, street artists, pottery, carpets, and folk-singers blend into an energetic and vibrant potpourri of chaos and color – providing endless photo opportunities just waiting to be captured.

In the evening, we will have dinner at the hotel and Sisse will give a lecture on “A life with National Geographic” followed by an image review and photo tips.

No visit to Morocco is complete without a trip to the desert! Today, we will drive to Agafay Desert, a stone desert at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, which provides stunning views. On the way, we will see Berber villages and stop in Amizmiz, a town which is still relatively undiscovered by tourism and thus provides a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the Moroccan culture and capture the locals’ everyday life. When he sun goes down, we will enjoy dinner nearby a campfire and watch the stars coming out before we drive back to Marrakesh for the night.

Back at the hotel, we will again share our images and receive tips and guidance from Sisse.

We will sleep in today and leave for Casablanca after lunch. If time allows, we will do a photo tour of the city, including an exterior visit to the stunning Hassan II Great Mosque, one of the Islamic world’s greatest monuments and an exciting photo subject. We will also stop at the beautiful Mohammed V Square, the United Nations Square, and see the surroundings of the Royal Palace. Keep an eye out for Casablanca’s beautiful Mauresque buildings, which are a blend of French-colonial design and traditional Moroccan style.

Tonight, we will have a farewell dinner at the hotel followed by an image review with Sisse.

After breakfast, a transfer will take you to Mohamed V International airport for your return flight and assistance with the boarding formalities.