Day 1: Depart London Heathrow, arrive Marrakech early evening. Our hotel is less than five minute’s walk from the Djemma el Fna, the heart of Marrakech. On arrival we will check in then head off for dinner, either in the hotel or a local restaurant.

Day 2: Group briefing over breakfast then we spend the day exploring this fascinating city. Today our guide will take us on a walking tour of the bustling souks where we can spend time photographing the hustle and bustle of the Dyers souk, the Blacksmiths souk and so on.

After lunch we will spend some time photographing the infamous Djemma el Fna and its colourful characters - the water sellers, dancers, snake charmers, acrobats and musicians. It’s a bit of a culture shock to be surrounded by all the noise ands activity, but a real experience and great for pictures.

As the afternoon wears on and the shadows begin to lengthen we will take to the terrace of the Cafe Glacier for amazing views of the Djemma el Fna as it comes to life. Outdoor food stalls are pulled into the square, braziers are lit and by dusk the place is teeming with people - a great time to take pictures of the milling crowds and swirling smoke. We also get great views of the Koutoubia Minaret from here, which we can photograph as the sun goes down and it’s illuminated against the twilight sky.

Day 3: Another full day in Marrakech. If you’re feeling energetic we can head out before breakfast to photograph the Koutoubia Minaret bathed in first light and watch the city come to life. After breakfast we will visit the beautiful Majorelle Gardens and photograph the palaces and mosques of the Medina. If time permits we will also take more pictures in the souks and the Djemma el Fna - places you just have to visit more than once.

Day 4: After breakfast we bid farewell to Marrakech and head towards the mountains, eventually reaching the breathtaking Tizi-n-Tichka Pass. Weather permitting the views from the high pass are stunning. Once through the pass, we will detour to photograph the ruined Glaoui Kasbah at Telouet for several hours before driving to Ait Benhaddou, the most spectacular fortified town in southern Morocco. Now a UNESCO World heritage Site, Ait Benhaddou has been used as the backdrop to movies such as Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth, and more recently appeared in Gladiator. Our hotel overlooks the town and offers superb photo opportunities from the various terraces. We may not arrive in time for photography on the day 4, but...

Day 5: We will spend the whole day, from sunrise to sunset, exploring and photographing Ait Benhaddou, taking pictures of the town from near and far - and exploring its narrow, dusty streets on foot where more photo opportunities present themselves - buildings, details, lots of portraits. Last year, one kind man invited us back to his house and prepared tea for the whole group. Naturally, we took lots of pictures of him!

Day 6: After a second dawn shot in and around Ait Benhaddou we will be met by 4x4s and spend the day driving to the oasis town of Tinerhir via the magnificent Dades Valley, Dades Gorge and Todra Gorge. The use of 4x4s in new for 2005 and has been added to the trip so that we can reach more remote locations – the gorges contain spectacular scenery as well as isolated kasbahs that we can exlore and photograph. We expect to arrive in Tinerhir early evening where we will stay in the Hotel Tombuktu, a converted kasbah in the centre of town.

Day 7: Before breakfast we will drive towards the Todra Gorge and take panoramic views of the town at dawn as the sun rises and the streets fill with smoke. The views are stunning, with ruined villages at the foot of steep cliffs and carefully-tended fields in the valley below. After breakfast we will take a walk in the gorge. This is an amazing place, with sheer-sided cliffs towering over 1000ft above our heads.

After lunch we begin a long drive south to the Sahara Desert. We will spend the night in an Auberge in the village of Hassi Labiad. The location couldn’t be better - take a few steps from the back door of the Auberge and you are in the Sahara, walking on soft sand and looking out onto spectacular dunes fields of the Erg Chebbi that stretch for miles.

Day 8: Our desert adventure begins at dawn when we walk out onto the dunes to photograph the desert scenery in the first light of day - when long shadows and warm light emphasise the gentle shapes of the dunes and ripples in the sand. If the past is anything to go by we will also be met in the dunes by a group of local people selling fossils. The fossils are inexpensive and the people make great subjects for portraits in the soft light of dawn.

After breakfast we will spend the morning exploring Hassi Labiad at our leisure, photographing the people- mainly children who follow us around – and the simple mud house with their colourful painted doors. We will also visit a crafts centre where carpets and jewellery are sold - and where we can take portraits of the people working there.

After lunch our camels and guides arrive and, once packed, we will take the slow journey into the desert. This is perhaps the most memorable part of the trip and if you have never been into a desert before, you will never forget the experience as we disappear into the dunes.

We will make stops to photograph the desert scenery, plus our camels and Bedouin guides in their indigo robes against a back drop of orange sand dunes, eventually reaching camp at dusk. While we organise ourselves our guides will prepare dinner and when night falls we can set-up our cameras to photograph the night sky, using an exposure of two hours or more to record star trails over the desert. No time for bracketing on this occasion!

After dinner our guides will collect brush and wood and light a fire, then we can sit in the warmth with a cup of mint tea and listen to them sing folk songs in the golden glow of the flames. Of course, you can also take pictures - who would want to miss an opportunity like that? Some fast film - ISO400 or faster - will be essential here.

Tonight you have the option to sleep in a communal tent or take your sleeping bag and mat, wander into the dunes and find a quiet spot where you can sleep under the desert skies.

Day 9: We will rise before dawn, walk up a sand dune and photograph the desert scenery at first light. After breakfast we spend the morning in and around camp, photographing the scenery, our camels and camel leaders who are happy to pose for pictures among the dunes. In the afternoon we will then trek across the last 4km of dunes to the eastern side of Erg Chebbi and spend a second night in the desert. Those of you who decided not to join us on the desert trek will be transported to this camp in Landrovers.

Day 10: Optional early start to photograph sunrise from our camp. After breakfast, we say goodbye to our camels, jump into Landrovers and drive along the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes back to Hassi Labiad, stopping to photograph the amazing scenery in early morning light. Back at the Auberge, after a rest, much-needed shower and refreshments, we will drive to the interesting frontier town of Nkob where the buildings and painted doors, windows and signs make interesting subjects. We will spend the night in town at the Baha Kasbah, an old fortified house that has been restored and turned into a hotel.

Day 11: Driving back to Ouarzazate we will stop and photograph towns such as Agdz, arriving back in Ouarzazate in time to visit and photograph the Taourirt Kasbah before driving back over the Tizi n’ Tichka Pass to Marrakech.

Day 12 - An early rise today for our morning flight back to London Heathrow

Book This Holiday