Before we left on our trip, one of my travelers told me that Morocco was easily the most photogenic place he had ever been. In fact, about two weeks before we left, I heard this multiple times from multiple people. The weird thing is that when we got there, I didn’t feel that way at all. I was expecting everything to be pristine and beautiful and that is NOT Morocco. Perhaps it is the curse of the Instagram influencer that every photo you see of Morocco online looks perfect. The baseline colors of Morocco are a dusty, muted red and tan. Parts of Morocco are gritty. It is the splashes of color that make Morocco so photogenic. Stained glass windows in the medina of Marrakesh, doors painted a shocking blue in Essaouira, a woman wearing a bright green abaya while exploring the docks with her husband, the exquisite tilework, the color of the Sahara sands at sunset --- these are the things that popped out in photos.
Color in Essaouira (Kassandra Magruder)
Some of these things I didn’t realize were so vibrant until I looked back at my photos that night. At first, I judged myself for not fully seeing the beauty at the time the photo was taken. After a few days, I realized this was likely because the medinas are so overwhelming with people, donkeys and mopeds flying by at breakneck speed. There were moments where I saw something intriguing, got a super fast shot off on my iPhone and moved on before getting run over or heckled by a souk owner.
Alleyway doors in Essaouira (Kassandra Magruder)
There is a bit of combat photography occurring in these instances. It’s all very exciting, but I did crave more quiet moments to be with the beauty and absorb it. I did find those opportunities, mostly when allowing myself to get lost in the medina streets and finding a dead end. Those streets were devoid of Instagram influencers and pushy souk owners selling their wares. On those dead ends, you might find just an old woman standing in front of an ancient, weathered blue door. Those are the moments to smile and say hello and not take the photo.
Palacio da Bahia in Marrakesh (Kassandra Magruder)
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
