katu41

I am planning a two weeks trip to Morocco in 2020. I am trying to find the best way to see and photograph the country. My preference would be for a personal guide to hit the traditional places of interest for architectural, cultural and landscape photos. Close friends returned a few weeks ago from a Gate 1 tour and spoke quite highly of the experience. While very cost effective, I don't see traveling with a group of 22 people very exciting or conducive to finding a wide variety of interesting shots. I have also found a tour company called Kensington that offers private tours but I haven't been able to get a good feel for their services. A&K will probably be too expensive and Tauck somewhat limited by a lot of bus travel.

I am now wondering if a country tour with a photo guide is at all a possibility. Most guides will only focus on one city not the entire country. Also, having to pay for the guides transportation and lodging for two weeks probably doesn't make much sense.

Any suggestions for the best way to manage a tour would be appreciated. Also, what would you consider the must see sights?

CWGordon

I used Kensington for a tour to Kenya. The guide was great, but prices for extras were far lower than what was actually charged. The extra was substantial and for 2 people. They sent us in from Nairobi on the highway, which despite questioning was told to us as the only way in. Funny, we were able to fly back for less from a strip 1/2 mile from the place we stayed. Of course, had we known we likely would have used the resorts guides instead of Kensington’s. It would have given us an extra day in the field. We were told we would have dinner at the various places we went, such as Zanzibar; however our flights landed well past dinner time. We were starving by that time. We used the emergency number Kensington provided us on one occassion. The contact was furious that we might call at a late hour (it wasn’t all that late). He yelled at me for calling late, said said he couldn’t believe it. Our emergency contact then hung up on me! I called Kensington the next day. The woman who couldn’t stop calling us before we booked with them now was unavailable. She never called back. I called again when we got back. Surprise, I could not get ahold of her and despite again leaving a message, was never called back.
The guide they contracted for us, was a great guy and helped us often. He was a private tour guide for only my wife and I. Despite this, I would not use Kensington again. They also talked me into a side trip to see Hippo’s, as if we might not see them anywhere else. Turns out that was not a good side trip and we saw huge numbers of Hippo’s individually and in groups everywhere else. No shortage of them, anywhere. It was the additional hot air balloon ride where they quoted us and we paid a lower price by far than what it actually cost. Despite having pre-paid tickets we had to pay the regular price when we got there. The price was posted and had been the price for, at least, the whole year.
I could complain more, but you get the picture. The decision is always a tough one. I wish you the best on your very difficult call.
Having been to Morocco on another trip I know you will love the place. It is fantastic. You will have a great time no matter who you use to book your trip.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

We have been on 6-7 Gate 1 trips, including a 6 city one of Morocco. Highly recommend them, quality at a reasonable cost. They give you plenty of free time, which I use for photography, plus will cover the main sites you will want to visit and photograph. Morocco is a amazing country to see and experience.

Although personal guides are great on general tourist Information - just came back from Egypt having one - that does not mean they are that knowledgeable on architecture or landscape photography. Luckily today Ms Google knows everything and a little research will help a lot towards "must see, must shoot" opportunities list.

katu41

I read quite a few TripAdvisor stories similar to yours. Sometimes it's hard to tell if just a few people who had a singular bad experience or if the vendor is actually that bad all around. My question for you is this: did Kensington give you the flexibility to go where you wanted when you wanted? Were you by yourself? Did you feel safe? Were the hotel selections what you expected? Was your guide sensitive to your requests to visit photogenic locations?

Thanks so much for your comments. I am going to take this very seriously.

katu41

Free time could be a big deal. I'm going to have to give this more time and research. Thanks for your info.

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

It would help when replying you mention to whom, assume this is to me. Forgot to mention felt totally safe. Once my wife is inside the hotel for the night (Gate 1 accomodations have never disappointed us) I usually go out on my own after dark - street & scenery photos, have a drink or coffee and watch people, etc. I felt totally safe, locals paid no attention, but make sure you know where you are going, unless you speak Arabic or French. English is not common outside larger city tourist areas.

Feel free to PM me if any particular questions, travel photography is my passion.

Hip Coyote

Watching

katu41

OK, Gate 1 is going to get a closer look. I usually do my solo photography at sunrise. My wife has no interest in walking quiet streets. So much easier without lots of tourists and cars.

CWGordon

They had a good guide for us. We liked him very much. Most of what we liked was at the primary place we stayed, Kichwa Tembo. That place was awesome. Zanzibar hotel was filthy, had to change rooms twice, late at night. The hotel smelled bad, as well. I loved where we went and want to go again. I felt safe at the places we stayed. Luxury tents 10 feet off the ground. The balloon ride was great. I had nothing, but a great experience with our guide. Kensington was our problem. I am not that fussy a guy, but remain unhappy with our after purchase service. I cannot imagine never calling me back after two tries to get her to do so. Chief concern was the misinformation we were provided, re: the necessity to drive pretty much 2 days to get where we were going, an extra day to ensure they got the money for the guide instead of the encampment. Not very nice. Same with the other issues I raised previously in prior message. I felt my needs were ignored so they could charge more money. The primary purpose of such a company should be to provide fair and honest information and charge for necessary services provided. To not do so tells me all I need to know about the company. Had I been treated fairly I would be telling everyone what a great company they were. Not the case for me.
I cannot say with certainty how you might be treated. Maybe some other agent would have done a more appropriate job. I know our person was the most pleasant person to talk to, right up to the time she wouldn’t answer my calls. I was always pleasant and courteous and cannot fathom a reason for her to do the “poor job” she did for us. I had not had a problem, at all, during any stage of booking that trip. It was only when I asked for help and left messages about some of the problems we were having and asked for her help - courteously - that communication ceased. I cannot express any further thoughts to share with you. I want you to have the time of your life on this upcoming trip and am sure you will. I can only share my experience with Kensington and repeat everyone contracted in Africa was friendly and polite and helpful. That is, of course, except for the emergency contact guy who hung up on me for calling at a time he considered too late. Btw, I cannot imagine my call was later than 10pm. Late, maybe, but isn’t then when most emergencies occur? And isn’t that what such a contact should assume will happen?
Anyway, I don’t want to beat the proverbial dead horse, so will let you go. Should you have any other specific questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or mention it here on this site.
Good luck!

Leitz Loc: Solms

It's a poor excuse of a photographer who has to have someone tell them what to photograph.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

A bus tour will take one to all the spots and the other 22 other people will not necessarily be the problem. The problem tends to be seeing all the spots at the right times for the subject lighting and/or the amount of time to shoot the subject from many points of views.

Then there are things that happen about the subject(s). On our bus tour of Germany, we were the third bus at Neuschwanstein Castle. This made for not a big crowd. I knew that I want a shot from the bridge (the very most wanted common tourist shot). I knew I would have to run 20 minutes to the bridge from the castle and shoot fast to get the shot. Lo and behold, we were deposited less than 5 minutes walking distance from the bridge first! The short walk brought me quickly to - a view of a castle half in light and half in shadow with a bare sky. The worst lighting one could ask for. The tour of the castle would be over in another hour and it would be about three hours before the castle would be in full light! I still took a shot that would never win an award but would be a memory. Well, I could still have a shot of the entrance and the castle within. So I walked to the castle entrance - and the whole front was covered with scaffolding for restoration! If I was there for even another month it would not be done.

Personal tours can offer more opportunities of shots of specific places and sometimes better timing in a few spots. But if one takes a bus tour, they show more places but with shorter times there. It is six of one and a half a dozen of the other. Chose the one that fits your style the best.

One must shoot for the moment. Sometimes even a month in the same place will not produce the shot one wants. One must take the shot when presented and improvise the best one can if possible. Don't refuse to take the shot unless there is absolutely nothing even with improvisation. Or nothing worthy or needing of memory.

katu41

Your comment seems to be out of context. If you are in a totally foreign country, why wouldn't you rely on someone with local knowledge to get you to a potential point of interest. Isn't it the point of having a guide. I can make my own decision on what to shoot and how I want to capture the image. Is this having someone else tell me what to shoot?

katu41

Thanks for your detailed and serious thoughts. However, to an extent I have to disagree with you. I spent 6 weeks in India with a private driver and guide. I had a very detailed itinerary but I had the flexibility to stay as long as I liked at any particular location. In addition, if I saw something interesting on the roadside I could simply ask the driver to pull over while I jumped out for my shot. You can't do that on a bus. I also met a guy in a bar who told me about a temple/cemetery that wasn't on anyones place to see. Called my driver and got one of the best shots of my life. I don't like traveling with just my wife as we both like to meet new people and hear their stories. However, when it come to photography, traveling alone is much more flexible.

classic320

Was in Morocco in early 2018 for two weeks and it was wonderful. We booked a tour with Odessey (thru Cornell University) and our tour and guide(s) were altogether excellent. I did not feel the experience could have better with a personal guide--in fact, the contrary. Being with other English speaking, intellegent travellers enhanced the experience. One thing that helped the tour was a mobility requirement, and I would seek that out if appropriate for yourself. There is so much to photograph that you cannot get it all! Have a wonderful time.

CWGordon

As usual, I am amazed how some people seem to look and work so hard to insult or demean other contributors. Is this really necessary? Do we make ourselves bigger and better by disparaging others? It really is disappointing to see. It seems that we look so hard that we misinterpret questiins so we can lecture and show off our greater knowledge and expertise. Even during the Holidays...