Camera packing list: two weeks in Morocco, carry-on only
Narrow medina lanes, hard midday light, fine dust and a lot of walking. Morocco rewards a small, light kit you can carry from morning until the evening call to prayer.
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What shapes this list
- Walking, all day. Medinas are best explored on foot, and lanes are often too narrow for anything bulky on your back. A crossbody or small backpack works better than a large pack.
- Bright light and deep shade. Sunlit squares sit next to dark covered souks. A fast lens or a camera that handles high ISO well is worth more than an extra zoom.
- Dust. Change lenses indoors or inside your bag, and bring a blower.
- Carry-on limits. Many airlines flying into Morocco, including budget carriers within Europe, have strict cabin bag rules. Check yours, and weigh your bag at home.
The camera kit
- One camera body, or a fixed-lens compact if you travel light.
- A wide or standard zoom for streets, riads and rooftops.
- A fast prime for souks, interiors and evenings.
- Three spare batteries; you'll shoot more than you expect.
- Three or four memory cards, swapped every few days.
- A small travel tripod if you want blue hour over the rooftops; leave it at home if weight is tight.
- Lens cloth and air blower for the dust.
Leave the drone at home. Morocco tightly restricts drones, and visitors who arrive with one without authorisation commonly have it held at customs. Check current rules well before you travel if you need one for work.
Power and backups
- Morocco uses European two-pin plugs (types C and E) at 220 V. Most camera and phone chargers handle this; check the label.
- A 20,000 mAh power bank for long days out. It must travel in your carry-on.
- A small portable SSD to back up each evening at your riad.
Clothes that work there
Covering shoulders and knees is respectful in Morocco, especially outside the big cities and near religious sites, and loose, light layers are also the most comfortable in the heat.
- Five or six light tops with sleeves; wash as you go.
- Two pairs of loose trousers or long skirts.
- A large scarf: sun cover, warmth in the evenings, and cover when you need it.
- A warm layer. Nights in the mountains and the desert get cold.
- Comfortable walking shoes you've already broken in. Wear them on the plane.
Photographing people
Always ask before photographing someone, and accept a no gracefully. Some people will ask for a small payment; decide in advance how you'll handle that. Many of the best photographs in Morocco are of places, light and texture anyway: doors, tiles, walls and the patterns of the souks.
The bag
For this trip, I'd choose a small crossbody for days in the medina, packed inside a carry-on with your clothes. If your kit is heavier, a slim camera backpack spreads the weight better. The packing list builder has this trip set up already: open it and adjust it to your kit.