Mandy Liebig, Exodus Adventure Travels 

In the delicate balance between solitude and connection lies a beautiful paradox: sometimes the richest solo journeys unfold within the embrace of a thoughtfully curated small group. Beyond the logistics of shared transportation and expertly planned routes, these intimate adventures offer solo travelers something far more valuable – a canvas for personal discovery painted with shared moments of wonder. 

Local Connections That Solo Travel Rarely Unlocks 

While independent travel offers freedom, small group journeys open doors that often remain closed to solo wanderers. Your local guide becomes more than just an expert – they’re a temporary member of your traveling family, sharing not just historical facts but personal stories, favorite hidden cafes, and introductions to local friends. Suddenly, you find yourself learning traditional Vietnamese cooking in a family kitchen in the Mekong Delta or harvesting fresh oysters alongside local fishermen in Croatia, experiences that would be nearly impossible to arrange on your own.

The Alchemy of Kindred Spirits 

There’s something magical about finding yourself among fellow wanderers who, despite different paths that led them there, share your appetite for meaningful exploration. These small group journeys – typically just eight to 16 travelers – naturally attract curious souls from varied walks of life. Whether you’re sharing dawn observations of brown bears in Romania’s Carpathian forests or trading stories over wine in a centuries-old Tuscan estate, you’ll find yourself among people who value both grand vistas and quiet morning conversations about what those landscapes mean to each of us. 

The Freedom of Perfect Planning 

Here’s an unexpected twist: joining a small group adventure actually amplifies your independence. While the logistics are expertly handled, you maintain the freedom to set your own social rhythm. Spend a morning exploring a medieval town in solitude, then rejoin the group for an insider’s wine tasting experience in the afternoon. This balance of structure and spontaneity creates space for both personal reflection and shared discovery. 

The Luxury of the Secret Season 

Small group journeys excel at revealing destinations in their most authentic light, particularly during what others might consider the “wrong” time to visit. Picture Morocco in January, when tourist crowds have thinned and the Sahara’s fierce summer heat gives way to crisp, crystalline days. These quieter moments allow you to witness ancient traditions emerging unprompted, when local rhythms aren’t adjusted for tourist timetables. As a solo traveler within a small group, you’re uniquely positioned to step directly into the genuine fabric of local life.

A Natural Rhythm of Discovery 

Perhaps most importantly, small group adventures offer solo travelers a perfect blend of challenge and comfort. Whether you’re wandering ancient footpaths or exploring by bicycle, skilled guides understand how to honor both the desire for personal achievement and the wisdom of taking time to absorb each moment. You’ll find your natural pace of exploration, guided by experts who quietly ensure every moment feels earned, authentic, and uniquely yours.

In the end, choosing a small group adventure as a solo traveler isn’t about compromising independence – it’s about amplifying the very essence of what makes solo travel transformative. It’s about finding yourself in those quiet moments between grand monuments, sharing stories that will echo long after the last passport stamp has dried, and discovering that sometimes the richest solo journeys are the ones we share with others who understand the art of traveling well. 

About Exodus Adventure Travels 

For more than 50 years Exodus Adventure Travels has been the leader in active adventures and is known for its commitment to “improve life through travel.” Exodus Adventure Travels is a winner of the National Geographic Traveler Reader Awards and is a recipient of the Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award, Wanderlust Magazine’s Best Tour Leader of the Year, USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Award, and the British Travel Awards. 

Exodus Adventure Travels provides unforgettable journeys and expert insights through more than 500 active adventures to Europe and 90 countries around the world, including hiking, biking, culture and wildlife small group tours. Award-winning trips across seven continents include active adventures to the majestic peaks of Kilimanjaro, the ancient wonders of Machu Picchu, the breathtaking beauty of Italy’s Amalfi Coast, and other memorable destinations. Committed to providing travelers with unique, authentic, and responsible experiences in all the above destinations, and across its entire portfolio, Exodus’ expert guides and carefully crafted itineraries ensure deeper connections to people and place. 

Exodus Adventure Travels is a certified B Corporation (B Corp), further demonstrating its commitment to improve life through travel, dedicated to creating incredible, community-driven adventures, and understands the importance of nature and wildlife conservation through programs such as rewilding and partnering with scientists to restore biodiversity. 

To learn more about Exodus Adventure Travels and the company’s award-winning adventures visit ExodusTravels.com, or follow the company on social @ExodusTravels. 

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Leigh Barnes, Intrepid Travel’s President of Americas 

From backcountry hiking in America to off-the-beaten-path adventures in Morocco, women-led, women-for-women trips are taking off. Intrepid Travel, a world leader in responsible travel and small group adventure tours, plans to not just double down on the solo female traveler market, but center it as the main marketing segment for 2025. 

Women’s Expeditions, all-female tours led by a local female leader, grew by 37% globally in 2024. When we launched our newest trip to Saudi Arabia, it filled up so fast we had to add more departures. The 2025 season? Already 72% booked, with 40% of travelers being American solo female explorers.  

And this trend isn’t just global—women-only backcountry trekking is blowing up too. Intrepid’s U.S. hiking partner Wildland Trekking is adding 10-new Women’s Adventure trips for 2025 to keep up with demand. New itineraries include the Best of Moab Base Camp Tour, Enchanted Valley Backpacking Trip, and Wild Alaska Coast & Glacier Trek.   

To meet demand, 60% of Wildland’s new guide hires in 2024 were women—because when women want to explore, they want to do it with other women leading the way.  

Solo Travel? Women Own It.  

Forget the outdated idea that women wait for someone else to travel with. 82% of women on our Women’s Expeditions are booking solo—many for their first time. These trips give them the freedom, connection, and confidence to see the world in a way they might not have felt comfortable doing before.  

Women love exploring off-the-beaten-track destinations with other like-minded women. These trips give them the confidence to do it.  

The Untapped Power of Women 50+  

Now, let’s talk about the real decision-makers in travel: women over 50.  

We recently teamed up with JourneyWoman, the world’s first solo travel resource for women over 50, to survey 1,600+ women from 50 countries, and the results were eye-opening. In 2022, 70% of women 50+ felt ignored by the travel industry. This year? That number has dropped to 34%—which means progress is happening, but not fast enough.  

Boomer women are behind this solo trend. The rise in solo female travel has been fueled by a generational shift. Society has evolved for women to be more independent, adventurous and autonomous than previous generations of women  

If the industry isn’t speaking directly to these women, it’s missing out on a $15 trillion market. That’s right—trillion.  

Here’s why, according to JourneyWoman’s Survey  

• Women 50+ make nearly every travel decision in their households.  

• 60% take up to three trips a year.  

• 65% prefer slow travel, longer trips, and small group experiences.  

• 76% are single and planning solo adventures.  

This isn’t a demographic to market to as an afterthought—this is the travel industry’s most powerful consumer group.  

What Can We All Do?  

As industry leaders, here’s how you can make sure this movement keeps growing:  

• Double down on your social media pages: More than half of these women book trips based on social posts.  

• Email marketing isn’t dead! They open, read, and book from email newsletters. 

• 78% of women say the single supplement is the #1 barrier to solo travel. 

• The destination, cost, and the reputation of the company are the most important factors in making group travel decisions. 

The Future of Travel is Female—And We’re Just Getting Started  

At Intrepid, we’re not just marketing to women—we’re building trips by women, for women, and changing the way the world explores. Whether you are a traveler, a storyteller, or an industry insider, you already know that this isn’t a trend. This is the future of travel.  

And we’re here to lead the way.  

About Leigh Barnes

Leigh Barnes has recently stepped into a new role as President, The Americas, where he willoversee Intrepid’s expansion into the USA, the company’s fastest growing market. Leigh will manage direct, industry and white label sales as well as operations across North, Central and South America. Previously Chief Purpose Officer and then Chief Customer Officer, he’s been instrumental in building Intrepid’s reputation as a purpose-led, customer-focused organization. Outside of work, Leigh’s an avid supporter of local arts scenes and a keen ocean swimmer – even in the frosty Pacific Northwest where he is based.  Leigh’s top Intrepid trip is Everest Base Camp Trek, which he credits for changing the way he sees the world.

About Intrepid Travel

Intrepid Travel has been a world leader in responsible travel for more than 30 years. The company’s mission is to create positive change through the joy of travel, which comes to life on more than 900 trips all designed to truly experience local culture. With its own network of destination management companies in 27 countries, Intrepid has unique local expertise and perspectives. Globally recognized for their commitment to transparency and ethical travel, they became the world’s largest travel company to achieve B-Corp certification in 2018. Intrepid Travel is also the first tour operator with near-term science-based climate targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative, and its not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation, has raised more than $15.5 million for more than 160 partners. For more information download the company’s 2023 Integrated Annual Report and follow Intrepid on Facebook,Instagram, Twitter, TikTok or LinkedIn.

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By: Gina Bang, Director of Marketing, Avanti Destinations

One of the best-loved parts of any holiday is the special food we celebrate with, both savory and sweet. Here, we present 12 holiday specialties – with links to recipes – from countries as diverse as Morocco, Japan, Peru, and Croatia. Interested in sampling them in their native lands? We have suggestions for where to go – usually beyond the capital city to make it even more authentic.  

Sponge Donuts (Morocco)

Hanukkah is traditionally celebrated with deep fried foods to commemorate the miracle of one day’s worth of oil lasting eight days. These fluffy ring donuts, “Sfenj” (meaning sponge) have a crispy friend outer layer with a delicate, airy interior, and they are usually dusted with sugar or soaked in honey. Experience them in Casablanca, especially in Jewish communities during Hanukkah. Try this 100-year old family recipe.

Lechon (the Philippines)

Christmas in the Philippines is a grand affair, with Lechon, a whole roasted pig, at the center of festivities. Try it in Cebu, the region known for its distinctive “cebuchon” stuffed with lemongrass, scallions, garlic, and basil. Using a boneless, pork-belly roll instead of a whole pig is easier for most cooks Recipe

Honey Cookies (Greece)

“Melomakarona” are eggless, dairy-free cookies, akin to baklava, enjoyed during the fasting period of Orthodox Christians. Thessaloniki is the ideal place to taste these honey and walnut delights. Recipe

Tamales Criolles (Peru)

Traditional Peruvian Tamales differ from Mexican tamales, using fresh white corn and banana leaves. Another Peruvian Christmas custom called “Chocolatadas” is to distribute gifts and hot chocolate to less fortunate people in early December. Cuzco is the place to go. Recipe

Bûche de Noël (France, Belgium, Switzerland)

This Christmas dessert, symbolizing the Yule log, originated in France’s Brittany. Made with sponge cake, chocolate and heavy cream. Try it in Rennes, capital of Brittany, a city filled with medieval half-timbered houses or Lausanne, Switzerland. Recipe

Mochi Soup (Japan)

“Ozoni,” a New Year’s breakfast soup. Each family has their own special way of making it – with chicken, fish cakes, carrots, taro root, regional spices – but it always features mochi rice cakes. Try it in Kanazawa, known for its traditional districts. Recipe

Fruitcake (Chile)

“Pan de Pascua,” reminiscent of German stollen, is a Christmas staple, rich with spices, cherries, raisins, strong coffee and rum, brandy or pisco for a kick. Enjoy it in Chile’s picturesque Lake District. Recipe

Cabbage Rolls (Croatia)

Croatian “sarma” consists of meat-filled cabbage leaves, a winter comfort food best enjoyed in the gastronomic region of Istria. Recipe

Rice Pudding (Sweden)

“Risgrynsgröt” is a Christmas Eve essential, often a breakfast item on Christmas Day. It comes with a fun tradition of hiding one almond for good luck. On Sweden’s west coast, Gothenburg is a recommended destination for this treat. Recipe

Farofa (Brazil)

This crunchy side dish, made from cassava flour and flavorful additions such as bacon, onions, garlic, parsley and chives, is also commonly used as a stuffing for poultry. A great accompaniment for Brazilian Christmas barbecues. Salvador de Bahia offers an authentic cultural backdrop for this dish. Recipe

Feast of Seven Fishes (Italy)

This Southern Italian tradition involves a meatless Christmas Eve meal. It remains a much-loved custom among many Italian American families. Whether in Sorrento, Palermo, or Lecce, you’ll find various fish dishes to commemorate the occasion. Recipe

Rice Cake Soup (South Korea)

“Tteokguk,” a rice cake soup, is eaten during the lunar New Year, symbolizes purity and good fortune. Toppings for the soup can include beef or other meat, seafood, eggs, nori, and vegetables. Busan, known for its early sunrise, is the perfect place to enjoy this dish and welcome the new year. Recipe

Each of these foods offers a taste of the world’s diverse cultures and festivities, inviting you to explore traditions through culinary delights. Whether you’re cooking at home or planning your next journey, these dishes deliver a connection to global celebrations. For a whole host of holiday recipes, check Avanti’s holiday party e-cookbook: https://www.flipsnack.com/779977E569B/christmas-recipes-2022/full-view.html

About Avanti Destinations

Since 1981, Avanti Destinations has been selling custom-crafted independent travel vacations in Europe, Asia, North Africa/the Middle East, the South Pacific, and Central and South America. The Portland, Oregon-based wholesale tour operator offers a wide range of FIT components to travel advisors only, including air, rail, rental cars, hotels, sightseeing/attractions, transfers and hard-to-find experiential travel options.  Avanti specializes in hand-picked, locally-owned hotels in both large and small cities and in connecting all the pieces of complex or multi-destination itineraries. The company also creates complete packages for custom groups of 15 or more passengers. For more information: https://book.avantidestinations.com.

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By Overseas Adventure Travel

In survey after survey, up to 76% of consumers say that they’d rather spend their money on experiences than things. They further cite “meaning,” “inspiration,” “fun,” and “learning” as outcomes they seek. Travelers can count on all of the above on one of Overseas Adventure Travel’s small group adventures. These include hands-on activities that connect them to the local culture, such as visits to workshops where local artisans demonstrate traditional crafts. Visitors can roll up their sleeves and join in, and if they like, purchase the local wares.

“It’s a win-win,” says O.A.T. Vice Chairman Harriet Lewis. “Our travelers get to engage with local people and learn something new, and our hosts gain support for the industries their families rely on.” Oftentimes, the activities occur during O.A.T.’s signature A Day in the Life experiences which are woven into the trips; or though visits to sites supported by Grand Circle Foundation, O.A.T’s non-profit charitable organization. Here are just ten of the local crafts supported:

1. Australia: Aboriginal Dot Paintings

Ultimate Australia

The distinctive Aboriginal dot designs are not random, but are filled with symbols that tell a visual story. Dot painting has been around for millennia, but exploded in the 1970s in Papunya near Alice Springs, where indigenous artists used it as a secret language. Other Aboriginal communities embraced the form, and today they adhere to strict rules about which techniques, symbols, and stories belong to which tribes. O.A.T. travelers are urged to only buy authentic, ethically sourced works that bear the official Indigenous Art Code seal, the “gold standard” among reputable merchants.

2. Laos: Traditional Weaving

Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, & Vietnam

While the men of the poor Laotian village of Tin Keo farm or seek jobs in the city, the women create fabulous, colorful textiles. It started as a way to be sociable with their neighbors. Today, these industrious ladies can earn a windfall of $70-80 a month selling their fabrics, all the while improving their skills and preserving an important cultural legacy.

3. Portugal: Azulejo tiles

Northern Spain & Portugal: Pilgrimage into the Past

Porto’s Banco de Materiais is an unusual bank: you can deposit antique tiles and withdraw some for free. Portugal’s signature blue and white azulejo tiles date to Moorish times. The Banco safeguards these treasures, and sometimes the fire department will even collect tiles off at-risk buildings and deliver them to the bank. Employees then study and catalog the tiles and preserve them in wooden boxes where visitors can admire or buy them.

4. Kenya and Tanzania: Maasai beadwork

Safari Serengeti: Tanzania Lodge & Tented Safari

A Maasai collar can be the shape and size of a dinnerplate, decorated with bold-colored beads in intricate patterns. But to the Maasai people, these aren’t just pretty baubles: they tell individual life stories, map out villages, indicate marital and social status, and represent the culture. O.A.T. travelers can purchase them directly from artists when they experience A Day in the Life of a local village such as Mto Wa Mbu.

5. India: Embroidery and Textiles

Heart of India

India’s Ranthambore National Park is famed as a sanctuary for Bengal tigers, and while some locals have resorted to poaching them, others have found a more ethical and sustainable enterprise. Through their Dhonk and Dastkar handicraft cooperatives, local Indian women teach artisanal skills so members may earn a living outside of poaching by creating embroidery, clothing, and gifts. Supported by Grand Circle Foundation, the cooperatives now celebrate the tigers whose allure attracts a steady stream of travelers—and crafts customers.

6. Morocco: Henna tattoos

Morocco Sahara Odyssey

Known as mendhi, the use of henna to paint the body with intricate patterns is a centuries-old Berber art believed to promote harmony and ward off evil. The (non-permanent) tattoos are also a symbol of female solidarity, as O.A.T. travelers discover when they visit the Imik Smik Women’s Association for Rural Development, which provides skills training for women in the Aït Benhaddou area. As a token of friendship, members invite women visitors to participate in a traditional henna ceremony.

7. Peru: Chinchero weaving

Machu Picchu & the Galápagos

High in the Sacred Valley, Chinchero was a 16th-century Inca emperor’s estate, as well as a resting place on the Inca Royal Road. Today, this small village is known for its weaving industry. It is entirely managed by the local women, who use plants (and in some cases, bugs) to produce their dyes. O.A.T. travelers converse with the weavers about village life and observe the process of designing and creating these vibrant garments.

8. Japan: Hakone woodcraft

Japan’s Cultural Treasures

Hakone yosegi zaiku is a form of marquetry that creates intricate patterns by joining together pieces of wood. The colors—red, white, yellow, black, and green—are not created through inks, but are the natural wood shades. Today, yosegi zaiku is popular all over Japan, but there are only about 50 artisans making it, all in the Hakone/Odawara area. O.A.T. brings travelers to the Hamamatsuya workshop to meet its fourth-generation owner, and see a demonstration.

9. Vietnam: Bat Trang Pottery and Ceramics

Inside Vietnam

The village of Bat Trang may lie on the Red River, but it’s the area’s rich white clay that has made its pottery renowned for seven centuries. O.A.T. travelers have plenty of time to browse the shops, but also visit the home and studio of an artisan family and get to make their own ceramic pieces.

10. Turkey: carpet weaving

Turkish Coastal Voyage: Greek Islands, Istanbul & Athens

Rug weaving in Anatolia began with the arrival of Turkic tribes from Central Asia, and was a prominent art form by the 12^th century. Then as now, most carpetmakers were women who worked anonymously. The process is intensively laborious, and prices are based on the intricacy of the design, quality of the materials, and the number of knots per square centimeter.

Overseas Adventure Travel is the leader in personalized small group adventures on the road less traveled. Serving all travelers over 50, the company is known for its expertise in solo travel, and has recently published 101⁺ Tips for Solo Women Travelers which can be ordered for free here.

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One of my favorite things to do when traveling to a new destination is to take a morning walk. My first-day plan is almost always the same: arrive, unpack, have a nice dinner, and go to bed early. Then, I’ll get up as the sun rises and start walking, without a specific agenda or address. I usually save the museums and palaces for later in the day. In the morning, everything is fresh and clean, the temperature is ideal, and it’s a good way to see local people go about their day. Plus, the light is beautiful.

My favorite place to go in the morning is the market—whether it’s a vegetable market, flower market or in the case of Essaouira, Morocco, the vibrant fish market on the port. Luckily, Alexander+Roberts had arranged for a walking tour of the city, so I was able to gain insights into what I was seeing and experiencing in addition to taking photographs.

The first thing you notice about Essaouira are the seagulls. They’re everywhere. “Seagull Airport,’” said my guide from Alexander+Roberts, Mr. Hicham, pointing to a small island across the port where thousands of gulls were roosting. The port was packed and the fishermen were so busy that they barely noticed our group snapping shots of their every move. Our group hopped over muddy puddles on the street, made way for large trucks to get through and covered our noses when the smell was fish was overwhelming. But we were in good spirits and didn’t mind going a little out of the comfort zone for the payoff of an amazing local experience.

Our visit coincided with the peak of sardine season. We saw dozens, maybe even hundreds, of small blue boats pulling in their catches and getting packed into trucks to be shipped to other parts of the country and abroad. The sardines are used for soups, stews or just grilled with salt. There were also eels, shrimp, crab, lobster, and dozens of types of fish. A row of blue painted food stalls at the entrance of the market displays the full selection and from there, you can handpick the seafood you want to eat and it’ll be cooked to your choice. I had seafood at each meal of my time in Essaouira, and didn’t mind it a bit. We had fish kebabs on skewers during our last meal at Il Mare, overlooking the Essaouira port we had just walked through. A bunch of us agreed it was perhaps the best meal of the trip so far, topped off with an unexpected and delightful chocolate cake.

I decided to come back to the port one more time, to capture it in the warm, late afternoon light. I watched a boat pull-in carrying some really big fish. It took several people to just load it from the boat to the small tuk-tuk-like vehicles with a truck bed in the back. Upon closer look, I realized they were carrying sharks. This time there were no tourists around, so the locals quickly recognized me snapping shots at the scene. I caught someone saying in Arabic that I was a “professional,” and the crowd parted so I could get a better view. Some of the young men even smiled for photos. It was a strange feeling because here was a thing these fishermen did every day, catch big fish like sharks from the sea and transport them in the bed of a truck, like it was no big deal at all. They did this in order to make a living, while I was the passing tourist taking photos. This is one of the reasons I love Morocco. You can visit the treasures in palaces and go shopping in the touristy souks — and you should — yet there’s still plenty of everyday life and culture to be experienced in other areas as well.

Interested in learning more about Tanveer’s journey?  Read more about it on AFAR.com the USTOA blog and check out Alexander+Roberts’ Morocco…From Sea to Sahara. 

Tanveer is a travel, hotel, and lifestyle photographer who has explored more than 50 countries. Some trips have led him to photograph luxury hotels on the Amalfi Coast or the Riviera Maya, while others have taken him on long treks in the Bhutanese Himalayas or in search of lemurs in Madagascar. His wife, Kelly, a travel writer, often joins him on these adventures.

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This October, I had a chance to travel to Morocco with luxury tour operators Alexander+Roberts as an ambassador of AFAR magazine. This was my second visit to a country I’d already fallen in love with during a trip in 2014. One of the reasons I was particularly excited to return was to get a chance to further explore the ancient labyrinth of the Fez medina, the oldest walled-in part of Fez, Morocco that was built somewhere between 789 and 808 AD as the capital of the Idrisid dynasty. The last time I was here, I spent a week getting lost in the medina—sometimes deliberately, sometimes not—but I felt I’d only scratched the surface of the 9000+ alleyways, narrow streets, and lanes. As a traveler, I don’t know if it’s ever possible to really get to know the medina, but I had to come back and explore. The walled city is a UNESCO site and is considered the world’s largest car-free urban area. If you’ve ever walked the lively yet ancient streets of Varanasi, India or Venice, Italy, the Fez medina is a similar experience.

As a photographer, entering the medina is love at first sight. There’s just so much action happening all at once. I pushed my back against the wall to let a donkey carrying hundreds of gallons of water bottles pass me with inches to spare; peeked into an open door to watch sparks fly from a blacksmith’s workshop; took in the aroma of lamb and prunes cooking in a tagine pot right there on the street. There’s no point in trying to remember the twist and turns you take as you walk the streets; you can get confused in minutes. The best thing to do is to hire a local guide to lead you through the maze. (After all, I wanted to get blissfully lost, but still have a way to get back easily).

Alexander+Roberts had arranged for a local guide to show me locations that went beyond the guide books. My guide, Mohammed, is one of these residents of the Fez medina. He seemed to know everyone we passed. He took me away from the crowded souks filled with tourists and plastic souvenirs to a much quieter part of the medina. At one point, as I was composing a photograph in a teeny alleyway barely large enough for a single person to walk through, I heard the scraping of several sets of sandals against the cobblestone. Suddenly a handful of children wearing hijab and colorful backpacks walked through my shot, smiling and giggling. After passing me, they looked back and waved to see if I would take their photo.

Unlike the more popular and heavily touristed medina of Marrakesh, I’ve found the Fez medina to be more residential, a place where everyday life happens right in front of you. Since the residents live in such closer quarters, you can literally peek through the doorways and get a glimpse into their life — women cooking, men getting haircuts, children kicking around a soccer ball. In fact, more than 150,000 people choose to live here. One of the reasons I love exploring the medina is that it’s as far away from my everyday life in Los Angeles that I can imagine. And yet, everything just feels totally natural.

Mohammed took me to Quranic madrasas (Islamic schools), pointed out the remains of an ancient arch, and the view of a mosque slicing through a tiny crack between alleyways. “Everyone in Fez knows Mohammed. If you’re missing your wallet, in five minutes, Mohammed will have your wallet back,” another guide from Alexander+Roberts, who had connected me to Mohammed, told me.

After my photo walk with Mohammed, we shook hands and said our goodbyes. “Next time you’re in Fez, you ask for Abdullah,” he said. “Who’s Abdullah?” I asked. “Me!” he said. “I thought your name was Mohammed?” I asked, confused. “Oh no, that’s just easier for tourists.” I shook hands with Mohammed and promised that we’d meet again, “Inshallah!”

Interested in learning more about Tanveer’s journey?  Read more about it on AFAR.com and check out Alexander+Roberts’ Morocco…From Sea to Sahara. 

Tanveer is a travel, hotel, and lifestyle photographer who has explored more than 50 countries. Some trips have led him to photograph luxury hotels on the Amalfi Coast or the Riviera Maya, while others have taken him on long treks in the Bhutanese Himalayas or in search of lemurs in Madagascar. His wife, Kelly, a travel writer, often joins him on these adventures.

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