The Marha Triangle Experience- ‘where the earth meets the stars’

As featured in the New York Times

Situated off-road between two pretty desert towns is one of Morocco’s best kept secrets; The Marha Triangle, three iconic structures inspired by natural laws of the universe and our star systems, conceived and built by a genius German artist-architect and made to mathematical precision with the help of a team of local builders and artisans.

Epic founder – Charlie Shepherd was struck by the potential of the site when he visited back in 2023; kicking off a project with Epic’s special projects and innovation team.

“We met with the artist’s foundation, and formed an agreement that we can offer the ability for a select few leisure visitors to stay at the site each year. In return our work supports the ongoing maintenance of the site and a local investment in a date farmers project” He says.

Books and publications on the artist and site are almost exclusively in German, no English curation was available, so Epic commissioned an English speaking curator Andrea Dyrland to translate the key themes and intention. The team then immersed a local Moroccan storyteller, Zouhair in the information so that he could bring to life the site to life as part of an experience as well as giving a Moroccan spiritual and historical context to the visit.

Epic made several visits with the intention of unlocking the potential. Sara Marshall, Head of Brand and Innovation talks about the experience…

“During research into the background to this iconic land-art we unearthed fascinating insights into the artist, his intentions and life. Visiting the site we’ve experienced things which will stay with us forever. We saw a perfect alignment of the three stars of Orion’s belt at the top of the Stairway to Heaven at bang on midnight one night – these works really are phenomenal and magical in a way you have to experience, it’s hard to explain” she says.

The resulting immersive journey begins in Marrakech with a private dinner with experts while allowing for relaxing downtime and local visits. A private plane then takes travellers down to desert with a picnic and visit to a little known desert oasis town on the way where visitors can experience the traditional Berber ways of life and rammed earth building technique they will see at the Marha Triangle. A night in the desert in a private camp specially created for the clients is followed by the full Marha triangle experience, complete with celestial inspired cocktails and dinners, visits to the structures, storytelling, astronomy and time to star bathe and reflect, inspired by this magical place.

Day 1 – 3: Marrakech Immersion and Private Dinner

Land in Marrakech for a three night stay in a gorgeous Riad only available to Epic. This beautiful Riad is Swiss-Moroccan designed and features a private gym, pool, extensive terraces and stunning rooms, enjoy a therapeutic Hammam and a massage with organic essential oils and wellness package to get you into the mood for your inspiring journey – Epic offer a range of healing therapies with a local practitioner.

After settling in, it’s time to explore some of the hidden parts of the souk with Epic’s Hidden Souk cultural tour, as we take you away from the trinket sellers into the real souk to discover authentic bazaars, tea tasting spaces, Furnatchi’s (communal ovens) and hidden historical buildings where the designs hold their own stories you can also enjoy visits to artisan and design ateliers. Clients can choose from a range of activities on the second day to their own preferences from perfume making to side-car tours or making or shopping experiences.

On the last night you will be invited to a hosted dinner and musical experience in a former prison and grain store, this private venue with it’s vaulted ceilings is highly atmospheric. Enjoy pre-dinner drinks with your hosts, and invited guests which include the English curator, storyteller and local artistic and ancient history experts to prime you for the journey ahead.

Day 4: Private Flight to the Desert and an Oasis Visit

After breakfast you will be whisked away by private plane down to the nearest airport to the desert. Upon arrival and VIP transfer, you will journey on to the beautiful desert Oasis town of Goulmima, with it’s miles of date palms and friendly locals. This town still holds it’s authentic charm because it is little visited by tourists. Epic work with local family, and guide and musician Mohammed to share insights into Amazigh culture and local slow living. Picnic in the shade of the palm enjoying local foraged foods and chat with Mohammed about local life and beliefs, you may see the local women gathering food for their animals with their donkey’s in the gardens and can take a light stroll to an old working Ksour, the original heart of the town, to learn about traditional rammed earth building techniques used at Marha Triangle, and make visits to some of the ancient houses within the walls. Visitors love Goulmima because it is, and feels, real and off the beaten track.

From Goulmima travel down to the desert for a night in the sand-dunes at a bespoke camp, where you can relax and enjoy the spectacle of stars above your head, and listen to ancestral drumming around the fire with a private chef to cook up a light dinner and a high-end mixologist with a menu of inspiring specially created cocktails.

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Day 5: The Marha Triangle Experience

After breakfast camel trek out of the camp to meet a 4 x 4 which will drive you out to the Marha Triangle Camp and experience. You will travel through the market town of Erfoud and onward across the desert planes to reach the Marha Triangle, accompanied by your storyteller Zouhair.

Arriving first for tea at the ‘Himmelstreppe’ or Stairway to Heaven, this triangular structure built on the hypotenuse features 52 steps, an auspicious number in some cultures. There is a slit at the top which encourages a view to the heavens, the intention is allegorical encouraging you to metaphorically fly off into the universe. Inside there is an apartment in which the artist and is partner lived, which also houses a winged sculpture – the wings of Icarus. It’s also possible to visit this structure at night for a different perspective – if you’re lucky you will see a star alignment.

Leaving the Stairway to Heaven, arrive at the ‘Stadt des Orion’ City of Orion structure, a phenomenal work which features seven towers reflecting the 7 brightest stars in the constellation, wonder at the amount of planning, maths and work that has gone in to creating this phenomenal work. The towers are propped with soft furnishings so you can explore and contemplate, and in the evening features a fire set-up inside so that feel like your are in your own secret space. The camp at the site is luxurious and comfortable with double beds, high thread linen and fluffy duvets – safari style tents have their own bathroom and dressing area and feature antique furnishings which bring to mind the days of 1920’s exploration, binoculars and books about the structures, artist and star systems.

As night falls watch the sun set behind the structures and get ready for an evening of storytelling and insight into local cultural connections with the site and stars, accompanied by star-gazing with an working astrophysicist and astronomer. A private chef will cook up a celestial inspired dinner while your mixologist creates themed cocktails to bring the universe into the camp.

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Day 6: Final day of Exploration and Departure

As the sun rises the next day, take your coffee on one of the towers for a private moment of meditation and reflection, with an option to enjoy a private traditional Hammam and massage on site. It’s time to discover the last structure the ‘Goldene Spirale‘ or Golden Spiral, a spiral shaped structure which reflects the Fibonacci sequence and descends in a spiral deep underground to a well, legend has it a golden boat that once floated on top of the water.

Upon request you can try a final blast on buggies across the planes to end the stay with a chance to experience the freedom and thrill of traversing the surrounding landscapes.

From here you will return to Errachidia airport, full of inspiration, stories and the warmth of the Amazigh people for your final leg home.

Why this experience is so special

Every detail has been planned and curated to create a holistic and immersive experience for visitors, because of the level of privatisation and care, this experience is not available for everyone, advance booking is a must. There are times where you will find unique star alignments at the site for those who are celestially inspired, however the structures themselves are awe inspiring. When you are at the camp you will be the only people there, leaving time to be truly off-grid, with everything taken care of from private chef created meals and a mixologist whipping up your favourite drinks to wellbeing aspects and transport and entertainment. Epic can also provide a photographer and videographer to capture the moment and create iconic shots against a backdrop of this unique land art on request.

This experience is ideal for small private groups of up to 10 people to create a warm camp atmosphere.

To reserve a place at the Marha Triangle experience, contact; info@epic.travel

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