MARRAKESH, MOROCCO

FORM+FOCUS

Our yoga & creativity retreats feature Julian Hyzler from EASEL&LENS  to combine a look at creative focus with travel-journal creation classes throughout the week. Yoga and meditation classes will be held daily to prepare our bodies and minds to find the ‘calm in the chaos’ of the sensory-overload that is Morocco, and then these creativity projects will give us new ways of seeing. Both yoga and art work together to help us find focus in the many layers of smells, sights, and sounds that abound in exotic Marrakesh. *NO PREVIOUS ART OR YOGA BACKGROUND REQUIRED. All levels are welcome, and participation is voluntary. Projects and classes will be offered as a completely exploratory, unintimidating and personal experience.

GIVE BACK RETREAT

This retreat is part of our GIVE BACK initiative, where EPM will donate at least 10% of profits to a humanitarian partner in the community where each retreat is held. Our partner in Marrakesh is PROJECT SOAR, who works with underprivileged communities and young women to empower with design, clean-up projects, and creative ventures.

THE PAVILION

This fantastic yoga retreat will take place at the fabulous Peacock Pavilions boutique hotel. Located in Marrakesh on 8.5 acres of land, including 5 acres of olive grove, this stylish and eco-friendly abode has been featured in worldwide publications, including National Geographic Traveler.

Breathtakingly beautiful and luxuriously designed, the living quarters where guests will stay during the retreat feature gorgeous fireplaces and a glamorous bathroom in each room. Each bedroom also has its own private terrace – “just the right place to enjoy a minty tea or a zingy cocktail”!

The entire pavilion property has been decorated with care and “loaded with art, special fabrics, and exotic good stuff from all around the world…A swanky place to relax, the salon/great room has a stunning lacy plasterwork that took weeks to complete. There are also seating and dining areas for intimate discussions and cozy meals. A spiral staircase leads to a catwalk high in the air, where you can sit on vintage embroideries and admire the view.” Not only is this place gorgeous, but it’s also eco-friendly. Observing “green” building and gardening techniques, you’ll feel good about the organic bounty served to your plate, and the hot water you use heated by the solar panels! Spend some free time at the lovely, inviting pool and patio, join us for a henna and cocktail party in the painted tent, or perhaps for an outdoor cinema night on the lawn.

Peacock Pavilions is owned by Maryam and her husband Chris, both recently featured on HGTV’s House Hunters International. Chris is an architect, and Maryam a freelance photographer, travel and lifestyle writer, and the author of the award winning blog, My Marrakesh. Both make a perfect team in putting this amazing estate together.

CUISINE

Healthful, vegetarian food is part of the retreat experience, including daily breakfast, selected lunches and dinners, either hosted at Peacock Pavilions or out and about in town. The cuisine is simple, delicious and Moroccan, using fresh ingredients from the on-site organic gardens or local markets. Selection may include tempting dishes and libations like stuffed dates, almond couscous, vegetable terrine, avocado dip, leek tarts, mint tea, pomegranate martini, rose water, and more. Selection is seasonal, and you can guarantee to love and appreciate each bite. We’ll also be enjoying a chef tasting lunch and wine pairing during one of the day trips, as well as a henna party during lunch, and an evening tea + snack session in the olive grove one night in the outdoor cinema.

SURROUNDING AREA + ACTIVITIES

Guests will not only enjoy the grounds of Peacock Pavilions – the outdoor areas include a lovely pool, patio, private terraces, and covered yoga platform – but the retreat also includes some amazing day trips to the surrounding sites. A guided day in Marrakesh will lead guests through an introduction to souks, the medina, and visits to sites, such as luxurious palaces full of Moroccan architecture and design.

A day will be spent exploring the nearby Atlas Mountains at a 5* retreat with a mule trek to a nearby village, followed by a chef tasting lunch and wine pairing. This is truly a magical day – we get out of the city and see the vast expanse of the mountain ranges and unique Berber villages while we are taken care of with the impeccable service of this absolutely gorgeous, luxe hideaway. Throughout the week we also experience visits to Marrakesh’s “new city” where we will enjoy a magical dinner filled with live music and exotic surroundings, the possibility for a camel ride in the palmerie, and some time to check out some of the great boutiques of the city. After an on-site henna party one day, we’ll take off for an afternoon at one of the country’s most ultra-luxe hotels (commissioned by the king) for an indulgent high tea; just being able to attend the halls of this beautiful building are a magical treat. Of course we’ll visit the Garden Majorelle and new YSL Museum, and the final full day entails a trip to a famous Moroccan hammam (a luxurious spa facility), where guests will be pampered to their heart’s content with a full program of various treatments. What better way to wrap up a week of yoga than a day of pure relaxation!

YOGA

Daily meditation and yoga classes will be offered in a way to relax, stimulate, and help guests grow in their own personal practice. Classes are open to all levels, beginner to practiced, and can range from gentle and restorative to more vigorous vinyasa flow and ashtanga styles.* Style and class levels will be determined and moulded to fit participating students’ needs, and with a small intimate retreat class size, students will be able to get personalized attention and comfortability to deeply explore their practice. Depending on each retreat location, classes will be held in a dedicated indoor yoga space, and some also offer outdoor options for us to use if the weather is agreeable.

* Participation in classes and activities is optional throughout the retreat. All levels welcome!