Frequently Asked Questions

Ayllu Medicina offers a complete retreat experience based on decades of experience, instead of just a series of ceremonies.

It is a transformative week carefully curated, which brings together plant medicine ceremonies, traditional purification practices, daily yoga, meditation, breathwork, sweat lodge purifications, nourishing food, time in nature, community and integration. Each retreat has a specific focus, which determines the content of the workshops we share and activities we share - e.g. heart technology workshops, or meditations.

You'll spend your retreat in a natural setting on Ecuador's Pacific coast, within a small group of no more than 12-14 participants, supported by a dedicated team before, during and after your retreat.

The intention is to create enough space for you to slow down, listen inward and experience the retreat as a whole and have ways to maintain changes long after ceremonies finish. .

Ayllu Medicina was founded by Aimé and Hwaneetah, who have more than 20 years of experience working with plant medicine and years of experience holding ceremonies and sweat lodges. You can learn more about them on our 'team' page.

They are supported by a wider team of facilitators, experienced yoga instructors, and volunteers, who contribute to different parts of the retreat experience. We also have a local kitchen team who will be providing the nourishing food you eat throughout the week.

Our team speaks English, Spanish and French.

We have a minimum of 6 participants and a maximum of 12 participants on most of our retreats, with some going up to 14 participants. We ensure there are sufficient staff to support retreat groups.

Yes. Participants come with different levels of experience.
Some arrive having worked with plant medicine for many years. Others arrive for their first ceremony, with no experience.

You don't need to be an expert, or even experienced in meditation and/or yoga. What matters is approaching the retreat with openness, respect and a willingness to participate in the process. See our 'health' section to see what is more important when we screen participants for retreats

Ayllu Medicina plant medicine retreats are intentionally small, set in a quiet valley full of birds, close to the ocean. There is the accommodation space and a few minutes walk away, the sacred space where we share all our ceremonies, yoga classes, workshops and sweat lodges.

The rhythm of the retreat is structured, with time for restorative rest and introspection. Usually, retreat groups connect well, with the small group number allowing space for connection and alone time.

We offer different community events when not sharing retreats, with different opportunities for the local community to join. We also take part in different community activities here, such as water awareness and world ocean days.

Our team also includes local community members

We have had a connection with a family in the Amazon who plants and harvests Ayahuasca sustainably, for many years. We prepare the Ayahuasca on-site as a team.

San Pedro is either harvested by us or our family in the Andes, and we prepare it here on the coast.

Each plant medicine retreat has its own theme and schedule, but your days will include:

Morning
Yoga, meditation, breathwork or other practices/ sweat lodges.

Daytime
Workshops, time to enjoy nature, rest, meals, reflection and preparation.

Evening
Depending on the program, ceremonial or integration activities.

Between it all
There is space to be quiet, journal, walk, swim, rest or simply rest and restore.

The retreat isn't designed to keep you busy every minute. Space is part of the experience.

You can check out our retreat specific WeTravel pages for more information.

Our retreat schedule is structured to help you prepare for meeting with the sacred plant medicines. For example, we have an intro to ceremony circle before meeting with Ayahuasca and San Pedro.

Long before you come to retreat, we also share preparation advice and offer curiosity calls to learn more about the medicines before you sign up.

Our guides also explain the movements of ceremony and there are facilitators present to assist if needed during the ceremony time

After ceremony the day is designed for rest, with a restorative yoga class and other activities beginning later in the day. We have sharing circles the proceeding day to help integrate your experiences.

Most of our ceremonies are at night, but some of our retreats include a day ceremony of San Pedro, which means after ceremony it is time for food and sleep also.

There is intentional space within the retreat schedule for rest, reflection and personal time. You can spend that time reading, journaling, walking, swimming, meditating or simply being in nature.

Participants are welcome to go to the local secluded beach spot during rest time. We ask that no-one goes into the local towns, because you are extremely sensitive during the retreat process, so free time is for time resting, enjoying the retreat space, or nearby beach (10 minutes walk away)

Yoga in most of our retreats is led by our experienced teacher, Vanessa (learn more about her on our 'retreats' page). She has experience with all levels of yoga, including chair yoga and senior yoga.

Our classes are designed to fit the flow of the retreat week, which means there are a mix of restorative and active classes. We are also fortunate that Vanessa has experience sharing yoga Nidra, which is a nourishing treat for some extra rest before or after ceremony.

Usually, Ayllu works with Ayahuasca and San Pedro / Huachuma. We share two night ceremonies of Ayahuasca and one day ceremony of San Pedro (or night ceremony depending on the retreat and weather).

We also work with the medicine of tobacco - it is considered a master plant. We use it to cleanse, pray, and center during the retreat weeks- in tea form, hapeh form, and as a smoke.

A Temazcal, also known as a sweat lodge, is an ancient ceremonial practice. The word comes from the Nahuatl Temāzcalli, commonly translated as “house of heat.”

At Ayllu, the Temazcal is an important part of the retreat experience and is approached as a ceremony of purification, grounding and renewal.

The ceremony begins outside around a fire, where the stones used in the Temazcal are heated. These volcanic stones- from volcanoes here in Ecuador - sometimes referred to as “grandmother stones", are then carefully brought into the sweat lodge.

Participants sit together in the darkness as the heated stones are placed in the center. Incense is added for blessings, then the door closes and water is poured over the stones, creating steam and increasing the heat. Prayer and traditional songs are incorporated into the ceremony as the group moves through the experience together.

The Temazcal is a return to the womb of Mother Earth. Entering the dark, warm space provides an opportunity to step away from the outside world, become quiet, connect with the elements and reflect on what you may be ready to release.

The experience is powerful medicine. There are four rounds then a fifth round for women-only. if you are on your period and bleeding you only enter this 5th moon round.

We recommend that people who are uncomfortable with small spaces sit close to the door, which is opened between rounds. Many people find they enjoy the experience. Our guides are there if you do need support during the sweat lodge ceremony.

There are several reasons why most of our ceremonies are at night. Firstly, because mostly everyone is sleeping, there is a lot more energy available.

Second- many plant medicine ceremonies are traditionally done at night. With Ayahuasca, lights can be extremely distracting, and for the internal eyes-closed journey, a night ceremony makes more sense.

We do share a day time San Pedro ceremony during most of our retreats!

We have designed the retreat schedule to allow for rest time around the ceremony experiences.

San Pedro, also known as Awakolla, Huachuma or Wachuma, is a master plant from the Andes, with a long history of usage.

It increases awareness, and presence, often bringing alignment between heart and mind, with many considering the medicine a 'grandfather'. Learn more in our blog posts about Huachuma!

Ayahuasca is a sacred master plant from the Amazon, prepared in a specific way combining the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with the leaves of Psychotria viridis (Chacruna) for the psychoactive effect.

Many traditions call Ayahuasca a 'grandmother' medicine. She works on your roots, and mostly the journey is closed-eye. There may or may not be visions. Learn more on our blog - and we answer many Ayahuasca specific questions in the next section.

After many years of sharing plant medicine retreats, our guides find two Ayahuasca ceremonies and one San Pedro ceremony works well for an 8-day retreat.

There is sufficient rest time between ceremonies, and chance to meet both the grandmother and grandfather medicines. Together, they balance each other well - with San Pedro also helping integrate many of the experiences participants have with Ayahuasca.

We provide a detailed packing list once you sign up for a plant medicine retreat in Ecuador. In general, we recommend wearing something comfortable and nice- after all, they say you are dressing to meet with your ancestors.

However, anything uncomfortable, itchy, or tight can be a big distraction with the medicine - so comfort is key.

We recommend that women wear a skirt or dress for the extra protection - with leggings or shorts underneath. Of course, if you do not wear these items you can wear comfortable trousers.

Men can wear a shirt and trousers or shorts. It is not mandatory to wear white.

We also recommend a 'faja' which is a traditional protection belt here. We have them available in the Ayllu Medicina shop.

Women and men with long hair can braid their hair to contain their energy and weave a connection with the Earth.

For sweat lodge, men can wear bathing shorts, women a light beach dress, or bathing suit and sarong.

This is certainly not a problem. We recommend this retreat during the moon (period) cycle, because during your moon cycle your sensitivity and your perception are expanded.

The retreat can be a time to observe and adapt your relationship to you and your cycle. To go deep within your being and get in touch with this sacred time. 

If you are on your moon during the retreat, we will make special accommodations for you to be sure you are comfortable. For the ceremonies, we will show you how to make protection belts.  We will teach you about the special nutritional needs you have during the moon time and provide you with special teas from the area which promote womb health.  You enter a special 5th round of the sweat lodge ceremony, which is called the moon round.

Hwaneetah has done several studies throughout her life on the moon cycle and is dedicated to sharing the knowledge of womb wisdom. She will share this with you and including specific advice on how to manage your cycles and your energy. We say that Moon time is the Medicine of the woman. Watch Hwaneetah's interviews to learn more- you can find them under the 'offerings' tab.

That's completely understandable. You don't need to arrive feeling fearless or certain about everything. It is natural to be nervous about something unknown, and also to be humble about meeting a master plant such as Ayahuasca.

During preparation, you'll have opportunities to ask questions and discuss concerns with the team. If you have significant concerns about participating, we encourage you to speak with us before booking rather than waiting until you arrive.

Usually, the second Ayahuasca ceremony gives participants a chance to feel more comfortable with the medicine and go deeper.

Ayahuasca is a Medicine that encourages healing on all levels, and its effects are unique to each individual. Every person's experience is completely individual and it is not possible to describe exactly how yours will be. Therefore, it is important to follow your intuition as it is guiding you to the Medicine for a reason. We recommend going in with a clear intention on what you need to work on, with an open mind, heart, and body.
Ayahuasca opens perspectives on life by inducing a visionary state of mind. It is used to enrich the mind by bringing visionary messages, often allowing you to face and overcome blockages or fears, and connect to the inner-workings of the Universe for a deeper understanding and greater perspective. Ayahuasca allows you to reflect within by expelling any fears, insecurities, or self-judgements which society has installed.
Medicine provide a visionary means of working through specific ailments, while also allowing you to purge out negativity on a deep physical, psychological, and spiritual level.

When you come to the Ayahuasca ceremony, be ready for an eye opening experience. Ayahuasca takes you to the Universe within you and shows you many things about yourself, your life, and the world. If you can focus on your intention and purpose for the ceremony, Ayahuasca always responds. Sometimes, the plant medicine of Ayahuasca has something different to show you than what you had originally intended to work on, as Ayahuasca knows what you need to focus on first in your life in order to clear the way for the other things you want to address.

It is important to come to ceremony ready to truly surrender to the Ayahuasca experience, let down ego defenses, and walk away from your fears, because they will block your entry into the worlds of Ayahuasca.

It is important to be open to whatever is going to happen.

It is not unusual for people to feel like they are going to die when they are in an Ayahuasca experience. No one has ever died from Ayahuasca itself. So trust the process and let it happen. This way you can get the most out of your experience.

When you feel like you might be dying, it is really the ego death you are experiencing. It does not happen to everyone, as some are able to get their egos out of the way of the experience. If you do experience this, there is a part of you that is trying to hold on and afraid to go into the places where you are egoless, eternal, and where the divine lives in you.

Take a deep breath, and just let go. You are fine! Where you are going the mind cannot follow, so you must let go of feeling like you need to be in control.

Let Ayahuasca take you for the ride and show you the wonders of the Universe within you! The price for entry into your multidimensional nature is that you have to surrender and let go.

Experiencing fear and anxiety during ceremony is normal. Drinking Ayahuasca for the first time can be a  foreign experience for people. It is energy moving within the body.

Aime and the team are there with much experience to lend a helping hand and guide you through this experience with love and support.

Breathing, meditating, yoga, and other grounding techniques such as affirmations can be used to lessen fear and anxiety. If this is a concern for you, please communicate this to the staff during the interview process and/or upon arrival so we can offer suggestions for working through challenging patches.

Always ask for help when you need it.

Purges may occur in several ways on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. When it occurs, it is the processing and movement of negative energy out of the body.

Purging is the Medicine’s method for eradicating the body of harmful, toxic, suppressed energies or elements due to physical ailments, or past trauma.

On a physical level, the most common forms being vomiting and defecation. Almost everyone has the ability and time and to reach the bucket (for vomiting) and the bathroom (for defecation). Shaking, racing thoughts, yawning, burping, crying, laughing and hot/cold sweats are other forms of purging.

The helpers are always available to assist you with going to the bathroom and any other needs that may arise. Again, do not hesitate to ask for help.

The safety of our participants is the most important factor in ceremony and throughout the retreat. One guides, healers and facilitators who work at Ayllu Medicina have many years of experience holding Ayahuasca ceremonies and overseeing the responsible use of this medicine in its traditional context.

We provide a caring, contained, and protected environment to work with this medicine and ensure your wellbeing at all times.
Ayahuasca is generally extremely safe when worked with responsibly.

It can counteract with certain medications, which is why we ask for detailed information about your history and current health in the application form.

The information below is a guide, and specific cases should be discussed with the Ayllu Medicina team before the retreat begins.

This is a guideline to help ensure your safety.
Medications that can be unsafe with Ayahuasca and need to checked:

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)
Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants (and sleeping pills)
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
Anti-hypertensives (blood pressure medications)
Other Anti-Depressants
Antibiotics

If you suffer from any of the following psychological conditions, please discuss this with the team before the retreat begins:
Borderline disorders
Bipolar disorders
Psychosis
Schizophrenia
Family history of mental health problems
Physiological conditions that should be discussed with the team:
Chronic high blood pressure
Heart conditions
Diabetes

All of these are guidelines and specific cases need to be discussed at time of booking or by scheduling a call with one of our team. We advise to not make any changes to your medications before speaking to us and your healthcare professional.

In addition to the diet and other restrictions, the best way to prepare for ceremony is to focus on your intentions, your questions for the medicine, and your reasons for seeking her out.

This will guide your experience so you can receive profound results.

You can have several questions or reasons for your ceremony, focusing on one specific intention each night.

Commencing the diet as early as possible ahead of the ceremony is also a way of focusing your mind towards the ceremony itself. This in itself is mental preparation, as well as physical.

We also recommend beginning or continuing even a simple/short meditation practice, as this is also supportive for your experience. We will learn meditation, yoga, and breath work techniques as well during the retreat. 

You can learn more by reading our 'How to prepare for an Ayahuasca ceremony' post on our blog.

Ayahuasca is a transformative medicine and great care is crucial as you transition back to your life at home.

You will likely be highly sensitive to food, people, noise, distraction, and general imbalance. Most of the time, after the inner work with the medicine, some changes in our daily routine need to be made.

Remaining grounded, participating in healthy physical and spiritual activities with positive people and situations will greatly support you to integrate the lessons and healings that you received during the medicine ceremonies. 

Ayahuasca allows one to experience a great feeling of bliss and love for themselves and the planet, and proper integration and changes to your life is crucial to maintaining this.

Our retreats are a perfect way to manage this transition. We share many tools during the retreat week to help with plant medicine integration, and we stay in touch post-retreat. Integration sessions are available if you also want support post-retreat.

Ayahuasca has significantly helped many people with their depression. It is common to experience powerful cleansing and healing from this medicine, in addition to receiving life changing lessons during ceremony. This enables many to look deep within and release what causes their depression.

HOWEVER – Ayahuasca is not a magic pill!. She shows us, teaches us, and gives us tools to deal with imbalances in life, but committed spiritual and physical work beyond ceremony is necessary to maintain the benefits of the Medicine.

We recommend that once you decide to attend this retreat, or an Ayahuasca ceremony, that you stop reading or watching things about this medicine.

You need to come to ceremony with an open heart and mind. When you watch and read about other peoples’ experiences, you will inevitably create many expectations for your own ceremony. You want this to be your experience, and not miss out on what the medicine wants to show you.

We have many books to borrow during our retreat, and will happily share some recommendations on different topics for post- retreat.

We recommend that once you decide to attend this retreat, or an Ayahuasca ceremony, that you stop reading or watching things about this medicine.

You need to come to ceremony with an open heart and mind. When you watch and read about other peoples’ experiences, you will inevitably create many expectations for your own ceremony. You want this to be your experience, and not miss out on what the medicine wants to show you.

We have many books to borrow during our retreat, and will happily share some recommendations on different topics for post- retreat.

We often say that the real ceremony begins after the actual experiences with the medicine. And sometimes the experiences can be difficult to understand, or—even if experienced with clarity—challenging to integrate into your daily life and being.

For this, we do integration circles within the retreat after each ceremony to process and understand together. Our guides are also available to talk throughout the retreat at any point.

Also, we are committed to providing many tools during the retreat that you can take back with you so that you can make long-lasting improvements to your life and continue working towards your purpose and connection. We work with a yoga and meditation routine during the retreat so you can take these very useful practices with you on your journey. We have seen this be incredibly supportive to integration. We also will check in with you a few weeks after the retreat.

Our retreat group stays connected via WhatsApp and we have virtual meet-ups throughout the year.

In addition, our guides offer sessions for deeper integration and guidance including integration sessions, moon and womb healing, and Akashic record readings.

Yes. Please disclose all medications, supplements and relevant health information during your application. We have two forms- one at sign-up and one before your orientation call.

Certain medications and health conditions may be incompatible with plant medicine ceremonies or may require additional medical guidance.

Please do not stop or alter prescribed medication in order to attend a retreat without first speaking with the clinician who prescribed it. You can contact us in advance if you are unsure.

The most important thing is that you are well cared for, which means disclosing health conditions and any medicines.

We have a hospital 5 minutes drive from our center. We are trained in first aid should it be required.

We are also fortunate to have many healers close by, which we can recommend- such as structural integration therapists, chiropractors, and even dentists.

Yes. We ask prospective participants to provide relevant health and medication information as part of the registration process.

This helps us understand your circumstances and determine whether participation is appropriate. We have orientation calls with all participants to also clarify any details and check you are ready to meet with the medicines.

Tell us exactly what you're taking, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medications and supplements.

If there is any uncertainty, seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional who knows your medical history.

After booking, you'll receive preparation guidance covering the plant medicine dieta, general recommendations, practical arrangements and how to prepare yourself for the experience.

We recommend arriving rested and giving yourself some space before the retreat rather than arriving immediately after a hectic travel schedule - however we understand at times people have tight schedules with little time off!

Please see below for more logistics recommendations.

Each retreat center and tradition may have slightly different plant medicine dieta guidelines.

The dieta is a period of dietary and lifestyle preparation traditionally associated with working with plant medicines.
The word can be understood simply as “diet,” but within many plant-medicine traditions, dieta refers to something broader: creating a quieter, simpler space for the body, mind and intention before entering into ceremonial work.

Following the dieta, allows you to prepare your body and mind in the best way for the plant medicine ceremonies.

At Ayllu, we approach the dieta as part of the preparation for retreat, not as a test of discipline or a way to “earn” an experience.

In the weeks leading up to your retreat, we ask participants to simplify their diet and avoid certain foods, drinks and substances. During the retreat, meals are intentionally simple, fresh and plant-based, with the food adjusted around ceremonial days.

The dieta also invites you to simplify other aspects of daily life. Arriving rested, reducing stimulation, spending less time on your phone, avoiding alcohol and recreational substances, and giving yourself time for reflection can all help you transition out of your usual routine and into the retreat environment.

The dieta is intended to support your preparation, not create anxiety.

Follow the guidance provided by Ayllu as closely as you reasonably can, and ask us if you're uncertain about a particular food, drink, supplement or medication.

Most importantly, never stop prescribed medication or make changes to medical treatment in order to follow a dieta without speaking with your healthcare professional first.

Ayllu Medicina is on the coast of Ecuador, close to a small town called Manglaralto, within close distance to popular travel spots such as Ayampe and the surf capital, Montanita. This is around 2.5 hours North from Guayaquil in a taxi.

We are set in a quiet valley - surrounded by nature. You can often hear the sound of the ocean from ceremony. It is a short ten minute walk to a secluded spot on the beach.

The closest airport is Guayaquil - José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil (GYE).. It has many flight options and easy transport options to our retreat center. It is a small and secure airport.

If you plan to travel in the mountains/Amazon before or after retreat, you can look at Quito airport. However, please note this is around a 10 hour bus ride away, or a flight to Guayaquil.

Ecuador uses USD. Please tell your bank you are away and factor in withdrawal costs from atms (roughly 4.50$- some machines have limits of 100$ or 500$ a day)

You can either travel by taxi or bus to the retreat center.

Taxis are around 90-120$ depending on your end destination. The bus costs less than 20$, but takes longer, at around 3 - 3.5 hours.

We are happy to help arrange taxis with one of our reliable drivers, and provide public transport information. We also provide many accommodation recommendations once you book. If you have questions before booking, please get in touch.

We are happy you are choosing to come to our retreat as one of your first solo travel experiences! A community is waiting here to meet you.

We provide preparation support and logistic support - so a driver can pick you up in the arrivals of the airport and bring you to the coast or directly to the retreat center, depending on the day of arrival.

We recommend flying in to Ecuador at least one day before to allow time to settle, and to allow time for any delays.

However, for some participants this is not possible. If you have to fly in the day retreat starts, please fly in by 10-11am latest to allow time to make it to the retreat center on time for lunch (2pm), which is when we begin.

It is the same for departure. Please do not book a flight until the late evening of the day we finish retreat, or the day after. We close the retreat together in the morning, so ideally you do not leave for the airport until 2-3pm.

It is nice if you have a few days before and/or after retreat to enjoy the coast! After retreat, we recommend heading to Ayampe if you have a few days, as there are several trips you can take from here, and it is a peaceful town to integrate.

If you have longer, our team can provide travel recommendations to places further afield- such as the Andes and the Amazon.

Before retreat it is not possible to stay at the center, because our team is deep cleaning the space and preparing for the retreat.

After retreat, there is possibility to stay at the retreat center for an additional cost and advance notice. Please contact us for more information.

We can provide lots of local recommendations for places to stay close to the beach, with diet-friendly restaurants nearby!

We recommend appropriate travel insurance covering your trip to Ecuador and any activities you plan to undertake - especially if you plan to travel, hike, and explore after retreat.

Check the terms of your policy carefully before traveling.

We do not provide recommendations for specific travel insurances.

Ecuador generally is a welcoming and safe place for people to visit. It is a beautiful country with so much history, nature, and culture. We are based in a quiet town on the coast of Ecuador, with friendly locals.

As is the case for traveling anywhere, we recommend exercising common sense, like you would at home. For example, if traveling by bus, do not put valuables in the overhead compartment or on the floor- keep on your lap.

If you'd like more recommendations, please get in touch.

There are many options! If you are short on time, stick to the coast. Some participants decide to go hiking in the Andes, or go to the Amazon.

Others choose to go to the Galapagos! There are many possibilities. We recommend factoring in 1-2 weeks after retreat for longer trips.

Accommodation is provided at the hotel by the Ayllu sacred space.

Your specific room and accommodation arrangements will depend on what room you select.

There is the option to select private room if you are an individual - this is with private bathroom, AC, and hot water.

If you are traveling with a partner, friend or want to share a room - you can select shared room. Specify if you are traveling with someone or if you are happy to share with another participant. These rooms have one or two beds depending on the people sharing, a private bathroom, hot water and AC.

The hotel has ocean views and a pool to also enjoy in your downtime.

Three plant-based meals are included every day. Many of our participants speak highly of the delicious food we offer!

Meals are fresh, nourishing and plant-based. Food is prepared with the retreat process in mind, with lighter meals around ceremonial days, which stick to the dieta.

We use fresh ingredients and locally available produce - all cooked by our amazing local kitchen team.

We also include all drinking water, juices, snacks, and smoothies. The fruit basket and teas are always open to enjoy.

We also share a caffeine alternative to coffee- Guayusa, which is from the Amazon here in Ecuador.

Please tell us about allergies, intolerances and dietary requirements during registration.

The earlier we know, the better we can prepare for you.

We want you to be as comfortable as possible throughout the retreat and especially during the ceremony. Here is a list of items to bring with you. We will also send you a complete Preparation Packet once you sign up. 

Yoga clothing
Bathing suit (ideally 2)
Walking or hiking shoes
Sandals or flip flops
Water bottle
Beach or quick dry towel (towels for bathroom provided)
Warm layers for chilly evenings and light layers for daytime
Loose-fitting long dresses or sarong for women during sweat lodge (at least 2)
Nicer (yet comfortable) outfits for ceremony (1-2, long dress or skirt for women, nice shirt for men)
Sacred items for the altar (Crystals, important small objects, sage, incense, etc.)
Natural sunscreen and bug repellent
A small backpack for the day ceremony of San Pedro
An offering for our medicine guides- natural tobacco from your land and incense such as sage or cedar. They will use this throughout the retreat week!
Personal toiletaries- e.g. shampoos . Soap is provided but sometimes people have their preferences.
Chargers and travel adapter if required

Internet access is available, but we encourage participants to reduce phone and screen use during the retreat. There will be no phone or computer use in social areas, just your room.

The retreat is an opportunity to step away from constant notifications and create some genuine space for yourself.

Visit our retreats page and select what retreat you'd like to attend. This will take you to our WeTravel page for booking.

Yes, there is the option to book retreat with a deposit and payment plan. If you have questions about the plan or want it adjusted, please get in touch.

Our retreats are all inclusive. This varies slightly by retreat, but your retreat price generally covers the retreat program, accommodation, meals, ceremonies and activities specifically listed on the individual retreat page.

International flights
Travel to Ecuador
Transportation outside the retreat arrangements - including to the retreat and to leave the retreat.
Travel insurance
Accommodation before or after your retreat
Personal purchases in the shop.

Once your place is confirmed, we'll send you the information you need to prepare.

This includes preparation guidance, what to bring, arrival information and practical details for your retreat.

You'll also have an opportunity to ask questions before you arrive - we schedule orientation calls before the retreat so you can speak to one of our facilitators virtually. We also open a WhatsApp group one week before retreat.