Travel
Written By Kelsey Reaves
The healing properties of ayahuasca have been revered by the Amazon region for millennia, as ancestral communities used this plant to treat physical ailments and stir up spiritual insights. It’s just been in the last few decades, however, that ayahuasca has grown more acceptable and accessible around the world. Now, there are licensed retreat centers popping up all over the place to help guide these out-of-body experiences and life-changing encounters.
What is ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is sacred plant medicine that was used by ancient Amazonians and indigeous people groups to accompany their religious practices and inner healing. Today, ayahuasca has become popular within mainstream culture, resulting in a great deal of spiritual tourism and retreats. In essence, ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew that delivers transformative life experiences, like an altered state of consciousness and/or feelings of euphoria. With that said, ayahuasca isnotthe same as a recreational drug; it’s a powerful plant that deserves our respect, and one that should be thoughtfully and thoroughly researched prior to using.
13 best ayahuasca retreats for 2022
1.Soltara Healing Center
The Soltara Healing Center is a stunning retreat that’s surrounded on all sides by the vibrant and eclectic sounds of the Costa Rican rainforest. Soltara is truly immersed in nature, offering incredible views of the seaside cliffs and pristine waters of the famed Gulf of Nicoya. But this retreat has much to offer in addition to aesthetics, from its indigenous Peruvian Shipibo healers, to its highly-experienced support team with knowledge in both Western and traditional medicine. Guests have access to private or shared rooms, a luxurious spa, yoga and bodywork sessions, and transformative ayahuasca ceremonies to help facilitate their spiritual awakening.Soltara just recently opened up a location in Tarapoto, Peru with intimate groups of no more than 13. It's also immersed in a nature reserve and surrounded by the impressive Amazon rainforest.
Location(s): Costa Rica and Peru.
Price range: starting at $1,875 for a 6-day retreat
2.Spirit Vine
Spirit Vine was co-founded by Silvia Polivoy, a licensed psychologist who’s worked with ayahuasca and altered states of consciousness for going on thirty years. The ceremonies at Spirit Vine merge shamanic techniques with Western methods, for a well-rounded approach that helps guests remove energetic blockages and connect with the spirit realm. The reviews for this retreat rave about its bungalow accommodations and breathtaking views, as well as its spiritual workshops and vegan meal options. But the coolest part about Spirit Vine is that they grow organic ayahuasca right there on the property — it doesn’t get much better than that!
Location(s): Brazil
Price range: starting at $1,850 for a 9-day retreat
3.APL Journeys
The team at APL Journeys works with skilled coaches and psychotherapists to pair the traditional approach to ayahuasca ceremonies with a modern understanding of the integration process. Each retreat is led by Amazonian healers who live and study plant medicine in Ecuador and Peru, meaning your experience is orchestrated the same way it would be in the Amazon. In fact, they often work with Maestro Pepe, also known as "The Last Shaman" from the Netflix documentary "The Last Shaman." On top of that, APL Journeys partners with facilitators who are Red Cross certified to guarantee you have the safest journey possible. And since most of their guests are newbies, you'll be in good company if this is your first time using ayahuasca, too!
Location(s): Mexico, Spain
Price range: starting at $1,775 for a 6-day retreat
—> Use the code “sitesee” for a free 1-hour private sound therapy session when you sign up. (Send your request via email here)
4.Etnikas
Etnikas is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, just one hour from Cusco and two hours from Machu Picchu. Year after year, Entikas is rated as one of the best Peruvian ayahuasca retreats, due to its four decades of experience and its remarkable healers who hail from both the Andes Mountains and the Amazon. The calming environment at Etnikas makes this an excellent choice for anyone who’ll be having their first interaction with ayahuasca. They’ve even taken additional safety measures, like having a general practitioner, psychologist, and shaman on-site to ensure each guest is cared for physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Location(s): Peru
Price range: starting at $625 for a 3-day retreat
5.Gaia Sagrada
In Greek mythology, Gaia was known as the goddess of Earth and the mother of all life; Sagrada, on the other hand, is a Spanish word meaningsacred. Gaia Sagrada, then, is all about communing with Mother Nature and living harmoniously on Earth (which is a sacred being). The ayahuasca retreats at Gaia Sagrada are led by authentic Ecuadorian shamans who guide participants through an unforgettable healing experience. Visitors can not only take advantage of amenities like the WiFi, sauna, and hot showers, but they can also spend time in the fresh mountain air while exploring the nearby gardens and natural forests.
Location(s): Ecuador
Price range: starting at $850 for a 6-day retreat
6.Sinchi Runa
With more than 25 years of in-depth, experiential work with ayahuasca, it’s safe to say Sinchi Runa operates at an expert level. This facility specializes in both short and long-term treatments, deep immersion processes, and intensive retreats. The healers at Sinchi Runa combine the wisdom of firsthand experience with teachings from Ayurvedic healing, astrology, lectures, and various spiritual practices (i.e. meditation and hatha yoga). And the best part is, all of their services are customized to meet the needs of each person — in other words, guests are on a one-of-a-kind journey that’ll help them achieve genuine, sustained healing.
Location(s): Portugal
Price range: starting at $1,974 for an 8-day retreat
7.Hummingbird Healing Center
The Hummingbird Healing Center is situated on 42-acres of tropical forest within the Amazon basin of Peru. Perhaps the defining characteristic of a Hummingbird retreat is how it uses traditional Amazonian shamanism alongside modern lifestyle coaching. This is undoubtedly a powerful combination, and one that provides tremendous compassion and support throughout the healing process. Guests are invited to discuss the influence of their belief systems and social conditioning on their subconscious, which directly complements the ayahuasca’s ability to reveal these subconscious beliefs (and release them once and for all).
Location(s): Peru
Price range: starting at $1,700 for a 9-day retreat
8.Behold Retreats
Behold Retreats has a unique business model, where the company will ‘curate and tailor each experience for the needs of each individual retreat participant.’ What this means is, you can enjoy a custom ayahuasca journey that suits your personal preferences. So whether you want private lodging in a beachside villa, or you’d like to be immersed in the Amazon rainforest, Behold Retreats can make it happen. They’re currently operating out of Mexico, Ecuador, Portugal, Costa Rica, and the Netherlands, with packages that run just six days or up to seven weeks (depending on the depth of program you’re interested in).
Location(s): Mexico, Ecuador, Portugal, Costa Rica, and the Netherlands
Price range: starting at $5,200 for a 6-day retreat
9.Casa Del Sol
Casa Del Sol is a holistic sanctuary that offers a variety of healing modalities to awaken your spirit and enhance your ayahuasca journey. The mission of Casa Del Sol is to ‘foster a healing relationship with divine creation,’ which is achieved through spiritual communion and practical experience with plant medicine. In addition to the sweat lodge and integration sharing circles, Casa Del Sol provides opportunities for meditation, breathwork, yoga, and therapeutic art workshops. And if that wasn’t enough, guests can also relax between ceremonies with the help of chiropractic therapy, lymphatic drainage, energetic healing, and more.
Location(s): Ecuador
Price range: starting at $1,700 for an 11-day retreat
10.Arkana Spiritual Center
The Arkana Spiritual Center has two locations in different regions of Peru — one that’s in the heart of the Amazon, and the other in the Sacred Valley. As their website states, Arakana’s shamans and healers ‘work from their heart with genuine intentions and offer the most profound devotion to your healing process.’ In fact, this retreat works with the most authentic healers in the area, who are committed to repairing deep wounds while preserving the indigenous cultures of the Peruvian Amazon. If you make the trip to Arkana Spiritual Center, you can expect to get in touch with your truth and open the path to a meaningful (and more fulfilled) life.
Location(s): Peru
Price range: starting at $1,920 for a 7-day retreat
11.Rythmia
Rythmia is a medically-licensed and all-inclusive ayahuasca retreat located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Their team of naturopathic healers, health specialists, and spiritual teachers work in tandem with one another to create interesting and integrative programs for their guests. At its core, Rythmia’s mission is to provide the ‘best healing practices anywhere for a complete mind, body, and spirit renewal for each and every person.’ Highlights of Rythmia’s retreats include the private surroundings, gracious staff, motivational talks, and delicious vegan cuisine. Without a doubt, a visit to Rythmia is a step towards your optimal health and total well-being.
Location(s): Costa Rica
Price range: starting at $299 per night for accommodations
12.Vikara
The Vikara retreat center has really set itself apart, in that it’s located right on the beach in Olon, making it a special place to drink ayahuasca and connect to the spirit of the ocean. The ayahuasca retreats at Vikara also involve different therapies like family constellation, sound healing, and breathwork. Guests have nothing but positive things to say about the way Vikara helps you connect with the spirit of the universe and the wisdom within — thus bringing greater peace, love, and clarity to your life.
Location(s): Ecuador
Price range: starting at $2,590 for a 9-day retreat
13.Temple of the Way of the Light
Located in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest, The Temple of the Way of Light is a traditional plant-medicine shamanic healing center that works with both female and male Shipibo healers. The foundation of the Temple’s work is facilitating profound healing in a safe, compassionate, and supportive setting. Within their ayahuasca retreats, they focus on shadow work and soul integration through deep healing on all levels: physical, emotional, psychological, energetic, and spiritual.
Locations(s): Peru
Price range: starting at $3,300 USD for a 12 day retreat
Common FAQs about ayahuasca
Is ayahuasca illegal in the U.S.?
While the ayahuasca plant is legal in the United States, its active ingredient (DMT) is considered a Schedule I substance — making ayahuasca illegal in accordance with federal law. A handful of ayahuasca retreats in the U.S. have bypassed this legislation by establishing themselves as an ‘independent Native American church.’ These retreats have submitted petitions for religious exemptions to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as a way to invoke their right to the free exercise of religion (so they can ingest ayahuasca ‘legally’ during their ceremonies).
Where can I do ayahuasca in California?
Ayahuasca ceremonies in the U.S. exist on a spectrum from allowed to outlawed. Along that spectrum lies the churches of Santo Daime, which are a blend of Catholicism, native Amazonian rainforest rituals, and Afro-Caribbean animism. Branches of Santo Daime in Oregon, California, Massachusetts, and Washington have explicit permission to use ayahuasca within their religious services. Nevertheless, using ayahuasca in California still runs the risk of violating specific laws and regulations, so it’s extremely important to do your research prior to participating.
How much does ayahuasca cost?
The cost for attending an ayahuasca retreat varies depending on where you’re traveling to, the level of your accommodations, as well as the length of your stay (ranging from a few days to a few weeks’ time). Some ayahuasca retreats can run as little as $500 to $600, while others cost several thousand dollars for more upscale lodging, amenities, and services provided.
What are the benefits of doing ayahuasca?
Current research shows that ayahuasca can protect and restore certain parts of the brain, increase the capacity for mindfulness, improve the regulation of emotions, and reduce stress and depression almost immediately. In addition, studies also indicate that ayahuasca may benefit those with PTSD, as it paves the way to retrieve and reprogram repressed memories.
Kelsey Reaves
