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Awakenings Ayahuasca Retreat
A Sacred Journey with Indigenous Roots
Only Retreat Certified by Ecuador’s Ministry of Health | 100% Indigenous-Owned & Operated.
Why Choose Awakenings?
• The only retreat in Ecuador certified by the Ministry of Health
• Located on sacred Tsáchila ancestral land
• 100% Indigenous-owned and operated by the Tsáchila tribe
• Medicine is prepared on-site and you are invited to participate in the process
• Small groups & personalized retreats — you choose your dates
• Your money helps local indigenous and some of the money supports the local elementary school as well; supporting many minorities in need.
Medicine and Ceremony
At Awakenings, we work with authentic ancestral medicines and offer the opportunity to participate in the preparation of Ayahuasca and San Pedro; allowing you to deposit your energy and intentions from the very beginning.
Our healing team includes:
• 4 experienced male Tsáchila shamans
• 1 female Tsáchila shaman (available upon request)
These are four generations of wisdom, born into the sacred path of medicine.
What Makes Us Different
• We live on the land, unlike other retreats that rent properties or hire outside shamans
• We run year-round with flexible dates
• No large groups — we keep it personal and safe
• Confidential integration support before and after ceremonies
• Wi-Fi available, but we encourage you to disconnect and reconnect with Mother Nature
Our Most Popular Package: 8 Days / 7 Nights – $1600 however you can do shorter or longer stays. Every journey is personalized for your needs on your time.
Includes:
• 3 Ayahuasca ceremonies
• 1 San Pedro ceremony
• 1 Kambo, 1 Sananga, and Rapé
• Private accommodations & meals
• Massage, Temazcal, reiki, sound healing
• Cultural immersions, waterfall hike, 1
Massage, preparation of cacao and more.
Additional: Cacao Ceremony, Bufo, Mushrooms, Xanga and Cannabis ceremonies available upon request.
Transport from Quito and laundry service available upon request but are not included on the packages.
Learn More About the Medicines
What is Ayahuasca?
“Ayahuasca” is the Quechua word for both the vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) and the sacred tea made from it, traditionally combined with Chacruna leaves. It contains harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine. Used by Amazonian tribes for centuries, it opens portals to emotional and spiritual healing. Our vine grows on the property, and we prepare the medicine in the traditional way.
What is San Pedro?
San Pedro (Trichocereus pachanoi) is a sacred cactus native to the Andes of Ecuador. It carries masculine energy and helps us open our hearts and expand our connection with all life. We also grow this cactus on the land, and ceremonies are done with great reverence.
What is Kambo?
Kambo is a powerful healing ritual that uses the secretion of the giant monkey frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor). Applied through small burns on the skin, Kambo detoxifies the body, boosts the immune system, and clears emotional blocks. It’s used for deep physical and energetic purification.
Your Healing Begins Here
We don’t just host retreats; we offer a path to rebirth, in harmony with Pachamama (Mother Earth) and the ancestral spirits of our land. You will not be asked to share in vulnerable settings, and everything is done with respect and care.
You are not here to escape. You are here to remember who you truly are.
Contact Us:
USA: +1 (646) 300-9646
Ecuador / WhatsApp: +593 98 044 0627
Website: awakeningsayahuasca.com
We look forward to walking this sacred journey with you.
You are the medicine. Welcome home.
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michael1
January 2, 2025 at 11:30 pmI stayed at Awakenings Ayahuasca for 8 days around New Years 2024-2025.
I’m really glad that I chose this retreat. This is a very small retreat, where I felt like I had a very personalised experience catered directly to what I was looking for. Over the stay, I got to spend a lot of time with the staff, shamans and other guests, and developed very rewarding friendships.
I am not a particularly spiritual person, and was not seeking a spiritual experience. I came primarily for 2 reasons: out of curiosity of how Ayahuasca and San Pedro feel, and to see if there could be any benefit for my mental health as I have had trouble with a mental health condition for quite some time.
In my experience here, the shamans were understanding of where I was coming from. While the medicine very much has a spiritual element to them, they understood that it was not spiritual for me and their advice and interpretations of what I saw were framed in language I could understand.
My package included 3 Ayahuasca ceremonies. For the first ceremony I was the only participant and had a private ceremony with Manuel, who was able to focus entirely on me. I feel like this was a very unique experience and felt really special.
My second ceremony had 5 participants, including me. This was led by Juan with the assistance of Yanina. It was interesting to see how the shamans each had their own style and different ways of doing things.
Each of the ceremonies was followed by a very in-depth integration session the next day with the shaman and the wonderful translator Stefany. After the second ceremony, I decided that I had seen what I came to see and that I didn’t need the third ceremony.
I would also like to shout out Yanina for her incredible patience and kindness during my second ceremony.
The cultural experiences here were also fascinating. I really loved learning from Fernanda and Naomi about the traditional way chocolate is made, and demonstrations by Tiwi of how plants are used to dye hair and paint on skin, and the historical reasons for this.
I’d also just like to acknowledge the food here and the effort that Yanina put in just to accommodate me. She catered to my vegan diet with no fuss at all and all of the food was incredibly delicious and very healthy.
While I came here to experience the Ayahuasca and San Pedro – and I did enjoy that and got a lot out of it – in hindsight I really think that the best part of my time here was the people that I met. These are incredibly generous, kind and patient people who did so much to make this a beautiful and welcoming experience. They opened up their culture and their community to an outsider and stranger, and made me feel at home. Joining in the new year’s celebration with them will be a memory I cherish forever.
I also would just like to mention that I got to see and do many other things here, and I just can’t cover all of it in this review. I also feel like one of the great things about Awakenings Ayahuasca is that everyone who comes here will have a very personalised experience so me going into a lot of detail about my time here may not be helpful. I encourage you to come here and experience it for yourself.
If you are looking for a retreat to experience Ayahuasca then I highly recommend coming to Awakenings Ayahuasca. The experience was great, and the people are amazing. This is a very special place.
paperwork
December 26, 2024 at 9:29 amIt was an excellent experience. They were very caring and friendly people. Estefany did a great job making arrangements for transport to get from Quito to the retreat. …and of course back to Quito after the retreat. Tigui was awesome explaining the ceremony. Shaman Manuel was very friendly and wise. Thank you!
suavemom
December 13, 2024 at 4:30 pmI just returned from 8 days and 7 nights at Awakenings. I had a truly exceptional time. First and most important, I felt so completely safe and taken care of the whole time. I was at this retreat just myself and my grown daughter. Had no idea what to expect, but everyone was so caring and attentive throughout the time there. They helped me know which ceremonies would be a fit for my goals, and every day were there to make sure things went well.
I did three aya ceremonies, one San Pedro, and Rapé. I can’t describe how much insight and value I got from these experiences. It’s now so much more clear than ever why it is critical to be at a retreat with people whose lives have been spent understanding and guiding people through the use of these medicines.
Above and beyond the incredible experiences I had with the medicines, I also had a delightful time on the additional excursions, massages, reiki treatments, and more, and enjoying the food and time with the folks there.
I can’t recommend it highly enough. Without reservation. I, for one, will be back.
peaceb
December 2, 2024 at 2:42 pmI recently had the privilege of attending a transformative retreat with the Tsáchila tribe, and it was an experience that I will cherish forever. From the moment I arrived, I was enveloped in an atmosphere of genuine love, care, and connection with nature that is hard to find in today’s fast-paced world.
The Tsáchila tribe’s holistic approach to healing was unlike anything I had ever encountered. From the very first day, I felt warmly welcomed into the fold, as if I had been a part of their community for years. The tribe members exuded a sense of warmth and compassion that was truly heartwarming. Their sincere dedication to fostering a supportive environment allowed me to open up and embrace the healing journey fully.
Nestled in a breathtakingly beautiful natural setting, the retreat offered a perfect backdrop for introspection and renewal. Surrounded by lush greenery, serene rivers, and waterfalls. I could feel the tranquility seep into my soul. Each day, the pristine nature whispered gentle reminders of the beauty and majesty of the world around us, encouraging a deeper connection to myself and the environment.
The healing rituals and practices led by the Tshilla tribe were the highlight of the retreat. Every session was imbued with profound wisdom and reverence for Pacha Mama.
Jazmin
November 30, 2024 at 5:19 pmI stayed at Awakenings for a week retreat. I participated in 3 ayahuasca ceremonies, temazcal, kambo, bufo, and san pedro ceremonies. The whole family is very loving, they really show how they care about everyone’s individual needs. I felt very safe, loved and cared for during all ceremonies from everyone there. The grounds are beautiful, and very peaceful. There are several areas to hang out and be at peace. They offer individual integration to help understand the teachings you go through with each ceremony. The food was wonderful. I really felt taken care of and I learned a lot about myself. I can’t thank everyone enough for their compassion. Juan, Tiwi, Manuel, Fernanda, Nori, Stephanie, Basili. They all cared for me and listened to me and sat with me during my time with medicine. It was a very healing week. If you are nervous about the medicine this is the place to be, you’ll feel very safe and well cared for here. As a solo female traveler they took care of everything including the ride there and back from the airport. Very grateful for the experience. Thank you for opening your home and hearts to me.