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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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tyler
August 7, 2024 at 2:00 amI stayed at Awakenings for a long time, I wanted to find somewhere authentic, spiritual, safe and as natural as possible, words can’t describe how happy I am that I chose this place.
From the first introduction with Stephanie, her support and interest in my reasons to attend along with her timely response and accommodation set the standard for my trip.
I was picked up directly from my hotel in Quito and driven to the retreat which is about 30-60 minutes away from Santo Domingo city, as soon as I arrived I was taken back by the natural life. The beds were comfy with mosquito nets provided and cabins gave you your own space.
The retreat is run and managed by an indigenous family, each Shaman and family member contributed their own specialties and characters, it felt like a perfect balance of personalities and skills you want to be surrounded by in this environment. The family is kind, considerate and deeply knowledgable about the medicine and healing processes, learning about the Tsachilla and medicine history was so interesting and made you feel even more connected to it. I truly felt they had an intuitive understanding of individual needs, knowing when to push, when to hold back, when to provide more support and when to give you space.
The retreat offers a flexible structure that caters to those seeking an authentic and immersive experience. You get to partake in medicine preparation which helps alleviate concerns of unnatural additives which is very common in other retreats. The land itself is breathtaking, with hundreds of tree species and vibrant life all around.
I did Kambo twice, Ayahausca every couple/few days, San Pedro 5+ times, Mushrooms twice, Rapé, Tamazcal a few times, Cacao ceremonies and each one did not disappoint, each experience was powerful and deeply healing.
I felt safe at all times. I felt free. The experience has profoundly changed my life, and I truly worked through a lot of problems. I am eternally grateful to Stephanie, Juan, Tigui, Fernanda, Janina, Manuel, Nury, Danna, Mathias, Caleb, and the two beautiful dogs. I formed a really special relationship with many people here, including the children but I also watched people come and go and saw lots of different personalities find this place incredible regardless of their interest in forming personal relationships.
Thank you so much for everything, I will be forever grateful for you all allowing me to be part of your family and will 100% be returning. A review cannot do this place justice, it’s something you have to experience for yourself and if you have that calling I can assure you Awakenings will not disappoint.
A big added bonus was making friends along the way. If you can, I’d highly recommend going for 10+ days, that is how you will get the most out of it and fully integrate.
kime01919
July 29, 2024 at 5:21 pm28 (M)
I discovered Awakening Ayahuasca Retreats through the internet and reviews like this one.
First and foremost, before choosing this retreat I had already done a lot of research and talked to other retreats. After talking to Stephanie over the phone I immediately knew this was the retreat for me.
Let me discuss some of the things that were important to me that Awakening Ayahuasca had that others did NOT.
1. Timely and polite customer service. Stephanie made time quickly for me over the phone and answered every question I had very diligently.
2. Ease of access to the retreat. When one gets to Quito, they will send a safe and very affordable driver to come and pick you up.
3. A secure and safe location to do the medicine under supervision. The retreat is located outside of Santo Domingo, Ecuador. The location is safe, quiet and promotes a very spiritual environment to connect with yourself and the medicine. There are shamans as well as medical personnel close by.
4. Authentic and clean medicine. You as the participant make and prepare your own medicine. You know exactly what you are putting into your body.
5. Authentic experience. Everything from the food, living situation as well as the Shamans add to the already deep and powerful experience you’ll have.
6. Small groups. I attended the retreat with 3 other individuals. There were no more than 4 of us total which allowed for a great vibe between the people as well as having space to be in your own world while partaking in the medicine.
Overall would recommend this retreat to anyone who wishes to seek deeper into themselves and unlock their inner-light.
-K
DianaGarcia
July 27, 2024 at 2:52 pmUna experiencia inolvidable. Desde que llegamos nos hicieron sentir como familia. El trato, los cuidados, la comida y los talleres fueron excelentes. Los recomiendo 100%
Ruslan
July 17, 2024 at 1:11 pmAwakenings is truly a wonderful beautiful place with outstanding caring indigenous family running it. We were part of everyday activities of the family, we were fully partaking in cooking the medicine before ceremony, we ate delicious food, indulged in a myriad of other super interesting activities – Temazcal, Cacao preparation from scratch, Kambo, waterfalls, rivers, etc…
Ceremonies were strong and profound. We always felt 1000% safe. Integration sessions were One on One with the Maestro (and an English interpreter since i do not speak much Spanish) and very helpful. Interpreter is part of the family and is an outstanding soul. We will come back to Awakenings soon and miss our new friends very much already!
M
July 16, 2024 at 9:43 amI had a truly unique experience at this retreat. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed and had the opportunity to closely observe and immerse myself in the life of the local community.
One of the key factors that drew me to this retreat was its flexibility with dates, which, after extensive research, I found to be quite rare. During my stay, I realized that choosing this retreat was one of the best decisions I could have made. Additionally, the small group size of just four people was perfect. It allowed us to connect deeply while also providing ample space for individual reflection and solitude when needed.
I particularly appreciated the detailed introduction to the medicinal practices and the comprehensive understanding of the plants involved. Stefany, Manuel, Juan, and Tiwi were incredible sources of information, welcoming all our questions and enriching our learning experience.
The program included a variety of activities, offering us the chance to experience a wide range of practices and understand which worked best for each individual. The diverse selection of medicines was particularly noteworthy, as it allowed us to learn and tailor our experiences to our needs.
As a vegetarian, I found my dietary preferences well accommodated, and I had no difficulties with the meals provided. Fernanda and Janina were great.
What I will cherish most is the warmth and care of the entire family. Everyone was genuinely involved in our experiences, doing their utmost to ensure we left satisfied, happy, and having found what we came for. It was a great place, a great experience,, and wonderful people.