Note: We have two locations: Pintag (near Quito) and Mindo cloudforest.

Are you seeking to reconnect with your origin, with gratitude and compassion? Do you seek profound and yet simple truths that will guide your life and empower you to make important decisions? We invite you to join one of our ayahuasca retreats in Ecuador.

Alma Healing Center

Alma Healing Center is a place for you to safely explore, heal and grow with the use of ancestral medicine. Our retreats are small and authentic; we do not run a large operation – expect real, new friendships after your time with us.

We are a women-run retreat center and ceremonies are led by Paulina, an Ecuadorian medicine woman dedicated to supporting others in their healing journey with 25 years of experience in the medicine path. Her partner, Sandra, manages the logistics and provides assistance during retreats/ceremonies as well as music and translation. During some of the retreats, we are also joined by a Shuar grandmother, Rosa, and medicine woman Shiram Ucucuy, among other individuals in the medicine path.

While our ceremonies and rituals are rooted in Amazonian (Shuar), Andean, and, at times, Meso-American traditions (temazcal, teepee), what sets us apart is our integration of non-traditional approaches and perspectives when working with these sacred and potent medicines. We are a 100% inclusive space (as long as you pass our health screening for your own safety 🙂 and we firmly believe in the power of master plants, as well as other healing arts and creative practices that promote wellness, coping and personal change.

Apart from Ayahuasca, we also work with San Pedro (Huachuma), Hape/Rapé and Peyote. We currently have two retreat spaces, one near Quito in the town of Pintag (50 mins drive from Quito center, 40 mins from the airport) and another in Mindo cloudforest, about 2.5 hours drive from Quito.

What We Offer – Our Retreats and Ceremonies

In Pintag (near Quito) and Mindo, you’ll find a number of retreat offerings.

Monthly, we offer:

• A short, weekend ayahuasca retreat (2 day retreat) near Quito in the town of Pintag (about 50 minutes drive from Quito). These include 1 night of ceremony followed by a temazcal/sweatlodge in the morning, among other things (meals, group activity).
• A 5 day ayahuasca retreat that begins on the same day as the weekend retreat and extends for another 3 days. This retreat includes 2 ayahuasca ceremonies, the first one takes place near Quito (Pintag) during the night and then we travel together to Mindo cloudforest for the second ceremony, which takes place during the day. The 5 day retreat is a favorite, it’s a wonderful way to get to know eachother, we stay in a lovely house in Pintag and Mindo and because you drink twice, you are able to enter and work more deeply with the sacred medicine of ayahuasca.Also, drinking ayahuasca during the day in the cloudforest is a beautiful, heart-opening experience.

Annually (sometimes 2x per year), we offer: 

• 7 Day Women’s Healing Retreats: These all-inclusive weeklong women’s retreats are set in the Mindo cloudforest and involve other healers from around the world that come to share their medicine in ceremonies and/or workshops. All women (self-identifying!) join us, detox, forest bathe, participate in plants medicine ceremonies like Ayahuasca, San Pedro and Peyote (sometimes other medicines like Yopo) and receive the perspective they might be seeking in their lives.
• Ayahuasca Retreats for LGBTQ+ people: Most of our retreats are led by a same-sex couple and we encourage members of the LGBTQIA+ population to join us. This is a safe space for you to work through trauma and be vulnerable.
• Art and Psychedelics Retreats: A few times a year, we organize retreats that combine art and psychedelics (mushrooms, ayahuasca, San Pedro). Recognized artists are invited to share their techniques and approach to creativity and this is complemented by plant medicine ceremonies that allow participants to open and access states of consciousness to explore their own creativity (and then apply ideas and inspiration during the art workshops!).

In addition to the above, we offer private ayahuasca ceremonies, San Pedro hike experiences near Quito and private or group mushrooms ceremonies. Prices vary but normally range from $350 pp (1 person); $250 pp (2-4 people); $150 (4+ people).

Where We Work – Location

We work near Quito in a town called Pintag and also in Mindo cloudforest, about 2-2.5 hrs drive from Quito.

In Pintag, we offer a ceremonial space in the countryside, about 40-50 minutes drive from Quito. Guests stay at a nearby, beautiful house during the 5 day retreats.

In Mindo, we us another beautiful space in nature.

We sometimes travel to provide ceremonies to groups in other sections of Ecuador and internationally, however costs vary for these types of private ayahuasca retreats and ceremonies. Please get in touch if you’re interested in this option.

Why Book With Us? – Reasons why you would choose Alma Healing Center:

1. We prioritize intimacy, allowing ample time for interaction and healing with our team of healers. Note that you will have more time to share and reflect during our 5 day ayahuasca retreats and out 7 day women’s plant medicine retreats.
2. We prepare the medicine ourselves, with our own hands, knowing exactly what it contains and how to properly dose individuals
3. We are an inclusive space and invite minorities and people that identify as LGBTQ+ (come as a couple!)
4.  As a women-led organization, we understand the safety concerns that women may face when traveling in Latin America. Rest assured, your safety is our utmost priority
5. On our 5+ day retreats, you will embark on a transformative journey from Pintag to the breathtaking Mindo cloud forest, exploring the beauty of our country alongside a close-knit group
6. Our retreats are designed to be accessible and fair: our 2-day retreats cost $200 per person, while our 5-day Ayahuasca retreats are priced at $700 per person (all-inclusive). We offer discounts for Ecuadorians and residents, firmly believing that financial limitations should never hinder individuals from accessing these healing medicines in a secure and responsible environment, especially in their own country.
7. Our ceremonies and retreats are conveniently located near Quito and the Quito airport, ensuring ease of access with a 40-50 minute drive or Uber ride.

Sample Ayahuasca Retreat Schedule

5 day ayahuasca retreat schedule

Day 1 (same as Day 1 of 2 day ayahuasca retreat)

2:30pm Light lunch, introductions, Q&A
3:00pm Sharing circle and songs, often combined with yoga, bodywork, or meditation)
6:00pm Rapé circle (tobacco snuff)
8:00pm Ayahuasca ceremony

Day 2 – (same as Day 2 of 2 day ayahuasca retreat)

3:00am Closing of ceremony, rest
7:00am Temazcal
10:00am Brunch, reflections
Rest until the next day

Day 3
8/9:00 am Breakfast
10:00 am Drive to Mindo (2 hours away driving)
1:00 pm Once in Mindo, hike to waterfalls, lunch, dinner and  rest and relax before next day ceremony.

Day 4
8:00 am Light breakfast
10:30am – 5/6:00 pm Day time Ayahuasca ceremony
7:00 pm Soup and grounding together
Spend the night in Mindo

Day 5

8:00 am Breakfast
10:00 am Travel back to Quito (or you can stay in Mindo for longer to explore the area e.g. butterfly pavilion, horseback riding, river, ziplining)

Ayahuasca Retreats for LGBTIA+

Most of our retreats are led by a same-sex couple and we encourage members of the LGBTQIA+ population to join us. This is a safe space for you to work through trauma and be vulnerable.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of homophobic and conservative thinking in medicine circles, whether traditional or not. This is something we have experienced first hand in a few ceremony spaces which is why we emphasize inclusion so much in our own retreats. As long as you can safely consume ayahuasca, you are welcome here. However, we expect all participants to come with an open mind and an open heart.

Ayahuasca Retreats for solo female travelers

As a women-led retreat space, we invite female pairs and travelers to join us and assure that you will be safe with us. Plant medicines can put us in very vulnerable places, emotionally, physically, energetically. During our ceremonies, we are watching over you and require participants to keep to themselves. We also expect participants to follow our guidelines so we can watch over them (no walking off in the middle of the ceremony, stay with us in the space).

During our 5 day retreats, apart from how you arrive to the retreat on Day 1, you will be with us, including when we travel to the beautiful Mindo cloudforest. This retreat is a safe way to explore Ecuador.

Looking forward to sharing with you all,

-the Alma team

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