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.

 

Reviews (140)

• 
  John Applesauce

  August 12, 2026 at 8:59 pm

  This retreat was everything I could have asked for and more! All of the staff are great at what they do, especially the shamans during different ceremonies. As somebody with no experience I felt very comfortable in their hands and they took great care of us. They are clearly lifelong experts in their craft and I learned so much from each of them! The location is great, immersed in nature but close enough to the city you can take a taxi to get something if needed. The food was nourishing and delicious and the accommodations were clean and comfortable. The retreat area is absolutely beautiful, with nature all around and lots to see and do on the grounds. I would highly recommend extending your stay and trying the variety of activities and medicines they offer, we stayed for seven days and every day was something exciting and meaningful. This family-run operation truly delivers on the comfort, safety, and expertise needed for a positive experience with the medicines. I traveled from California and it was well worth the journey to get the experience, tradition, and cultural context that is so critical!

  During our stay we did 3x ayahuasca, San Pedro, kambo, sananga, reiki, and temezcal. I talked to the staff about some prior medical concerns and they were very knowledgeable, much more so than other practitioners I talked to and there were absolutely no issues during my stay. The sananga (eye drops) was a little intense for me but the shaman was very helpful for me in getting through it and still made it a good experience! I am not the type to try this stuff on my own, never done any psychedelics or anything but felt totally comfortable with the shamans guiding us – couldn’t have asked for a better first experience. Even if the visions were “challenging” the integration with the shamans was very illuminating in processing the experience. You definitely want to do the medicines with experienced and knowledgeable leaders, and these people are the real deal.

  Other activities were making chocolate, coffee, Tsáchila culture and history, hiking, beading, swimming in the pool, and relaxing around the retreat. These activities were great counter balances to the ceremonies, and I loved learning about the culture and history of the medicine and the people who carry them. Learning about and doing the medicines in the original cultural context is so powerful, I would not want to do it any other way. The balance of down time and activities was great, and all of the staff were so kind and delightful company. Planning was super easy, and they are very responsive and flexible with your situation and goals!

  This retreat is so great because they are family-based culture bearers who have the expertise, experience, and context to do the medicines in the best way. The ceremonies were intimate and powerful, but the wrap-around vacation experience made it even better. I am so grateful to Juan, Manuel, Tiwi, Yanina, and Stefany for their care and welcoming, and I would go back in a heartbeat. Experience of a lifetime, all around!

• 
  Bridgette G

  July 19, 2026 at 10:37 am

  The kindest group of people I’ve ever met. They took us in and shared their culture, customs, plants, and knowledge with an open heart and I could not be any more grateful for the time I spent with this family. If you’re thinking of experiencing ayahuasca, this is exactly the environment you want to do it in. With the people that hold this ancestral knowledge and want to share it with you.

  The medicine I took: Kambo, ayahuasca, san pedro, temazcal, sananga, reiki. All were administered with the utmost care and safety. Some, you even got to help prepare as well! The integration sessions were so so so helpful, without them, I think the entire experience could have been disorientating and potentially scary. Juan, Manuel and Tiwi, all experts in different ways, really took the time to help you make sense of the medicine and what you experienced. I’m so grateful.

  The food: Absolutely delicious. Yanina was an absolute delight, and you could tell she cooks with the most important ingredient, love, hahaha. We got to try so many new plants and fruits, and were always happy to have a seat at her table.

  The lodging: Love a good glamping! Comfortable beds, clean, spacious. Someone in our group was having an issue with her room, and they resolved it to make sure she was comfortable! A huge frog snuck into my restroom and Manuel came with a broom and a bucket to save the night haha!

  The organization: Shoutout to Stephanie! We kept changing plans every other day and she was always there to pivot and make things work!

  The environment: So peaceful. Wildlife galore. Huge trees, plenty of hammocks, lovely river. Even a pool! Truly a place for relaxation.

  Overall, this was the experience of a lifetime and I could not recommend it enough. It’s a treasure to understand myself better, and an even bigger treasure to know that this lovely Tsáchila family is open to having me should the plant ever call me back for another round (:

• 
  Paul Cheng

  July 16, 2026 at 11:12 am

  Spent five days at the retreat and reconnected with myself and with nature. The setting is beautiful — tranquil and warm. Juan, Stephanie, Tiwi, and Manuel were incredibly welcoming and took wonderful care of us. They poured their hearts into making our time there joyful, and it showed in every detail. Go for it — you won’t regret it.

• 
  James Pritchard

  July 12, 2026 at 6:26 pm

  I cannot recommend Ayahuasca Awakenings highly enough.

  I attended the 7-night retreat, which included three ayahuasca ceremonies and one San Pedro ceremony, and from the moment I arrived I knew I had chosen the right place.

  Like many people, I was understandably anxious before attending. Ayahuasca is not something to be taken lightly, and I spent a long time researching retreats to ensure I found somewhere that genuinely prioritised safety, authenticity and respect for the medicine. As soon as I stepped onto the property, those concerns disappeared. There was an immediate sense of calm and trust that allowed me to relax into the experience.

  Juan and Manuel are exceptional shamans. Their depth of knowledge, genuine care, music and the way they guide each ceremony create an environment where you feel completely supported. They never force the experience or make it feel scripted—they simply hold the space with authenticity, compassion and deep respect for the traditions of the medicine.

  What impressed me most was how safe I felt throughout every ceremony. The medicine can be incredibly intense at times, but I never once felt alone. The shamans were always attentive, respectful and available whenever anyone needed assistance. Knowing they were there allowed me to fully surrender to the experience, which ultimately enabled me to receive far more from the ceremonies than I otherwise could have.

  One aspect that really sets Ayahuasca Awakenings apart is the intimate nature of the retreat. They intentionally keep the groups small, which creates a far more personal and supportive environment than many larger retreats. The one-on-one integration sessions after each ceremony were invaluable. They helped ground the lessons and insights from the medicine into practical understanding, making it much easier to begin integrating the experience into everyday life.

  The accommodation is simple, clean and has everything you need. The food was fresh, nutritious and unprocessed—exactly what your body needs during this kind of work. Every part of the retreat felt thoughtfully designed to support the healing process without unnecessary distractions.

  Something I also deeply appreciated was that the team lives on site. This isn’t simply a business or a retreat that runs occasionally—this is their way of life. You can genuinely feel the care, integrity and passion they bring to every aspect of the experience. They welcome you into their home and culture with open arms, and that authenticity is something that is difficult to put into words.

  My experience was profoundly positive from beginning to end. While the medicine itself was incredibly meaningful, it was the environment that Juan, Manuel and the entire team created that made it possible for me to fully trust the process. I will always be grateful for the care they showed, the guidance they provided and the space they held throughout my journey.

  If you’re considering an ayahuasca retreat and are looking for somewhere that places genuine emphasis on safety, authenticity, small groups and personalised integration, I wholeheartedly recommend Ayahuasca Awakenings. I hope to return one day, and I’ll always be thankful for the experience they gave me.

• 
  Michael Sawa

  July 1, 2026 at 10:35 am

  Words cannot describe my experience at Awakenings Ayahuasca Retreat Center in Santo Domingo Ecuador. The Tsachila Tribe welcomed me into their family like one of their own. This truly was one of the most profound experience’s of my life and I am forever grateful! They have this place down to a true-science and our experts of their craft. Some of the most kind hearted genuine people I have ever encountered. I felt safe and secure the entire time I was here. The grounds were miraculously kept well and clean. Trust the process and every day will become more clear why you embarked on this journey. The ceremonies were held with such professionalism I was truly in awe. Every moment, minute, day spent there was meant to happen the way it did. I was solo most of my time spent here and it was very good for me to clear my head. The whole week here was leading up to my birthday and the celebration they held for me was so beautiful it touched my heart in so many ways. Huge shout out to Stephanie, Juan, Manuel, Tiwi, Sayama, Jonathan, Yanina, Fernanda herself, her children and mother I love you guys… you are my second family/ home away from home! When the medicine is calling to me again I know I will never entertain another place to go. Cant wait till we all cross paths again in the future. A huge thank you once again! Much Love — Mike