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 (129)

• 
  Jgore94

  December 31, 2025 at 8:34 pm

  This is the place, stop the search. Congratulations, you found it. Lucky duck.

  My 8 days at Awakenings Retreat was one of the most profound experiences I have had the blessing of partaking in, and I sincerely believe that it is because of the way that the Calazacón family have created this beautiful place and shared it with the world. Note: I am not particularly spiritual.

  Why? Where to begin?
  The key for me was 3 things:
  1. All of the family at Awakenings are loving, genuine people that put sincere attention and care into their work with the medicines. The shamans do so in their traditional way, and it is not a commercial or modernized experience altered for westerners. It is not a product.
  2. Their retreat space on Tsáchila land is beautiful and peaceful. I felt like home very quickly. In fact it is their home and as a guest, your home too. In being there for only several hours I felt a special energy, openess and connection – and I am personally not very in tune with energies and such. I believe this was very important to prepare the mind and soul for the medicines.
  3. There were few people participating in the ceremonies. I spent 8 days and there were max 5 guests at a time. For me in retrospect, a hugely valuable aspect of this retreat. The shaman can share his healing work and time with you effectively, and you can get to know each other better.

  And yes, the food was amazing, people friendly, amenities good, everything else was great too!

  Thank you deeply Juan, Tiwi, Manuel, Stefanine, Yanina, Fernanda, Nury for your wonderful hospitality and meaningful work.
  Until next time. Duhe jo-o

  
• 
  Daniela Kroulíková

  December 28, 2025 at 12:05 am

  We have spent only 2 nights at this amazing place and I only wish it was way longer. The people working there, the Shamans, the owners are just amazing people and you feel welcomed first thing first. This place feels very safe and comfortable to open your heart and heal yourself. I did ayahuasca twice, each of the ceremony was different and special unforgettable itself. I will definitely come back. Thank you for everything!

  Note: This review was edited for over capitalization but has otherwise been left in its original form.

  
• 
  dalia

  December 14, 2025 at 4:33 pm

  I spent three nights at the retreat and i’m deeply thankful for this time. The people are were incrediply kind and I learnt a lot from them. It was beautiful to see how they protect their traditions and pass them on to the next generation. Their knowledge is unique and deeply important, and has the potential to help many people. My two ayahuasca ceremonies were truly magical, more than I could wish for. I feel deeply blessed and thankful for that the Tsáchila shared their wisdom with me.

• 
  fromtheholyland

  December 10, 2025 at 2:46 pm

  An amazing place for introduction to the plants path as well as deep advanced work!

  We were in the retreat in August-Spetember for a dreamy 14 days.
  Being received well and treated like family is an understatement.
  the huts are well and truly comfortable and the facilities are fully supportive of a wholesome and tranquil experience. Around the retreat nature flows and surrounded us like crazy.

  The medicine ceremonies were powerful and life changing. Mother ayahuasca was presented masterfully and gently by Manuel and we were allowed to deepen our work and have deep experiences in further ceremonies with Juan and Yanina. The medicine connected us to worlds of insight and powerful cleansings of personal demons. The music with unique hand crafted instruments was amazing and enveloped us in the perfect background for our journeys.
  Wachuma was a strong and awe inspiring ceremony, Sweating (with beautiful flower baths and music) and Kambo with Tiwi and Manuel were perfect holistic moments, and working with Raw Cacao with Fernanda and Yanina was enjoying and tasty beyond belief.
  Mushroom journey to the river took us to the most magical spot near the river and was an absolute joy. And Buffo ceremonies with Henry were amazingly deep and beautiful.

  Food cooked by Andrea, who is the sweetest woman, was nourishing and perfectly planned around our schedule of intense work, and every little need was taken care of with regards to allergies and special request. Her traditional Fish dish was extraordinarily delicious, and we had it on our way back from the amazing cascada (waterfall) trip.

  The personal touch given to every event, taking care of integration, personal treatment and communication is a solid must for such a serious undertaking and the family provide a perfect relaxing and supportive environment for deep work, as well as soft introduction for those who seek it. Everyone provides from their knowledge with generosity of heart and spirit, bringing their traditions and cultural knowledge to life and making available for seekers.

  I can truly recommend it with a heart full of the love, knowledge and healing we got there.

  
• 
  John

  November 25, 2025 at 5:25 pm

  I spent two nights at Awakenings Retreat and completed both Ayahuasca and San Pedro ceremonies. I could not have asked for a better experience. From the very beginning, Stephanie was exceptionally helpful in arranging everything and providing all the information I needed to prepare properly before arriving.

  The retreat itself is set in a beautiful location within the Tsáchila community. It’s peaceful and quiet, yet surrounded by the families who live there, so it never feels like a tourist-oriented setup. The rooms are lovely, and Stephanie makes sure you have everything you need throughout your stay. Everyone in the community that I interacted with were among the kindness people I had encountered on my South America trip.

  One of the most meaningful aspects of choosing a retreat that is owned and operated by an Indigenous community is the opportunity to learn directly from Shamans who share their culture and generations of knowledge about the medicine and ceremonies. The structure of the retreat doesn’t rely on large group bookings, which allows for an incredibly attentive and flexible experience that adapts to your own needs and schedule.

  I developed a much deeper appreciation for the importance of “set and setting” when working with these medicines. Before arriving, I wasn’t sure what to expect for my first experience, but looking back, I don’t think I would have had the same comfort in a large group or without the grounding of true Indigenous ceremony and education. I’m sure you can find these medicines cheaper somewhere else, but there is no way that cheaper is the better option in this instance.

  All the food was fantastic and carefully curated to what was needed. While I was so content with 2 nights, there are so many options to both explore other medicines and do other activities. In hindsight I would have allowed more time.

  Finally, the Shaman, Juan, put remarkable care into my integration and offered profound guidance. I’m still amazed by how much he understood about me purely from observing how I interacted with both medicines.

  I’ve already been recommending this retreat to friends and family and fully intend to return when I can.