4 Day Ayahuasca Retreats 2025
or simply email [email protected]
Location: Departing from the Quito area (Tumbaco), retreat in Mindo cloudforest (40 min drive from Mindo town).
Price: $700 per person shared accommodation
Retreat guides: Paulina and Sandra
Price Includes: transport to Mindo (read details below), meals, accommodation, ceremonies & accompaniment
Weather: Tropical cloudforest, can get chilly when it rains and at night. Packing list provided below.
General information about 4 day ayahuasca retreat in Mindo cloudforest
This 4 day ayahuasca retreat takes place on an off-grid wilderness compound deep in the cloudforest and is a unique opportunity to connect with grandmother medicine during a day time and night time ceremony. The environment is pristine and idea for nature-lovers and those that aren’t afraid of a little adventure! The retreat is led by Paulina, a medicine woman and therapist with over 25 years of experience, and Sandra, her partner and assistant, also an experienced retreat facilitator. Read more about them below.
This retreat is for those of you looking for healthy and transformative experiences with plant medicine and the opportunity to learn more about yourself, find clarity in your purpose and work decisions, reconnect with your essence and feel connections with the divine, however you might define that.
The price of this 4 day ayahuasca retreat ($700 per person) includes:
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 2 ayahuasca ceremonies (1 night time, 1 day time)
- Rapé/Hape circles before ceremonies
- Group activity (meditation/body work) on Day 2 before ceremony
- Hike to waterfall and swims in a pristine river
- Transport TO Mindo and retreat space and back to North Quito (Mitad del Mundo – we don’t drive into Quito itself) or Tumbaco/Cumbaya, if you are returning with us. If you are not returning with us on Day 4, you will need to cover your own transport.
What is NOT INCLUDED:
- If you are not returning with us on the last day of the retreat, we do not cover transportation.
- Airport transfer to your hotel/s before and after retreat (though we are happy to coordinate these for you).
- Airfare
Retreat healers / hosts
This retreat is led by Paulina Quilla Pakari -Tsunkinua, an Ecuadorian medicine woman dedicated to supporting others in their healing journey. She has worked with plant medicine for more than 20 years, including ayahuasca, aguacolla (San Pedro), peyote and mushrooms.
She was adopted by the original peoples of Shuar nationality (indigenous tribe in the Amazon); their elders gave her the blessing to continue her calling as a healer. She has also shared with and learned from the Shipibo in Peru and the Piaroa in Venezuela. She is an advocate for feminine collectives, an artist, and investigator of ancestral songs and chants.
Paulina hosts regular women’s retreats in Ecuador and Mexico where ancestral rituals and medicines are used to facilitate deep personal work and transformation. She is the Founder of an international women’s collective, Mujeres de Luna, and is also a trained Gestalt therapist, specialized in accompanying processes in a holistic and integral way.
Finally, she is a leader of the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan, a sun dancer, vision quester, and healer of the Chakana altar, Andean table, and Heart of the Carnation altar from the Andean elders.
During these 4-day ayahuasca retreats, Paulina shares with those that wish to experience the healing power of ayahuasca and sacred rituals to enhance greater self-awareness and healing.
The ayahuasca ceremony guide is usually accompanied by 1 or 2 ceremony assistants, depending on retreat group size.
Our Approach: How we work
Our retreats are guided by a deeply intentional approach that blends plant medicine, therapy, creativity, and connection to nature. We honor ancestral traditions while creating a safe, inclusive space for personal inquiry, healing and transformation.
We believe in conscious dosing, safe spaces, and honoring the traditions of the medicines we use. Whether you’re a first-timer or looking to deepen your practice, our approach prioritizes safety, respect, and personal growth.
Plant medicine isn’t easy. It’s not meant to be. But when held in the right way, it’s profoundly healing. Here’s what you’ll experience with us:
- A gentle start with conscious dosing for first timers.
- Experienced facilitators who accompany you through every part of the journey.
- A mix of ceremony, nature, therapeutic accompaniment, and creative practices to help you integrate.
- A deep connection to nature and community.
And most importantly, you’ll feel safe—safe to let go, to explore, to heal.
4 day ayahuasca retreat schedule
1. Pick up/drop off in Tumbaco/Cumbaya area or the north of Quito by Middle of the World. We do not drive into Quito city itself, however we can help you coordinate safe taxis/cars to take you to/from your hotels if they are not on our route.
2. To get to the retreat space, we must walk 20 minutes along a dirt path. It is not a difficult path, but you must be capable of walking this distance (there is a short, steep section near the end). We normally have horses to help carry packs, but please do not bring a large suitcase. Backpacks or carry-on suitcases are ideal.
| Day 1 | Travel Day |
| 11:00am | Depart Tumbaco/Quito area. Pick up in Tumbaco/Cumbaya area or the north of Quito by Middle of the World (we do not drive into Quito city itself) We can help you coordinate safe taxis/cars to take you to your hotels if they are not on our route. |
| 1:30pm | Arrive in Mindo, Lunch, walk around Mindo |
| 2:30pm | Depart Mindo for retreat space (40 min drive) |
| 3pm | Unpack cars, hike to retreat space (20 minute walk, we usually have horses to help carry things, please do not bring a large suitcase). |
| 3:30pm | Arrive to retreat space, settle in, introductions and orientation |
| 6pm | Light dinner (keep in mind there will be a ceremony the next day, so we won't be eating a full meal) |
| Day 2 | Day-time Ayahuasca Ceremony |
| 8am | Breakfast |
| 9-10am | We encourage you to take advantage of the morning to relax and connect with your breath and body: swim in river, go on hike to waterfall, journal, yoga |
| 11am | Gather at ceremonial space to share intentions and receive explanation of ayahuasca, the process, guidelines. |
| 12pm | Open ceremony with rapeh circle |
| 6pm | Close Ceremony |
| 8pm | Dinner and Rest |
| Day 3 | Rest Day and Night-time Ayahuasca Ceremony |
| 8/9:00 am | Breakfast |
| 5pm - 6pm | Sharing Circle |
| 9am-2pm | Time to hike, go to river, journal, help around the space etc |
| 2pm-3pm | Lunch (if you think you'll need to eat before, we will have fruit or you can also bring snacks). |
| 3pm - 5pm | Nap, rest so that you will be awake during the night! |
| 6pm - 1am | Gather at ceremonial space to open night-time ceremony |
| 1:30am | Eat something light (soup) to hep ground, then go to beds to rest |
| Day 4 | |
| 8:00 am | Breakfast |
| 9am | Close retreat (either as we share breakfast or up in the meditation space). |
| 10am | Pack up and walk out to where cars are parked (20 min hike) |
| 10:30am | Drive out to Mindo, quick bathroom break and onwards to Quito! |
| 1pm | Drop off in the north of Quito by Middle of the World (we do not drive into Quito city itself) or drop off in Tumbaco/Cumbaya area. We can help you coordinate safe taxis/cars to take you to your hotels if they are not on our route. |
Accommodation during the retreat
There are two houses on the property, one guest house and one kitchen/dining + yoga/meditation space.
The guest house is a rustic wooden house and can host 12 people in six separate rooms (~2 per room), shared kitchen and terrace. Each bed has its own mosquito net.
The second house, made of bamboo and wood, is a large, well-illuminated two-story structure. The bottom floor of the house is our dining hall and kitchen while the top floor serves as a space for yoga, meditation, group sharing and workshops.
Retreat location
This retreat location is a 3 hour drive from Quito, another 40 minutes past the town of Mindo. This retreat brings you very close to nature in one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, allowing you to connect with a natural, deep, and rooted experience.
It is set amidst the lush beauty of the cloud forest, a place teeming with life, pure, fresh air and clean water. It is off-grid so there is no internet or cellular data, ensuring a real detox from the modern world. Our facilities are rustic, accommodation is shared (2 per room) and bathrooms are dry toilets.
There is a nearby river where you can bathe, and a hiking path where you can explore the forest for hours, birdwatching, forest-bathing, listening.
The dream for this place was born 15 years ago from the need to create an integral community space, combining healing tools such as art and master plants to enable transformative, therapeutic processes while respecting and conserving the environment in a sustainable way.
The retreat space sits on a 10 hectares (25 acres) property of primary and secondary forest and beside Nuestra Tierra Aldea Creativa, a local nonprofit and sister project. The essence of this space, in general, is meant for community living dynamics such as cleaning shared spaces, gardening, kitchen service, caring for ceremonial areas, carrying firewood, and taking care of grandfather fire.
Photo gallery - 4 Day Ayahuasca Retreat in Ecuador
Reserve by emailing: [email protected]
What to bring to ayahuasca retreat
- Offerings: It is customary to bring a gift to the person that prepares and serves sacred medicine. We would be grateful to receive sage flat cedar, sweetgrass, frankincense resin, good quality essential oils and/or organic tobacco offerings, which are all difficult to get in Ecuador.
- Ideally pack using a backpacking backpack. This is helpful for the hike in and out of the retreat space.
- Sun protection – sunscreen, hat, sunglasses (remember, we are on the equator; the sun is strong!)
- Clothes to hike: loose/breathable, comfortable long sleeve is best. Short sleeves and shorts lead to more bug bites.
- Other changes of clothes comfortable for humid weather, e.g.leggings can be used under shorts or skirts
- Bathing suit and towel (IMPORTANT: We do not carry towels, please bring your own!)
- 1-2 sweaters – evenings and mornings sometimes get chilly
- Waterproof jacket or poncho (cheap poncho can be bought in Mindo)
- Hiking or trekking boots, closed toes, waterproof preferable
- Rubber boots (while it will be the dry season, we recommend that you come with rubber boots, especially for the hike-in. Cheap $6 boots can be bought in Mindo, sometimes we have extras depending on shoe size).
- Socks (these are essential, especially if there are mosquitos)
- Headlamp/flashlight
- Extra battery for phone/camera/headlamp
- Sarong or wrap for entering the sweat lodge (optional; you can also wear shorts and a tank top)
- Flip-flops or sandals to wear when not in hiking boots
- Sugar-free electrolytes
- You may need medication; antihistamines can be useful (you can purchase histacalm in Mindo locally). Remember that all medications should be mentioned in advance.
- Kindle, book and/or journal
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Other toiletries (always prefer natural since everything is released into the earth)
- Phone for pictures
- Bug spray (preferably natural)
- Cash, especially small change (bills above $20 can be difficult to change, though if paying for the retreat we accept $50 and $100 bills.)
- Ear plugs & sleep mask – accommodations are shared
Dietary Guidelines Ayahuasca Retreat
If you’d like to follow a cleansing protocol, here’s what we recommend in general (section 1) and then more specifically leading up to the retreat (section 2):
Section 1: General guidelines
– avoid excessive alcohol and weed (pure CBD is fine)- avoid pork
– eat organic plant-based whole foods as much as possible
– limit refined sugar and flour
– practice intermittent fasting
2-3 week before the ceremony (or more, if you can) reduce and, if possible, completely remove:
- Alcohol
- Cannabis
- Recreational drugs of any kind, especially synthetic DMT or other psychoactive substances
- Avoid opiates and other drugs
- Medications (antibiotics, injections, pills, vitamins, supplements, etc.)
- Avoid drinks with stimulants (such as coffee, black tea, green tea, yerba mate, etc.), chocolate, chili, soft drinks, dairy, fried foods, canned foods, red meat and pork
- Eat as many healthy, fresh, organic greens and fruit as you want!
- Stay well hydrated
- Though it’s quite difficult while traveling through Ecuador, try to reduce onion and garlic consumption as this can decrease the visionary effect of ayahuasca.
Two days before, reduce salt, sugar and spicy foods as much as possible, if not completely. Also avoid fermented foods.
Upcoming dates for 4-day ayahuasca retreat in Quito-Ecuador
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Ceremonies are led by Paulina or Amalia and open with introductions, intentions, guidelines/addressing doubts, and then a prayer for permission and protection. After drinking the first dose, we have about 40 minutes of silence and relaxation, then we begin to play some music and then offer another dose, for those that wish to go deeper. We close the ceremony with a prayer of gratitude to water before heading back to the house to eat and ground together.
There will be specific moments during the ceremony where we will offer more medicine, but you can also come up at any point and ask for more. Just keep in mind that the ceremony guide may ask you to wait (if you recently had some or depending what is occurring in the ceremony at that moment). Please never ask for a double dose; we are conservative and careful with dosing because of 25+ years of experience. This work is meant to be therapeutic and the medicine accumulates in the body in a way that is sometimes counter intuitive.
Please don’t bring your phones to the ceremony, unless it is for a few photos or videos before the ceremony begins, and then turn it off and put it out of reach. We ask that people do not record or take photos during the ceremony itself out of respect for all of those present, often experiencing vulnerable states. While journaling may be tempting, especially in the daytime ceremony, it is best to turn off the more mental and rational side of our brains and simply be present. It is not realistic to capture everything that may go through your mind and body, and that is ok.
The retreat cost of $700 per person includes transportation to the retreat site from Quito/Tumbaco, accommodation, all meals, two ayahuasca ceremonies (one day-time and one night-time), rapé (hapé) circles, a guided hike to a waterfall, and group integration activities. Return transportation from the retreat is also included if you travel back with our group to the north of Quito or Tumbaco/Cumbayá.
We depart from the Quito area (Tumbaco/Cumbayá or near Mitad del Mundo) and drive to Mindo, followed by a 40-minute trip to the retreat space. The final 20 minutes require walking along a dirt path through the forest, so bring a backpack rather than a large suitcase. Horses help carry packs.
You can also meet us in Mindo and join us for the last 40 min drive until we start walking.
Not at all. This retreat welcomes both first-time participants and those with prior experience. We begin with gentle, conscious dosing and provide full guidance and support before, during, and after each ceremony.
If you do have experience with psychedelics, that always helps.
Ceremonies are guided by Paulina Quilla Pakari–Tsunkinua, an Ecuadorian medicine woman with over 25 years of experience working with sacred plants. She is assisted by Sandra, her partner, an experienced retreat facilitator and co-host. Depending on the group size, additional assistants may be present for extra support.
Guests stay in a rustic wooden house with 7 bedrooms (2 people per room – sometimes there’s enough space to have a private room), surrounded by the cloudforest. Each bed equipped with a mosquito net.
As long as you are transparent about substances and/or medications you are on, as well as mental and physical health conditions, and when used in a respectful, traditional, and guided context, ayahuasca can be safe and deeply healing. Our facilitators have decades of experience, and we review every participant’s health background before confirming participation. You’ll be guided through the process safely, both physically and emotionally.
Pack light and bring a backpacking-style bag or small carry on (please no large suitcases) comfortable and breathable clothing, rain gear, hiking shoes or boots, a bathing suit, flashlight or headlamp, towel, toiletries (preferably natural), mosquito repellent, journal, and any personal medicines (declared in advance). A detailed packing list will be provided after registration.
Preparation begins with a cleansing diet and mental focus. Avoid alcohol, cannabis, recreational drugs, pork, dairy, stimulants, and overly processed foods for at least 2–3 weeks beforehand. Practice meditation, stay hydrated, and eat clean, simple foods to align your body and mind for the ceremony.
The retreat takes place in a tropical cloudforest climate, meaning it’s warm and humid during the day but can get cool at night or when it rains. Bring light clothing for the day and a few warm layers for the evening.
Spaces are limited. You can reserve your spot by emailing [email protected] or getting in touch by whatsapp. A deposit or full payment is required to confirm your booking, as we only accept small groups to maintain a safe and intimate retreat experience.
