A lot of people get in touch with us at almahealingcenter.com because we offer a relatively cheap ayahuasca retreat i.e. our 2 day Ayahuasca retreats near Quito ($200 pp) and our 5 day retreats ($700).
We initially began offering these retreats, especially the 2 day one, to provide a more affordable option to local residents/Ecuadorians that wish to experience ayahuasca and don’t have the time or money to travel to the Amazon.
In the end, we get more foreign visitors to these retreats because there seems to be greater demand among this group and it’s likely that the price is still too high for the local population (we now offer locals/residents a discount).
What makes an ayahuasca retreat cheap?
If we are strictly discussing pricing, most ayahuasca or plant medicine retreats in Ecuador are considered cheap compared to retreats in Europe, the United States and Costa Rica.
Here’s a table comparing average 10-day ayahuasca retreat prices across several regions and countries that are popular destinations for such retreats.
| Location | Average cost for a 10-day retreat (per person) |
|---|---|
| Ecuador | $1,200 |
| Colombia | $1,500 |
| Peru | $2,000 |
| US | $2,500 |
| Europe | $3,000 |
| Costa Rica | $3,000 |
Does cheap mean low quality?
Since you can expect ayahuasca retreats to be cheaper in countries like Ecuador, Peru and Colombia, you should not conclude that cheap = low quality.
Even in Europe, I know of very affordable (not sure they would qualify as cheap, though) ceremonies that are high quality – the healers simply don’t believe in charging high fees / are less money-oriented.
That said, there are many low quality and downright dangerous retreats and so-called healers, and I’d like to share a few tips on how to spot them.
How to spot a low-quality ayahuasca retreat:
- They don’t have any testimonials at all, anywhere. Video testimonials are always best (though they can be tricky to get, even for us!)
- They do not filter applications by requesting a health questionnaire and release form. (If they are not asking for health details, they don’t think this is important and that’s a bad sign. There can be complications when combining ayahuasca with certain medication or mental health issues.)
- They don’t answer your questions in detail (never a good sign – client service may not be top notch, especially in Latin America, but questions should at least be answered).
- They don’t provide detox diet tips or recommendations. Though degrees of strictness may vary, some type of detox is always recommended.
Reasons why an ayahuasca retreat may be cheap (though not low quality).
- Group size – When group sizes are limited to only, say, 4 people, you can expect the price to increase per person. At our 2 day ayahuasca retreats near Quito, Ecuador, we allow for a maximum of 15 participants, not including ceremony guides/assistants. We also offer private ayahuasca ceremonies or smaller group sizes for, you guessed it, a higher rate (around $250pp).
- Not all-inclusive – When airport shuttle and transport services are not included, or accommodation, prices can drop significantly. Our ayahuasca ceremonies near Quito are usually overnight or daytime ceremonies, so no accommodation is necessary. During the night ceremony, we close the ceremony at around 3 am and everyone simply rests where they are until 7am when we either go into the temazcal or share tea and fruit. Otherwise we would need to provide accommodation for 15+ people!
- Small-scale operation – More overhead means more costs, so when a retreat center needs to pay multiple salaries, marketing, maintenance…prices go up. At our “cheap” retreats near Quito, we have our own space that does not require much maintenance and we are a small team.
- Luxury – There are quite a number of luxury ayahuasca retreats nowadays, though the original way of experiencing ayahuasca is on the dirt floor of a ceremony space (maloka) in the Amazon. Some places will offer individual beds to each participant in the ceremony, we like to get a bit cozier, both in the ceremony and in the temazcal. Though ayahuasca is a personal experience, those that sit in your circle are part of your journey. Their energy, their processes…real medicine comes when we can be vulnerable, drop our guard and let go of control. The accomplishment is greater when you can achieve this among others that are on the same spaceship – if you know what I mean 🙂 This is a controversial topic, so I will leave it there for now.
Alma Healing Center – high quality, authentic and affordable.
Many of the people that come to our retreats say the same thing: “This was a truly genuine experience” – and we love this.
Especially during our 5 day retreats, we get to know people at a much more intimate level and accompany them as they delve deeper into the medicine.
As I mentioned earlier, we are a small operation. During the 2 and 5 day retreats it’s usually just me (Sandra – translator, musician, go-to person) and my partner, Paulina, who has over 20 years serving medicine.
We give it our all during those 5 days, energy we can only muster up 1x a month, and try to keep things affordable.
We strive to provide exceptional value, a safe place (especially for minorities, women and members of the lgbtq+ community) and careful accompaniment at an affordable price, so that more people can benefit from the healing and transformational power of Ayahuasca.
More questions about our retreats or ayahuasca in general? Feel free to send us an email.
