5 Day Ayahuasca Retreat - Quito and Mindo by Alma Healing Center

Name: 5 Day Ayahuasca Retreat - Quito and Mindo by Alma Healing Center
Start: 2024-05-11
End: 2024-05-15
Location: Alma Healing Center
Rating: 5

5.004 reviews

Casita La Victoria, Calle K, Quito, Ecuador

Up to 8 in group

May 11 - 15, 2024

Retreat Highlights

Led by a highly experienced female retreat guide, also a trained therapist
Assisted by kind and open people :)
Day time and night time Ayahuasca ceremonies
Takes place in a beautiful, country side space designed for ceremonies
Sharing circle and songs
Rapé circle prior to ceremony
Temazcal / sweatlodge to detox after first ayahuasca ceremony
Inclusive and safe space -all are welcome! Emphasis on LGBTQ+ friendly
Meals and accommodation (only 1 meal is not covered upon arrival to Mindo)

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Paulina

Sandra

Paulina

This retreat is led by Paulina, an Ecuadorian medicine woman dedicated to supporting others in their healing journey. She has worked with plant medicine for more than 15 years, including ayahuasca, San Pedro (Huachuma), 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 accompaning 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 retreats, Paulina shares with those that wish to experience the heart-opening power of San Pedro and sacred rituals to enhance greater self-awareness and healing. The San Pedro ceremony guide is usually accompanied by 1 or 2 ceremony assistants, depending on retreat group size.

Sandra Elena Pardo ten Zijthoff

Sandra Elena Pardo is a queer Peruvian and Dutch artist that expresses herself through music and clay. Sandra is a vision quester and has been following the plant medicine path for nearly a decade, giving her voice and musical talents as offerings to the Great Spirit.

Details of this retreat

Visit our website and youtube channel to see a video of this retreat: almahealingcenter.com / @almahealingcenter

Join our monthly 5 day ayahuasca retreats in Quito, Ecuador! Find us on Google, "Alma Healing Center"

This 5 day ayahuasca retreat was created to offer a more affordable option to those that don’t have the budget or time to attend longer retreats (11-12 days), particularly EC nationals and residents, though also foreigners.

This retreat is an inclusive and safe space led by female retreat guides, Paulina (25+ years experience and therapist) and Sandra (assisting). Solo female travelers are encouraged to join, as well as people that identify as queer or LGBT+.

This is an opportunity to drink the sacred and healing medicine of ayahuasca to attain greater introspection and to deal with traumas, difficult emotions and decisions you might be facing.

This 5 day plant medicine retreat combines with an initial 2 day retreat. That is, the first two days will take place near Quito with a group of people – the highlight being a night-time ayahuasca ceremony followed by a temazcal from Saturday to Sunday. On Sunday, participants of the 2 day retreat will depart, leaving only the 5-day retreat participants.

On Monday, the 5-day ayahuasca retreat participants will depart the Quito area and travel to Mindo, about a two hours drive from Quito.

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.

Schedule

Day 1
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
3:00am Closing of ceremony, rest
7:00am Temazcal
10:00am Brunch
Rest
7:00pm Dinner

Day 3
8:00am Breakfast
9:00 Drive to Mindo
11:30 Arrive in Mindo
12:00 Lunch (this is the only meal not included in the price)
2-4pm Short hike to waterfall and cable car experience to see impressive views of Mindo
7pm Dinner and Rest

Day 4
8:00am Light breakfast
10:30 - 5pm Ayahuasca Ceremony
7pm Soup for dinner
Rest

Day 5
8:00 am Breakfast
10am Return to Quito (anyone who would like to stay in Mindo to explore more should!)

Note: Schedule is approximate and may change

Getting Here

Alma Healing Center, Casita La Victoria, Calle K, Quito, Ecuador

Directions

The largest nearby airport is Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre. From there you can take a taxi, bus, or we organize transport to the location retreat. Note that transport costs are not included.

Accommodation

During the first night we will be in ceremony so after the ceremony ends (2-3am), participants rest in the same space until 7am when we head into the temazcal. The next day (Sunday), you will spend the night in the ceremony space which we convert into a dorm. There will be a maximum of 8 people here, usually less, so space is not an issue. In Mindo, we have shared rooms 2-3 people per room in a beautiful 3 bedroom house.

Retreat Price

Venue & Amenities

A/C in Rooms

Free Wifi

Spa

Sauna

Pool

Towels

Free Parking

Kitchen

Tour Assistance

Hot Tub

Coffee/Tea

Cafe

Restaurant

Fitness Center

Yoga Studio

Housekeeping

Bicycles For Rent

This 5 Day Ayahuasca Retreat in Ecuador initally takes place at countryside property with a few houses outside of Pintag, about 40 minutes from the center of Quito. The ceremonial space is a beautiful round, brick structure designed for these types of activities and ceremonies.

After 2 nights, the group moves to Mindo (we travel in 2 cars) where we will stay at a lovely house in the forest. There ceremonies take place nearby in nature.

Meals

Menu Types

Vegan

Vegetarian

Pescetarian

Ayurvedic

Includes Meat

Organic

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Nut Free

Home cooked or raw, organic meals ideal for people drinking medicine. Soup following ceremony, we encourage everyone to bring their own snacks too

What's Included

2 Ayahuasca ceremonies (1 nightime, 1 daytime)
Temazcal / sweatlodge to detox after first ayahuasca ceremony
Sharing circle and songs
Rapé circles
Spanish to English interpretation
All meals except 1 lunch upon arrival to Mindo cloudforest
Transportation from Quito to Mindo and back to Quito
Accommodation (shared)

What's Not Included

Transportation to and from your location to retreat starting point
Airfare
Sleeping bags (we have blankets!)

Customer Reviews

5.00 out of 5.0 average rating

Esther • Mar 12, 2024

5.0

Verified

An affordable ayahuasca retreat I would recommend to my closest friends and family

I participated in multiple plant medicine ceremonies with Alma Healing Center including their 5 day ayahuasca retreat (worth it and very fairly priced! Mindo cloudforest is amazing!) as well as a few private ceremonies and a San Pedro ceremony / hike - I could not recommend them more! I was looking for a safe, inclusive and trustworthy place to drink medicine and I found it! I highly recommend them for solo female travelers or people that identify as LGBTQ+. There really aren't many queer ayahuasca retreats or healers out there so I felt very blessed to be in numerous ceremonies led by a female same sex couple. I also plan to participate in a women's healing retreat next year! The medicine was deep and potent, led in a loving, nurturing and compassionate way that truly felt...safe, which is so important considering the vulnerability you experience with the medicine. I could go on and on...thank you Sandra and Paulina, I'm excited to see how your beautiful space progresses.

Alana • Aug 07, 2023

5.0

Verified

Beautiful authentic ceremony

Our Shaman and hosts were very loving and caring and kept us safe! We ate very well, with delicious and fresh homemade vegetarian food and quickly became connected with everyone on our retreat. We came with an open mind and our hosts filled in the rest. You will be in excellent hands on your journey with Paulina and Sandra.

Anonymous • Apr 10, 2023

5.0

Verified

Lovely people who genuinely take care of you

Would 10/10 recommend to attend the retreat where Sandra and Pauli take genuine care of you. Safe space where I felt at ease all the time. Perfect location nearby Quito in very green surroundings. Music, atmosphere and trust made it an incredible experience thanks to Alma healing.

Miriam • Apr 05, 2023

5.0

Verified

Wonderful experience!

Wonderful experience! Difficult to sum up in a few words. 10/10
I had no idea how to find ayahuasca, I just knew that it was something I was interested in while travelling Ecuador. I looked online and found this retreat to be the most affordable option. However, what made me choose it was the lack of commodification or commercialization characterised by other retreats. For example, they did not put indigenous people on display as part of the experience. It was low key and truly focused on the medicine of ayahuasca.
Our guide, Paulina, was genuine and real. She has worked with the plant for many years and was completely in tune with the participants during the ceremony. Her helpers were lovely, kind people who kept us safe and cared for. They created a beautiful space for us.
The medicine was incredible. Beforehand, Paulina taught some tai chi type exercises which helped me to stay present and focused. Although the retreat was located in the mountains just outside of the city, it did not stop the rainforest from being part the ceremony. The noises of dogs and cars became irrelevant. Visions of the rainforest were forthcoming. I enjoyed my experience fully, the bliss and beautiful visions, and the suffering and the purge. The sweat lodge the morning after was very good, it was hot and they sang many songs.
The only thing I would suggest is personal space during the ceremony. Most participants sat three to a mattress, which I thought was a little cramped. I don't know if this is customary? I would have preferred to have more space, such as my own cushion to sit on, especially when doing something like drinking ayahuasca for the first time.

5 Day Ayahuasca Retreat - Quito and Mindo by Alma Healing Center

Retreat Highlights

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Paulina

Sandra Elena Pardo ten Zijthoff

Details of this retreat

Schedule

Getting Here

Directions

Accommodation

Venue & Amenities

Meals

Menu Types

What's Included

What's Not Included

Customer Reviews

Esther • Mar 12, 2024

An affordable ayahuasca retreat I would recommend to my closest friends and family

Alana • Aug 07, 2023

Beautiful authentic ceremony

Anonymous • Apr 10, 2023

Lovely people who genuinely take care of you

Miriam • Apr 05, 2023

Wonderful experience!

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