"Two years ago I did my first dieta (with Ajo Sacha) and in May of last year I joined the Vedic immersion retreat at Sinchi Runa, dieting with Bobinsana. For the Vedic retreat Daru Krishna was also present to give information about each person's astrological chart and he gave great insights about Ayurveda.
I am deeply grateful for Sanango's wisdom, sometimes harsh when needed :), and the rest of the team for always being there if any doubts or questions arise or if you just need a hug or a cry.
The food has always been great! Nourishing and you can feel the care that has been put in to make it.
The location in Lepe is away from any busy areas and is perfect for a silent retreat communicating with nature.
Grateful for the insights gained and all the teachings learned!
With love,
Sheela"
Highly Rated Retreats in Faro District Portugal
/
/
Types of Retreat in Faro District Portugal
Short Retreats in Faro District Portugal
/
/
Upcoming Retreats in Faro District Portugal
/
/
Experiences on Retreat
"I loved the retreat and its concept. The importance given to preparation, the way of eating, silence and introspection set the Sinchi Runa retreat apart from all the others I've been to. I recommend this unique experience to everyone."
"Sinchi Runa is a tranquil, safe, loving environment. A space that just allowed me to just be during my retreats.
Greeted with warmest, welcoming smiles from the team, which instantly helped me feel cared for.
We were all introduced and given an overview of how everything runs, along with the importance of silence, and what silence actually is.
We were assured that the silence doesn't extend to the team if and when needed; I (the group) could talk to Maestro Sanango, Ananda, Madhava or Arjuna.
I found that questions were not only welcomed but encouraged, Maestro Sanango wanted everyone to have as much information as possible on the plants, the process, philosophies, how we're cared for, why the guidelines are there. Everything seems to have a place and a purpose. All this just added to my feeling of safety and care.
The meditations were really very helpful, learning to focus on the breath, everything just seems to be in order to help the participants truly get the most out of their experience and journey.
The ceremonies guided expertly and beautifully by Maestro Sanango, he sings and chants as well as playing solely instrumental music through a speaker, which was all beautiful and purposeful.
The team are professional, experienced, caring, loving and so welcoming.
The site is clean, hygienic and well looked after.
The food is season appropriate and so full of love (i've had retreats both in colder snd warmer months), and as I saw it happily caters to all.
I can't recommend Sinchi Runa more highly from my experience.
So much gratitude and love to all. Thank you so much 🤍"
"'Do something today that your future self will thank you for', sums up this life-affirming experience.
This is the something.
Intense, profound, transformational. If you are reading this, your soul has already chosen, and you must listen.
You will be changed in ways you cannot forsee or describe but your spirit will be eternally joyful for.
Thank you Sinchi Runa x "
"I stayed at Sinchi Runa a year ago for a 10 day retreat, and more recently left after a 3 month deep immersion stay. I don’t know how to sum up all that was learned, understood, let go of, and more, in writing, for fear it being too long and putting you all to sleep!
I would say that since I grew out of being a baby, and could eat and drink by my self, my time at Sinchi Runa was the most vulnerable I’ve been. I’m very thankful to them that it was their care I was vulnerable. I could give so many examples of where I’m thankful that Sanango was ‘taking’ or ‘leading’ (I’m not exactly sure the word for it) the ceremony, but one that springs to mind was in an Ayahuasca ceremony, I was panicking! I asked for help, and Ananda and Sanango came to my aid and helped me process what I was going through. I recall many challenging Kambo ceremonies (In fact I think they all were) but two in particular, in hindsight, I feel blessed that it was Arjuna by my side. Arjuna was a great teacher to me, being in his presence, watching how he interacts with others, and hearing him speak in group sharing taught me a lot, in particular about my pride.
Initially, in my consultations with Sanango and Ananda, I was apprehensive to be open because I was cautious around Ananda, and this is nothing against Ananda, it was a reaction I am learning to step out of. I started to trust Ananda, I tried to leave no stone unturned in these consultations, because it became apparent that it was a privilege to have these two know me, all of me. That they were offering help if I was reaching out for it. I don’t want to portray Sanango as a mythical figure, a guru, or something along those lines, partly because I know he doesn’t want that, but it also doesn’t feel right to me. He is the wisest person I’ve come across. Every time I had the chance to speak to him I felt excited. Through my eyes He is brilliant. It seems to me He knows a lot about Love. I can’t fully express what it meant for me to have Sanango as my teacher, or ‘curandaro’. He is upholding or maintaining great teachings, or spirits, forces, at Sinchi Runa.
Ananda (tough act to follow) was a great teacher to me and I think he had a great understanding of my ‘process’ and what I was going through. I felt loved by Ananda and he too took great care in protecting my process. We also had a few good laughs. I would say the moments of social interaction with everyone at SinchiRuna were lovely.
The food was top notch, Fiona was cooking most of the time whilst I was there, and she is an amazing cook. I noticed how much care was taken in the cooking of the food, and the prep. My portion sizes were always to my desire, and I think I overate most of the time. Fiona was also significant in my journey, she’s great, and so comforting and caring, she made so much effort to protect and care for my ‘Process’. I’m not sure if this is her intention but she really made me feel at home.
I felt the crux of my work was in my ‘Diets’ or ‘Dietas’. Up to now these Dietas have been the most challenging chapters of my life, and without a doubt the most rewarding, if the reward is ‘spiritual growth’ or knowledge of the unconscious, in my case. In the Dietas I developed an understanding around deep questions such as: what is pride, what is humility, what is compassion, what is gratitude, in what conditions do these arise. An understanding of who I am, and why I behave the way I behave. What am I doing in the human experience, and so on, and I really could go on. The diets were the most significant periods of learning in my life, and it was hard earned, it was also a learning of how to come out of suffering, my understanding arose from my coming out of my suffering. And so these diets were a rollercoaster of suffering, enlightenment, more boredom than I knew I could handle. It was very draining, very emotional and very rewarding.
I do not know of any other facility with the depth of wisdom, knowledge, and care as Sinchi Runa, I don’t think places such as Sinchi Runa are easy to come by, and for me it feels it’s a privilege and a great stroke of luck to have come by Sinchi Runa.
"
"What I initially believed to be the most profound experience of my life turned into a nightmare. During my ayahuasca ceremony, I felt an entity enter my body, guiding me through the journey, speaking to me, and revealing things about other dimensions and people—things I could never have known on my own. It even moved my body, a presence so real and insistent that I was certain it was here to help me.
After the ceremony, I told what happened to Sanango and asked him what it was, but he gave no concrete response. The entity returned during the second ceremony, and again, I received no answer when I questioned what it was. Fast forward a week, and I began to realize that the entity had attached itself to me—and it was anything but benevolent. What followed were months of torment. It wasn’t a guide; it was an evil entity that refused to leave. In desperation, I had to involve priests and underwent multiple exorcisms. It was, without a doubt, the most terrifying experience of my life.
Through this ordeal, I learned that astral entities can attach themselves to people during ceremonies if the space is not properly protected or if the practitioner is not clean. This is common knowledge and many people speak about it. I feel compelled to warn others considering Sinchi Runa: On top of this entity attachment, I had no real debriefing after the ceremonies, no proper guidance, and my concerns about an entity entering my body were completely dismissed. I am still baffled by how such a serious issue could be ignored.
--------- Center Response ---------
We appreciate that you have shared your experience, and deeply regret this has been so challenging for you.
It saddens us to see there has been such a radical change of perspective about your experience, considering you seemed to leave the retreat in a very good state, and the glowing praises shared with us here on the platform that the retreat was “the best gift you could have given yourself”.
You unfortunately turned down the continued assistance and online support we offered you when you later contacted us, saying you felt working with exorcisms was more efficient. In our view, as we also suggested to you, solutions such as these that do not depart from a place of understanding related to Master Plants, may reinforce sensations or conclusions that make the experience difficult.
Our offer of support is still available to you, and we hope you’ll reach out to us for assistance. Working with Mikaela (Madhava Priya), with 12 years of experience at Sinchi Runa and specialising in post-ayahuasca and integration, is meant to help participants to observe and better understand the phenomena of the mind in front of the so-called subtle world, and to be able understand how these relate to the underlying causes of our suffering, so that we can make the changes necessary to free ourselves.
During the retreat, you participated in the integration circles after each session and had personal consultations with Master Sanango, who did offer guidance on your situation. At Sinchi Runa, the importance of self-reflection and humility is highly valued, and we invite participants to be measured and discerning of messages or contacts that may arise in the ceremonies, taking with humility and discernment what resonates in your heart, as well as calm in the face of “messages” and the possibility of seeing or feeling “entities”.
The work with Ayahuasca and Master Plants opens our inner world, personality, emotional burdens and the suffering of each individual. Our inner world determines the decoding of the experience. This opening, which is the root of this medicine, is also the opportunity to understand our personal reality, how we are responsible for it and what we need to let go of to change it. That is why we put so much emphasis on silence, humility, observation and equanimity in all our processes with the plants. This was Sanango's suggestion in your process, and it is also what the offer to continue working with Mikaela is all about. We apologise if you felt unheard, what we seek is moderation, groundedness and introspection, and personal reflection and understanding in order to heal and release.
After each ceremony, we have an integration circle to share our individual experiences, where each experience is valued and listened to. Sanango is a Peruvian Maestro with 30 years of experience in the world of healing with Master Plants, and hundreds of healing testimonies that attest to a long and serious work as a true healer, which emphasises humility, silence and purging. Sinchi Runa is an established center, with much emphasis on energetic cleansing and respect for Amazonian and other traditions as Vedic contributions, which allow us to live in purity of heart and energetic security.
We hope you will contact us - we tried to contact you but did not receive a response - and we will be happy to continue working with you to help you unravel and release what is unfolding for you with understanding."
"It’s been a few months since my retreat at Sinchi Runa, and I can confidently say it remains one of the most significant and transformative experiences of my life.
I had been struggling with some deeply rooted emotional challenges for years, and despite various efforts, nothing has come close to the healing I found there. The retreat opened up pathways within myself that I didn’t even know existed, allowing me to finally confront and release traumas that had been holding me back for so long.
One of the key reasons I felt so safe and supported throughout this journey was Maestro Sanango.
His presence is unlike anything I’ve experienced - there’s an innate compassion and depth to him that words can’t really capture. He brings a calm wisdom that makes you feel seen, understood, and held from the start. Whether during ceremonies, integration circles, or personal consultations, his guidance was priceless. My ceremonies were very challenging, and the integration circles were absolutely essential for me - they gave me the space to process, reflect, and ultimately make sense of the intense experiences I had gone through.
After the retreat, I have continued online integration with Madhava Priya, which has been essential in grounding the lessons from the retreat, and ensuring the changes manifested.
The retreat center is beautiful, set in a serene nature environment that feels like a perfect escape from daily chaos. The accommodations are comfortable, and the natural beauty of the place instantly puts you at ease. The team creates a warm and supportive space, making you feel safe to go deep into the work, knowing you're fully cared for at every step.
Overall, I can’t recommend this experience highly enough. It’s not easy work, but if you’re looking for real, lasting transformation, this retreat can truly change your life. It did mine."
"I am beyond grateful to the wonderful team at Sinchi Runa for their amazing work and support through one of the most important moments in my life.
They create and hold such a warm and safe space that allows you to truly work in depth with yourself.
It was for me, a life changer in many ways. The area is beautiful, the accommodation is peaceful and the team is supportive and professional.
They all hold a special place in my heart and my deepest gratitude for an unforgettable experience.
I had never done Ayahuasca before, since I felt I wasn't quite ready yet. I am now glad I did a lot of work before coming which only enhanced my experience. I believe it to be a serious and amazing experience for those who also appreciate and respect the process. Best gift I have given myself.
Thank you Sanango, Fiona, Ajuna & Ananda ❤️🙏🏻
/the girl with the Spirit Animal Cards 🐉
"
"For me this was one of the deepest experiences I ever had at the ceremonies. The location was beautiful, setting was clean and authentic, people working are very professional and respectful. I would have come again, but the experience was too deep to repeat it in a while. "
"I came into this experience trepidatious of my expectations and the experience as a whole. I had learnt about Ayahuasca but I had no experience. Was I going to be okay? Was this place safe? Was I safe? When I arrived, I was immediately taken back by the calm and sweet disposition of everyone that worked there. As I stayed, that initial reaction was grounded in a deep love and admiration for the whole team at Sinchi Runa. If you want to experience Ayahuasca but also are worried about being cared for, understood and truly seen during your stay; you needn't worry. This place is amazing, the people incredible and Sanango is a true master at what he does. Do not put it off any longer. Book, go, experience, connect with yourself and others, open your heart to Ayahuasca and I can promise you that if you decide to go to Sinchi Runa, you will not be disappointed. "
" I did a 7-day silent Ayahuasca with La Purga, Kambo, 2 ayahuasca ceremonies, meditation, drawing of our ayahuasca process, group talks etc.
I felt very drawn to the retreat and booked it without reading much about it.
Didn't read about the silence fx. which was an unpleasant surprise for me at first, but turned out to be the most important factor which connected me deeply to myself.
This retreat is so well made and all of the people behind Sinchi Runa have walked the road and they absolutely practice what they preach with such sincerity, wisdom and so much integrity!
It was also very intense and challenging both physically and mentally, but I was taken such good and kind care of by everyone there and they taught me how to handle my challenges through my breath, simple and gentle.
It's difficult to put this experience into words, cause it's simply just something that needs to be experienced, but I will absolutely promise you that Sinchi Runa is worth all 5 stars and more!
At last the food was amazing and the tents were very nice to!
Wish you a pleasant and transformation journey at Sinchi Runa <3 "
"I have been to many spiritual retreats over the years and also taken part in many different plant medicines.
Sinchi Runa is by far the most professionally run and well thought through retreat I have ever been too. I cannot praise Master Sanango and his team of professionals and experts, Ananda, Arjuna, Fiona, Andrea and Veronika enough. They go above and beyond to create a safe environment so that each individual gets the loving attention and guidance they need. They never shun away from questions and to say they go the last mile is even an understatement!
Everything is explained in a timely fashion, so you have time to surrender to the nature and leave the thinking mind before you start on the IMMENSE inner journey.
This retreat is not to be taken lightly. It's important to be far enough down the spiritual path to surrender before signing up. The preparation sent in advance is exceptionally clear. I listened to all the podcasts that explain in detail how to prepare best. What to eat, how to approach Mama Ayahuasca and what to focus on.
What is not given is a timetable, and there is a very good reason for this. It is not due to secrecy, it is because of the wisdom of 'not knowing'. Depending upon the group and the circumstances, all will take place in due time.
TRUST the process and allow the deeply experienced, gentle and warm team to guide you.
With gratitude and love. "
"My experience at Sinchi Runa has been transformative, and I don’t say that lightly. I came for my first 3 day retreat in September 2023 and I had no idea what to expect (I’ve returned 2 more times, the last being March 2024). I had received very kind communication from Andrea and Ananda prior to arriving (I was on a high dose of medication for ADHD which I had to come off of immediately in order to participate) but nothing could prepare me for the experience of being at Sinchi Runa.
The grounds are gorgeous, no matter the weather, the bell tents you sleep in are exactly what’s needed - clean, comfortable, and beautifully basic. The food is delicious, clearly cooked with love and feels so good for your body. I’m vegan but can’t imagine meat eaters feeling hard done by from the abundance of food.
This is a retreat centre where you can properly do the work. The complete silence (unless in ceremony prep) is scary at first but becomes so welcome and is now one of the things I crave most when I’m back home. If you want to go deep with plant medicine, this is the place to do it. It is a safe, loving environment and structured in such a way that prepares you to surrender and learn. The tobacco purge is as important as the ayahuasca - don’t worry about the throwing up. I promise that in the moment, it really doesn’t matter in the slightest.
The changes that have occurred in myself and my life post-ceremony are without number. It is life-changing, not least because I have been able to stop taking my ADHD medication, and I don’t feel that there is a limit to what these plants can heal for us and help us learn/remember.
Maestro Sanango speaks eloquently on plant medicine, journeys into the self and into the greater oneness. He is a masterful presence and full of light. Ananda is his skilled interpreter and assistant, his presence is calming and peaceful, he is a lovely soul to share the journey with. Arjuna assists in ceremony and is a sweet spirit that offers support to all, as is Fiona, who cooks gorgeously and supports attendees with deeply loving kindness. Andrea helps organise incoming participants with sweetness and patience (lots of patience!).
If you’re looking for an ayahuasca retreat that is safe (I came as a single woman & never felt uncomfortable or at risk), honours the plants, and will help you change/evolve/develop, this is the one. "
"I loved every moment of my seven days spent at Sinchi Runa. It was the biggest breakthrough of my life. Maestro Sanango and the team were special and made me feel safe and right at home. The amount of information I downloaded during the ceremonies was mind boggling. Words, images, symbols, ideas concepts, and most importantly insights into who I am, the real self, not the one that was constructed by all the stories I was meant to believe about myself. And that was exactly what I came for, to re-discover my authentic self, without chains, without trauma, free to be the human that God designed me to be.
Thank you so much <3
- Giovanna"
"If you're reading this review now and feeling on the fence, I feel you. I was on this website myself in February 2024 and thanks to the reviews I've read I went on a retreat this March.
I cannot explain by words how grateful I'm for this opportunity and the experience I had at Sinchi Runa. First of all, the people. I've never felt more safe and protected there than ever before. Ananda, Fiona, Sanangu and everybody else were so welcoming, calm, accepting and at the same time disciplined. You can just look in their eyes full of love and you feel that you're taken care of with respect. I will be forever grateful for the people I've met there.
The retreat was in silence, without phones and it was so amazing to forget about life issues and challenges and simply BE. Sanangu answered all our concerns and questions before the ceremony and I felt prepared and ready. The accommodation was very clean and comfortable.
When I recall what happened with me I just start to cry, cry out of gratefulness for the lessons I’ve learnt and experience I've had.
I recommend it from the bottom of my heart. "
"It`s been ten days since my Ayahuasca experience at Sinchi Runa, my first ever psychedelic experience, and It was without doubt the most profound and beautiful experience of my life that I`ll never forget.
It was the shorter three day retreat with addition Kambo ceremony that I participated in and I can`t thank Sinchi Runa enough for their generosity, kindness, delicious food and sharing of Maestro Sanango`s wisdom and beautiful voice.
My life is already on a new path since the experience.
I`m planning on a longer retreat when the time is right to return.
With my sincerest gratitude to Sinchi Runa.
Joel"
"I completed a 12 day a retreat at Sinchi Runa in September 2023 and the beautiful ripple effects continue to surprise me months after.
As a psychologist, I know the value of working on and with yourself. And eventually you reach a point where talk therapy is not enough. The plant medicines have helped me access deeper (more unreachable) parts of my myself. Furthermore, the entire structure of the retreats at Sinchi Runa (sleeping in 1-man tents, the silence, the diets/food, the ceremonies, the sharing circles, etc.) invite you to dive deep within yourself in a way that is difficult to create in our normal and busy lives.
The people who work at Sinchi Runa are in service to this mission and the love, care and attention that you feel from them is very special. The food is beautiful, living in the tents is so magical and I felt so safe and held.
Any experience that you have while on this retreat (and in each ceremony) is EXACTLY the experience you are meant to have. Because any experience we are having in life, is a reflection of where we are at and what we need to learn. This was such a beautiful (and funny) lesson I got from my retreat that the plants helped me understand (with Maestro Sanango’s support). After truly understanding this, everything started to shift for me.
I am not the same after my experience …. And the transformations and deepening keep coming, months after my retreat ended. I am deeply grateful. Thank you Sinchi Runa!
I hope you also give yourself this beautiful gift and experience. "
"My utmost respect goes to Sanango and the whole team behind Sinchi Runa who make an absolute miracle possible. Both with Ayahuasca and the overall energy within the retreat, which truly is a sacred place, outside of space and time. I came with a lot of doubts and judgments but was brought to my knees by Mama Aya until I admitted my naivety and got then rewarded with her motherly love. There are no words that can do justice to the miracle of Ayahuasca and I am simply grateful that Sinchi Runa is making this divine experience possible. "
"Sinchi Runa is a true healing center that I recommend.
It is authentic and alive.
The spirit of this center is based on respect for the practices and master plants.
The practice of silence allows us to go even deeper into ourselves. It's one of the keys I took lightly before coming, and now I understand its power.
The team at Sanango's side is extremely caring and attentive, giving us all the space we need to heal.
The Ayahuasca ceremony was as intense as anything I'd experienced before, and you can't help but admire the seriousness of curandero Sanango and his incredible involvement here.
I came away feeling uplifted and grown up.
I can only recommend it!
Thank you "
"I attended the 7 day retreat offered in February 2024. I traveled a great distance to attend this retreat, from the midwestern part of the United States. This was my first experience with ayahuasca and I am so glad I followed my intuition. I was strongly drawn to Sinchi Runa and I chose wisely. I was impressed with how professional Sanango and his team were. They all radiate love, kindness and compassion. The group meetings were very educational, enrichening and supportive. Sanango's innate wisdom helped me feel completely safe, prepared and confident under his care. Unfortunately, Sanango became very ill to the extent of having to go to the hospital. We were only able to complete 1 of the 2 ayahuasca ceremonies; however, Sinchi Runa did offer a very reasonable discount for any future retreat and a free 3 day retreat preparation with Kambo and plant medicine ceremonies included. Considering the circumstance this is a very generous offer to be honored. Although it is understandable to experience some disappointment, the overarching lesson the universe offered our group was that of compassion. Compassion for Sanango and his well-being, his team for doing their best to mitigate an unexpected, difficult situation and also for myself to have compassion for a fellow attendee openly upset he did not receive what he paid for. My heart goes out to him and I hope his heart finds the healing and peace it deserves. Realizing I immediately transmuted any negative emotions into compassion was a profound moment of growth for me. The experience at Sinchi Runa vastly opened up my heart, greatly assisted my personal growth and the lessons continue to unravel for me. The universe often disguises lessons very well, the secret is to always be looking for them and stay heart-centered to support personal and spiritual growth.
The actual ayahuasca ceremony was so profound there is no humanly way accurately describe or condense it into words. It was an absolute mind-blowing, powerful, beautiful experience. My mind, body and soul feels reset, like I've been reborn. I am so much more aligned with my true self than I've ever been and I am a better person. What an absolute, priceless blessing to receive. I am grateful for Sanango leading such a powerful ceremony. I have made my career as a therapist and very educated in many healing modalities. I have personally engaged in a multitude of healing modalities over the course of my life: ayahuasca has been the most profound, transformational healing experience I have had thus far.
To anyone considering this retreat, follow your intuition. I will be returning to Sinchi Runa in the future as I am committed to healing as much as I can in this lifetime and I know I am in good hands while there. I send so much love and gratitude out to Sinchi Runa!!! "
"Several things went wrong.
The staff started to get sick on the second day so they cancelled half of the ceremonies we were supposed to do , and they didn’t have any back up plan for this situation.
Also, we were living in tents during the retreat and we got a bedbugs and caterpillar invasion that was very badly handled. We were given creams that don’t work. I had to sleep with my clothes on to avoid getting bitten by the bed bugs . Half of the participants got huge rashes on their bodies, and some got infections from thoses rashes and had to go to the hospital after the retreat.
Regarding food we only got 2 meals a day. One being a oatmeal porridge for breakfast 5 days on the 7 days.
For the price of retreat I felt the food was a bit light but let’s pass on that.
Today it’s been exactly a month we’re fighting to get a reimbursement but they’re just willing to give 30% discount ‘if we want to come back’ which is an absolut joke.
we paid a lot of money for a 7 days retreat. Ended up with less ceremonies than a 3 days retreat , got health issues , and they dont want to reimburse us.
Definitely not the best place for healing.
*original review adjusted slightly to meet Retreat Guru Posting Policy*
---------- Response from Retreat Center ----------
It saddens us to read your review and to know that you had a bad experience with us, though our perspective is quite different from yours and we hope to be able to bring these differences together. We can understand your frustration and have tried to be in touch with you. We just want to make sure you are completely aware of the offer we made, which included reimbursement.
The retreat with ceremonies, group talks, meditations, food & board took place normally until the evening of the 6th day, when Maestro Sanango was hospitalized. We deeply regret not being able to give the final ceremony due to an unforeseeable human circumstance, and not being able to serve you in our fullest capacity. We understand the frustration and effort made to attend, and hence sought to openly repair.
We sadly could not offer the final ceremony - we are a small plant medicine center around one deeply experienced maestro, and do not have a staff of shamans to give ceremonies in case the maestro falls ill. The sacredness for us of the experience with Ayahuasca as well as the specialisation that we feel is needed to safely hold these ceremonies does not allow us, at this moment, to place the students as “shamans” or facilitators, and we feel this would be dangerous and would have put you participants at risk.
Instead we did what we felt was honest and safe for you, as well as seeking to reciprocate the effort and sacrifice made to participate on the retreat, and so offered a discount for a future retreat when the maestro is in better physical condition, or reimbursing part of the cost of the retreat if this did not resonate.
We had an outbreak of seasonal caterpillars (not bedbugs), which are a normal phenomenon for a few weeks a year in the pine forests of southern Europe. They can cause a mild rash or discomfort similar to the mosquito bites you would have in the jungle on a retreat similar to this one. We are sorry to hear that you had to go to the hospital due to a rash infected with this, it sounds like a reaction we have not experienced or heard of before, and to avoid this concern in the future we will plan our retreats outside the time when the caterpillars appear.
We can definitively confirm there are not bed-bugs - we have checked, and we were also not made aware by anyone about this worry during nor after your retreat. We have hosted multiple retreats at our venue since, and no concerns or complaints were raised.
Based on what all the participants shared with us, including you, beautiful and meaningful insights and healing were received. Although unfortunately we had to cancel the final ceremony, we feel that the retreat had many positive aspects, wonderful conclusions in the real and transcendental. We sincerely hope that you can rediscover what you experienced with us and rescue it without letting the experience be tarnished by a human situation, which we cannot control.
Thank you for your understanding and hope you will contact us to close any disagreement.
With warmth and sincerity,
Ananda - Sinchi Runa
"
"Sinchi Runa is a safe sacred space, in which I was given the chance to explore and experience myself beyond the boundaries of self beliefs and unconscious mind. I have never met such kind, humble, caring and loving people, who put themselves wholeheartedly in the service of others. They created and held the space for me to experience my journey and inspired me to trust the process and overcome the challenges that awaited me. I am deeply thankful to the entire team for making possible the most challenging and the most rewarding and healing experience of my life. I honor your profound work and dedication!"
"I am so glad I came to this retreat. It was my first time, I really could have not had the best experience if it wasn’t with the Sinchi Runa family. I came for the 7 day ayahuasca retreat during New Years, every person at Sunchi Runa are the most kindest and humblest people you will meet. I felt very safe, any time I needed support with something - everyone and I mean everyone was always happy to help. My first time working with mother ayahuasca was really a profound experience and I can’t put into words what I experienced- though it was beautiful and I am so grateful. It was not just the ceremonies, it was the cozy and spacious tents we were living in, the homemade food served with love daily, the beautiful and quiet nature around me, it was so therapeutic and relaxing. The feeling that I felt was a different kind of peace of mind and again I’m grateful that I got to experience it.
If you’re someone that is looking to heal or find a deeper meaning to life and within yourself, then I definitely recommend you booking it with Sinchi Runa - you will not be disappointed. Once again, I am super grateful to have met beautiful souls on this trip and I will forever cherish this experience! "
"It’s been over a year since I completed my Dieta at Sinchi Runa, I can truly say with the proper integration process & the support from my Sinchi Runa family that this has been the greatest year of my life.
"
"The Ayahuasca retreat didn't just surpass my expectations. It was on a completely different level altogether. It was the most intense and difficult experience of my life, but I'm sure I'll grow stronger than ever before. The team was outstanding. The attention to detail and their warmth, calmness, and wisdom were exceptional. This is precisely what you need when going on your first Aya journey. It is an incomparable and deeply rumbling experience.
Much love to the whole team!"
"From the moment I arrived at Sinchi Runa I felt so held and cared for. The process that unfolds is so sacred and transformative, it’s truly magnificent. The team are so kind, generous and their work is profound. I hope to be back one day! "
"My experience at Sinchi Runa was truly so magical. The moment you enter you feel so safe and welcomed. They greet you with such a open heart and arms it feels like you have known them your whole life. They make something that can be so scary and uncomfertable feel okey. Like a big bubble of light covers you while you wander down the dark forest. I can truly recommend this place it is one of a kind. "
"I would like to express my gratitude to the entire team that conducted this retreat.
Wonderful people, gorgeous nature and swimming pool, the food is very tasty!
This is an unforgettable experience that will always stay with me. I think I came back a different person.
I saw and knew the universe and myself .. The experience was intense, long and mystical. It was difficult for me, but I'm glad I got through it.
Thank you so much!
With love
Olesya "
"It was a blessing to have attended the 10 day Shamanic Diet and Ayahuasca Retreat in June/July 2023. Much thanks, love and gratitude to the fantastic team at Sinchi Runa, Sanango our guide on the journey with the plants, Ananda, Arjuna, Mateo and Andrea, whose care and compassion create a safe space for each person attending to come into contact with themselves, through solitary immersion in nature and the deeply transforming experiences with plant medicine. Even though there was no verbal or eye contact with others and we kept to our own spaces during the diet by the end of the retreat there was a sense of unity as we had all gone through powerful experiences at the same time through the same method.
Despite some challenges during my first retreat I would definitely do it again with the intention of deepening the transformational opportunity that such retreats can provide. I would say, if you truly seek a living, irrefutable event, either for healing purposes or remembering one’s true self, or more accurately both, for they are in actuality inseparable; and you are willing to forego for a short time your creature comforts, Sinchi Runa will not disappoint. By creature comforts I mean the props of 21st century life which can and do divorce us from connection with Mother Nature, the cosmos and our true selves.
The ayahuasca ceremonies were amazing and confirmed for me, through my own experiences during them that worlds other than the one we experience in everyday life exist and are real. We can have a strong conviction that such worlds exist and have a sense of them through our feelings, believe and gather evidence (primarily from the experiences of others) that such worlds exist but until we experience and see it for ourselves it remains unrealised. My feeling is that it is not something to be done lightly and requires a firm intention for venturing on such a journey but the possible rewards in terms of expanding the horizon of the inner world of oneself are great. Undoubtedly, with the help of the plants we get what we actually need, wherever we are on our journey."
"If you’re doing this for the first time I believe Sinchi Runa is the best place, because they prepare you for this experience is the most calm, slow, careful way possible. It’s not 4 nights as a lot of ayahuasca retreat are. It is 9 nights, with a lot of preparation for each ceremony.
I’m trully thankful for people at Sinchi Runa for teaching me the art of meditation and surrender. These traits has changed the way I see myself and gave me an inner calmness that I’ve never had before.
"