5-day Ayahuasca Retreat in Ecuador
5-day Ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador Highlights
Participate in two ayahuasca ceremonies led by an indigenous elder, including individual cleansing sessions during each ceremony.
Prepare for each ceremony with a traditional flower bath to cleanse and align your energy.
Join two integration sessions with translation, where you can ask questions and receive guidance and insights from the elder.
Work with the ayahuasca vine in a traditional, respectful way.
Take part in guided jungle walks led by an indigenous Kichwa guide explaining medicinal plants and their uses.
Immerse yourself in Kichwa culture through music, body painting, and traditional handicraft workshops.
Enjoy time to rest and bathe in the sacred Piatúa River, known by local indigenous communities as a place of healing power.
Explore the Amazon forest with an expert who explains traditional healing and shamanic uses of Amazonian plants.
Travel to the retreat center in a private vehicle, with optional pickup from your hotel and a scenic journey through the Amazon.
Receive a detailed PDF guidebook to prepare you for the retreat, ceremonies, and the full process ahead.
You may also check the complete detailed 10-day Ayahuasca Retreat itinerary file. 5-day retreats always start on the 1st day and end on the 5th day, or begin on the 5th day and end on the 9th day. Additional activities such as Ayahuasca preparation may therefore happen according to when you join.
Ceremony leaders of the Ayahuasca Retreat in Ecuador
Your retreat will be led by one of the following leaders as specified on the Availability page and Booking form.
Maestro Sina – Emilio Ramirez
Shipibo Maestro and Traditional Healer, Age 75
Maestro Sina has the ability to perceive deeply into a person’s body and mind, identifying different blockages and working through them one by one with his beautiful and profound icaros. His ceremonies can bring about a deep inner transformation. He also guides month-long master plant dietas.
VIEW DETAILED BIOGRAPHY
Maestro Sina was born in a Shipibo community on the Ucayali River in Peru. From early childhood, the spiritual wisdom of his ancestors was passed down to him. Both his grandfather and his great-great-grandfather were Onanyas—traditional Shipibo healers.
Sina has dedicated his life to helping others. For the past 35 years, he has worked both with members of his own community and with visitors from many different countries.
He is humble, thoughtful and wise, with a profound understanding of Ayahuasca and medicinal plants. The Shipibo people are renowned for their mastery of plant medicine and sacred plants, as well as for their extraordinarily beautiful healing songs known as icaros.
They are also highly skilled artists and craftspeople. During your stay, you may have the opportunity to purchase some of their beautiful traditional artwork and textiles. All the women in Sina’s family embroider and create traditional handicrafts.
Throughout the night, Sina sings many icaros, creating a deeply healing ceremonial space filled with positive energy. He has an extraordinary ability to perceive a person as though looking through an X-ray, identifying negative energies and knowing how to cleanse them through his songs. His work helps restore harmony and supports a transformation of the person as a whole.
Through his ceremonial work, Sina helps people address trauma and clear what the Shipibo tradition understands as heavy or dark energies. He brings the energetic body back into alignment. He can also perceive the effects of previous experiences with substances or medicinal plants and help correct any energetic imbalances that may have resulted.
One of Sina’s greatest qualities is that he does not keep his knowledge secret. He enjoys teaching and sharing his wisdom with others, including people from outside the Shipibo culture. Under his guidance, several students have learned to sing icaros and help others through traditional healing work.
For the past five years, Jan Rostlinka has also studied with Sina and completed several traditional plant dietas under his guidance. Through this work, a strong friendship and bond have developed between them.
This alliance allows us to invite Maestro Sina to our center, which he has already visited in the past. The local Kichwa people are also very much looking forward to welcoming him back. They greatly appreciated his work and felt its benefits on many levels—to put it simply, they were moved to tears.
Healing process during Ayahuasca Retreat in Ecuador
At Feather Crown, ayahuasca ceremonies are conducted in a grounded, safe, and respectful way, guided by an experienced indigenous elder and supported by a trained team of facilitators.
The ceremony takes place in a spacious circular temple, designed specifically for this work. Before the ceremony, participants receive detailed preparation materials, and on the day itself, a group briefing is held to answer questions and ensure everyone feels ready.
In the evening, the ceremony begins with the serving of ayahuasca. Participation is always voluntary—healing can also unfold without drinking. Afterward, the space becomes quiet, and participants rest on comfortable mattresses, allowing the process to develop naturally.
As the effects deepen, the shaman works with traditional instruments and sacred songs (icaros), guiding the process and supporting each participant individually. Throughout the night, he performs energetic cleansings according to the tradition.
Each participant is also invited for a personal cleansing (limpia), where the shaman works directly with them using plants and traditional techniques to restore balance and clear heavy energies.
If you would like to understand the full process and preparation, you can read more about Ayahuasca ceremonies in Ecuador or our guide on how to prepare for an Ayahuasca ceremony.
Integration
The following morning, a guided integration session is held with translation, where participants can share their experience, ask questions, and begin to understand the process more clearly.
Private conversations with the shaman or facilitators are also available for those who need more personal support or clarification.
Integration is an essential part of the process. It helps bring the experience into everyday life in a grounded and meaningful way.
The Process
Each ceremony builds on the previous one. The first ceremony often focuses on cleansing—physical, emotional, and energetic—and may involve purging.
In the following ceremonies, participants usually enter the process with greater trust and openness. This allows for deeper work, clearer insight, and a more conscious connection with the experience.
This gradual process is an important part of traditional ayahuasca work, where each ceremony has its place and purpose.
Safety
Safety is a core priority in our ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador. A sober, experienced support team is present throughout each ceremony, assisting participants whenever needed.
Support is always available for moving around, using the bathroom, or navigating intense moments. The space is carefully prepared, both physically and energetically, and the team is trained to respond calmly and effectively in all situations.
For a deeper understanding of our approach, you can visit our Ayahuasca safety and screening process page.
Ayahuasca Brew
Our ayahuasca is prepared traditionally over fire, using only two plants: the ayahuasca vine Banisteriopsis caapi and the accompanying leaf Diplopterys cabrerana or Psychotria viridis (chakruna).
This traditional combination allows for deep, clear, and meaningful experiences. We work with selected varieties of the vine that come from established healing lineages.
No additional or inappropriate admixtures are used. The medicine is prepared with care, respect, and attention to quality.
Who This Retreat Is For
This ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador is intended for those who feel a genuine calling and approach the experience with respect and responsibility. It is not a tourist attraction or a casual activity.
The process can be intense at times, but it is guided with care, structure, and clear intention. Participants should be willing to engage honestly with themselves and the process.
For those who are ready, ayahuasca work can support deep personal insight, emotional release, and a gradual return to balance.
If you are unsure whether this retreat is right for you, you can request a call and we will help you make a clear and informed decision.
Feather Crown Ayahuasca Retreat Center in Ecuador
Feather Crown’s healing center is located in the Amazonian jungle of Pastaza, Ecuador—about 4 hours from Quito and 1 hour from Tena and Puyo. It offers a serene, comfortable space for ayahuasca ceremonies, healing, and deep personal reflection.
Set on 23 hectares of private reserve, bordering protected rainforest and the Llanganates National Park, the center sits by the crystal-clear Piatúa River—considered by many a unique place of natural power and one of the most pristine rivers in the world.
At its heart is a spacious ceremonial temple designed for safe and focused ayahuasca work.
Guests stay in simple, clean bamboo cabins with private or shared rooms, orthopedic beds, mosquito nets, and direct views into the jungle. Facilities include hot showers, a regular cleaning service, solar-powered electricity, and high-speed Wi-Fi—providing comfort while remaining immersed in nature.
For more details about the location and facilities, visit our retreat venue page.
What Guests Say About Feather Crown
Selected from 96 verified Google reviews. Read all Google reviews
“The whole retreat feels very real and grounded.”
“Creating a very safe and trusting environment.”
“The entire staff has a heart of gold.”
Requirements and Safety for Ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador
Your safety is our highest priority. Before joining this ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador, all participants must complete a health screening and provide full disclosure of any medical conditions, medications, and supplements.
Ayahuasca can interact with certain substances and conditions. For this reason, we follow a strict no medications or supplements policy, and some conditions may prevent participation in ceremonies.
This retreat may not be suitable for individuals with:
- Heart conditions or high blood pressure
- Psychiatric conditions (such as schizophrenia or severe mental illness)
- Use of antidepressants, antipsychotics, or MAO inhibitors
- Epilepsy or serious medical conditions
We strongly recommend reading the full safety guidelines before applying: View Requirements & Health Safety
Cost and What is Included
Cost of the 5-day retreat: $890 USD
Prices may differ sligtly on different dates. Consult the Availability page for costs of this retreat per person.
Included in the price are the donations for indigenous defenders of the Sacred Amazonian Headwaters.
What is included in the 5-day Ayahuasca Retreat price:
- Accommodation in a private room (for 1 person, couple or family) for 4 nights (5 days)
- All meals and drinks at the center (delicious carnivore, vegetarian or vegan cuisine)
- All activities as described in this presentation, including:
- 2 Ayahuasca ceremonies
- 2 individual cleansing sessions with the shaman (one in each Ayahuasca ritual)
- 2 integration sessions
- 2 aromatic plant baths
- 2 guided jungle excursions
- Cultural activities with the Kichwa people
What is not included:
- Airfare to/from Quito, Ecuador
- Gifts or products that you purchase
- Lunch on your way to/from Quito
Can be arranged for extra fee:
- Transport to the center from Quito/airport on the first day of the event, or back to Quito/airport ($130 per vehicle).
- Extra nights at the center ($25 USD per person/night)
- Meals on additional days of your stay ($10 USD per meal)
- Additional individual treatment sessions for specific conditions (upon consultation)
- Extra activities from the "Extras" list
Payment Terms
- Reserve your place with $200 USD deposit. We accept debit cards, bank transfers, PayPal, MoneyGram and Western Union.
- Pay the remaining balance the first day of the retreat.
- The deposit is non-refundable, but may be transferred to another date at least 30 days before the retreat.
- The deposit may be transferred to another person at any time.
- If we cancel the retreat, all payments will be refunded in full.
- 5% discount for returning visitors
Frequently Asked Questions About Our 5-Day Ayahuasca Retreat in Ecuador
These answers focus on the decisions visitors most often need to make before choosing a 5-day ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador. For a broader introduction, read our First Ayahuasca Retreat Guide.
Why choose Feather Crown for an ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador?
Feather Crown has organized ayahuasca retreats in Ecuador since 2008. Our work combines experienced Indigenous Kichwa and Shipibo healers, a small group of no more than 12 participants, individual cleansing work, English translation and four to five sober helpers during ceremonies.
The retreat takes place on our private 23-hectare Amazon reserve beside the Piatúa River. Guests have private rooms, and strangers are never required to share. Our priority is careful traditional work, personal attention and honest preparation—not offering the largest groups or the most intense possible dose. You can learn more about our retreat center in Ecuador.
What is the difference between a 5-day and 10-day ayahuasca retreat, and which is better?
The 5-day retreat includes two ceremonies, while the 10-day retreat includes four. The shorter program is useful when time is limited, but it follows a more concentrated pace with less time to rest, speak with the healer and integrate between ceremonies.
For most international visitors—especially those attending their first retreat—the 10-day ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador is the better and more complete option. Four ceremonies allow the process to develop gradually, with more time for trust, recovery and integration. Choose the 5-day retreat when you cannot reasonably commit to the longer format.
How far in advance should I register for an ayahuasca retreat?
Register as soon as you know which dates may work for you. Feather Crown retreats are limited to 12 participants, and popular dates can be fully booked several months in advance.
Your application and health information must be reviewed before a place is confirmed. Check our current retreat dates and availability, then complete the application form. We recommend waiting for acceptance before purchasing non-refundable flights.
Do I need previous experience with ayahuasca?
No previous experience is required. Medically eligible first-time participants are welcome when they understand that an ayahuasca retreat is serious traditional work rather than a recreational activity.
We provide preparation instructions before arrival, explain the ceremony process carefully and begin first-time participants with a responsible introductory approach. If this will be your first experience, read our First Ayahuasca Retreat Guide.
What happens after I submit my retreat application?
We review your health history, medications, supplements, experience and expectations. If clarification is needed, we may ask follow-up questions or arrange a private conversation before making a decision.
Once your application is accepted, a $200 deposit confirms your place. You then receive detailed preparation, travel and packing information. Submitting the form alone does not reserve a place until the application has been accepted and the deposit received.
Do I have to drink ayahuasca at every ceremony?
No. Drinking ayahuasca is always voluntary. You may decline a serving, remain with an introductory amount, attend a ceremony without drinking or decide not to drink again at the second ceremony.
No one is pressured to take a larger dose. The healer and support team may also limit or withhold a serving when this is appropriate for safety. Participants may still take part in the ceremonial space and may receive traditional cleansing work without drinking.
How should I plan my arrival and departure?
International participants should arrive in Quito at least one day before the retreat begins. This protects against flight delays and gives your body time to rest before traveling approximately four hours into the Ecuadorian Amazon.
After the retreat, avoid scheduling an immediate return to demanding work or major decisions when possible. A quiet day or two helps the experience settle. Review our Ecuador travel information before booking your route.
REQUEST A CALL
We will contact you via WhatsApp or email to guide you and ensure this retreat is safe and appropriate for you. You can also click here to begin a chat with us on WhatsApp directly.
