Ayahuasca Retreat Ecuador:

Authentic Healing with Indigenous Elders

Choosing an authentic ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador requires care. Ayahuasca is a powerful traditional Amazonian medicine, and the quality of a retreat depends on the experience, ethics and legitimacy of the people guiding it.

Since 2008, Feather Crown has offered responsibly guided Ayahuasca Retreat Ecuador programs with respected Indigenous shamans. Our retreats take place within a 23-hectare private rainforest reserve near the sacred Piatúa River, surrounded by primary forest and the living presence of the Amazon.

Groups are limited to a maximum of 12 participants, allowing for personal attention throughout the process. Careful health screening, a sober ceremonial support team, private accommodation, translation and guided integration help create the conditions for serious inner work. This is not a commercial or tourist-style experience, but a genuine healing process approached with respect and responsibility.

A Traditional Ayahuasca Retreat in Ecuador

Ayahuasca comes from the Amazon rainforest, where Indigenous peoples have worked with this medicine for generations. Feather Crown is located in Kichwa territory, where relationships with medicinal plants, rivers, forests and ancestral knowledge remain part of a living tradition.

Our ceremonies are guided by experienced Kichwa and Shipibo healers according to their respective traditions. Depending on the retreat, participants may work with the elder Kichwa healer Don Carlos or with the Shipibo healer Maestro Sina.

The ayahuasca served during our ceremonies is traditionally prepared from carefully selected plants. Our inherited vines include lineages preserved by resident shamans, as well as varieties collected from different parts of Ecuador and the wider Amazon. We cultivate these plants regeneratively on our own land so that the medicine remains connected to the forest and can be preserved for future generations.

Learn more about our approach to regenerative ayahuasca cultivation and discover why experiencing ayahuasca in the Amazon can be so meaningful.

Ayahuasca Retreat Ecuador Programs

Feather Crown offers several retreat formats. The right choice depends on the depth of the process you seek, the time available to you and whether you feel drawn to the Kichwa or Shipibo tradition.

5-Day Kichwa Retreat with Don Carlos

This shorter program includes two ayahuasca ceremonies guided by elder Kichwa healer Don Carlos. It is suitable for people with limited time who still want to experience traditional healing, individual cleansing and direct contact with the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Explore the 5-day Kichwa ayahuasca retreat.

10-Day Kichwa Retreat with Don Carlos

Our 10-day Kichwa program provides more time for healing, rest and integration. It includes four ayahuasca ceremonies, individual traditional cleansings, plant baths, cultural activities and time to reconnect with the forest and river.

Explore the 10-day Kichwa ayahuasca retreat.

5-Day Shipibo Retreat with Maestro Sina

This program introduces participants to the Shipibo healing tradition through two ceremonies guided by Maestro Sina. His work is centered on icaros, energetic diagnosis and traditional plant knowledge preserved within the Shipibo lineage.

Explore the 5-day Shipibo ayahuasca retreat.

10-Day Shipibo Retreat with Maestro Sina

The longer Shipibo program offers four ceremonies and more time for the healing process to unfold. Participants receive personal attention and have time between ceremonies for rest, reflection and integration.

Explore the 10-day Shipibo ayahuasca retreat.

30-Day Shipibo Master Plant Dieta

The month-long master plant dieta is a distinct traditional process rather than simply a longer retreat. It involves solitude, a carefully restricted diet, work with a selected master plant and individual guidance from Maestro Sina. It is intended for people who feel called to a deeper and more demanding commitment.

Learn about the 30-day Shipibo master plant dieta.

See our upcoming retreat dates, availability and prices.

Safety, Ethics and Responsibility

Choosing the right ayahuasca retreat is above all a matter of safety. At Feather Crown, we maintain clear ethical boundaries and place participant well-being before the expectation that everyone should drink ayahuasca.

Every applicant completes a health screening before being accepted. Certain medications, heart conditions and serious mental health conditions may be incompatible with ayahuasca. Participation in a retreat never guarantees permission to drink the medicine: if our team believes that drinking would present an unacceptable risk, the participant can still take part in appropriate activities and receive traditional support without ayahuasca.

During every ceremony, a sober and attentive support team remains present throughout the night. Participants receive practical help when needed and are not expected to navigate an intense experience without support. We are especially committed to maintaining clear boundaries and a safe, respectful environment for women.

Please read our retreat requirements and health-safety information before applying. You can also consult our complete guide to preparing for an ayahuasca retreat.

A Complete Healing Process, Not Just Ceremonies

A responsible retreat offers more than ayahuasca ceremonies. The process begins with preparation before arrival and continues through the experiences, insights and changes that follow.

During the retreat, participants receive support from Indigenous healers and an experienced team familiar with intense ceremonial processes. The morning after each ceremony, a translated integration circle provides space to reflect on the experience, ask questions and find practical ways to bring its lessons into everyday life. Private conversations are also available when more personal support is needed.

Participants are never pressured to drink ayahuasca or to consume a larger amount. Healing may also involve individual limpias, plant baths, rest, time beside the river, walks through the rainforest and meaningful contact with Kichwa culture.

Read more about what to expect during an ayahuasca ceremony in Ecuador.

Life at Our Amazon Rainforest Center

Feather Crown is surrounded by primary rainforest near the crystalline Piatúa River. Participants stay in private rooms with jungle views, orthopedic mattresses, thermal blankets and mosquito nets. The center has hot showers, electricity and reliable internet, while still offering the silence and seclusion needed for inner work.

Between ceremonies, participants can rest, swim in the river and explore forest paths. Retreat activities may include medicinal-plant walks, learning how ayahuasca is prepared, traditional painting and handicrafts, visits to waterfalls, plant baths and opportunities to learn about Kichwa culture.

Discover more about the Feather Crown retreat center in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Reciprocity with Indigenous Communities and the Amazon

Joining Feather Crown also contributes to a wider relationship of reciprocity with the Amazon and its people. The center provides stable employment for several local families and follows a fair-trade approach that extends beyond regular salaries. We also contribute to locally led tourism initiatives, construction projects and other forms of sustainable community development.

We work in cooperation with PONAKICS, the Pueblo Originario Kichwa del Cantón Santa Clara, an Indigenous organization representing 22 Kichwa communities. Feather Crown is also actively involved in protecting Indigenous territory, primary rainforest and the sacred Piatúa River from threats including mining and destructive development.

Our commitment to regenerative cultivation helps reduce pressure on wild ayahuasca plants while preserving important vine lineages. The aim is not only to receive healing from the Amazon, but also to give something meaningful back.

Why Choose Feather Crown

The Feather Crown Ayahuasca Retreat Ecuador experience is grounded in traditional knowledge, careful preparation and genuine responsibility:

• Indigenous Kichwa and Shipibo healers with decades of experience
• Retreats organized in the Ecuadorian Amazon since 2008
• A 23-hectare private rainforest reserve near the Piatúa River
• Traditionally prepared ayahuasca cultivated on our own land
• Small groups with a maximum of 12 participants
• Careful health screening before acceptance
• A sober and attentive support team throughout every ceremony
• Clear ethical boundaries and a respectful environment for women
• Private accommodation and personal attention
• Translated integration circles following ceremonies
• Direct support for local Kichwa families and community projects
• Active care for Indigenous territory and the Amazon rainforest

Begin Your Ayahuasca Retreat in Ecuador

If you feel called to this work, we invite you to compare our retreat formats, read the health requirements carefully and choose the program that best corresponds with your needs.

An ayahuasca retreat can be a profound step toward healing and self-understanding, but it should be approached without promises of miraculous results. We provide experienced guidance, a supportive environment and a serious traditional process. Each participant must then enter that process with honesty, patience and respect.

View upcoming ayahuasca retreat dates and prices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you can find answers to the most common questions about an ayahuasca ceremony in Ecuador.