4 Day Ayahuasca Retreat in Mindo Rainforest by Alma Healing Center

Name: 4 Day Ayahuasca Retreat in Mindo Rainforest by Alma Healing Center
Start: 2026-09-26
End: 2026-09-29
Location: Alma Healing Center
Rating: 5

5.004 reviews

Puente rio Esmeraldas, San Carlos, Ecuador

Up to 12 in group

September 26 - 29, 2026

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, tropical, biodiversity hotspot created for ceremonies and retreats
Sharing circle and songs
Rapé circle prior to ceremonies
Inclusive and safe space -all are welcome! Emphasis on LGBTQ+ friendly
Meals and accommodation

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

Join our monthly 4 day ayahuasca retreats in Mindo, Ecuador, about 3 hours from the capital, Quito!

From the moment you land in Quito, Ecuador, we’re here to assist with your travel arrangements to ensure a smooth journey to our retreat*. Once the retreat begins, everything is all-inclusive, and you’ll experience 4 transformative days - including 2 ayahuasca ceremonies - at our secluded wilderness compound, nestled in the stunning Ecuadorian cloudforest near Mindo, one of the world’s most remarkable biodiversity hotspots.
*While our support begins with coordination and guidance, please note that costs are self-covered until the retreat officially starts on Day 1.

Visit our website and youtube channel to see a video of this retreat: almahealingcenter.com / @almahealingcenter. Find us on Google, "Alma Healing Center".

This 4 day ayahuasca retreat is a unique opportunity to connect with grandmother medicine during a day time and night time ceremony. The environment is pristine and idea for nature-lovers and those that aren't afraid of a little adventure! Yes, there are bugs :)

Led by Paulina, a medicine woman and therapist with over 25 years of experience, and Sandra, her partner and assistant, also an experienced retreat facilitator, 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.

This 4 day ayahuasca retreat was created to offer a more affordable option to those that don’t have the budget or time to attend longer or private retreats such as our private 6-day retreat. Our facilities are rustic and comfortable, for the time being accommodations are shared in a large, luminous dorm room.

We offer an inclusive and safe space led by female retreat guides. Solo female travelers are encouraged to join, as well as people that identify as queer or LGBTQ+. Our retreat is a safe and nurturing space where people can gather in a circle, open their hearts, and share their unique life stories. We believe in the power of free expression without judgment or limitations, and we honor each person's journey with respect and acceptance.

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.

Schedule

Day 1 - Travel Day
11:00am Depart Tumbaco/Quito area. Pick up in Tumbaco/Cumbaya area or the north of Quito by Middle of the World (we do not drive into Quito city itself) We can help you coordinate safe taxis/cars to take you to your hotels if they are not on our route. 
1:30pm Arrive in Mindo, Lunch, walk around Mindo 
2:30pm Depart Mindo for retreat space (40 min drive) 
3pm Unpack cars, hike to retreat space (20 minute walk, we usually have horses to help carry things, please do not bring a large suitcase). 
3:30pm Arrive to retreat space, settle in, introductions and orientation 
6pm Light dinner (keep in mind there will be a ceremony the next day, so we won't be eating a full meal)

Day 2 - Day-time Ayahuasca Ceremony
8am Breakfast 
9-10am We encourage you to take advantage of the morning to relax and connect with your breath and body: swim in river, go on hike to waterfall, journal, yoga 
11am - Gather at ceremonial space to share intentions and receive explanation of ayahuasca, the process, guidelines. 
12pm Open ceremony with rapeh circle 
6pm Close ceremony 
8pm Dinner and rest

Day 3 - Rest Day and Night-time Ayahuasca Ceremony 
8/9:00 am Breakfast  
9am-2pm Time to hike, go to river, journal, help around the space etc 2pm-3pm Lunch (if you think you'll need to eat before, we will have fruit or you can also bring snacks). 
3pm - 5pm Nap, rest so that you will be awake during the night!  
5pm - 6pm Sharing Circle 
6pm - 1am Gather at ceremonial space to open night-time ceremony 
1:30am Eat something light (soup) to hep ground, then go to beds to rest

Day 4
8:00 am Breakfast 
10am Pack up and walk out to where cars are parked (20 min hike) 
10:30am Drive out to Mindo, quick bathroom break and onwards to Quito! 
1pm Drop off in the north of Quito by Middle of the World (we do not drive into Quito city itself) or drop off in Tumbaco/Cumbaya area. We can help you coordinate safe taxis/cars to take you to your hotels if they are not on our route.

Note: Schedule is approximate and may change

Getting Here

Alma Healing Center, Puente rio Esmeraldas, San Carlos, Ecuador

Directions

The largest nearby airport is Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre. From there you can take a trusted taxi to your hotel (we can help coordinate, but we don't cover the taxi fare) to travel with us to the retreat space the next morning. We pick up and drop off in the Tumbaco/Cumbaya and North Quito area (we do not drive into Quito itself) so you might want to consider staying at a place in these areas.

Let us know if you have any doubts about this section!

Accommodation

Accommodations are offered in a rustic house that has 6 available bedrooms. Normally each of the bedrooms is shared between 2 retreat participants. All beds have their own mosquito net.

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 4 Day Ayahuasca Retreat in Ecuador takes place near the Mindo Cloudforest, about 3 hours from Quito, in a beautiful rainforest setting.

The facilities are simple and ecofriendly; we use dry toilets and eat by candle light :) Accommodation is shared (max. 2 per room) in a large, rustic wooden house on the property.

This space integrates healing tools like art and master plants to foster transformative, therapeutic experiences while conserving and respecting the environment sustainably.

Meals

Menu Types

Vegan

Vegetarian

Pescetarian

Ayurvedic

Includes Meat

Organic

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Nut Free

Home cooked meals ideal for people drinking medicine. Soup following ceremony, we encourage everyone to bring their own snacks too. Some meals we eat very light or skip in preparation for ceremony.

What's Included

2 Ayahuasca ceremonies (1 nightime, 1 daytime)
Hikes and swim in pristine river
Sharing and integration circles
Rapé circles
Spanish to English interpretation
All meals
Transportation from Quito to Mindo and back to Quito
Accommodation (shared)

What's Not Included

Transportation to and from airport to hotel in Quito
Airfare
Insurance

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.

4 Day Ayahuasca Retreat in Mindo Rainforest 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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