Ayahuasca Ceremony at Hayulima Natural Reserve

My time at Hayulima Spiritual Sanctuary in the cloud forest of Mindo, Ecuador was a truly transformative and heart-opening experience. Surrounded by pristine jungle, rivers, and sacred mountains, Hayulima is a sanctuary dedicated to healing, connection, and remembering our true essence.

As a volunteer and co-creator, I was welcomed into the Hayulima family with warmth, trust, and respect. I had the opportunity to help prepare ceremonies, support the retreat, and learn directly from a deeply rooted community that carries the ancestral traditions of ayahuasca, San Pedro, and sweat-lodge ceremonies.

What touched me most was the authenticity and integrity of the space — a safe and professional environment where everyone is cared for and seen. The team holds each ceremony with profound presence, love, and wisdom, creating a container for genuine transformation.

During my time there, I formed lifelong friendships, felt a deep connection to the forest, the medicine, and the spirit of the land, and discovered new layers of trust and healing within myself. The experience continues to unfold in my life and art, and I carry its medicine with deep gratitude.

Hayulima is a place of beauty, compassion, and truth. I can’t wait to return and continue learning and co-creating with this incredible family.
With love and gratitude,
Ganna Ki

Best thing that’s ever happened to me. Words cannot describe the beautiful and powerful people that I now call my family. You just have to experience it yourself! :)

Excellent support provided throughout the entire retreat days. I am already looking forward to the next retreat with Hyaluma. Thank you so much.

It seems that many choose Hayulima for medicine-centered experiences by means of word of mouth, same as me. I can confidently say, I will also be recommending others to this beautiful facility. Amalia and Salvatore are such wonderful and worldly practitioners. I felt very heard and safe in their space and care. The grounds are nestled in a quiet and vibrant green valley, the perfect backdrop for reconnecting with oneself as well as nature. All meals provided were absolutely delectable, with easy accommodations for allergies. I will be returning to Hayulima in the future!

My experience here was absolutely incredible. The people running these retreats have dedicated their lives to this work and to helping people, and you can really feel it. It was an incredibly powerful experience and the staff there, the volunteers, and all of the members of the retreat, made it one of the most profound experiences in my entire life. I’m already planning the next time I will come back. The facilities are really beautiful and work well and the food is super tasty and there is even a cute little dog that is running around. The property itself is spectacularly, beautiful and lush. There’s even a Nice pond, you can swim in, which is especially good after the Temezcal. I would highly highly highly recommend coming here if you want to gain some experience with the plant medicines. It will absolutely change your life for the best. Everyone that went there had an overwhelmingly positive experience. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to go here and I really hope I’m lucky enough to return one day.