10 Best Private Ayahuasca Retreats - Updated 2025

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For deeper insights into what makes up a safe and quality plant medicine retreat, check out the results from our recent plant medicine retreats survey.
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1. If you’d like a holistic understanding of your opportunities to improve your quality of life, take this self-diagnostic.

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2. If this is your first time with Ayahuasca, this short quiz will help you assess your level of mental, emotional, and spiritual readiness for this powerful and sensitive work.

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3. If you’d like to understand more about the nature of psychedelic healing work, human potential, and who and what you really are, watch the video below.

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What to look for to find a safe, quality Ayahuasca Retreat?

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Like most things in life, there are a broad variety of Ayahuasca retreat options, and a number of factors that effect the safety, quality, and cost of an ayahuasca retreat:

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1. Safety First: Unfortunately, many small retreat centers are not in a position to make meaningful investments into screening and safety. Even if you're fine, someone else on retreat might not be, which can affect the overall experience. Our recommendation is to choose a retreat provider that does in-depth conversational, medical, and psychological screening to protect your safety and well-being.
2. Legality: Experienced practitioners who have dedicated their lives to plant medicine typically live in locations where the work is legal, so they don't have to live in a state of uncertainty about their work Our recommendation is to travel to legal locations where you can benefit from legitimate healers who operate above the radar, so you can truly relax on retreat.
3. Size of the group: It's common for retreats to have 20, 50, even 100 people in ceremony, which can be chaotic to say the least. In such large groups you are less likely to receive a sufficient level of attention from the facilitators. Our recommendation is to choose a retreat with an intimate group, in the range of 8-15 people.
4. Length of the retreat: Shorter retreats feel rushed, do not support the cultivation of meaningful relationships, and can limit what can be achieved in time available. We recommend you spend at least a week for an ayahuasca retreat to give your mind, body, heart, and soul the attention it deserves.
5. ‍‍Comfort: We recommend you choose a retreat where you are confident that you will be physically comfortable and have your own private bedroom to decompress and integrate, especially if this is your first time. Go for the full jungle mosquito immersion another time, your future self will thank you later.
6. Alignment: Select a retreat that feels aligned with your values and allows your own subjective experience to unfold naturally. There are many different worldviews out there and having a different worldview pushed on you through the retreat may not be in your highest healing interests. This is also particularly relevant for first-timers.
7. Holistic approach: Work with an organization that takes a holistic approach to working with plant medicine, and has options to support and guide your mental and emotional evolution alongside a retreat. If a provider implies that "medicine will solve all your problems", proceed with caution.
8. ‍Service: Select a retreat that you believe can meet your individual needs. Are you being treated as a human, or as participant #22 in their fourth retreat this month? Consider whether or not they've taken the time to get to know you and understand you, or it's more of a take it or leave it retreat center.
9. Booking process: Take the time to speak with the provider before finalizing your booking. If the provider does not have a screening process in place during the booking process anyone could be sitting next to you in ceremony. Some people are not in the right place to work with this powerful plant medicine, and it is the responsibility of the organizers to ensure that only people who can handle ayahuasca are accepted onto the retreat.
10. Expertise: Find an organization that emphasizes healing, and you believe has the breadth and depth of expertise to guide your transformation. Look for facilitators and healers who have a lightness of being and a sparkle in their eyes. Healing work is all about the transmutation of energy, so you are looking for people who have the energy you aspire to. If they aren't able to keep their energy right, that tells you quite a bit about either where they are at and their capabilities.
11. Reputation: At a minimum, Google the provider, you may be surprised by what you find. If there's not much information, that is also information. A reputable retreat center will have a professional online presence with testimonials from previous retreat attendees. This is essential for you to see that they are a legitimate organization who you can trust to contain this powerful experience.
12. Volunteers: Please support ethical plant medicine work by selecting an organization that pay their team. Unfortunately, it is common practice for retreat centers to cycle through young, eager, and worn out volunteers and/or not pay healers fairly. If the people supporting your retreat aren't living their best lives , they're not going to be able to lead you to yours. Don't be shy to ask this question directly when you speak to prospective centers.

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Looking for a little more guidance for one of the most important decisions of your life? Watch this video.

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Have you decided to dive into your spiritual healing journey with Mother Ayahuasca? If so, you may have realized that this work is deep, profound, intense, and life-changing, which is why many people chose to work with the natural medicine privately.

In an intimate setting, your privacy will be protected and you will have the chance to share your intentions and challenges with your guide at a deeper level. You can really take your experience to the next level and get the breakthroughs you’ve been searching for by working with a private healer. 

By working 1-1 with a shaman, facilitator, guide, or healer, you can focus on your journey without the distractions and energies of others, while being fully supported. You will be able to enjoy the flexibility to choose your ideal location, venue, itinerary, and any additional healing modalities. In a private retreat, accommodation is usually private, unless you chose to take a shared room with a loved one. 

Here comes the tricky part- where does one source a high-quality practitioner for private ayahuasca retreats? It is not as easy as finding a popular place such as Soltara Healing Center or googling “ayahuasca retreat reviews.” Thanks to ayahuasca tourism, the demand for experienced facilitators is high and the supply is low. 

Here you will find a list of retreat centers that also facilitate private ceremonies and retreats in places like Costa Rica, Peru, Spain, Portugal, and Mexico. 

You can check out our Ayahuasca guide HERE for more information on Ayahuasca, and for information on what to look out for in a retreat center HERE. For more information on how to chose your ayahuasca retreat check out our COMPLETE GUIDE and our top ten list of ayahuasca retreats in the USA.

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1. Behold Retreats Private Ayahuasca Retreat

Behold Retreats is unique in the fact that they will curate and facilitate your private ayahuasca experience anywhere in the world where the medicine is legally available with some of the best healers and guides in the world.

Their network of facilitators include medicine people working in Peru, Costa Rica, Mexico, Ecuador, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. If you are looking for a specific plant dieta, they will also be able to find the right expert for you. They also offer retreats with other psychedelics such as psilocybin, bufo, and san pedro. 

Whether you want to be immersed in nature in an eco-lodge in the amazon rainforest, on a private beach in Mexico in a luxury villa, or on the hills of the island of Ibiza, Behold will make sure you are more than satisfied with your location for your private ayahuasca ceremony. Whether you are looking for traditional ceremonies rooted in shamanism or a more shamanic approach, your experience will be mind-opening and life-changing. 

Your retreat program will be tailored to your specific needs and wants, and will include a 7-week online coaching program to help you prepare and integrate the spiritual journey. Working with their coaches privately or in a group setting, you will be sure to make the most of your plant medicine journey and have on-going support. The goal of the program is to elevate your consciousness and to help integrate the profound insight and learnings from this sacred medicine so that you can make sustainable changes in your daily life. 

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2. Andean Wisdom Private Ayahuasca Retreat

Andean Wisdom created a private retreat option for those who need special healing and deep cleansing with a shaman who will be completely focused on your and your process. The entire process will be personalized and you will be assessed physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. 

You will be picked up from either Cusco or The Sacred Valley and taken to the personal temple of the shaman. Here you will begin your journey by attending a lecture on the ayahuasca brew and shamanic practices by their team of experienced guides who have been working in the field for more than 10 years . 

You will then receive a coca leaf reading, a special diagnosis that will help determine your needs and the dose of the medicine required. Their ayahuasca brew is a 100% pure mix of Chacruna leaves and the ayahuasca vine, but based on your needs, you will have the option to add other medicinal plants that could be used in your ceremonies for healing.  The master Andean shaman will give you personalized Ikaros, sacred songs, and your ayahuasca ceremony will begin. 

Their group of shamans from Peru are led by master shaman Pacha Illa Sayry who follow the Inca ancestor lineage of ceremonies. This ayahuasca healing retreat also offers San Pedro and Inca ceremonies, flowering baths, four elements ceremonies, integration processes, and more. 

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3. Acsauhaya Private Ayahuasca Retreat

If you’re looking for a private Ayahuasca Retreat in Europe, you might be in luck with this well-known ayahuasca retreat center located in the Dutch countryside. They organize private retreats which are customized at every level; hour and number of ceremonies, number of guests, special themes, extra healing modalities, and tailor-made diets. 

Their shaman and guiding team will have all eyes on you and everything will be centered around your personal intention or theme, for example if you are looking for an intimate bonding experience with your partner. They create a safe environment for you to open up and discuss intimate issues and challenges. 

You can chose healing treatments such as yoga, Rape ceremonies, cacao ceremonies, and breath work in addition to your ayahuasca ceremonies, which can help prepare, focus, open, and detox your mind and body for the journey as well as ground and integrate the experience afterwards. 

A note here is that Ayahuasca was deemed illegal in the Netherlands in 2019, although many centers and healers still do the work. If you are looking for a legal option in the country, a psilocybin retreat may be a better option for you. 

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4. Casa de la Luz Private Ayahuasca Retreat

Located in the Amazon jungle of Costa Rica on a 9 acre property, Casa de la Luz offers private plant medicine ceremonies with 2-4 retreat participants. They are flexible with dates and length of stay, as well as add ons such as extra resting days, additional ceremonies, special diet requests, massage therapy, meditation classes, dance therapy, and private psychotherapy sessions. 

The standard private ayahuasca retreat includes two plant medicine ceremonies.  All of their meals are nourishing, vegetarian/vegan farm-to-table and their ayahuasca tea is made from local plants. You will stay in a small cabin or a tent depending on your preference, and will have access to a recreational ranch, hammocks, and outside bathrooms. 

You will enjoy integration talks after your ceremonies and Ra’pe Tobacco cleanings during the retreat. While you’re in the beautiful nature of the amazon rainforest, you could also take advantage of their tour offerings to nearby rivers and lakes. 

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5. Arkana Spiritual Center Private Ayahuasca Retreat

Arkana offers the best of both worlds for those who don’t want to miss out on visiting the sacred Machu Picchu AND experience a San Pedro plant medicine ceremony in addition to their Ayahuasca journey. 

With two centers, one in the Amazon (4 hours into the jungle from Iquitos) and the other in the Sacred Valley (nearby Cusco), you will be able to experience the beautiful nature of the rainforest as well as the rich Incan culture. 

Their luxury private retreats include a personalized itinerary to suit your needs and combine sacred plant medicine with unique travel programs to experience shamanic and peruvian culture during your healing journey.  You will enjoy stunning views of the Ucayali River during sunrise and sunset (amazon location), yoga classes, sound therapy, floral baths, guided meditations, holistic cuisine, massages, a fully stacked fitness center, and trips to local villages.

Their lead shaman, Maestro Misael, is a respected, humble medicine man who works from his heart and has studied the plants of the Amazon jungle for many years. Their jungle guides will take you on an adventurous jungle trek in some of the 2.2 million hectare Pacaya Samiria National Reserve where you might see monkeys, sloths, snakes, dolphins and other animals, and also learn about the medicinal plants of the amazon.  

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6. Kambo Casita Private Ayahuasca Retreat

True to its name, Kambo Casita offers retreats with Kambo, as well as Ayahuasca, Bufo, and Iboga. Each retreat is curated specifically with your personal background and intentions in mind. Before your arrival you will meet with one of their staff members to create a customized holistic plan that includes detox, integration and expansion, taking into account your mental, emotional, and spiritual state. You may chose to stay a week or even a few months for deeper healing.

Only a 15 minute drive from the surf and yoga town Guiones/Nosara, you will wake up in the lush jungle mountains of Costa Rica from your terrace overlooking the forest and sea, and you will enjoy organic fresh meals served by a vegan chef. The retreat center features two houses with kitchens, bedrooms, private casitas, communal areas, and both indoor and outdoor dining spaces. 

In your spare time you can take a dip in one of their two infinity pools, or venture on a short walk to the secluded beach to cool down and relax. There will be opportunities to engage in breathwork, yoga, bodywork, acupuncture, astrology, energy work, and detoxifying cooking classes. 

The retreat leader, Nadine Purdy has over 15 years of experience with plant medicines and has trained with many traditions from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. Her teaching foundation is the Santo Daime which she combines with her own knowledge of western disease and to support the healing of many conditions, from chronic illness to addiction, and those looking to connect with spiritual beings. 

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​7. Peru Shamans Private Ayahuasca Retreat

This program was developed to offer deep healing with two ayahuasca ceremonies in two nights with a local Shipibo Shaman, and a third day of integration healing with other Andran Shamans during an offering to Mother Earth Pachamama. Enjoy the traditional Native American approach and listen to the sacred song of Icaro during your ceremony. 

 During your last day you will have a San Pedro ceremony to compliment the spirit of mama ayahuasca and integration process by grounding your insights into every day life. 

Their center is located in the Sacred Valley of Peru, about one-hour away from Cusco, and gives plenty of space for nature walks and personal meditation. You will work 1-1 with a shaman to personalize your ceremony and intentions. 

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8. Lighthouse Retreats Private Ayahuasca Retreat

Lighthouse retreats provide a wonderful option for you to have a private ceremony in Europe, with their ayahuasca center situated near Cinfaes in the heart of the Douro Valley in Portugal. The house is surrounded by natural beauty, with stunning views overlooking the valley, and grounds covered in fruit tree gardens. The property also has a vineyard, woods, and three natural water springs that feed into a swimmable pool. 

You may enjoy 1 san pedro ceremony on your retreat, as well as many activities such as yoga, meditation, breath work, mindful nature walks, cacao ceremonies, and more. You can also stay to relax and enjoy the property without any medicine work in a yoga retreat.

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9. Ayahuasca Marbella Private Ayahuasca Retreat

In sunny Marbella, Spain you will find beautiful venues to enjoy your ayahuasca retreat while also enjoying the beautiful beaches and rich Spanish culture. These retreats are tailored to you in a 1-1 setting and there is the option to microdose the medicinal plant if you are looking for a gentle way to ease into the retreat. 

The healer Sophie Pothoven also works internationally and offers ceremonies in the comfort of your own home or a location you wish to rent. Sophie is a body-oriented therapist, NLP practitioner and Craniosacral therapist who works with intuitive development, relation therapy, and family constellations, so you will have the option to work with other holistic healing modalities. 

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10. Om-Mij Private Ayahuasca Retreat

Om-Mij offers retreats all over the world in group and individual settings for your spiritual awakening. Their private ceremonies are typically held during the daytime, but they also accommodate overnight stays. While they don’t offer full private retreats, you will be able to experience one ayahuasca ceremony performed by a medicine person with a therapeutic, yet traditional approach. 

Their “Be Free” healing retreat is located in the very warm and sunny Alicante province in Spain, on a huge property with a barbeque terrace and stone oven, swimming pool, vegetable garden, and a 5000m2 orange garden. 

During your spiritual experience they will provide accommodation, delicious vegan/vegetarian foods, and the option to explore yoga, meditation, dance, art exhibitions, and events. For those looking to deepen their healing and cleansing, they also offer Kambo ceremonies and Rape.

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Still need some help choosing a retreat?

We would be honored to guide you in choosing the best retreat for your needs. Behold Retreats coordinates expertly guided retreats with Ayahuasca, Psilocybin, and 5-MeO-DMT (Bufo Alvarius) with highly experienced facilitators. Reach out to us to set up a complimentary discovery call and we can point you in the right direction.

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Check out our upcoming retreats.

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5-MeO-DMT in Tepoztlan, Mexico

Ayahuasca in Costa Rica

Psilocybin in the Netherlands

5-MeO-DMT in Portugal