FAQ

As a tourist from Europe, the USA or Canada you do not need a regular visa (please check the countries in the list below, if you need an official visa). Nevertheless, you have to register online with the Colombian migration office (CheckMig) shortly before entering the country (72 hours in advance before arrival). Some personal information, an email address and flight details must be entered via this link. IMPORTANT: only use this link, don’t use any other page that offer you a service. They will charge you up to 100 USD for a fake form. The official migration form is for FREE and can be done on your own. If the english version is not working, try the spanish version. Most of our events are taking place in the region of “Magdalena” or if it is in Santa Veronica the area is called “Atlantico”. If all information has been filled out correctly, you will receive an email. We recommend that you print out this email and have it ready when you arrive in Colombia. Tourists can easily stay in the country for 90 days. Please note that the ‘migration form’ is not a visa – Every traveler must fill out this form. Please check in advance whether you also need a visa to enter the country.

Make sure you have a stamp in your passport that guarantees 90 days. This period of stay can be extended by a further 90 days. Important: In order to be able to enter Colombia, you must also be able to prove a return flight. Please note that if you are traveling from Brazil and other countries in South America you will need proof of a yellow fever vaccination in order to enter the country.

The following countries need a Visa as of 2024

(Applying for a Visa takes between 10 and 30 days to process):

Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, China Republic, Congo, North Korea, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kasachstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Kosovo, Lesotho, Lao, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Republic Central African, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Prince, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Syria, Somalia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Thailand, Tanzania, Tajikistan, East Timor, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uganda , Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Macau, Palestine

This information is without guarantee. Please read the travel regulations of your foreign office carefully to see whether you need a visa. Please check the current visa requirements of Colombia here: https://www.cancilleria.gov.co/sites/default/files/Fotos2017/nacionalidades_a_las_cuales_colombia_exige_visa_-_noviembre.pdf

This is the official link to apply for a Tourist visa: https://tramitesmre.cancilleria.gov.co/tramites/enlinea/solicitarVisa.xhtml

We organize your onward journey from the airport or hotel to the destination on the day the retreat begins. As soon as we know your flight number and arrival time, we will organize a taxi for you. The driver will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign and your name and will take you safely to your destination. If you are already in the country, we can also pick you up from the hotel if it is in the same city as the airport or on the way to your destination. You can find out which airport is suitable for you on the retreat page. For example: Retreats in Palomino are located at Santa Marta Airport. Santa Veronica is Cartagena or Barranquilla airport. Lake Chivor Boyaca is Bogota airport. We generally recommend arriving before noon as pickups take place in the early afternoon. We start with our opening ceremony for our retreats and trainings at 5pm.

For our retreats and yoga trainings, we organize your travel to the venue directly from the airport so that it is smooth and safe. It is in general safe to travel in Colombia as a woman if you are careful not to go outside the tourist areas. However, this also applies to men. The city centers and tourist destinations like Palomino, Park Tayrona or Minca are secured by the police. At night you should not walk alone through the streets of bigger cities away from the center, but always take an official registered yellow taxi. We advise against traveling to the border regions of Colombia without a guide. We already had many female solo travellers in our retreats and training that had no issues at all. But please ask us, if you have concerns or more questions.

Ayahuasca is a sacred medicine from South America that has been used traditionally by indigenous cultures in the Amazon for thousands of years to treat illness. Ayahuasca is made from two plants — the Ayahuasca Liana (banisteriopsis caapi) and the leaf of Chakruna (psychotria viridis). In chemical terms, the chacruna plant contains the powerful psychoactive dimethyletryptamine (DMT), which is not orally active because it is metabolized by the stomach enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO). However, the combination with the Liana, that contains MAO inhibitors in form of harmine compounds, enables the DMT to cross the cerebral blood barrier that results in a psychoactive effect and can led to visionary experiences and enables us to access otherworldly realms or shows us our true self to find purpose in life.

The reasons for drinking Ayahuasca can be very different. Originally, indigenous peoples used Ayahuasca to cleanse the body of diseases. Spiritual experiences, experiences of unity with nature and God or contact with ancestors or spirits are also possible reasons for taking the holy medicine. Today many people use Ayahuasca to create a deeper connection to themselves or to find out what their purpose in life is. Still others treat their childhood traumas or seek access to lost experiences and deceased people from their lives. There are numerous reasons to use ayahuasca as a medicine. One thing should be clear though: Ayahuasca is not a party drug.

Yes. But of course there can be critical circumstances that need to be checked first. We carefully screen the health condition and medication of our guests to ensure that we can safely provide Ayahuasca. Additionally we only work with highly experienced Taitas (Schamans) from Colombia, who were initiated by their ancestors or indigenous Shamans. All facilitators during the Ayahuasca ceremonies are very experienced with the medicine as well to create a safe space and support all guests equally. Ayahuasca is generally very safe when working with it responsibly. 

Ayahuasca is not suitable under these special circumstances:

• People with medically diagnosed psychoses, borderline disorder, 
bipolar disorders
 and schizophrenia
• Chronic high blood pressure and 
heart conditions
 treated with medication
• Other medications that can be unsafe with ayahuasca: Depressants (and sleeping pills) Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
, Anti-hypertensives (blood pressure medications), Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs). The medication must be stopped at least a week before the ceremony.
  

The experience of Ayahuasca can be affected negatively under these circumstances:

• Drugs that should not be combined with Ayahuasca before (at least one week): Cannabis
, Amphetamines (like Crystal Meth)
, MDMA (Ecstasy), Cocaine or any psychedelic like Magic Mushrooms or LSD.
• Alcohol should be avoided for at least three days before the ceremony.
• Other medications that should be discontinued: allergy medications like antihistamines, cough syrup with codeine, sedatives, tranquilizers (Benzos), amphetamines (Adderall), some hypertensive medications, sympathomimetic amines (including pseudoephedrine and ephedrine), carbamazipine, methylphemidate (Ritalin), macromerine, phenelanine, tyrosine, tryptophan and asarone.

The only profund medicine we share during a Yoga Teacher Training is the knowledge and wisdom of the Himalayan Yogis: Asanas, Breathwork, Kriyas and many other techniques. There will be no Ayahuasca ceremonies during our trainings. We only share Cacao and Rapé. We trust in the healing effects of Ayahuasca. That’s why we offer the opportunity to support you in taking part in a ceremony with one of our shamans after completing the training. We will help you with planning and advice. If you are interested to attain in a ceremony after training, please contact us.

Experiencing fears and anxieties arising before your ayahuasca journey is completely normal and to naturally be expected.  This happens to most participants to some extent or another.  It can often be representative of the ‘ego/shadow side” knowing that it will have to change and let go of old patterns while experiencing the resistance that comes along with this.   It is valuable to simply observe these feelings while in a self reflective space.  Instead of trying to suppress or ignore these feelings, accept them, thank them for what they have taught you and let them go as much as possible.  Do your best to keep an open heart and open mind while recognizing and honouring the fears and apprehensions as they arise, knowing you will have the power to let them go in your ceremonies.

Until today, there is no regulation in Colombia regarding the medicine of Ayahuasca. Therefore, the issue is wrapped up within the more general issue of indigenous peoples. Recently, UNESCO and the Colombian government made a declaration where, the Gaia Amazonas Foundation and the indigenous communities involved, of the traditional knowledge of the jaguar shamans of the Yuruparí are an intangible heritage of humanity. Ayahuasca is a central element of Yuruparí. As such, it is mentioned in the UNESCO text, and also on the site of the Heritage Department of the Colombian Ministry of Culture. Since the nomination as intangible heritage is applied to the entire cultural complex, Ayahuasca would be considered within the name of intangible heritage.

There is no historical proof who started to combine the two ingredients necessary for an ayahuasca brew (the liana, some call it vine, and the Chakruna leaf). What is certain is that Ayahuasca is a medicine of indigenous peoples along the Amazon, which is deeply rooted in their culture and used for many generations. The two components of wine grow in the Amazon. There are many different creation stories told by indigenous groups about how ayahuasca first came to be. In most of the mythologies, the spirit of ayahuasca is an anaconda snake. The twisted liana is also reminiscent of a snake in appearance. The Amazon River is also associated with a snake. Other stories involve some form of communication from the spirits of the plants to the ancestors who were so closely connected to them. Indigenous peoples have used Ayahuasca both to cleanse the inner body, to treat diseases and to connect with the spirits of the forest and their ancestors.

After taking Ayahuasca, the effect begins, depending on each individual, between ten minutes to one hour.

It can last between two and four hours. There are many types of ayahuascas according to their preparation, since each Shaman uses different plants that modulate the effect, such as tobacco, brugmansias, brunfelsia, etc. Each plant has its own effect, which adds to the total experience. Therefore, the duration and intensity of the experience of an ayahuasca session can vary greatly from one to another, depending on the content of the preparation.

  Yes. We offer a volunteer program per retreat. As part of the program, you will help our Shaman and his wife make Ayahuasca. The process requires a lot of discipline, physical work and commitment. The effort involves one week, which must be planned before the start of the retreat in consultation with Ancestral Retreats. Meals and accommodation during the program are covered. In addition, participation in the retreat is covered by completing the volunteer program in advance. We are looking for photographers and videographers for our retreats and offer participation in the retreat as an exchange.

The purge can be an important part of the ceremony experience, yet not everyone purges in the first ceremonies. It is cleansing and purifying your physical body to be prepared for visions and spiritual experiences. Normally the purge takes the form of vomiting, but can also be diarrhea. From an energetic perspective, the purge helps to clear emotional blockages. A lot of people purge with their first cup and move into deeper experiences with a second cup as these blockages are removed. A few have a reverse experience. 

Scientific studies have not been able to prove any symptoms of addiction from the consumption of ayahuasca. Drugs like Cocaine or Cannabis are substances that bring short term pleasure and can lead to addiction, if abused. Medicine like Ayahuasca brings long term healing while the experience itself can be sometimes difficult and tough. But don’t worry: Not every Ayahuasca experience is difficult, some people have ranging experiences from blissful to fun, depending on what the mother plant wants to show or teach them. Ayahuasca is a medicine when worked with it consciously, with respect and in a responsible way. 

No. An Ayahuasca experience simply changes the way we experience ourselves and how we experience ourselves as part of nature or society. It may open up new perspectives. Some experiences cannot be processed logically or clearly identified. Many people find that through Ayahuasca they learn to make decisions with their hearts. Normally we make decisions through deliberation, consideration and valid arguments. The medicine can teach us to trust our intuition as well as our intellect.

Every ceremony and medicine is different. Sometimes a whole night is spent in colorful patterns and visions, messages and encounters, other times the experience is purely physical and purifying. Some participants find themselves in deep meditation, others cry, others sing and dance. There’s no telling what’s going to happen. But you can be sure that you will see or experience exactly what you need at that moment.

First of all, you should be aware that an intention is different from an expectation. With an intention we can tune in to what moves us or what is important to us. Some come into the ceremony with a question, seeking answers about their purpose, or seeking healing. Experience shows that there is no point in going into the ceremony with an expectation. Because if we are already envisioning the outcome, imagining how it should be, and planning everything in our mind, then there is a good chance that the experience will be sobering and unsatisfying. Medicine does not give us what we expect, but what we need. Sometimes it is something completely different than we imagined. In addition, ayahuasca not only works during the ceremony, but about three weeks afterwards. This means that we can go on with our lives as normal and have no impairments, but every now and then we have insights and make connections that we may not have been aware of shortly after the ceremony.

Ayahuasca is not suitable under these circumstances:

• Medically diagnosed psychoses, borderline disorder, 
bipolar disorders
 and schizophrenia
• Chronic high blood pressure and 
heart conditions
 treated with medication (please contact us regarding your medication)
• Other medications that can be unsafe with ayahuasca: Depressants (and sleeping pills) Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
, Anti-hypertensives (blood pressure medications), Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs). The medication must be stopped at least a week before the ceremony.

The shaman we work with welcomes anyone who is willing to receive the medicine with respect and dedication. He and his wife make no distinction between gender, origin and religious orientation. Women who are menstruating can of course take part and are an equal part of the entire group

A doctor will be on call at each ceremony and will be there in a few minutes in the event of an emergency.

The shamans we work with require that the team members also drink ayahuasca. Only those associated with medicine know what the other people need during the ceremony. Sometimes it’s simple things like a glass of water, going to the toilet, or handkerchiefs. Sometimes it takes more like a hug or a few words at the right time. The right time is crucial in order not to disturb the participants in their process, but to support them. In order to feel what someone really needs, everyone has to be connected to the sacred medicine. All team members are trained to support the group with Ayahuasca. The only person who will not take the medicine during the ceremony is the doctor.

A therapeutic work with ayahuasca begins with a good preparation, with the aim of reducing potential risks and maximising benefits. 

Upon registration, you will receive an information packet which will include our dietary and preparation guidelines to prepare you for your experience. In general, a clean diet which focuses more on whole foods,  and less on excess salt, sugar, spiciness, and processed foods, is going to allow the medicine to work with you in the best way possible.

Not necessarily. But it can help establish focus and go into the ceremony with more confidence and clarity about the needs. However, the mother plant knows exactly what you need. In other words: sometimes you have a completely different valuable experience, even if you go into the ceremony with an intention. In any case, journaling helps. So write down your own thoughts, feelings and impressions every day. This can result in new perspectives and shape intentions.

We encourage you to start adjusting your diet at least two weeks before the retreat yet the sooner the better.  This will clean and prepare your body to enable you to have a deeper and more profound experience with Ayahuasca.

• Vegetarian diet is recommended at least 2 weeks  before  and after the retreat.
• Alcohol must be fully eliminated two weeks before or after the retreat. The more time you eliminate alcohol before the retreat will be additionally beneficial as it will allow your body to detox further.
• All recreational drugs need to be eliminated fully at least 3 weeks before and after the retreat. If not adhered to, one may run the risk of psychological or energetic damage as these pose a serious contraindication with Ayahuasca.
• It is best to eliminate or heavily cut back on coffee/caffeinated drinks, bleached white flour products, dairy products, fermented products, spicy foods, highly salted & fried foods, processed foods and refined sugars, two weeks before and after the retreat.
• Consuming some small amounts of healthy salt (ex: pink Himalayan salt) is good to keep in the diet.
• It is fine to keep some healthy oils and fats in your daily diet such as seeds, nuts, avocado, virgin olive oil, coconut oil, flax oil, etc.
• Recreational cannabis should be eliminated for 2 weeks before and after the retreat to make energetic space for Ayahuasca to work with you.
• Sexual activity of any kind should be eliminated for one week before and after the retreat.
• It is best to avoid watching or reading anything that may contain violence or trauma.
• We encourage our participants to take advantage of the time leading up to the retreat to delve deeper into the ayahuasca retreat preparation process by engaging in any/all of the following: exercise, yoga, writing, meditation, intention setting, spending time in nature, expression through art, inspirational reading, etc.

After the ceremony, the body is cleansed of toxins. This also includes stimulants such as nicotine, caffeine and other substances. So that the body can get used to the intake of stimulants again and the cleansing effect is maintained, we recommend sticking to a diet after the retreat.

The following substances should be avoided for at least a week after the last ceremony:

• Very salty food
• Refined sugar in sweets or bottled juices
• Red meat and animal fats
• Carbonated drinks such as energy drinks
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Stimulans like Cannabis, MDMA, LSD, Mushrooms, Cocaine

We want to keep the experience as personal as possible. That’s why our groups are no larger than 19 people. In addition, we come as three organizers and yoga teachers. The shaman and his wife is also present during the retreat.

Rapé, pronounced ‘ha-PAY,’ is a potent blend of finely ground tobacco leaves and an assortment of medicinal plants, sourced exclusively from the verdant Amazon rainforest that is cunsumed through the nose. Find out more about the benefits and usage of Rapé in our Blog post: ‘SACRED TOBACCO FROM THE AMAZONAS: UNVEILING THE MYSTERIES OF RAPÉ‘

Our yoga classes are designed so that everyone can participate. We support beginners to better get into position with assists and simple variations. We show intermediate participants challenging variants and let professionals try out demanding postures and breathing techniques. We always provide classes at least with two teachers, one who is cueing and shows the posture, and the other one who goes around and assists.

We have a holistic approach. We mainly teach Hatha Kundalini. But we also include flow sequences, like it is done in Vinyasa for example. Our yoga classes are not purely physical, they address the emotional level and work with the energy body to release blockages and create inner peace. All teachers have many years of teaching experience and bring different styles of India together.

The best preparation is a daily routine of meditation, yoga, reading, and a healthy diet. Yoga is more than a class on the mat. Yoga is a lifestyle that pervades all areas of life. Starting with physical exercises, through the things we say and the actions we perform. If you want to go deeper into the philosophy of yoga, read these books: The Bhagavad Gita translated by Jack Hawley; The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, translated and interpreted by Sri Swami Satchidananda. Try to follow a vegetarian (or Ayuvedic) diet and try to avoid drinking alcohol. Just giving up meat and alcohol will make a huge difference in your perception, ability to concentrate and powers of observation after just a few weeks.

Cultivating meditation and mindfulness practices are very beneficial in assisting you on your ayahuasca journey. For those of you that may not have a consistent meditation practice, this may feel like a daunting on-taking. Yet, you may view this activity as simply a practice of mindfulness. We recommend within these meditation and mindfulness practices, that your intention be to let your thoughts clear away and come into a place of observation.

This can be an extremely helpful tool during your ayahuasca ceremonies, especially when the energies and visions can become intense. Stepping into “observer mode” in these times will enable you to stay more centred and not get caught up in energies or loops of mental confusion or distraction. This practice will help facilitate an ‘effortlessness’ and surrender to the deeper transformations taking place. Although extreme mental activity can occur during ayahuasca ceremonies, often this will be the manifestation of a purge or also can be related to receiving deep realisation and insights.

We strongly recommend using your meditation and mindfulness practice as an opportunity to drop into your heart space and tap into what it truly feels like to trust, surrender and have faith during your ceremonial experiences.

To make a reservation for a room or a bungalow, all you have to do is pay a deposit via Paypal or bank transfer. We usually ask for 400 € (or USD). Afterwards your place is safe. We will then send you a confirmation letter and all the other information you need to prepare for your retreat. The remaining balance has to be paid via Bank Transfer two weeks before a retreat starts. In case of a Yoga Teacher Training half of the remaining balance needs to be paid two month in advance, the rest of it two days before the training starts. If agreed with the Ancstral Retreats team you can pay also in cash on the day of the arrival. Please note that we accept cash in Euros (€), USD ($) or Pesos (COP) only. USD and COP are based on the exchange rate against the Euro, Ancestral Retreats defines beforehand. We will send you all the information and reminders in good time.

We prefer a bank transfer; with the App Wise it is the easiest way and has the best exchange rates. If that’s not an option for you, you can also transfer to Paypal, but please consider the fees here and contact us in advance to set the rate. We also accept cash and will define the exchange rate.

Our terms and conditions you find here.

No. Of course there is a light risk during the rainy season, but we never heard about a case in the last year. We do not recommend taking anti-malarial medication when drinking ayahuasca, as it has been known to cause complications. In the end it is your decision.

Yes we do. More information you will find here.