Plant Medicine Retreats in 2026: The Definitive Comparison

Ayahuasca is no longer a secret.

Ron White went on the Joe Rogan Experience (episode #2302) and credited it with ending his relationship with alcohol. HBO’s Industry built a full episode around a ceremony. Judd Apatow went on Watch What Happens Live and told Andy Cohen he saw Jesus during his trip. The sacred plant medicine from the Amazon has entered mainstream cultural conversation in a way that would have been unimaginable a decade ago.

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The promise is impossible to ignore: ten years of therapy in a few nights.

The people seeking it don’t fit a single profile. There are veterans with treatment-resistant PTSD who have exhausted every option the system offers. People in the grip of addiction who have cycled through every treatment option without finding lasting recovery. Others carrying trauma that years of conventional therapy only scratched the surface of. And then there are people who aren’t in crisis at all, just quietly overwhelmed by modern life and crises of meaning, looking for something that feels like solid ground.

What’s striking is that ayahuasca doesn’t discriminate. The person sitting in ceremony next to a veteran might be a CEO, a celebrity, or a retired school teacher who saved for two years to be in that room.

Deciding to work with this medicine is potentially one of the most significant decisions a person can make, but choosing where to go is a different problem entirely.

The retreat space has exploded alongside demand, and it isn’t always safe, convenient, or trustworthy. The marketing language is nearly identical across most of these centers, and you can read forty different websites and still have no idea how to tell them apart. So we pulled verified review counts from TripAdvisor and Google Business Profiles and built a ranking based on independently verifiable numbers rather than whoever has the best copywriter.

Here’s what we found.

Full Rankings: Top 10 by TripAdvisor and Google Combined

TripAdvisor counts verified from platform listing pages. Google counts verified from Google Business Profiles. Arkana totals combine two separate listings. APL Journeys figure is self-reported across combined platforms. All data as of January 2026.

1st. Rythmia Life Advancement Center

Location: Guanacaste, Costa Rica (Blue Zone) 

Ceremonies: 4 ceremonies featuring Ayahuasca and Colombian Yage 

TripAdvisor: 2,896 reviews (#1 healing center globally) 

Google: 398 reviews 

Combined Total: 3,294

Rythmia’s combined review count, currently at 3,294, exceeds the total of every other center on this list combined.

The structural difference between Rythmia and the other centers on this list is its medical license. This center is currently the only medically licensed plant medicine facility in the world.  Licensed Costa Rican physicians and nurses are on site every day. For anyone with a complex medical history, or a reasonable concern about spending hours in an altered state in a foreign country, that fact carries more weight than any “safety protocols” language an unlicensed center can offer.

The program runs Saturday to Saturday (or Sunday to Sunday). Four ceremonies anchor a restorative week that also includes daily yoga and breathwork, organic farm-to-table dining, the Answer Is You curriculum, spa treatments, and lectures from visiting thought leaders.

The board of directors is also unusual for this industry. It includes Jack Canfield, Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith, Martin Luther King III, Cesar Millan, Ron White, Iyanla Vanzant, Toni Ko, Frank Biden, and Marc Kielburger. All of whom initially came as paying guests, went through the program, and chose to publicly associate their names with it afterward. That’s a different category of endorsement than an advisory board of academics wedded to conventional frameworks for what healing is supposed to look like.

Pros: 3,294 combined reviews; only medically licensed plant medicine facility on the planet; 23,000+ guests served since 2016; 24/7 licensed physicians and nurses; all-inclusive with organic dining, spa, gym, saltwater pool, and daily programming; scholarship program available; year-round weekly availability

Cons: Premium pricing reflects the level of medical oversight and infrastructure; larger cohort size than remote jungle centers; books well in advance

Best for: Anyone serious about transformation who wants independently verified results and the option to arrive with a complicated medical history.

2nd. Arkana International

Location: Amazon and Sacred Valley, Peru; Mexico 

Ceremonies: 4 Ayahuasca ceremonies plus optional Bufo/San Pedro 

TripAdvisor: 500 reviews (two listings combined) 

Google: 408 reviews (two listings combined) 

Combined Total: 908

Arkana has two different locations in Peru, the Amazon jungle and Sacred Valley, each with separate TripAdvisor and Google Business profiles. Combined, they represent the most geographically distributed operation in this ranking and a decade of sustained work in the space.

Maestra Justina brings 45 years of experience in the Shipibo tradition, which is among the most respected in indigenous Ayahuasca lineages. Integration programming extends beyond the retreat with community follow-up.

What Arkana doesn’t have is a medical license or licensed physicians present at ceremonies. The remote jungle settings are immersive, and they also limit emergency medical response in ways worth considering honestly.

Pros: Strong verified presence across two location profiles; authentic Shipibo lineage; distinctive Amazon and Sacred Valley settings; solid integration programming

Cons: No medical license; no external institutional accountability; remote locations limit emergency response

Best for: Seekers prioritizing indigenous immersion and smaller groups over medical infrastructure.

3rd. Etnikas

Location: Sacred Valley, Cusco, Peru 

Ceremonies: 2-3 ceremonies over 3-7 days 

TripAdvisor: 712 reviews (4.8 stars) 

Google: 74 reviews (4.4 stars) 

Combined Total: 786

Etnikas has been operating in Cusco for 40+ years and claims to be the only center recognized by the Peruvian Ministry of Health. Its 712 TripAdvisor reviews are the second-highest on this list.

The 4.4 Google rating is worth examining, because Google tends to capture a broader and less self-selecting reviewer base than TripAdvisor, and it’s the lowest rating of any center in this comparison. The high-altitude Cusco setting requires its own preparation, and altitude sickness can present real challenges for anyone with underlying health issues. The accessible price point and availability of shorter day-retreat formats both contribute to the high review volume.

Pros: 712 TripAdvisor reviews; 40+ years of operating history; most accessible price point in this comparison

Cons: 4.4 Google rating, lowest in this comparison; high-altitude Cusco setting rather than Amazon lowlands; shorter formats inflate overall review count; no medical license

Best for: Travelers already visiting Cusco who want an established, accessible introduction to plant medicine.

4th. Reunion

Location: Sugar Beach, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (Blue Zone) 

Ceremonies: 4 ceremonies over 7 nights 

TripAdvisor: 12 reviews 

Google: 357 reviews 

Combined Total: 369

Reunion is a not-for-profit, LGBTQ-friendly center on Sugar Beach in Guanacaste. They run 7-night programs that include breathwork, yoga, spa treatments, and beach access. With 357 Google reviews it has the highest single-platform Google count in this ranking, but the TripAdvisor presence at 12 reviews doesn’t add meaningful comparative data. The not-for-profit structure and explicitly LGBTQ-inclusive focus are genuine differentiators in a space that can feel homogenous.

Pros: 357 Google reviews; not-for-profit structure; LGBTQ-friendly; Blue Zone beachfront setting; all-inclusive 7-night program

Cons: Star ratings unconfirmed; only 12 TripAdvisor reviews; no medical license

Best for: LGBTQ travelers looking for inclusive spaces and those drawn to the not-for-profit model and beachfront Blue Zone setting.

5th. New Life Rising

Location: Guanacaste (Tamarindo), Costa Rica and Texas, USA 

Ceremonies: 2-3 Ayahuasca ceremonies over 5-8 nights 

TripAdvisor: 23 reviews (5.0 stars) 

Google: 282 reviews (5.0 stars) 

Combined Total: 305

New Life Rising has 5.0 stars on both platforms. Founded in 2014, it operates from a 9-acre Blue Zone eco-sanctuary near Tamarindo with a cap of 12-14 participants per retreat. Facilitators Matt and Jeanae trained in Peruvian Mestizo traditions under shaman Don Ron Wheelock, and the intimacy of the operation comes through consistently across reviews.

The limitation is scale. At 305 combined reviews, the data set is smaller, and while perfect ratings across a smaller sample are a meaningful signal, though not a conclusive one.

Pros: 5.0 stars on both platforms; founded 2014, the longest-running retreat in Costa Rica; max 12-14 guests; Blue Zone eco-sanctuary setting

Cons: 305 combined reviews; no medical license; 2-3 ceremonies, fewer than most; thin TripAdvisor presence

Best for: Seekers who prioritize intimate group size and a consistent rating record in a Costa Rica Blue Zone setting.

6th. Soltara Healing Center

Location: Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica 

Ceremonies: 3-7 Ayahuasca ceremonies over 5-12 nights 

TripAdvisor: 3 reviews (5.0 stars) 

Google: 258 reviews (4.9 stars) 

Combined Total: 261

Soltara’s reviews are almost entirely on Google, 258 at 4.9 stars. It’s a strong single-platform signal, although the TripAdvisor absence makes direct comparison with higher-ranked centers challenging.

Soltara works exclusively with Shipibo healers and offers a full year of integration support through its Nectara platform. The advisory board includes Dr. Gabor Mate and Dr. Dennis McKenna, who are two of the most credible academic voices in the plant medicine space.

Pros: 258 Google reviews at 4.9 stars; advisory board includes Gabor Mate and Dennis McKenna; full year of integration support; Shipibo healers

Cons: Only 3 TripAdvisor reviews; no medical license; no single permanent campus

Best for: Seekers who want traditional Shipibo work, a serious integration program, and an academic-minded expert advisory board.

7th. APL Journeys

Location: Andalusia, Spain (also Peru/Ecuador) 

Ceremonies: 3 Ayahuasca ceremonies 

TripAdvisor: ~235 (self-reported across platforms) 

Google: Not publicly listed 

Combined Total: ~235 (self-reported)

APL Journeys caters to European seekers who don’t want the hassle of a transatlantic flight. Their Andalusia location operates in Spain’s legal gray zone, their shamans have traditional Shipibo training, and the integration programming is thoughtful. 

The 235-review number is self-reported across TripAdvisor, Google, and their own internal platform, which makes independent verification tricky. Three ceremonies per retreat is also fewer than most other options on this list.

Pros: European accessibility; authentic Shipibo lineage training; 5.0 stars across self-reported reviews; solid pre and post-retreat integration

Cons: Review count self-reported across multiple platforms including their own; only 3 ceremonies; no medical license; Google presence not independently verifiable

Best for: European residents seeking structured, tradition-informed plant medicine without international travel.

8th. Temple of the Way of Light

Location: Amazon Rainforest, Iquitos, Peru (2 hours by boat) 

Ceremonies: 5-7 ceremonies over 10-12 days 

TripAdvisor: No listing 

Google: 227 reviews (4.8 stars) 

Combined Total: 227

The Temple has been operating for over 15 years with 100% of profits directed to Amazon-focused NGOs. Ceremonies are led by indigenous Shipibo maestros and maestras who have trained for decades in the use of medicinal plants and icaros, the sacred healing songs central to Shipibo curandero practice. 

Getting there is likely the greatest challenge, because reaching the center requires a flight to Iquitos, then a bus, a boat, and a hike into a remote stretch of the Peruvian Amazon. The region carries valid safety considerations, and solo travel logistics may be overwhelming. For the right person, that remoteness can be part of the appeal, but for anyone with real medical needs or limited mobility, there are more suitable options on this list.

Pros: 227 Google reviews at 4.8 stars; over 15 years of continuous operation; 100% of profits fund NGOs; deep-immersion format with up to 7 ceremonies

Cons: No TripAdvisor presence; 12-day minimum with significant remote travel required; no medical license; some reviews raise concerns about group size management

Best for: Committed seekers willing to invest 12 days in a remote setting who want their experience rooted in unbroken indigenous lineage and have no need for medical support or Western program infrastructure.

9th. Selva Madre

Location: Padre Cocha, near Iquitos, Peru 

Ceremonies: 3-4 per week 

TripAdvisor: 149 reviews (4.9 stars) 

Google: 9 reviews (5.0 stars) 

Combined Total: 158

Selva Madre is family-run by the Rimachi family of the Aguaruna tribe with a maximum of 8 guests per retreat. The 4.9 TripAdvisor rating across 149 reviews is one of the strongest in this comparison. They have two medical practitioners on call during retreats, which is also a meaningful detail most other unlicensed centers don’t offer. While their review base is modest, it is also consistent.

Pros: 4.9 TripAdvisor stars across 149 reviews; max 8 guests; authentic Aguaruna lineage; medical practitioners on call

Cons: 158 combined reviews; no medical licensing as a facility; very remote location with significant travel from Iquitos

Best for: Experienced travelers seeking a deeply intimate, indigenous-led experience in the Amazon with some medical oversight on site.

10th. Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual

Location: 90 minutes from Iquitos, Peru 

Ceremonies: 4 per week 

TripAdvisor: ~80 reviews 

Google: 65 reviews (4.7 stars) 

Combined Total: ~145

100% Shipibo-owned and operated, led by Maestro Ricardo Amaringo with 44 years of ceremonial experience. Nihue Rao is a respected destination for serious practitioners focused on extended master plant dieta work. Private rooms, electricity, and multilingual staff provide a decent baseline of comfort in a remote setting. At roughly 145 combined reviews it has the smallest footprint in the top 10, though most reviews reflect genuine satisfaction from a dedicated traditional-medicine audience.

Pros: 100% Shipibo-owned; Maestro Amaringo’s 44 years of ceremonial experience; master plant dieta programs for extended-stay practitioners; multilingual staff

Cons: Smallest combined total in the top 10; no medical license; remote Amazon location; some mixed reviews on crisis handling

Best for: Experienced practitioners focused on deep traditional dieta work in an indigenous-owned Amazon setting.

The Scholarship Question

Of the ten centers in this comparison, only one offers a formal scholarship program for guests who cannot afford the full cost of attendance.

What the Numbers Actually Say

If you add up every review from the other nine centers on this list, the combined total is approximately 3,186, but Rythmia’s standalone count is 3,294.

Those reviews came from a percentage of 23,000 people across a decade of weekly retreats who experienced something profound enough to write about it, including guests who, even six months later, still call it the week that changed their lives. The center reports a 98% miracle rate among attendees, and the volume of unsolicited reviews makes that figure harder to dismiss.

None of the other centers on this list are bad options. Several are excellent, particularly for experienced seekers who want fully indigenous immersion, smaller groups, or extended time in the Amazon. However, if you’re approaching plant medicine for the first time, or if you have any medical complexity, or if medical accountability in the event something goes wrong matters to you, Rythmia stands out.

All reviews referenced here are independent and publicly verifiable.

To learn more, visit rythmia.com

Disclaimer: TripAdvisor review counts verified from platform listing pages as of January 2026. Google counts verified from Google Business Profiles as of January 2026. Arkana totals combine two separate location listings on each platform. APL Journeys TripAdvisor figure is self-reported across combined platforms.

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Ayahuasca is no longer a secret. Ron White went on the Joe Rogan Experience (episode #2302) and credited it with ending his relationship with alcohol. HBO’s Industry built a full episode around a ceremony. Judd Apatow went on Watch What Happens Live and told Andy Cohen he saw Jesus during his trip. The sacred plant […]SPIN Contributor{authorlink}https://www.spinmagazine.com/feed/SPINMusic News, Album Reviews, Concert Photos, Videos and Morehttps://static.spinmagazine.com/files/2023/08/cropped-logo-spin-s-340×340.png