Ayahuasca Putumayo

Atmosphere
Features
Atmosphere and feature ratings above are based on Best Retreats research (November 2026). They will be updated if Ayahuasca Putumayo submits its own information.
Ayahuasca Putumayo: An In-Depth Review for Yagé Ceremonies near Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia
Ayahuasca Putumayo is a small yagé (ayahuasca) organizer near Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia, run by a Franco-Colombian family, Juan Rojas and Léna Clemenceau, who lodge guests at their hostal on the Mocoa to Villagarzón road and take them to ceremonies led by Cofán Taita Humberto Díaz at his own yagé house in Villagarzón, per its about page. Its main program is a week with three ceremonies for groups of three to five people who have taken yagé before. Its taita’s lineage is described consistently across several sources. Against that, no prices, refund terms, legal entity, screening, contraindication list or emergency plan are published, guests travel at night to an off-site ceremony house, and it has no independent reviews.
🎯 At a Glance
- Locations: A family hostal at km 7 of the Mocoa to Villagarzón road, in Vereda San José del Pepino, Mocoa, with ceremonies at the Chiga Manda yagé house in Villagarzón municipality; a mountain plot near the Fin del Mundo waterfall is being developed.
- Approach: Cofán yagé ceremonies with rapé, mambé, tobacco, nettle cleansing and plant baths, plus jungle walks and waterfall visits.
- Suitable For: Travelers who have taken yagé before and arrange their own medical screening. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
- Costs: No prices, deposits or refund terms are published; the seven-day program includes lodging and meals, and a one-night option is also offered.
- Overall Assessment: A small family operation with a named Cofán taita and no incidents found, offset by no published prices or safeguards, night transfers and no independent reviews. Directory evaluation: C-.
💬 What Guests Are Saying
No reviews were found on Retreat Guru, BookRetreats or travel booking sites; its hostal’s Trip.com listing has none. Retreat Guru has a teacher profile for the taita with no reviews. No reviews of 3 stars or lower were found. If you have attended, we encourage you to share your experience through our submission form.
🚩 Incident Report
We searched review platforms and English and Spanish-language news for reports involving Ayahuasca Putumayo, Hostal Samay, Léna Clemenceau, Taita Humberto Díaz and Chiga Manda.
- Deaths and serious injuries: None found.
- Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
- Theft and fraud: None found.
- Legal action: None found.
Juan Rojas is a very common name and was not searched separately, so this absence offers limited assurance.
If you have experienced or witnessed an incident with this center, please report it confidentially.
🔍 Critical Notes
Who runs it. The family says it has lived in Mocoa since 2018 and that Taita Humberto grew up in the Cofán reserve of Jardines de Sucumbíos and trained for more than 25 years under Taita Querubín Queta (unverified). Another center in Mocoa, Aslepay Shamanic Center, also books him as a guest ceremony leader. No company or tax number is shown.
Screening and medical support. Guests fill in a short registration describing their concerns, but no medical questionnaire, contraindication list, medical staff or emergency plan is published. Guests are moved between the hostal and the taita’s yagé house for night ceremonies, and the taita’s regular Tuesday and Friday ceremonies may include other attendees. Mocoa’s hospital is the likely nearest (unverified).
Status. Probably operating; its site is live with photos dated April 2025, and the lodging appears to be moving to a new house called L’Aurora.
Legal context. Colombia has no specific law permitting or prohibiting yagé, per ICEERS.
🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks
Ask for the contraindication rules and the night transport plan before booking. ICEERS notes that ayahuasca’s MAOI component makes it dangerous with SSRIs and other serotonergic drugs and that it is contraindicated for people prone to psychosis. Never stop a psychiatric medication to qualify for a ceremony without your prescriber’s guidance.
🧪 Brew Substance
Yagé that the site says is brewed from the ayahuasca vine and a leaf it calls “pinta-chagro”. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf, as Erowid explains.
📍 Location, Setting & Style
- Setting: Hot, humid Amazon foothills beside the Mocoa river.
- Rooms: Handmade wooden cabins and simple rooms with a shared kitchen.
- Style: Traditional Cofán ceremonies at the taita’s own yagé house.
Practical guidance: Villagarzón has the nearest airport, and Mocoa is reachable by road; airport pickup is not stated.
Should You Book?
Possibly, for experienced drinkers. Ask in writing for the full price and refund terms, the contraindication rules, who travels with guests at night, who is trained in first aid, and the emergency plan and hospital route. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.
The Team & Story
Ayahuasca Putumayo presents itself as a family that came to Putumayo to drink yagé with Taita Humberto and now hosts others. We did not independently verify anyone’s training.
Prep & Integration Tips
Before you go: Disclose every medication and condition in writing and plan any change with your own doctor. After you return: Arrange support from a qualified therapist at home. Our guide on how to research ayahuasca incidents can help you check any center.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Named Cofán taita | No published prices or refund terms |
| Groups of three to five | No screening or emergency plan |
| Traditional setting | Night transfers to an off-site house |
| No incidents found | No independent reviews |
Book Your Ceremony
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Last reviewed November 2026.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified medical professional.

