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Atmosphere and feature ratings above are based on Best Retreats research (November 2026). They will be updated if Ayllu Medicina submits its own information.

Ayllu Medicina: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats in Manglaralto, Santa Elena, Ecuador

Ayllu Medicina is a coastal plant medicine retreat at a hotel at the entrance to Manglaralto, near Montañita, Santa Elena, Ecuador, founded by French-born Aimé Bertot and Colombian-born Hwaneetah Calderon, that runs eight-day retreats with two ayahuasca ceremonies, one San Pedro ceremony and three to four sweat lodges for $2,555, per its retreats page. It screens guests with two health forms and a call, keeps groups to about 12, and has consistently positive reviews. Against that, it has no doctor or nurse, schedules sweat lodges and ice baths around ayahuasca nights, its founders claim no Amazonian training, and it asks guests to bring half the fee in cash.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: A hotel with ocean views and a pool at the entrance to Manglaralto, Santa Elena province, Ecuador, about ten minutes from Montañita and 2.5 hours from Guayaquil.
• Approach: Ayahuasca and San Pedro ceremonies within a Sacred Fire, sweat lodge and pipe tradition, plus tobacco, plant baths, yoga, breathwork, cold plunges and workshops.
• Suitable For: Guests wanting a structured, small-group retreat on the coast who are comfortable without on-site medical staff. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $2,444 in 2024 and $2,555 in 2025 for eight days with lodging and plant-based meals, per WeTravel; the $400 deposit is non-refundable and cancellations inside 60 days get credit only, per its policies.
• Overall Assessment: Clear screening, small groups and strong reviews, offset by no clinicians, heat and cold stress around ceremonies, a non-Amazonian lineage and opaque business details. Directory evaluation: B-.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

Google shows 5.0 from 37 reviews, all five-star, per a copy on Wanderlog, and WeTravel shows eight positive reviews from April 2023 to June 2026, though its trip pages claim 48. Guests describe feeling safe and held, a well-structured program, good food and caring staff. A 2022 forum post on Gringopost calls it life-changing. 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 Ayllu Medicina, Aimé Bertot and Hwaneetah Calderon.

• Deaths and serious injuries: None found.
• Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
• Theft and fraud: None found.
• Legal action: None found.

If you have experienced or witnessed an incident with this center, please report it confidentially.

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. Aimé Bertot describes himself as a medicine man of the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan, a sun dancer and pipe carrier, and Hwaneetah Calderon as a feminine wisdom teacher trained with North American elders, per the team page (unverified). The ayahuasca is said to come from an unnamed Amazonian family. Neither founder claims Amazonian training. No company or RUC tax number appears, and contact is a Gmail address.

Screening and medical support. Guests complete two health forms and an orientation call, and the FAQ lists MAOIs, SSRIs, heart conditions and serious psychiatric conditions as matters to discuss rather than firm exclusions. Staff are trained in first aid, but there is no doctor or nurse and no published emergency protocol. The operator says a hospital is about five minutes away (unverified).

Program load. Sweat lodges are held the day before and between ayahuasca nights, and cold plunges on ceremony days, adding heat and cold stress. The FAQ also says no one “has ever died from Ayahuasca itself”, which understates known risks.

Venue history. A 2022 post placed its retreats at Bromelia in nearby Dos Mangas, profiled separately in our directory (unverified). Ayllu Medicina is not connected to Ayahuasca Ayllu in Cusco, Peru.

Status. Operating, with sold-out retreats for December 2026 and January 2027 and dates listed into June 2027.

Legal context. Ayahuasca is not formally legalized in Ecuador but ceremonies are generally tolerated, per TripBase; protection for traditional use is tied to Indigenous practice, which leaves commercial retreats in a grey area.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

Confirm in writing whether your medication or condition excludes you before paying the non-refundable deposit. 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

Ayahuasca from an unnamed Amazonian family, prepared on site, and San Pedro harvested by the team. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Warm Pacific coast in a quiet valley, a short walk from the beach.
• Rooms: Hotel rooms with air conditioning, hot water and private bathrooms, and a pool with ocean views.
• Style: Fire and sweat lodge ceremonies combined with yoga, breathwork and feminine wisdom workshops.

Practical guidance: Fly to Guayaquil (GYE) or Manta (MEC); the team can arrange a taxi at your cost.

Should You Book?

Possibly. Ask in writing who on site holds medical or first aid qualifications, the emergency plan and hospital route, how sweat lodges and cold plunges are adjusted around ceremonies, and the legal entity you are paying. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Ayllu Medicina presents itself as a medicine family offering ceremony, community and integration on the Ecuadorian coast. 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

Book Your Ceremony

Retreats are listed on its website. Best Retreats does not take bookings; learn more about our mission.

Last reviewed November 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified medical professional.