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

Cloud Forest Yagé: An In-Depth Review for Yagé Retreats near Mocoa, Colombia

Cloud Forest Yagé, also marketed as Cloud Forest Adventure Lodge, is a foreign-owned jungle lodge in the Zarzal community on the edge of Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia, owned by South African sailboat captain Daniel Roldao with local administrator Maribel Rosero Pantoja and co-founder James Hayes, offering yagé ceremonies with an unnamed Indigenous taita, including a four-day weekend with one ceremony for $750, per its Retreat Guru program page. Against that, the taita and lineage are never named, it publishes no screening, contraindications or emergency plan and tells guests “Only you are responsible for yourself”, and it has no reviews on any platform.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Finca Tigre in the Zarzal community outside Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia, reached from Puente Aguacate by horse or motor cart, per its property page.
• Approach: Yagé ceremonies with “indigenous shamans” in a maloca, offered as one, two or five ceremonies, with waterfall hikes, horseback riding, biking, yoga and birdwatching; no other medicines are listed.
• Suitable For: Independent adults wanting yagé in an adventure-lodge setting who can arrange their own screening and medical backup. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $750 for the four-day weekend with one ceremony on open dates; prices for the longer options are not public. The deposit is refundable until a day before arrival and full payment until 30 days before, per Retreat Guru.
• Overall Assessment: Small groups, private rooms and a nearby town hospital, offset by an unnamed taita, no published safety provisions, contradictory listings and no track record. Directory evaluation: C.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

No reviews were found: its Retreat Guru page shows none, and no listing was found on Tripadvisor, Google, BookRetreats or other platforms. 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 Cloud Forest Yagé, its other trade names, Daniel Roldao, Maribel Rosero Pantoja and James Hayes.

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

The taita is unnamed and one co-founder has a very common name, which limits this search. A British student died after a yagé session with a different taita near Mocoa in 2014, per El Espectador; that case does not involve this center.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. Daniel Roldao says he first drank yagé in Mocoa in 2016 and bought the land in 2017 to open a retreat; Maribel Rosero Pantoja, from the Mocoa area, administers it; and James Hayes, an artist and musician, handles guests, per its about page. The ceremonies are led by “indigenous shamans” who are never named, and no lineage, cabildo or traditional-medicine credential is shown. No company, tax number or tourism registration was found, and the contact number is a US WhatsApp line.

Screening and medical support. No medical questionnaire, contraindication list, medical staff, integration support or emergency protocol is published. Its philosophy page says “Only you are responsible for yourself.” The nearest hospital is the public E.S.E. Hospital José María Hernández in Mocoa, about 4 km away in a straight line, but the last stretch from the road is by horse or motor cart.

Listings. Retreat Guru lists air conditioning, a spa, sauna, hot tub and gym and three meals a day, while its facilities page describes shared bathrooms, a natural pool and breakfast only. The lodge is also marketed as a hostel and as a venue for outside groups.

Status. The website and Retreat Guru listing are live with open dates, but no fixed 2026 retreats or dated guest accounts were found; its gallery was uploaded in January 2025.

Legal context. There is no specific law permitting or prohibiting yagé in Colombia, where its use rests on Indigenous rights, per ICEERS, which counted seven media-reported ayahuasca-linked deaths in Colombia from 2008 to 2021.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

With no published screening, guests must check their own medications and conditions before drinking. 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 of unpublished recipe, served by the visiting taita. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Mountain rainforest on the edge of the Amazon above Mocoa, near waterfalls and Cueva de los Guácharos National Park.
• Rooms: Eight small private rooms with shared bathrooms in a Jungle House with an open-air living room, per its facilities page.
• Style: A foreign-run adventure lodge hosting yagé with an Indigenous taita.

Practical guidance: Fly from Bogotá toward Putumayo; a caretaker meets guests at the airport or bus station.

Should You Book?

Only after getting answers in writing: the taita’s name, lineage and community, the screening and contraindication rules, who on site is trained in first aid and how a guest reaches the Mocoa hospital at night. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

The owners describe buying the land in 2017 and building a lodge for yagé, nature and adventure travel; it began listing retreats around 2025. 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 Retreat Guru. 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.