Heaven and Earth Sanctuary
Atmosphere
Features
Atmosphere and feature ratings above are based on Best Retreats research (October 2026). They will be updated if Heaven and Earth Sanctuary submits its own information.
Heaven and Earth Sanctuary: An In-Depth Review of a Retreat Venue in Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica
Heaven and Earth Sanctuary is a 10-acre riverside venue on the Río Chirripó in Chimirol, Rivas, in Costa Rica’s Pérez Zeledón canton, about four to five hours from San José airport. Retreat groups of up to 15 book it for exclusive use, and its houses are rented on Airbnb between retreats. We found no ayahuasca program run by the venue. The one group documented there, led by Callista Carlson with Kusiy Millary, sells a 12-day vision quest with two psilocybin ceremonies and an optional peyote ceremony for $1,222 to $4,444. The venue rates 5.00 from two BookRetreats reviews and 4.67 to 5.0 on Airbnb. Against that, no screening, contraindication, medical or emergency information is published for the psychedelic events it hosts, no legal entity or full owner name is published, Airbnb lists no smoke or carbon monoxide alarm, and Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health calls ritual “healing” processes an unauthorized practice.
🎯 At a Glance
- Locations: Chimirol, Rivas, Pérez Zeledón, in San José Province, on the banks of the Río Chirripó, according to its BookRetreats center page and Airbnb listings. San Isidro de El General is the nearest city.
- Approach: A rental venue with a Red Serpent Temple, an open-air yoga pagoda over the river, a copper meditation pyramid, an Incan altar and a temazcal; the program depends on the group renting it.
- Suitable For: Groups wanting an exclusive riverside venue. Anyone joining a psychedelic retreat here should get the organizer’s screening and emergency terms in writing first.
- Costs: The venue publishes no rates. The hosted vision quest costs $1,222 with your own tent, $2,222 in a shared room and $4,444 for a private room for two, with a $378 deposit, according to its BookRetreats listing.
- Overall Assessment: A well-liked natural venue with exclusive use, offset by psychedelic events with no published screening, medical staff or emergency plan, no visible legal entity, missing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and an unconfirmed earlier history. Directory evaluation: C.
💬 What Guests Are Saying
| Platform | Rating | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BookRetreats (venue) | 5.00 / 5 | 2 | January 2026 |
| BookRetreats (vision quest) | 4.99 / 5 | 14 | November 2023 to January 2026; includes other programs |
| Airbnb (Red Earth Casa) | 5.0 / 5 | 5 | Accuracy 4.6 |
| Airbnb (Casa Angitia) | 4.67 / 5 | 3 | Cleanliness 3.3; check-in 3.7 |
The positive picture. Retreat guests praise the jungle setting, the community, optional activities and supportive facilitators. Airbnb guests praise the river, outdoor spaces, kitchens and hospitality.
The negative feedback. No written complaints are visible. Casa Angitia’s category scores are low for cleanliness and check-in.
Who is writing the reviews. About nine of Callista Carlson’s organizer reviews on BookRetreats are dated November 9, 2025, and several mention Carlson’s other venue, Soul Sync Sanctuary, which suggests they were moved from another listing. The vision quest’s 14 reviews include reviews of other programs, and every visible review is five stars. 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 Heaven and Earth Sanctuary, Rivas and Pérez Zeledón retreats, Callista Carlson and Kusiy Millary.
- Deaths and serious injuries: None found.
- Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
- Theft and fraud: None found.
- Legal action: None found.
The hosts publish first names only, which limits any search. Our earlier profile found no theft, sexual misconduct or crime.
If you have experienced or witnessed an incident with this center, please report it confidentially.
🔍 Critical Notes
A venue, not a center. BookRetreats describes the Red Serpent Temple as a space for “trainings, courses, and ceremonies,” and Airbnb says that “Between retreats, it is available for private rentals.” Each visiting group sets its own medicines, screening and safety rules.
Hosted psychedelic events. The vision quest scheduled for December 23, 2026 to January 3, 2027 includes two psilocybin ceremonies, a peyote ceremony for an extra fee, temazcal, a sweat lodge and an optional one-day solo vision quest. Its intake form covers only diet and the shuttle, it lists no contraindications, and it says “families welcome.” It gives group sizes of “2 to 20” and “15-25,” against the venue’s limit of 15.
Legal context. In January 2025, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health warned that DMT is a controlled substance and that ritual “procesos de sanación” are “una práctica no autorizada,” since healing is a medical act requiring licensed professionals, as CRHoy reports. The legal status of psilocybin mushrooms in Costa Rica is unsettled.
Property safety. Both Airbnb listings show carbon monoxide and smoke alarms as not available.
Who runs it. The Airbnb host is “Carole,” with eight years of hosting, and the co-host is “Maritza”; no surnames, company name or registration number (cédula jurídica) are published.
Corrections to our earlier profile. The venue is in San José Province, not San José city, and is four to five hours from the airport, not three. We found no ayahuasca program at the venue. The Airbnb host has hosted for about eight years and the newest houses were built in 2018; we found no source for operation since 2005, a founding by Thomas Whittier, or a handover to Carole in 2017, so those remain unverified. We also found no source for the $3,559 price or a $500 to $1,000 estimate, Tripadvisor reviews from July 2025, a 2025 Costa Rica Expats Facebook post, Retreat Guru reviews or access to a massage therapist. The 10 acres, river pools, exclusive use for up to 15, temple, pagoda, copper pyramid, yoni garden and farm-to-table meals are confirmed.
🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks
Neither the venue nor the current hosted event publishes a medical questionnaire, contraindications, medical staff or an emergency protocol. The nearest hospital is Hospital Fernando Escalante Pradilla in San Isidro de El General, which offers 24-hour emergency care, according to the IOM; Rivas town is about 8 to 9 km from San Isidro by road. Ask any organizer for written exclusions covering antidepressants, heart conditions and psychiatric history. Never stop a psychiatric medication to qualify for a ceremony without your prescriber’s guidance.
🧪 Brew Substance
The venue serves no brew of its own. The hosted vision quest uses psilocybin mushrooms and peyote; their source, form and dose are not published. Visiting groups may bring other medicines, so confirm exactly what will be served before you book.
📍 Location, Setting & Style
- Setting: Gardens and jungle along the Río Chirripó, with natural swimming pools, hot rocks, fire pits and a small farm with goats and hens.
- Rooms: Cob and glass-bottle houses and newer minimalist houses with full kitchens, hot water and Wi-Fi; event tiers include shared baths and your own tent.
- Style: Sacred geometry and natural building; three home-cooked farm-to-table vegetarian or vegan meals a day are optional for groups.
Practical guidance: The hosted event offers a paid shuttle from San José airport. Airbnb notes two restaurants and three grocery stores within walking distance and daytime traffic noise from the main road.
Should You Book?
As a rental venue, it suits groups that bring their own safety plan. Before joining any ceremony here, ask the organizer for written screening, medical and emergency terms and confirm what will be served. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.
The Team & Story
The venue is hosted by Carole and co-hosted by Maritza. Callista Carlson’s bio cites more than 20 years in corporate finance, yoga teacher training and more than three years in the Sacred Fire tradition; Kusiy Millary is described as a “Medicine Woman of the Sacred Fire Of ITZACHILATLAN.” 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 |
|---|---|
| Exclusive use for groups of up to 15 | No published screening or emergency plan for hosted events |
| Riverside setting with natural pools | No smoke or carbon monoxide alarms listed |
| 24-hour hospital in San Isidro de El General | No legal entity or full owner name |
| No incidents found | Imported, all-five-star organizer reviews |
Book Your Ceremony
The venue is booked through BookRetreats and Airbnb; events are booked through their organizers. The current vision quest refunds 100% of the deposit 60 or more days out, 50% at 30 to 59 days, and nothing inside 30 days. Best Retreats does not take bookings; learn more about our mission.
Last reviewed October 2026.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified medical professional.