Atmosphere

Features

Atmosphere and feature ratings above are based on Best Retreats research (October 2026). They will be updated if Ikara Iboga Retreat Centre submits its own information.

Ikara Iboga Retreat Centre: An In-Depth Review for Iboga Retreats near Portalón, Costa Rica

Ikara Iboga Retreat Centre ran five-day Bwete (Bwiti) iboga retreats from a hillside house above Portalón, on Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast, from 2021 until September 2026, when it announced that its iboga retreats had ended. It is run by Kuma Bwenze, whose own pages give the name Jamie Atherton, and Manga, listed as Melinda Atherton, who moved from Australia and claim initiation in Gabonese Bwete rites. The last iboga retreat cost $3,000, and the center now sells non-iboga “Awareness Dialogues” for $2,000 and a two-week program in Gabon for $4,700. It rates 5.00 on both Retreat Guru and BookRetreats from 14 reviews combined. Against that, it published no ECG, QT or liver screening, contraindications, medical staff or emergency plan while offering extra iboga doses between ceremonies; Costa Rica’s health authorities call ritual iboga healing unauthorized; and its Gabon program says participants may not opt out of any step.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Portalón, Savegre, Puntarenas, about 2.5 hours south of San José, according to its Retreat Guru listing; the house sits on about 4.5 acres with ocean views.
• Approach: Bwete Miobe iboga ceremonies “prepared by King Adumangana” of a Gabonese village, with Gabonese plant cleansings; since late 2026, dialogue sessions without iboga.
• Suitable For: Anyone considering iboga here or in its Gabon program should first get independent cardiac screening and a written emergency plan. Not suitable for anyone with a heart condition, psychiatric history or medications that affect heart rhythm.
• Costs: The five-day iboga retreat was $2,500 in 2023 and $3,000 on BookRetreats in 2025 and 2026. The new Awareness Dialogues cost $2,000, and the Gabon program $4,700 with a $1,200 deposit, according to its website. No refund policy is published.
• Overall Assessment: Attentive hosts, small groups and perfect reviews, offset by no published medical screening for iboga, extra dosing between ceremonies, unauthorized status under Costa Rica’s 2025 health warning, a no-opt-out Gabon program, and unverifiable lineage, credential and company claims. Directory evaluation: C-.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

The positive picture. Reviewers describe warm, trustworthy and reverent hosts, ongoing follow-up, simple “monastic” housing, good vegetarian food, a strict no-phone rule, and improved sleep, mood and rumination.

The negative feedback. No review of three stars or lower appears. Reviewers mention heavy purging and nausea, and the center’s own blog describes a guest who “could barely walk” during a first ceremony.

Who is writing the reviews. All 14 visible platform reviews are five stars, with a small cluster in May 2024. The center promotes a 2022 “best iboga retreats” list whose source is not identified. 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 Ikara, Kuma Bwenze, Jamie Atherton, Manga, Melinda Atherton and Portalón.

• Deaths and serious injuries: None found involving this center.
• Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
• Theft and fraud: None found.
• Legal action: None found. Ikara does not appear on the 2024 Ministry of Health list of unauthorized sites reported by La Nación.

Several iboga deaths in Costa Rica since 2014 occurred at other centers, including an American woman’s death at Soul Centro in Paquera in August 2024. Our earlier profile found no incidents.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Medical screening. No ECG, QT interval, electrolyte or liver test, contraindication list, medical staff or emergency plan appears on any of the center’s pages. Its 2026 listing offered “Optional Iboga doses between ceremonies, not charged,” and its FAQ says “We are not Iboga providers.” A Spanish clinical ibogaine trial uses hourly ECGs and a cardiology unit, and dozens of people have died of arrhythmias after taking ibogaine, as eldiario.es reports.

Gabon program. The MOSUSU program in a Gabonese village includes a week of purification and a final iboga ceremony; the center says no one may opt out of any part of the process, and no medical screening or evacuation plan is described. Gabon moved to ban iboga exports in September 2026.

Legal context. In January 2025, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health warned that ritual “healing” with ibogaine or ayahuasca is an unauthorized practice and that ibogaine can cause seizures and arrhythmias, as CRHoy reports; the drug institute IAFA calls such retreats illicit and dangerous.

Who runs it. The site’s copyright names “Ikara Retreats LLC SRL”; no Costa Rican registration number was found. The owners’ Bwete titles and a self-reported astronomy PhD are unverified.

Corrections to our earlier profile. Iboga retreats ended in September 2026. The 2026 listing gives groups of up to five, while the About page says up to 12; we found no source for seven. The $2,500 price applied in 2023; the later iboga price was $3,000, and we found no source for $2,800. We found no source for “root bark” as the iboga form or for a September 2024 Reddit discussion; those remain unverified. The Portalón location, ocean views, pool, yoga deck, five-day format, NGO support and Nganga titles are confirmed as the operator’s claims.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

The center mentions an “intake process” but publishes no criteria. Staff without stated credentials provide “24-hour care.” No nearest hospital is named. Never stop a psychiatric medication to qualify for a ceremony without your prescriber’s guidance.

🧪 Brew Substance

The center served iboga it says was prepared by King Adumangana in Gabon; its form and dose are not published. Gabonese forest plants were used for cleansing rituals. No other medicines were offered.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Jungle gardens with a seasonal river and a wide Pacific view toward Manuel Antonio’s islands.
• Rooms: Two double rooms in the main house and four jungle cabinas with half baths and shared showers; a pool and yoga deck.
• Style: Bwete ritual framing by Western hosts, for small groups, with vegetarian organic meals.

Practical guidance: Transport from San José airport or hotels was included on the first and last days; 4WD is recommended for rental cars.

Should You Book?

The iboga program has ended. For the Gabon program, insist on independent cardiac screening, a written evacuation plan and the right to stop at any point before paying. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Kuma Bwenze claims the titles Miobe Nganga and Nganga Na Somba, trained by King Adumangana. Manga claims initiation in the women’s Ombudi rite and describes herself as among the first Western women initiated. The couple arrived from Australia in 2020, first offering yoga before iboga retreats from 2021. We did not independently verify anyone’s training.

Prep & Integration Tips

Before you go: Have a cardiologist review your ECG, including the QT interval and electrolytes, and disclose every substance you use. After you return: Arrange mental health support at home. Our guide on how to research ayahuasca incidents can help you check any center.

Pros & Cons

Book Your Ceremony

The center lists Awareness Dialogues for December 2026 and January 2027 on its website. 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.