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

LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats near Medellín, Colombia

LaWayra is a large ayahuasca center on a hillside finca in Fredonia, Antioquia, about an hour south of Medellín, founded in 2021 by Sam Believ, a former offshore engineer, and his partner Stefania, with ceremonies led by Taita José Fernando Jojoa of the Inga people, according to its Retreat Guru page. It runs four and seven-day retreats for groups of 15 to 30 from $995, with a free shuttle from Medellín, a pool, sauna and gym, and a staff of more than 30. It rates about 4.9 on Google from roughly 780 reviews and 4.95 on Retreat Guru. Against that, no medical screening, contraindication list or emergency protocol is published, the only medical person is a “Dr Giovany” with no surname or credentials, our earlier “not-for-profit” description is contradicted by the founder, and no legal entity is visible.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Puente Iglesias area of Fredonia, Antioquia, Colombia, listed earlier as Vereda El Cinco, about 1 to 1.5 hours from Medellín, according to its listings. No GPS is published.
• Approach: Inga yagé ceremonies with icaros and live music, rapé and tobacco rites, flower baths and word circles, with yoga, meditation and breathwork.
• Suitable For: Travelers wanting an accessible, sociable retreat near Medellín, after getting screening and emergency terms in writing. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions, or for anyone wanting a very small group.
• Costs: $995 for four days with two ceremonies and $1,745 for seven days with four, in a shared room; private cabins cost $1,615 and $2,835, per Retreat Guru. Prices rose about 30% during 2026, and the founder says direct bookings start “close to $700.” Retreat Guru bookings are refundable until a day before arrival. Our earlier prices of $545 and $595 are outdated.
• Overall Assessment: A very large, positive review base, an Inga taita, easy access and good facilities, offset by no published screening, contraindications or emergency plan at one of Colombia’s largest operations, an uncredentialed medical lead, no visible entity and curated testimonials. Directory evaluation: B-.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

The positive picture. Reviewers describe feeling safe, attentive staff and volunteers, the taita’s care and music, individual attention in ceremony, the valley setting, the pool, sauna and cabins, friendly kitchen staff, good communication, group bonding and value.

The negative feedback. One guest found the experience “just okay,” saying structure weakened after a facilitator left, lower prices drew guests who talked and used phones, construction noise started around 6 am after ceremonies ending at 1 or 2 am, and staff dismissed criticism. Others mention only two toilets for the group before a new block was built, basic food and a wet environment. All unverified.

Who is writing the reviews. The founder said in an August 2026 interview that his website lets him “delete the bad video and add the good one,” so testimonials on the center’s own site are curated. Four of five visible Retreat Guru reviews share one date. 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 LaWayra, Sam Believ, Stefania, Taita José Fernando Jojoa and its named staff.

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

In 2022 and 2023, Medellín’s Personería warned that yagé tourism around Santa Elena was unregulated and urged certification of providers and an emergency health route, as El Colombiano reported. In February 2024 a US woman died after drinking yagé in Barbosa, Antioquia, as Blu Radio reported. Neither involves this center. Our earlier profile found no incidents.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Screening. The center promises “careful medical support and screening,” but no questionnaire, contraindication list or emergency protocol is published. A “Dr Giovany” monitors guests’ health; no surname, specialty or license is given, and the head of facilitation lists no clinical qualifications.

Scale. Groups run 15 to 30, the founder calls it “the biggest Ayahuasca retreat in Colombia,” and staff number more than 30. Larger groups make individual monitoring harder.

Who runs it. No company name or tax number (NIT) is published, and the founder describes LaWayra as “still a business.” He says ayahuasca is legal only when an indigenous taita holds a permit from his council; no statute says so.

Listing claims. The taita’s lineage is given as six generations on some pages and nine on others, and staff titles differ between listings.

Legal context. No Colombian law specifically permits or prohibits yagé, which has cultural recognition and has never been banned, according to ICEERS.

Corrections to our earlier profile. LaWayra is not a not-for-profit; the founder calls it a business, and no foundation or entity was found. Prices start at $995 on Retreat Guru, not $545. Programs of four, seven, 11 and 12 days with two to six ceremonies were found, but no 18-day program or ten-ceremony retreat. Retreat Guru shows about 40 reviews, not hundreds. Small food portions, water-pressure issues, a 2023 Reddit post about severe nausea from strict diets, and July 2025 Retreat Guru and AyaAdvisors praise remain unverified. The Fredonia location, the hour from Medellín, Taita Fernando Jojoa of the Inga people, yoga, meditation, word circles, integration workshops, shared rooms and private cabins, near-perfect ratings and the absence of safety incidents are confirmed.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

No screening, contraindication list or emergency protocol is published, and no hospital is named; Medellín is about an hour or more away by road. 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

The taita is said to grow and cook his own yagé. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains. Rapé and tobacco are also used; additional cups may be offered during ceremony.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: A hillside finca of a few hectares with a creek, trails and a maloca in Antioquia’s coffee hills.
• Rooms: Shared dormitories or private hillside cabins with bathrooms, balconies and hammocks.
• Style: Large-group Inga ceremonies with an international facilitation team, pool, sauna, gym and Wi-Fi.

Practical guidance: A free group shuttle leaves from El Poblado in Medellín; private airport transfers cost extra.

Should You Book?

Only after getting the screening questions, contraindication list, emergency plan and Dr Giovany’s full name and credentials in writing. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Sam Believ, born in the Soviet Union and raised in Latvia, says he moved to Colombia in 2016 and opened LaWayra in July 2021 on a rented finca, and hosts the Ayahuasca Podcast. Taita José Fernando Jojoa is described as trained from about age seven and serving as taita for 12 years; the founder says he works with one Inga family, father, uncle and son. 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: The center offers integration guidance and online workshops; 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

Dates run from November 2026 to February 2027 on the center’s Retreat Guru page. 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.