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

Libélula Retreat Center: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats near Carara, Costa Rica

Libélula Retreat Center (formerly Libélula Healing Center) is a new mountain-jungle retreat at Esperanza, Turrubares, about 45 minutes inland from Jacó, Costa Rica, founded by English couple Kene Line and Maisie Florence, with ceremonies led by Huni Kuin txanas from Brazil, offering five to 11-day programs with ayahuasca, huachuma, kambo and temazcal for up to 12 guests, from $2,222, per its website. Guests rate it 5.0 from 22 reviews on Retreat Guru, and every guest is screened. Against that, no medical staff are named, the operator is a UK property company with overdue filings, a founder reviewed her own center on Trustpilot, and Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health says no ayahuasca retreat holds a health permit.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Esperanza, Carara district, Turrubares, San José province, Costa Rica, at about 430 m in the mountains above Jacó, 1.5 to 2 hours from San José airport, per its Retreat Guru page and website.
• Approach: Two or three ayahuasca ceremonies led by Huni Kuin txanas, a daytime huachuma (San Pedro) ceremony, kambo, rapé, cacao, temazcal and herbal baths, with yoga, bodywork and spa extras; separate peyote nights are led by a Wixárika elder.
• Suitable For: Adults wanting an Indigenous-led ceremony program in a private jungle setting with spa comforts. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: From $2,222 per its website; eight days $3,333 to $5,555 and 11 days $4,444 to $7,777, per its eight-day program page. The website says the deposit is returned in full if a founder call finds the retreat is not right for you; full terms are not on its listings. Airport transfers are included in upper tiers.
• Overall Assessment: Indigenous ceremony leaders, small groups and screening, offset by no named medical staff at a remote site, opaque ownership and review-integrity problems. Directory evaluation: C+.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

Retreat Guru shows 5.0 from 22 reviews, praising feeling at home, a dedicated facilitator, the food, dark skies and Indigenous music, per its Retreat Guru page. Trustpilot shows only five-star reviews, including one posted by co-founder Maisie Florence about her own center, two with identical text, five posted on one day in April 2026 and six in October 2026 for stays months earlier. Tripadvisor shows 5.0 from 8 under a “Spa” listing, with a duplicate listing. 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, Spanish and Portuguese-language news for reports involving Libélula, Kene Line, Maisie Florence, its Huni Kuin facilitators, Santos Makuieika and its operating company.

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

The center opened in about early 2026, so its record is short.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. Kene Line, founder and ceremonial space holder, and Maisie Florence, founder and creative director, both describe themselves as originally from England, per his profile; neither lists clinical credentials. Ceremonies are led by Txua, Kaya Isa and Syriani, described as txanas of the Huni Kuin from Yube Nawa village, per Txua’s profile (unverified). The website says the center is operated by HR Property Management (Essex) Limited, a UK company registered for buying and selling its own real estate whose confirmation statement and accounts are overdue, per Companies House. No Costa Rican company is disclosed.

Screening and medical support. The center says every guest goes through a medical screening and that not everyone is accepted, with a preparation call two weeks before arrival. No doctor, nurse or emergency protocol is named on its listings; the team includes bodyworkers and a nutritionist. The nearest emergency-capable clinic is in Jacó, about 45 minutes away, and the nearest public hospital is in Puntarenas, roughly 1 hour 45 minutes away (our estimate).

Listings. Cabin counts (six or eight), group limits (12, 12 to 16, or 25 for peyote) and start dates (January or March 2027) differ between its website and listings, and Retreat Guru shows air conditioning and a hot tub while one event describes an open-air bathroom block.

Status. Operating, with reviews posted into October 2026 and programs listed for January and March 2027.

Legal context. In January 2025 Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health warned that ayahuasca and ibogaine lack sanitary registration and that DMT is controlled, per the Tico Times, and said no group has been granted health permits, per A.M. Costa Rica. In August 2026 a leaked ministry memo pointed to possible closures of retreat centers, none named, per the Tico Times.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

Ayahuasca, huachuma and kambo in one program, far from a hospital, call for strong screening. 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 served in Huni Kuin ceremonies with ícaros; its source is not published. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: About 48 hectares of mountain rainforest with waterfalls and river pools, per its Retreat Guru page.
• Rooms: Artisan-built wooden cabins with balconies and mosquito nets, per its listings.
• Style: Indigenous-led ceremonies combined with spa, bodywork and wellness add-ons, run by English founders.

Practical guidance: Fly to San José (SJO) and allow 1.5 to 2 hours by road; the last stretch climbs from Jacó via Bijagual.

Should You Book?

Possibly, if you want Huni Kuin-led ceremonies in Costa Rica. Ask in writing for the contraindication list, who on site is medically trained, the emergency plan to a hospital, the full refund terms and which company you are contracting with. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Kene Line says his father’s death inspired Libélula and that he left what he had built in England to fund it; the earliest dated guest stay is from February 2026. 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: Use the integration calls offered and 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 are listed on its website and 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.