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

Priyananda Shaktipat (Balam Ha): An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca and Plant Medicine Retreats in Akumal, Mexico

Priyananda Shaktipat is a jungle retreat operation in Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico, led by kundalini and tantra teacher Priyananda Shaktipat, named on BookRetreats as Juan Carlos Sendin, with co-host Kala Shakti, that sells bufo, psilocybin, San Pedro and tantra programs and, on request, a four to five-day package combining ayahuasca with psilocybin and bufo (5-MeO-DMT) for $2,200 to $2,800, per its Retreat Guru page. Guests praise warm hosts and a private cenote. Against that, the ayahuasca shaman is unnamed or unverifiable, no screening, contraindications, medical staff or emergency plan are published for a package that stacks MAOI-containing ayahuasca with bufo, and its listings give three different addresses and conflicting terms.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: A private jungle property with Cenote Balam Ha off Highway 307 near Akumal, between Playa del Carmen and Tulum; three different street addresses are published.
• Approach: Ayahuasca from a Colombian lineage combined with psilocybin, rapé and bufo, alongside breathwork, kundalini activation, temazcal and cacao; the center also runs tantra, lingam and yoni massage trainings.
• Suitable For: Experienced adults seeking a multi-medicine jungle retreat who can screen themselves. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $2,200 in a shared room or $2,600 to $2,800 in a private jungle dome for the ayahuasca package, with a US$680 deposit on BookRetreats, per its BookRetreats listing; one-day bufo, mushroom or San Pedro ceremonies cost $300 to $500. Retreat Guru refunds full payment until 30 days before, while BookRetreats allows free cancellation until the day before.
• Overall Assessment: Warmly reviewed hosts at a cenote property, offset by stacked medicines without published safeguards, an unverifiable ayahuasca source and inconsistent listings. Directory evaluation: C-.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

Retreat Guru shows 5.00 from three reviews dated December 2024 to October 2026, praising warm hosts, the cenote and a safe space for solo women; the same reviews appear on every program, one is duplicated, and none describes an ayahuasca ceremony. BookRetreats shows no reviews, and none 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 and Spanish-language news for reports involving Priyananda Shaktipat, Juan Carlos Sendin, Balam Ha and Kundalini Tribe.

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

Kala Shakti gives a spiritual name only, so this absence offers limited assurance.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. Priyananda describes more than 30 years of practice, training in India since 1989 and more than 500 teachers trained, per his teacher profile (unverified). Retreat Guru credits the ayahuasca to an unnamed “original shaman from Colombia”, while BookRetreats names Taita José Eliécer Silva, for whom we found no independent record. A facilitator named Priyananda is also on the team of Aloee Wellness, whose ayahuasca events use the same Rancho San Martin address; the two appear to share a venue (unverified). No website, company or tax number appears.

Screening and medical support. BookRetreats says people with contraindicated conditions or medications are not permitted, but no questionnaire, contraindication list, medical staff or emergency protocol is published. Ayahuasca contains MAOIs, and combining MAOIs with 5-MeO-DMT is widely cautioned against, yet both are sold in the same package. The nearest full hospital is in Playa del Carmen; the operator says it is 20 minutes away (unverified).

Bodywork. The same hosts run lingam and yoni massage trainings, and no consent policy is published.

Listings. Programs are titled four days and five days interchangeably, labeled “Tulum” with an Akumal address, priced differently across platforms, and list group sizes of 10 and 12 and an age limit of both 18+ and 18 to 60.

Status. Operating, with programs listed for November 2026 and January 2027; no ayahuasca date is scheduled.

Legal context. DMT is a controlled psychotropic under Mexico’s General Health Law, and ceremonial ayahuasca use relies on enforcement discretion rather than any authorization, per Mind Medicine Law.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

Ask exactly how many days separate any ayahuasca, psilocybin and bufo sessions before you pay. 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 said to come from a Colombian taita’s community; it is not independently traced. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Hot coastal jungle with a private cenote on the Riviera Maya.
• Rooms: Shared rooms for two of the same gender or private jungle domes.
• Style: Eclectic kundalini, tantra and plant medicine program.

Practical guidance: Fly to Cancún (CUN), about 1.5 to 2 hours away; a return transfer costs US$250.

Should You Book?

Only with caution. Ask in writing who prepares and serves the ayahuasca, the screening questions and contraindication list, the spacing of each medicine, who on site is trained in first aid, the emergency plan, the consent policy for bodywork, which refund terms apply, and the legal entity you are paying. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Priyananda presents his work as kundalini awakening and tantric healing, with plant medicine as one of many tools. We did not independently verify anyone’s training.

Prep & Integration Tips

Before you go: Disclose every medication and condition in writing, plan any change with your own doctor, and consider choosing a single medicine. After you return: Use the integration support offered and arrange help 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

Programs are listed on Retreat Guru and BookRetreats. 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.