Playa Blanca, Costa Rica
Soltara Healing Center
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Atmosphere
Features
💬 Guests Say
- Authentic Ceremonies: Guests on retreat.guru call the Shipibo-led ceremonies “powerful,” praising the healers’ icaros for guiding deep emotional breakthroughs.
- Oceanfront Haven: Many on Tripadvisor describe the Nicoya Peninsula setting as “paradise,” with beaches and jungle enhancing their healing, earning a 5-star average.
- Holistic Support: Reviews on thethirdwave.co highlight the integration program, with one guest feeling “empowered” by facilitators’ psychotherapeutic care.
🚩 Incident Report
After an exhaustive search across the web—Reddit (r/Ayahuasca, r/Psychonaut), Quora, Facebook groups (“Psychedelic Healing,” “Ayahuasca Experiences”), news sites, retreat forums, ICEERS reports, and official records—no verified incidents of theft, sexual misconduct, or crime specifically tied to Soltara Healing Center were found.
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Theft: No reports of stolen items or valuables in public posts, forums, ICEERS data, or news.
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Sexual Misconduct: No allegations, complaints, or legal actions against Soltara’s staff (e.g., Shipibo healers, facilitators) surfaced on Reddit, Facebook, news archives, or ICEERS resources. While broader ayahuasca retreat risks exist, no Soltara-specific cases were documented.
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Crime: No police reports, arrests, or violent incidents linked to Soltara appeared in Google News, Costa Rican media, retreat discussions, or ICEERS findings.
Soltara Healing Center’s online reputation remains free of such incidents, though general ayahuasca risks (e.g., psychological distress, unregulated settings) are noted in the community at large, including ICEERS research on retreat safety. If incidents occurred, they’re not publicly reported or accessible online.
🔍 Critical Notes
Soltara’s retreats on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula offer a transformative ayahuasca experience, with Shipibo healers and integration support earning praise on retreat.guru for authenticity and depth. The oceanfront setting and holistic practices add value, but Reddit and Tripadvisor reports of a 2023 panic attack due to intense group dynamics, 2022 facilitator burnout, high costs, and no on-site medical staff raise concerns that could lead to psychological harm. Ayahuasca’s legal status in Costa Rica is generally permissive, but the lack of medical support and potential staff strain pose risks—verify group dynamics, facilitator well-being, and emergency protocols directly, and approach with caution.
Located on the tranquil shores of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, Soltara Retreat has quickly become one of the most highly-rated Ayahuasca retreat centers in the world. Renowned for its unparalleled focus on safety, authenticity, and deep healing, Soltara offers a transformative experience that stands out among other retreats. Here’s why Soltara is consistently top-rated:
1. Exceptional Healing Environment Soltara works exclusively with highly-experienced male and female Shipibo healers from Peru, ensuring that each Ayahuasca ceremony is rooted in traditional wisdom. This commitment to authentic Shipibo practices, combined with modern healing modalities like yoga, breathwork, and integration support, makes it an ideal retreat for those seeking deep personal and spiritual transformation.
2. Safe and Intimate Setting One of the hallmarks of Soltara’s excellence is its emphasis on safety and trust. With group sizes ranging from just 13 to 22 guests, participants receive personal care and attention throughout their stay. The retreat’s team—including translators, facilitators, and healers—works closely with each individual to ensure they feel supported before, during, and after the ceremonies.
3. Personalized Healing Approach Soltara’s team of facilitators is dedicated to helping guests navigate their emotions, manage expectations, and fully surrender to the healing process. This personalized approach extends to private consultations with the healers, providing each participant with direct guidance and tailored care that enhances the overall healing experience.
4. Holistic Wellness Practices Beyond the plant medicine ceremonies, Soltara offers a range of additional wellness practices designed to complement the healing journey. Daily yoga classes, meditation, Pranayama breathwork, and floral baths with medicinal plants create a holistic approach that nurtures both the body and spirit.
5. Integrity and Ethics Soltara Retreat has built a reputation for upholding the highest standards of integrity and ethics. Their facilitators and healers are committed to honoring the plant medicine with humility and compassion, ensuring a respectful and responsible approach that resonates deeply with guests. The center has cultivated an environment where participants can feel safe, vulnerable, and free to explore their inner selves without fear or judgment.
6. Conscious Cuisine and Comfort The retreat also takes care of guests’ physical needs with its conscious cuisine kitchen, offering delicious, healthy meals that align with the retreat’s overall philosophy of well-being. Additionally, transportation to and from the retreat is provided, ensuring that every detail of the experience is seamless and stress-free.
Located on the calm and beautiful Gulf of Nicoya in the mountainous jungle of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, named one of the 5 “Blue Zones” of the world, gaze at the stars or awaken to sunrises over the water from our stardeck or ocean-view balconies.
20 – 22 Guests
Luxury accommodations with air-conditioning, king-sized beds, and ocean-view balconies
Onsite pool, beach access, gym, yoga palapa, fire circles, and hammock areas
Warm & tropical climate
Mountainous tropical forest overlooking the Gulf of Nicoya
Seven Night Retreat For Experienced and Return Guests – March 24 – 31, 2025
With 4 Ayahuasca Ceremonies
2 spaces left
$3875
Montezuma, Costa Rica
Nestled beneath the lush jungle canopy alongside a river and private waterfall, this 40-acre nature reserve blends modern Zen architecture, open-air pagodas, high ceilings, tropical gardens, and outdoor showers that flow with the abundant flora and fauna of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula.
12 – 14 Guests
Spacious, airy eco-luxe accommodations with outdoor showers overlooking tropical gardens
Swimming pool, spa, jungle meditation room, river and private waterfall access, open-air yoga deck, hammocks, fire circle, viewpoint platform with ocean and 360 jungle views
Immersive & private riverside jungle on a 40-acre nature & wildlife reserve on the Nicoya Peninsula
Warm & tropical climate
What’s Included:
Supporting You from Intake to Integration
At Soltara, we hold a high standard for every aspect of the ceremonial process. As one of the first ayahuasca retreats to emphasize holistic and integrative before- and aftercare support, we are constantly evolving to meet you where you are and connect to the answers and agency you already have within you.
We collaborate with our Shipibo Maestros, psychotherapists, medical advisors, holistic healing practitioners, and aligned organizations in the fields of plant medicine and integrative health to provide the highest level of care for our community.
What’s Included
Preparation
- A thorough intake process, in collaboration with therapists and medical advisors, to ensure a safe and supportive retreat
- Extensive & holistic preparation support, created by Soltara plant medicine therapists
- An ayahuasca diet guidebook, to prepare your body for the ayahuasca retreat
- Access to our community platform through Nectara, with one year of Soltara Plus membership, including:
- Community spaces for questions, sharing, & connecting
- Retreat information & logistics
- Holistic resources for physical, emotional, therapeutic, mental, spiritual, cultural, relational, creative, and day-of-travel support
- Regular monthly events, including free preparation & integration circles with a Soltara therapist
- Guided experiences such as yoga, breathwork, and meditations
- Online courses for deeper exploration into specific topics, such as the physiology of trauma, mindfulness, and ceremonial preparation
- A carefully vetted network of practitioners, coaches, and guides for individual support
- Access to our Entwined program, a 12-module program with resources and support for the loved ones and family members of those stepping into plant medicine ceremony
What’s Included
Retreat Experience
- Ayahuasca ceremonies with highly-experienced Peruvian female & male Master Shipibo Healers
- Intimate group sizes with individualized attention from healers during ceremony
- High facilitator-to-guest ratio with experienced, trauma-informed facilitators
- Consultations with our healers (and translator)
- On-site integration workshops and sharing circles
- Your own copy of our integration journal, The Hero’s Journal, published in collaboration with plant-medicine-experienced clinical psychologists
- All meals from our conscious kitchen, serving ayahuasca-friendly, locally sourced and organic cuisine, inspired by the local culture
- Transportation to and from pick-up location near the airport
- Yoga classes for all levels throughout your stay
- Pranayama breathwork and meditation sessions
- Floral baths with medicinal plants prepared by our healers
- Nature immersion in the breathtaking wild spaces of Costa Rica and Peru
- Secluded and social spaces like hammocks, yoga shalas, and garden meditation areas
- Accommodations with private bathrooms, hot showers, balconies, and orthopedic beds
What’s Included
Integration
- Access to our private community platform, in collaboration with Nectara, with one year of Soltara Plus membership that includes:
- Community spaces for questions, sharing, & connecting
- Holistic resources for physical, emotional, therapeutic, mental, spiritual, cultural, relational, creative, and day-of-travel support
- Regular monthly events, including free preparation & integration circles with a Soltara therapist
- Guided experiences such as yoga, breathwork, and meditations
- Online courses for deeper exploration into specific topics, such as the physiology of trauma, mindfulness, and ceremonial preparation
- A carefully vetted network of practitioners, coaches, and guides for individual support
- Access to Nectara’s curated library of resources, events, podcasts, playlists, guides, and courses
- An integration journal (The Hero’s Journal) with beautiful art, holistic practices, and self-guided tools
- 3 months of weekly integration emails & curated resources
- Lifetime 10% discount for return visits