Atmosphere

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

The Opah: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca and Psilocybin Retreats near Málaga, Spain

The Opah is a small retreat brand founded by siblings Emma and Robin that listed retreats at a rented holiday villa, Casa Rural Arrijana in Sayalonga, about 45 kilometers from Málaga, Spain, with main facilitators Anna Ostrowska, known as Ania, and Elliott Potts, according to its Retreat Guru page and Potts’s teacher profile there, both removed from the platform in November 2026. Its website text, copied into our earlier profile, described 3-day retreats with one ayahuasca and one psilocybin ceremony for up to 10 guests at 850 euros, with a booking call, a medical form and an integration call. Against that, none of those terms appears on a current listing, the founders give only first names and no legal entity was found, no medical staff or emergency plan is published, selling psilocybin is illegal in Spain, there are no reviews anywhere, and no dated retreat was found.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Casa Rural Arrijana, a seven-bedroom villa rented out whole, in Sayalonga, Axarquía, Málaga province, Spain; its earlier website also mentioned a sanctuary near Barcelona (unverified).
• Approach: 3-day retreats with one ayahuasca and one psilocybin ceremony, guided meditation, private talks with the facilitators and an integration call, per its earlier website text (not on current listings).
• Suitable For: No one until it shows current dates, a legal entity, screening and an emergency plan. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: 850 euros for 3 days per its earlier website text (unverified); no current price is published. Pickup at Málaga airport is offered.
• Overall Assessment: Named facilitators and a comfortable villa, offset by anonymous founders, no legal entity, no published medical protocol, a psilocybin offer that is illegal to sell in Spain, no reviews, no dated retreats and a removed booking page. Directory evaluation: C.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

The positive picture. None independent.

The negative feedback. None published.

Who is writing the reviews. No reviews of The Opah exist on Retreat Guru, BookRetreats, Google or Trustpilot. Our earlier profile quoted Tripadvisor and Quora complaints about rushed ceremonies and unresponsive staff at a center near Iquitos; no Opah exists in Peru, and those comments appear to belong to another center (unverified). Ratings for the venues where its facilitators now work belong to those operators. 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 Polish-language news for reports involving The Opah, Anna Ostrowska, Elliott Potts, Olimpia Zajac, Emma and Robin, and the Sayalonga venue.

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

Without the founders’ surnames, name checks are limited.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Screening and medical support. Its earlier website described a booking call, a medical form and preparation guidelines three weeks ahead, but no contraindication list, medical staff or emergency protocol is published, and none of these steps appears on current listings.

Who runs it. The founders, siblings Emma and Robin, give no surnames. Ostrowska describes 12 years with plant medicines, training with Amazonian shamans, family constellations work and a psychology background, and Potts describes 11 years of Santo Daime and huachuma training; both now appear as facilitators for TrustGaia Retreats at Finca Putumayo in Salobreña, Granada, a venue that sells psilocybin ceremonies, per Ostrowska’s TrustGaia profile. Olimpia Zajac, named on the earlier site as guardian and singer, now appears with another Barcelona operator. No Spanish company registration was found.

Status. Its Retreat Guru center and teacher pages, which listed no programs, dates or reviews, were removed in November 2026, and possibly related BookRetreats listings have also been removed. Whether The Opah still operates is not established.

Legal context. Ayahuasca is neither specifically banned nor authorized in Spain, DMT is controlled, and promoting controlled substances can carry three to six years in prison, per ICEERS; selling psilocybin mushrooms is illegal, per a summary of Spanish law. Spanish police raided several retreat operators between 2021 and 2026, including a 2024 national operation with a Málaga branch, per Euro Weekly News; none involved The Opah.

Corrections to our earlier profile. The Opah is in Spain, not near Iquitos, Peru. The Shipibo ceremonies, a 2023 Tripadvisor review of rushed ceremonies, a 2022 Quora complaint about unresponsive staff and a 2021 platform review of sparse facilities have no source for The Opah and appear misattributed (unverified). The 3-day format, 850 euros, up to 10 guests, ayahuasca and psilocybin ceremonies, Olimpia as lead guide, the video call and the Barcelona location come only from its earlier website and remain unverified. Founders Emma and Robin, the Málaga location and no incidents found are confirmed.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

No contraindications are published, and the earlier website paired ayahuasca and psilocybin in one 3-day retreat. 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 made from Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis, plus psilocybin mushrooms, per its earlier website (unverified). Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: A rural villa in the hills of the Axarquía, about 45 to 50 minutes from Málaga airport, with terraces, gardens, a pool and jacuzzis.
• Rooms: Seven ensuite bedrooms for up to 20 guests, per the villa’s own listing.
• Style: Premium-comfort, all-inclusive retreats led by Western facilitators.

Practical guidance: Pickup at Málaga airport is offered.

Should You Book?

No, not until current dates, a legal entity, screening and an emergency plan are published; selling psilocybin is illegal in Spain. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

The founders describe themselves as close siblings who created The Opah to offer all-inclusive retreats in premium comfort. We did not independently verify anyone’s training.

Prep & Integration Tips

Before you go: Ask in writing who leads each ceremony, which substances are served and how medications are screened; disclose every medication and condition and plan any change with your own doctor. After you return: An integration call was listed on its earlier website; 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

No booking channel is active; its Retreat Guru page has been removed. 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.