Atmosphere

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

Uní Retreats: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats in Itaipava, Petrópolis, Brazil

Uní Retreats (also “Uni Retreats”) is an organizer that brings Yawanawá and Huni Kuin leaders from Acre to hold eight-day ayahuasca (“Uni”) retreats with three ceremonies, rapé, sananga and a Lakota sweat lodge at Aldeia Akasha, an eco-resort in Itaipava, Petrópolis, in the mountains above Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for up to 38 guests from $2,200, per its Retreat Guru page. Its leaders are publicly known Indigenous figures. Against that, no owner or company is named, no screening, contraindications, medical staff or emergency plan are published for large groups, and one pool of five reviews is shown on every retreat.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Aldeia Akasha (also listed as Akasha Retreat Center) in Itaipava, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, about one to two hours by road from Rio’s airports; the venue is confirmed by an unrelated 2025 event listing on Sympla. Retreat titles name the leaders’ home villages in Acre, but every program is held in Itaipava.
• Approach: Three traditional Yawanawá Uni ceremonies per retreat with chants, rapé and sananga circles, kene painting, herbal baths, a sweat lodge led by a Lakota elder, and integration with psychologists who are not named.
• Suitable For: Travelers wanting Indigenous-led ceremonies near Rio in a comfortable setting who are comfortable in large groups. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $2,200 to $4,700 for eight days on Retreat Guru and $2,469 to $4,714 on BookRetreats, with deposits of $763 to $867. Retreat Guru allows a deposit refund until a day before; BookRetreats says both “72 hour FREE cancellation” and “All deposits are non-refundable”, then refunds 80% up to four months out, 50% up to two months and nothing after.
• Overall Assessment: Well-known Indigenous leaders and a confirmed venue, offset by an anonymous operator, no published medical safeguards for groups of up to 40, recycled reviews and contradictory terms. Directory evaluation: C.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

BookRetreats shows 5.00 from five reviews dated October 2024 to December 2025, the same five on every Uní retreat and on the venue page, per its organizer page; Retreat Guru shows none. Guests describe a family feeling, healing around the fire and at meals, clarity for first-timers and lasting friendships with the Yawanawá family and the venue team. No reviews of 3 stars or lower were found, and none on Google, Tripadvisor or Trustpilot. If you have attended, we encourage you to share your experience through our submission form.

🚩 Incident Report

We searched review platforms and English and Portuguese-language news for reports involving Uní Retreats, Aldeia Akasha and its leaders Rasu Yawanawá, Isku Kua Yawanawá, Nixiwaka Yawanawá, Matsini Yawanawá, Ninawa Pai da Mata and Wakia.

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

The operator’s owners are not named, which limits this search. A 2024 report of a criminal gang attacking a Yawanawá-area village concerns the Yawanawá as victims and is unrelated to the retreats.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. Ceremonies are led by Yawanawá leaders including Rasu Yawanawá, grandson of a pajé, who is also shown as host and BookRetreats organizer; Isku Kua Yawanawá, chief of Nova Esperança village; Matsini Yawanawá of Mutum village; and Nixiwaka Yawanawá (Biraci Brasil), per its teacher profiles. Rasu and Huni Kuin leader Ninawa Pai da Mata have spoken publicly against unauthorized use of Indigenous names and medicine, per Chacruna, and Nixiwaka is reported as a co-founder of an Indigenous ayahuasca conference, per Agência Pública. The organizers who run the business, the venue owner and any company or CNPJ are not named; it claims to have worked since 2005, but the earliest dated evidence is from 2024.

Screening and medical support. Guests have a brief readiness interview, but no medical questionnaire, contraindication list, doctor, nurse or emergency protocol is published, for groups of 20 to 40 that combine ayahuasca with a sweat lodge. The nearest hospital is not stated; Itaipava is on the highway into Petrópolis.

Listings. Retreat Guru shows several “Copy” listings with mismatched titles and dates, a New Year retreat text refers to 2026 for a December 2026 program, and airport transfers are listed as both included and not included.

Status. Operating, with a retreat from 23 to 30 November 2026 and dates through September 2027.

Legal context. Religious use of ayahuasca is recognized in Brazil, but CONAD Resolution 1/2010 rules out its commercial and tourist use, per ICEERS; that protection for Indigenous rituals does not extend to urban settings, per Chacruna. No enforcement against this operator was found.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

With no published contraindication list, guests must judge their own risk, and sweat-lodge heat after or around ceremonies adds strain. 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

Uni (ayahuasca) brought by Yawanawá and Huni Kuin leaders; the source and preparation are not published. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Atlantic Forest mountains near Petrópolis with a waterfall, natural pool and herbal sauna.
• Rooms: Eco bungalows, a shared geodesic dome and premium rooms with fireplace and bathtub.
• Style: Yawanawá ceremony with family delegations, plus a Lakota sweat lodge, in a resort-style venue.

Practical guidance: Fly to Rio de Janeiro (GIG) or Santos Dumont (SDU); confirm in writing whether the transfer to Itaipava is included.

Should You Book?

Possibly, if you want Indigenous-led ceremonies near Rio and accept a large group. Ask in writing who owns and runs Uní Retreats and which company you are paying, the screening questions and contraindication list, the names and registration of the psychologists, who on site is trained in first aid, the emergency plan and nearest hospital, and which refund terms apply. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Uní presents itself as bridging Amazonian spirituality with visitors and lists a January 2027 collaboration with the Colibri Spirit Festival. 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 ask how heat in the sweat lodge is managed. After you return: Use the integration sessions 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 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.