The Independent Watchdog for Ayahuasca Retreats
Why We Built Best Retreats
Best Retreats was founded to provide a transparent, research-driven resource for individuals exploring ayahuasca retreats, emphasizing safety, informed decision-making, and respect for traditional practices. As a topic involving potential health and psychological impacts, we prioritize specific principles: Experience from our team’s backgrounds, Expertise through evidence-based insights, Authoritativeness via collaborations with established organizations, and Trustworthiness with full disclosures and sourced information. This page outlines our origins, differentiators, values, and mission, supported by peer-reviewed studies and guidelines from reputable sources like the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service (ICEERS).
We established Best Retreats to address a critical gap in the ayahuasca landscape: the prevalence of unsubstantiated marketing, the rise of pay-to-play review directories, and insufficient safety information, which can lead seekers into unsafe or disappointing experiences. Ayahuasca, a plant-based decoction used traditionally in Amazonian medicine for spiritual and healing purposes, has expanded globally for mental health and personal growth. However, studies show that without proper screening and context, it can result in adverse effects like anxiety, hallucinations, or even rare cases of psychosis in predisposed individuals. per National Library of Medicine. Our platform aggregates incident reports, guest feedback from unfiltered sources (e.g., Reddit, forums), safety alerts, and research from organizations like ICEERS, which provides guidelines for safe administration in clinical settings. Per ICEERS
Our founders, with over 20 combined years in global risk management, fraud prevention, and ethical wellness advocacy, identified these issues through direct observations and community feedback. For instance, reports highlight risks from inadequate preparation or unqualified facilitators, including deaths linked to poor protocols at some retreats per ICEERS. Unlike booking sites that prioritize commissions, we created a non-commercial directory – a living archive of worldwide ayahuasca centers, evaluated transparently across safety, ethics, and guest experiences. This aligns with best practices for choosing retreats, such as verifying shaman expertise, medical screenings, and integration support. per CN Traveler.
Best Retreats is not a booking site. It’s not a review directory. It’s a living archive of every known ayahuasca retreat center in the world – clean, sketchy, and everything in between.
What Makes Us Different
🛡️ Safety First
Our evaluations delve into each retreat’s history using a social listening system that scans Reddit, forums, Facebook groups, ICEERS reports, and media for misconduct, complaints, or safety concerns. Listings include sourced incident summaries, red flags (e.g., lack of medical screening), and alerts, helping users avoid risks like those noted in the Global Ayahuasca Survey, where 55% reported challenging psychological effects but viewed them as growth opportunities when in supervised settings, per Global Public Health. We emphasize protocols like comprehensive health questionnaires, developed in collaboration with ICEERS, to ensure suitability and minimize adverse events.
🚫 No Ads. No Affiliates. No Bullsh*t.
We operate without advertisements, commissions, or paid promotions, ensuring impartiality. Listings remain regardless of retreat feedback, based solely on verifiable data. This model counters the “ayahuasca tourism” critiques, where commercialization can overlook safety, as seen in reports of 58 media-attributed deaths from 1994-2022, 40% linked to tourist centers, per ICEERS. Our independence fosters honest insights, aligned with calls for standardized safety in psychedelic research.
🌿 Respect for the Medicine
We spotlight centers honoring ayahuasca’s traditional roots – grounded in ethics, integration, and reverence while highlighting exploitation or exaggeration. Drawing from studies on ayahuasca’s therapeutic potential for grief, PTSD, and well-being, we promote discernment without gatekeeping. Users are encouraged to submit experiences, contributing to a community archive that aids safety, as recommended in global surveys. National Library of Medicine
What We Value
- Truth over polish. If it’s shady, we’ll say so.
- All voices welcome. Submit your experience, good or bad, and help others stay safe.
- Zero nonsense. Everything you see here exists to help you choose consciously. Heroic Hearts Project
Our Mission
To become the Better Business Bureau of the ayahuasca world – a trusted public resource that keeps retreat centers accountable and seekers empowered. We’re here to make safety and truth louder than marketing.
🌀 Start exploring the world’s most complete ayahuasca retreat directory.
🗂️ Frequently Asked Questions.
🔍 Super Valuable Blog.
📢 Report a retreat yourself.
“This is what transparency in the ayahuasca space should look like.“
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Ayahuasca can pose risks, including psychological distress, physical side effects like nausea or increased heart rate, and rare severe reactions such as seizures in vulnerable individuals. Always consult a healthcare professional before considering ayahuasca, especially if you have pre-existing conditions (e.g., psychiatric disorders, heart issues). We do not endorse or facilitate bookings; our directory is independent and based on publicly available data.
Read more about our key founders.