Soltara Healing Center

Soltara Healing Center is an ayahuasca retreat on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, where ceremonies are led by Indigenous Shipibo healers from the Peruvian Amazon. It works only with ayahuasca, in keeping with the Shipibo tradition, and runs two retreat centres: Playa Blanca, near Paquera, and Scarlet Valley, near Carara National Park.

Approach

The Shipibo healers guide each ceremony, supported by therapists, medical advisors and facilitators trained in trauma-informed care. Between ceremonies the days hold yoga for all levels, pranayama breathwork, meditation and floral baths prepared with medicinal plants, and every guest has one-to-one consultations with the healers, with a translator. Every guest also has two private one-to-one sessions, one before the retreat and one after, and joins the integration workshops and sharing circles on site. Further integration support is available afterwards as a paid option.

Who it is for

The centre lists anxiety, depression and PTSD among the areas it specialises in, alongside wellness and healing more broadly.

Practical details

Retreats last five or seven nights at either centre, and private retreats are also offered. Groups are capped at 22 guests. Prices range from $2,625 to $6,900. Guests are collected from a pick-up point near San José airport (SJO), and meals are prepared to suit the ayahuasca diet.

Care and safety

Before a booking is confirmed, each guest goes through a detailed medical and psychological intake, which the centre uses to screen for contraindications with ayahuasca. Medical doctors are involved before, during and after the retreat. Soltara holds a permit from the Costa Rican Ministry of Health for the alternative and natural therapies it offers.