- 14.05.2024
- Katy Wright
Ayahuasca retreats in Europe
Once exclusive to indigenous tribes in the Amazon, Ayahuasca ceremonies are now performed globally, with masters of the tradition accompanying both newcomers and seasoned practitioners alike through often life-changing experiences at ayahuasca retreats in Europe and beyond.
Why go on an ayahuasca retreat in Europe?
With so many profound benefits experienced by participants – including spiritual insights, increased empathy, and a deeper understanding of oneself and the universe - it’s easy to see why this once-niche practice has become so popular.
Of course, not everyone can afford the time or the cost of travelling to the Amazon to experience the benefits of ayahuasca. Luckily, however, there are plenty of trained therapists, facilitators, shamans and traditional medicine practitioners offering ayahuasca at retreats taking place across the globe, including in Europe. What’s more, these retreats are held in safe and comfortable venues that are highly conducive to the experience.
What happens on an ayahuasca retreat?
In some ways, an ayahuasca retreat is much like a yoga retreat or meditation retreat in that it offers participants the chance to spend time in a beautiful location doing something that is beneficial to their health, among likeminded people, for anywhere between 3 and 14 days.
And, as with many other wellbeing getaways, ayahuasca retreats promise personal healing and spiritual transformation during that time. However, on an ayahuasca retreat, that healing and transformation comes in a very different form: plant medicine.
Explore ayahuasca retreats in Europe
Usually given in the form of a drink during a dedicated ceremony, Ayahuasca is typically made from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub and contains a potent hallucinogenic compound commonly known as DMT.
After drinking it, people can experience intense visual and auditory hallucinations, profound insights, and emotional release, and this can last for up to 6 hours. During this time, participants are accompanied by trained and experienced facilitators, whose job it is to make sure everyone feels safe and supported.
Standard itinerary for a 3-day ayahuasca retreat
Day 1:
15.30 – 18.00: Participants are invited to arrive well in advance of the evening’s events, allowing them time to first become familiar with the venue and its surroundings.
18.00: Light meal or snack (it’s generally not advised to eat a hearty meal before an ayahuasca ceremony, with physical reactions to the medicine being possible)
18.30 – 20.00: The people leading the ceremony will prepare the ayahuasca and make sure participants know what might happen during the ceremony, so that they feel prepared and reassured.
20.00 – late. With the effects lasting anywhre between 3 and 6 hours, the Ayahuasca ceremony goes on well into the night. Often, participants choose to stay in the room afterwards to sleep.
Days 2 & 3:
10.00 - 11.30: Optional Kambo (frog poison) healing session to detoxify the body and mind and prepare participants for the coming nights.
12.00 - 15.00: Integration session - the whole group comes together to discuss their experiences the previous night, and is followed by optional one-on-one sessions to facilitate deeper integration.
15.00 - 18.00: Light refreshment, time for rest, exploring the surrounding nature, and preparing inwardly for the coming night ceremony.
18.00 onwards: See previous day
Day 4:
9.00 – 10.00: Breakfast
11.00 – 15.00: Group and individual integration sessions (for those who need or want it, post-retreat support is sometimes available in the form integration sessions via video call)
15:00: Departure
Ayahuasca retreats in Europe 2024
There are numerous ayahuasca retreats in Europe listed on the ZenBooking platform, taking place in countries as varied as Germany, Austria, Spain, Tenerife, Norway, Finland and Sweden, and led by various practitioners, some of whom are Westerners who’ve trained in the Amazon, and some who come direct from a Shamanic lineage and have had the tradition passed down by elders.
Because ayahuasca can induce a very profound and intense experience with moments of extreme vulnerability, it’s important to choose a retreat that is run by people with whom you feel a natural affinity, and whose background and training give you a deep sense of reassurance. So, grab a brew (just a standard tea for now!) and take some time to look through our selection of ayahuasca retreats in Europe:
- Ayahuasca retreats in Spain
- Ayahuasca retreats in Germany
- Ayahuasca retreats in Austria
- Ayahuasca retreats in Sweden
- Ayahuasca retreats in Norway
- Ayahuasca retreats in Finland