Ayahuasca Retreat · Andean Healing Sanctuary ·
Kichwa Wisdom Institute
Traditional Andean Healing. Modern Therapeutic Support.
A sacred school of Andean wisdom near Quito — Ayahuasca and other plant medicine ceremonies, shamanic healing, the art of living a balanced life, professionell integration.
Led by a 7th-generation indigenous healer and a M.Sc. nature-assisted therapist.
Welcome
Welcome to Kinti Yaya Healing Sanctuary and Institute
Kinti Yaya is a healing sanctuary and a living school of the Andes, rooted in the wisdom of the Kichwa people of Ecuador. Founded by Tayta Willak, a 7th-generation indigenous Yachak (traditional shaman) from Otavalo, Ecuador, and Maja Krauss, a M.Sc. nature-based therapist and trained psychedelic facilitator, we offer Ayahuasca ceremonies, group and one-on-one retreats, shamanic healing, nature-assisted therapy and teachings around ancestral and modern approaches on wellbeing.
Beyond plant medicine, we welcome you into our institute of traditional indigenous practice: sacred rituals, medicinal plants, pre-Incan yoga (Kuyuriy), nature ceremonies, and deep integration practices. We offer courses for your personal growth, and we guide healers on their professional journey.
Our Programs
Ayahuasca Retreats
Every retreat weaves Ayahuasca and plant medicine ceremonies with Andean shamanic healing, sacred nature sites and professional integration, so the medicine can truly land in your everyday life, not just in the ceremony space. We keep our groups small and intimate (max. 6 people) because deep transformation needs presence, not crowds. Airport transfers, healthy, fresh meals and lodging are included.
5-Night Retreat
Perfect for those with limited time but a strong desire for healing.
Focused on two powerful plant medicine ceremonies and other Andean Kichwa shamanic healing practices, this retreat provides deep spiritual experiences in a short time.
7-Night Retreat
In addition to three plant medicine ceremonies and other Andean Kichwa shamanic healing practices, this retreat includes a trip to the hot springs and three nature ceremonies.
Tayta Willak also shares insightful teachings on living a joyful, balanced life.
Most Popular
7-Night Retreat
Three ceremonies (2× Ayahuasca, 1× Cacao), thermal baths, nature ceremonies and deep teachings on Kichwa cosmovision.
From 1790$
Most Popular
14-Night Retreat
This is the most profound healing experience we offer. It allows you the space and time to deeply transform while gaining invaluable teachings to support permanent positive change in your life. Next to everything that is included in the 5- and 7-Night retreat you will get a 1on1-session with Tayta Willak, nature therapy and somatic movement sessions.
14-Night Retreat
Our deepest offering — five ceremonies, a private session with Tayta Willak, nature therapy with Maja, and lasting tools for transformation.
From 2890$
Upcoming Retreats 2026
Our Home
La Ruta Escondida, Ecuador
We are nestled in La Ruta Escondida — a hidden gem in the gentle Andean highlands of Pichincha province, in the village of Perucho, just one hour from Quito’s international airport. Sitting at a soft ~1,800 m (5,900 ft), the land is rolling, green, and welcoming — no steep mountains, no risk of malaria or dengue.
Right on the equator — Kayambi territory in Kichwa — this land has been a place of ceremony and healing for thousands of years. Waterfalls, fresh fruit, gentle hills and ancestral history all invite you to slow down.
Why Kinti Yaya
A school, a sanctuary, a ceremony.
Authentic lineage
Tayta Willak is a 7th-generation Kichwa Yachak with nearly 30 years of experience. Kinti Yaya is led in genuine partnership between Tayta Willak and Maja Krauss — an intercultural collaboration built on mutual respect, where indigenous wisdom sets the direction and shapes how the center is run.
Professional integration
Maja (M.Sc. Nature-based Therapy, trained psychedelic facilitator) brings a modern, evidence-informed perspective to preparation and integration — trauma-sensitive, grounded in current mental health research, and offered in English, German and Spanish. Ancestral wisdom and contemporary therapeutic understanding work hand in hand, so nothing you experience stays unprocessed.
More than plant medicine
Sound healing, Kuyuriy, medicinal plants, sacred nature ceremonies and cultural immersion. As a living institute, we share the teachings of the Kichwa people — ancestral knowledge on how to bring balance back into everyday life, long after the ceremony ends.
All-inclusive
We prepare you thoroughly before you arrive at the center. During your stay, everything is included: healthy, local meals, lodging in a shared double room, teachings, ceremonies and excursions to sacred sites. After you leave, two online integration sessions accompany you back into daily life.
Small, intimate groups
Maximum 6 participants. You are seen, held and supported as an individual.
Healing for all
Other Offers
Beyond the ceremony
Workshops and healing experiences rooted in Andean tradition, offered alongside our Ayahuasca retreats.
Beyond Ecuador
Canada & Germany
Throughout the year, Tayta Willak and Maja travel to host ceremonies, workshops and healing circles in Canada and Germany. Join our list to hear when we visit your region.
Testimonials
What people say
