ABOUT US

About Us

A school of Andean wisdom

Kinti Yaya is a sanctuary and a living school of the Andes, rooted in the Kichwa lineage of Ecuador.

Our Founders

The hands that hold the medicine

The hands that hold the medicine Kinti Yaya was co-founded by Tayta Willak and Maja, evolving from the healing project Pakarinka Ushay, which Tayta Willak founded with his brothers in 2003. As partners in life and in this shared work, they have been building and leading Kinti Yaya together for the past two years, guided by a common vision of balance, wellbeing, and conscious living. Together, they are dedicated to creating spaces where the wisdom of the Andean Cosmovision meets modern approaches to wellbeing. Their work is grounded in presence, reciprocity, respect for all life, and the belief that lasting transformation begins with cultivating greater balance within ourselves, our relationships, and the natural world. For them, Kinti Yaya is a living vision and a growing community, dedicated to supporting meaningful personal transformation while contributing to a more balanced, compassionate, and connected world.

Tayta Willak

7th-Generation Kichwa Yachak

Born into a family of healers in Agato, in the Otavalo region of Ecuador, Tayta Willak has carried the medicine for nearly 30 years. He is a Yachak — a knower — trained in Ayahuasca, sacred fire, medicinal plants, sound, and ancestral ritual in the lineage of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfathers.

Maja Krauss

M.Sc. Green Care · Psychedelic Guide

Maja holds a Master of Science in Green Care (nature-based therapy) from the University of Vienna and is a trained psychedelic guide. She bridges Andean tradition and contemporary integration practice, holding preparation and integration in English and German with deep care for each participant.

Our Vision

Heal yourself, become your own healer

Finding your way back to yourself and nature.
Ancient Andean wisdom meets modern wellbeing.
Building healthier people, stronger communities, and a more compassionate world.
Rooted in presence, reciprocity, and respect for all life.
Guiding both personal healing and those who guide others.

We envision a world where people live in deeper connection with themselves, one another, and nature. By bringing together ancient Andean wisdom and modern wellbeing, we strive to build healthier individuals, stronger communities, and a more compassionate world.

Rooted in presence, reciprocity, and respect for all life, we believe that healing creates lasting positive change—not only for individuals but also for families, communities, and future generations.

Our Mission

Guiding Healing, Inspiring Transformation

Our mission is to help people rediscover a living relationship with themselves and the natural world through the wisdom of the Andean Cosmovision and modern approaches to wellbeing and psychology. We create safe spaces for personal healing, balance, and transformation while also mentoring therapists, facilitators, and healers who support others on their own journeys.

In the Andean Cosmovision, the hummingbird—Kinti—is a messenger of love, carrying wisdom between worlds. Kinti Yaya (“the Great Hummingbird Spirit”) represents a bridge between ancient wisdom and the present, nature and humanity, and our highest potential.

Kinti Yaya grew from Pakarinka Ushay, the healing project founded in 2003 by Tayta Willak and his brothers in the Kichwa community of Agato, Ecuador. Although the name evolved in 2025, the heart of the work remains unchanged: creating spaces where people reconnect with themselves, others, and nature.

About our Sanctuary

Our Home in Perucho
Kinti Yaya is located in the peaceful Andean village of Perucho, a hidden gem along Ecuador’s Ruta Escondida, just one hour from Quito International Airport. Surrounded by mountains and fertile valleys, Perucho offers a warm, spring-like climate and a slower pace of life, making it an ideal place to rest, restore and reconnect with nature.

Our home has been thoughtfully designed for small, intimate retreats, creating a warm, family-like atmosphere. It features comfortable guest rooms, a spacious living and dining area, and a rooftop yoga and meditation terrace overlooking the surrounding hills.

The garden is filled with fruit trees, including mandarins, oranges and papayas. Guests can enjoy fresh seasonal fruit, hummingbirds, peaceful green spaces, and a swimming pool as well as the local park located right next to the property.