A 9-day initiation into sacred plant medicine, guided by wisdom keepers of the Andes.

Come Home to What Was Never Lost

In a culture that rewards constant doing, endless consumption, and distraction, there is still something within you that remembers. It remembers the earth, your breath, and the quiet pull toward truth.

The Ancestral Journeys at Casa Del Sol are not designed as an escape from life, but as a ceremonial return to it.

Held in the heart of Vilcabamba, Ecuador, these immersive 9-day retreats are guided by revered elders whose lives have been devoted to plant medicine, indigenous tradition, and integration as a way of being.

This is a portal.

Guided by Elders

Ximena & Santiago: Guardians of the Sacred Casa Del Sol

For decades, Ximena Morales and Santiago Ayala have walked a path of medicine, service, and reverence. They are wisdom keepers whose work is deeply devotional.

Through authentic relationship with the plants and the teachings passed down by their own elders, they hold each ceremony as a living prayer and a sacred meeting with your own soul.

Their gift for seeing, holding, guiding, and honoring each person’s unique path is what makes this journey so distinct.

"When you sit with them, you don't feel like you're being healed. You feel like you're finally safe enough to heal yourself." ~ Eric Balance

What You Will Experience

Ayahuasca & San Pedro Ceremonies

These ceremonies are doorways for those ready to commit. Held beneath the stars or the sun in sacred open-air malokas, surrounded by the breathing presence of nature, you will enter communion with two of the Earth’s greatest teachers: Ayahuasca, the Vine of the Soul, and Huachuma (San Pedro), the Heart of the Mountain.

Ayahuasca is the mirror, the great grandmother, the truth-teller. She reveals what is hidden and what has been forgotten. She does not punish; she purifies.

Huachuma is the bridge, the wise grandfather, the heart-opener. He teaches through the body, through beauty, laughter, and light, guiding you inward with deep love rather than force.

Together, these medicines speak the language of the soul. You do not understand them with the mind, but with your whole being.

Held by elders devoted to the sacred reciprocity of this work, with live music, prayer, silence, and ritual, this is not about “taking medicine.” It is about being met by Spirit.

"The forest doesn't tell you what to do. It mirrors who you are." ~ Eric Balance

You will leave with a deeper capacity to live your questions in truth, presence, and love.

Sweatlodges, Herbal Baths & Rituals

Beyond the master plants, you will be supported through the ancient rituals of the four elements, song, and touch. These are among the most grounding and precious parts of the journey.

Entering the Temazcal is a return to the womb of Pachamama.

It is a ceremony of surrender, a prayer carried on the breath, sung into stone, and born through fire.

Inside this sacred geometric dome, stones are awakened by flame and become Abuelitas, the great mothers glowing red with memory of origin. Herbs such as copal, sage, and cedar activate purification, vitality, and regeneration, inviting not only the release of sweat, but also story, burden, and ego.

The Temazcal is a place where the mind softens, the body is humbled, and the soul listens.

With each round, songs rise in the darkness and prayers move with the steam. Your heartbeat finds rhythm with the Earth as the heat burns away what is no longer true.

This is purification through presence: a death of what was, and a birth of what may now begin in your center.

Held by trained elders who walk in deep reverence for ancestral tradition, this is not a ritual for display. It is a ceremony of return.

Integration is the Medicine

At Casa Del Sol, integration is the container.

Every moment outside ceremony is designed to help ground your experience into your body and your life. Through guided sharing circles, nature immersion, bodywork, and time in silence, you’ll receive tools to anchor your insights for lasting change.

This is a Commitment to Yourself

This journey is for those ready to sit in their own fire and emerge transformed. It asks for courage and honesty. The process can be humbling, but the connection lasts forever. It is raw, real, and deep.

Those who choose to come will be held with integrity by people who live and breathe these principles every day and move forward with discipline.

Daily Program

Day 1
Arrival
Personalized Interview
Introduction and Orientation
Sweat Lodge Opening ceremony

Day 2
Daytime San Pedro ceremony in the Native Forrest of Medicine

Day 3
Kambo (Extra and Optional)
Sharing circle
Ayahuasca Nighttime ceremony

Day 4
Integration Day / Optional Activities

Day 5
(Departure for 5-Day Retreat)
Mountain Hike of Power with San Pedro Medicine and Traditional Offerings

Day 6
Kambo II (extra and optional)
Restorative Yoga and Meditation
Sharing circle
Ayahuasca nighttime ceremony

Day 7
Rest / Integration
Sound Healing ceremony

Day 8
Kambo III (extra and optional)
Integration Workshop
Sweat Lodge of the closing prayer

Day 9
Departure

Why Casa del Sol?

Deep lineage-based work with medicine keepers who live what they teach
Intimate groups of 15 or fewer for personalized care
Sacred spaces crafted in alignment with nature’s wisdom
Full integration support before, during, and available after your journey

You Already Know This is For You

The mind may ask, “Should I?” The soul already knows.

If you have been searching for real depth, real honesty, and real transformation, this may be your time.

Let this be your return.

Pricing

There is a wide choice of rooms to suit different needs. At maximum retreat capacity, there are 4 private rooms and 6 shared rooms. Shared and private accommodations are available in the main house and in cabins by the river. All rooms are close to clean bathrooms and include electricity.

The main home includes a spacious living room for relaxing, a large kitchen for a handful of cooks, a dining room that seats sixteen, a grassy courtyard, and a terrace surrounded by climbing flowers overlooking the valley. Nearby walking trails offer short day treks, and the gardens are ideal for resting at home.

Shared Cabins with River View - $1,530
Simple cabins for double accommodation with bunk beds. 6 spots available. The building is separate from the main house and located fifteen meters from the pristine Uchima river.

Shared Room in the Main House - $1,800
Spacious and comfortable rooms in the main house with a shared bathroom. 6 spots available. These rooms are inside the main house, where meals, some activities, and the living area are located.

Private Room in the Main House - $2,160
A comfortable room for one person in the main house with a shared bathroom outside. 1 spot available.

Private Cabin by the River - $2,160
A wooden cabin by the river for one person, a short distance from the bathroom complex. 2 spots available. These exotic bungalows are ideal for those seeking more privacy and a closer connection with nature.

Private Suite with Balcony - $2,520
A beautiful room on the second floor of the main house with a queen bed, bathtub, walk-in closet, and balcony with views of the forest and river. Private bathroom.

Ideal for those seeking a comfortable and private experience.

Preparation

These plant medicines work on multiple levels to purify the mind, body, and spirit. They cleanse physical, emotional, and energetic impurities accumulated over a lifetime and even through ancestral lineage. They also serve as spiritual teachers, tending the inner fire of deep transformation and creating a closer connection with the Divine.

The preparation Dieta (or regime) combines a food diet with a lifestyle diet, including emotional habits, attitudes, the information we receive, and the actions we engage in. Contemplative practice and physical conditioning are needed to prepare yourself as a clear container to receive the medicine.

Bring spending money in $20 bills or less. ATMs are available, but bills larger than $20 are difficult to change in this economy.

Please check your passport expiration date carefully. Passport expiration dates are strictly enforced in Ecuador, and you must have more than 6 months remaining before expiration or you will be denied boarding your flight to Ecuador.

How To Get Here

Casa del Sol Retreat Center is located in the beautiful Sacred Valley of San Pedro in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. The closest airport is Catamayo Loja Airport (LOH).

International flights arrive in Quito or Guayaquil, with domestic flights to Loja available daily, which can be booked directly through Aeroregional.

Pickup from Loja Airport to Casa del Sol in Vilcabamba is available for $30. An additional charge applies for extra nights. Please inquire further if you are interested in either option.

Discover New Depths of Consciousness

Visit this family sanctuary and continue your healing journey by applying today.

The sacred mountains and rushing river await.

Retreats in Loja