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.
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.
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
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 / 2027
| Cycle | 5-Night | 7-Night | 14-Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn I | 27 Sep – 2 Oct 2026 | 4–11 Oct 2026 | 27 Sep – 11 Oct 2026 |
| Autumn II | 1–6 Nov 2026 | 8–15 Nov 2026 | 1–15 Nov 2026 |
| Winter I | 22–27 Nov 2026 | 29 Nov – 6 Dec 2026 | 22 Nov – 6 Dec 2026 |
| Winter II | 14–19 Feb 2027 | 21–28 Feb 2027 | 14–28 Feb 2027 |
| Spring I | 18 - 23 April 2027 | 25 April – 2 May 2027 | 18 Apr – 2 May 2027 |
The Rooted Healer: Our Mentorship Program
What if the most powerful tool you bring to your clients is not a technique, but who you are?
The Rooted Healer is the heart of our institute: a 12-month journey for coaches, therapists, facilitators and everyone who feels called to hold space for others in a deeper, more grounded way.
Guided by Tayta Willak, a seventh-generation Kichwa Yachak, and Maja, a nature-assisted therapist, you learn from two directions at once: the living wisdom of the Andes and the modern science of well-being.
You will fast and sit in ceremony, walk on sacred mountains, tend the chakra, the traditional Kichwa garden, and discover what it truly means to be accompanied by teachers over time, the way healers in the Andes have always learned.
Two transformation retreats in Ecuador frame eleven months of online teachings, peer circles and personal mentoring.
Something in you will change.
And the way you work with others will change with it.
Our founding cohort begins in March 2027, with only eight places.
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
— Manuela, Germany · March 2026
FAQ
Common questions
What is Kinti Yaya?
Kinti Yaya is an indigenous-led Ayahuasca Retreat and Andean Healing Institute near Quito, Ecuador. Ceremonies are held by Tayta Willak, a 7th-generation Kichwa Otavalo Yachak (indigenous Shaman), and the retreats are run together with Maja Krauss, a nature-assisted therapist (M.Sc.). Kinti Yaya offers small-group Ayahuasca retreats in the Andean highlands, Andean healing practices, intensive Mentorship programs and teachings rooted in the Andean Cosmovision.
Where is Kinti Yaya located?
Kinti Yaya is located near Perucho, in the Andean highlands of Pichincha province, Ecuador, at about 1,800 meters above sea level. The center is about one hour by car from Quito’s international airport, and airport transfers are included in every retreat. Due to the altitude the climate is warm-spring like all year around.
Who founded Kinti Yaya and who is part of the team?
Kinti Yaya was founded by Tayta Yachak Wilka Willak, a 7th-generation Kichwa Otavalo Yachak with nearly 30 years of ceremonial experience, and Maja Krauss, a nature-assisted therapist (M.Sc.) from Europe. Willak carries the ceremonies and the Andean Cosmovision; Maja Krauss is responsible for screening, integration and the therapeutic side of the work. They run the center as an indigenous-led partnership. Next to Tayta Willak and Maja there are usually two people from the local community helping with cooking, maintenance and logistics.
Is Kinti Yaya the same as Pakarinka Ushay?
Yes, Kinti Yaya is the new name and next chapter of Pakarinka Ushay, the healing center Willak and his brothers founded in Agato, Ecuador, in 2003. In 2025 the work moved to a new home near Perucho and took the name Kinti Yaya. The lineage, the ceremonies and Willak’s leadership continue as before. Now with his partner Maja on his side, adding a modern perspective on health, balance and well-being.
What is the difference between an Ayahuasca retreat in the Andes and one in the Amazon?
An Andean Ayahuasca retreat like Kinti Yaya takes place in the highlands, with a milder climate than the Amazon lowlands and easy access from Quito. At Kinti Yaya, the ceremonies are held within the Andean cosmovision of the Kichwa Otavalo people and connected with sacred mountain sites and Andean healing practices. Amazon retreats are set in the rainforest and follow Amazonian traditions; both are living traditions, and the right choice depends on the setting and lineage you feel drawn to.
Should I do an Ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador or in Peru?
Both Ecuador and Peru have old living indigenous Ayahuasca traditions, so the better choice depends on the center, its lineage and its safety standards more than on the country. Peru is the best-known destination, especially around Iquitos and the Sacred Valley. Ecuador is a smaller and a much less commercialized destination, and centers near Quito such as Kinti Yaya are reachable within about an hour of an international airport.
CONTACT
Begin your journey
Have a question, or ready to reserve a place? Write to us. We read every message personally.