Retreat Info
About the Retreat:For more than 30 years, ZiruYai has been dedicated to the conservation of the jungle and to weaving the ancestral wisdom of the sacred plants of America with the world, caring for and respecting the ancient tradition of these medicines and ceremonies for the healing and evolution of humanity.
Yage, or ayahuasca, is a sacred medicine from the Amazon rainforest. ZiruYai holds traditional retreats within the ancestral community of licensed Taitas from the authorized lineages of Colombia. It includes elders from two Indigenous lineages and holders of traditional training who have dedicated their whole lives to the study and use of this medicine.
A unique aspect of our retreats is that they are conducted within primary Amazon jungle. Nature enhances, and makes more authentic the connection with the medicine. Participating in our retreats also enhances our ability to preserve this forest and is connected with traditional curation of the medicine.
An intimate experience
We are a family that grew up on the path of Sacred Plants and for more than 26 years we have been caring of ancestral ceremonies which are ancient ways of healing and connection with the creation.This sacred plant accompanied us to grow and see the world in a more loving way, That is why we carry in a respectful way the altars and spaces for the people to heal, and connect with their true self.
Retreats are booked in advance after an interview process. They include prepared meals, time spent in deep contemplation of nature, and are held on traditional sites that have been protected for generations. There are cleansing foods, bathing, and plant medicine prior to ceremony to prepare.
Participants should plan to have a peaceful, deep, and transformative experience of the medicine.
The ceremony
According to the traditional indigenous worldview, yagé or ayahuasca medicine can bring with it the spirits of the entire universe, plants, animals, trees, and water. It can also connect us with different energy dimensions and do healing in each of them. Physically, it can transform toxins, diseases, and discomfort, into vitality, well-being, and health. It can connect us with our emotions, freeing us from conflicts and negative thoughts that we have had in the past, transforming them into happiness and harmony with ourselves and all our relationships. It also encourages us to connect with the essence of our spirit and the openness of our hearts to the service of humanity.This sacred plant can lead you to a deep understanding of your life, opening a spiritual awakening and benefiting your physical and mental health.
A safe and professional experience
Ayahuasca has been going through a massive expansion. It should be observed that there are those who share the medicine with the knowledge, the permission of traditional communities, and the studies that are appropriate in order to administer it to others; but there are also some who unfortunately, while well intentioned, administer it without the preceding preparation, forgetting or neglecting all of the mystery that has allowed for the profound study of this sacred plant by way of our ancestors. This can be, and has been counterproductive in the processes of those who take the medicine without knowing or understanding how the adequate approach should be. As such, when one decides to take part in ceremonies, it is for this reason and of significant importance to be well informed about the people who conduct them.ZiruYai has significant experience guiding people from all ages and nationalities through this experience to reap the benefits which can last for a lifetime. We offer reintegration counseling as part of the retreat and coach you through the process from start to finish.
Description of Services:8-10 day retreats are common although individual booking can be arranged in advance. Please contact us for retreat dates.
Most commonly retreats will include:
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3 Yagé ceremonies.
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1 Yoco ceremony.
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Temazcal ceremony.
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Native Ortiga, stinging nettle treatment.
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Opportunities for connection, meditation and reflection with allied medicinal plants (Mambe and Ambil and Rapé)
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Baths with medicinal plants.
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Cleansing purges.
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Interactive words and music circles.
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Personalized consultation with the Taitas by request.
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Nighttime bonfires.
Practitioners:Taita Leonidas Lezama
Taita Herminsul Lucitante
Taita Fernando Lezama
Iyari GarciaTeam/Medical Staff:Iyari Garcia
Drea Burbank, MD-
Details
Founder(s) / CEO: Taita Leonidas LezamaGroup Size: 1-12Price Range: $1500-$4000Our Process
Overview of Experience:We are dedicated to traditional administration of the medicine. The ceremony we offer has been offered for thousands of years, and while we help people new to the medicine to understand it, we do not vary it because it is important to honor and respect the medicine.
We also offer reintegration services as part of the retreat cost after the retreat.
Intake Process:Applicants can contact us on the website https://www.ziruyai.com/contact and we will arrange an interview with a medical screening form.
Supplemental Modalities: yoga, temezcal, nutrition, meditation, nature, fire ceremony, cleaning plants, music circlesPsychedelic Substances Offered: yagé, ayahuasca, rapé, mambe and ambil, ortiga, wachuma, tobaccoHow does this Center source medicine?:We cultivate our own medicine in the jungle and have done so for thousands of years.
Practice reciprocity with local communities?: YesPhotos
Video
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc57wW2rLAiUD2QYvyI4gSg
Reviews
12 Reviews on “Ziru Yai Jungle Retreat”
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Retreat Info
Details
Our Process
Photos
Video
Reviews
12 Reviews on “Ziru Yai Jungle Retreat”
Leave a Review
I spent 8 life-changing days at the Ziru Yai retreat, and it truly exceeded anything I could have hoped for. From the very beginning, everything was done with care, intention, and love. We were picked up from the airport on time, and from that moment, I felt I was being welcomed into a family, not just a retreat.
The team at Ziru Yai is incredible. The staff were warm, attentive, and always present. A talented chef (Freddy) prepared delicious and healthy meals tailored to everyone’s dietary needs, which helped nourish not just our bodies, but our entire experience. The site itself is stunning, nestled in the jungle next to a flowing river, which we swam in daily. There were also beautiful walks, quiet moments of reflection, and spaces that felt like sacred, healing ground.
What truly makes this retreat special is the small group setting, we were seven participants, which allowed us to build deep, genuine connections. We supported one another through our journeys and learned just how much we had in common, despite coming from different walks of life. The atmosphere felt emotionally safe, respectful, and deeply human.
The ceremonies were profound and powerfully held. Guided by Taita Leónidas and Iyari, they were authentic, rooted in tradition, and beautifully harmonised with music, chants, and sacred plants. One of the most unforgettable experiences was the second ceremony, held at night in the middle of the jungle. It happened to be the elder shaman’s birthday, and it was in this ceremony that I felt a massive emotional release, let go of baggage I didn’t even realise I was carrying, and found clarity on several areas I had been struggling with in my life. That night changed something inside me.
The process was both mystical and practical. Before arriving, I had a video call with Iyari where we discussed my intentions, health, and what to expect. She provided detailed preparation materials, from diet to mental focus. After the retreat, we had a follow-up call a week later to help with integration, something most places overlook. During the retreat itself, we took part in sharing circles around the fire, Temazcal (sweat lodge), creative expression (writing, drawing), and even wrote a letter to ourselves. These small, thoughtful details made the journey not only spiritual but deeply personal.
Accommodation was simple but perfect for the jungle. My room was located in the middle of the forest, allowing me to reconnect with the beauty of simplicity. The main house and dining area were clean, spacious, and felt like home, with hammocks, tea stations, and peaceful vibes throughout. Bathrooms were cleaned daily, and everything was maintained with care.
I walked away from Ziru Yai feeling lighter, clearer, and more connected to myself than I have in years. Although my life has always been fairly calm, this retreat gave me a renewed sense of purpose. The visions, conversations, and ceremonies gave me insights into the future I want to create.
I journaled a lot, reflected deeply, and came back with clarity I didn’t expect. I would recommend this retreat to anyone, beginner or experienced, who is ready to move past whatever is holding them down and step into a more aligned version of themselves. I will definitely return in the future. It wasn’t just healing, it was home.
Excellent experience, the staff/facilitators of the retreat were very helpful throughout my process, showing me what this medicine can do for my well-being. The locations from the rivers to where the medicine is taken is breathtaking and the food was exquisite. Thanks again!
I am really grateful for my time spent at ZiruYai. Over several years I have developed a great working relationship and friendship with Taita Leonidas. I am very appreciative of the time I spent in his home deep in the Colombian Amazon. Truly it is one of the most pristine natural environments I have ever been in.
I feel blessed to have met and worked with the Elders Herminsul and Avelino, and Taita Fernando.
While surrounded by beautiful rainforest with welcoming hosts, by no means was it an easy journey. I worked through many personal issues, and spent the duration looking deep within my Self. I left feeling more grounded and more connected to those around me.
The Taitas have a great connection to the jungle and the medicine it produces. I look forward to returning and spending more time at ZiruYai.
I am also thankful for the work of Iyari, Oscar, Freddy, and everyone else that facilitates the retreats.
This retreat changed my life. I was able to process some deep-seated trauma in ways not accessible to me via years of movement or talk-therapy and walked out of the jungle so much lighter. I also continued to feel the effects and heal for now almost 2 years following (including the privilege of ongoing guidance from Taita Leonidas). As an added bonus, the time I spent in a un-touched region of the Amazon with unparalleled biodiversity is something I will never forget and hope to repeat as soon as possible. I could not recommend this more highly!
La medicina del taita leonidas es una ceremonia muy seria, muy ancestral demasiado cuidada muy responsable
Donde puedes entregarte por completo a la medicina y tener la seguridad de un excelente cuidado
El y su equipo son seres sensibles custodios de la vida y el altar del yage es su vida misma!
Ceremonias como ninguna otra hemos vivido mi familia y yo con leonidad y su familia ! Lo recomiendo con los ojos cerrados y el corazón abierto!!!
El yagé de las ceremonias del Taita Fernando Lezama y de su hermano Leonidas (Ziru Yai) significó un cambio profundo en mi manera de vivir. Antes de conocerlos, y de asistir a sus ceremonias, yo pensaba que lo “profundo” estaba relacionado con lo complicado, con saberes a los que se debía acceder por tortuosos caminos de estudio. Esta medicina me mostró lo contrario: lo profundo está en lo sencillo, es una práctica cotidiana de gratitud hacia cada humilde detalle de la vida.
Uno siente mucho miedo cuando se acerca a la medicina, y lo que aprende, precisamente, es a no tenerle miedo al miedo. Al verlo de frente, uno se vuelve valiente: un ser valiente es aquel que puede ver el valor de todas las fuerzas vivas que interactúan a cada instante. Es sobrecogedor ver la delicadeza del entramado de cada ecosistema, su entrega y su fragilidad. La medicina del yagé sensibiliza, desbloquea, nos quita las capas y capas de información innecesaria que se interponen entre el cuerpo y el mundo que nos rodea: las personas, los animales, las plantas, el tiempo. Esa manera de sensibilizarse se siente como conectarse, y cuando se establece esa conexión interior con el interior de cada superficie, uno deja de sentirse aislado en un mundo caótico y sin sentido, un mundo amenazador.
Cada vez que he tomado yagé con el Taita Fernando Lezama, su hermano Leonidas y con algunos de los abuelos con los que trabajan, ha sido una oportunidad para recordar, desde el cuerpo, que somos un tejido extenso sanándose y cuidándose con respeto y generosidad. Ninguna de las experiencias que he vivido ha sido tan terapéutica como ese recordar, una y otra vez, que no estamos solos y que cada pequeño gesto cuenta.
Taking medicine with Taita Fernando, Taita Leonidas and Taita Herminsul awakened my consciousness and gave me meaning and purpose. I felt connected to life again and my whole being is now moving in that direction: to manifest love, beauty and vitality in every gesture I make. I feel that knowing the jungle is the best gift a city person can receive. Now I can evoke the vitality and power of Mother Nature, nourish myself from her, and do my part to preserve her. Thank you, Ziruyai. My gratitude to you is eternal.
One of the most awakening and beautiful experience I had in my life. An experience where I was able to experience medicine in its own territory, the jungle, and feel all its power acting for your healing and that of your lineage. I feel very grateful to have had the blessing of meeting this family, their love and respect for tradition, make Taita Leonidas and his wife Iyari true guardians of medicine.
Also infinite gratitude to the entire team that was part of the experience. Luisa, Felipe, the women in the kitchen who cooked for us with such love. Aho Mitakuye oyasin! for all my relationships with everything!
You can see how they are so respecfull in the way they do the ceremonies, but at the same time you can tell that they have been doing this their whole life, so it makes you feel safe and comfortable, which helped me surrender to live what I needed to live. Food is delicous, they give you incredible typical flavors but taking care of the diet, and in my case as vegetarian, they were very attentive.
Thank you for being of service in the beautiful and impeccable manner that you do.
You can see how they are so respectful in the way they do the ceremonies, but at the same time you can tell that they have been doing this their whole life, so it makes you feel safe and comfortable, which helped me surrender to living what I needed to live.
Beautiful experience.
Authentic medicine, scared land and Authentic Taitas/ Shamans!!!!!!!