Ayahuasca can be a powerful tool for healing and for spiritual and emotional growth. In simple terms, it can feel like a very clear mirror that shows you what is really going on inside you. With the right mindset and a safe, well-run setting, it may help you see the roots of fear, trauma, and other emotional pain that shows up in your life. From a place of compassion, it can help you understand your inner patterns and support you in letting go of habits that no longer serve you. That said, it’s important to have enough time, a supportive environment, and skilled healers and facilitators who can help you work with whatever comes up and fully trust the process.

With proper screening, preparation, a safe “container” (the overall structure and support of the retreat), and good integration afterward, serious negative psychological effects are rare. However, some medical conditions do not mix safely with Ayahuasca, including (but not limited to) schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and psychosis. Some medications are also not compatible and should be discussed with your doctor. You should only consider a retreat if it is safe for you, and only change or taper medications under medical guidance.

Beyond medical issues, an Ayahuasca experience can become unsafe if the healers are inexperienced, if the brew includes added plants that may react poorly, if the retreat lacks strong support and safety practices, or if someone takes multiple different plant medicines close together (“medicine stacking”), which can overwhelm the system and leave someone feeling ungrounded.

At Soltara, your safety, well-being, and healing are our top priorities. Our goal is to help each person get the most from their experience in a careful, supportive way.

We work only with highly experienced Indigenous Shipibo healers from the Peruvian Amazon. We are connected to respected family lineages with generations of training and decades of hands-on experience. This helps ensure they can hold ceremony safely and effectively. Our facilitation team also has decades of experience and has supported thousands of guests.

Our Ayahuasca brew uses only the two main ingredients – Ayahuasca vine and chacruna leaf – and is sourced in a sustainable, regenerative way from trusted providers in Costa Rica. We also focus specifically on working with Ayahuasca, without other plant or psychoactive medicines, because we believe it’s important to give this tradition and medicine the space to do its best work.

In addition to our on-site team of skilled healers and facilitators, we consult qualified professionals during screening and preparation. Our medical intake process is thorough and includes a detailed questionnaire during registration to help reduce risk from adverse interactions, as well as a 1:1 intake call and any required follow-up. We also have on-site staff trained in first aid, a local doctor on call, health checks before and after the program, 24/7 facilitation support, and a fully stocked medical kit onsite. Finally, we include a 1:1 preparation call with a member of our preparation team for each guest as part of the retreat. Our safety protocols are designed so you can make the most of your retreat and feel supported – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

We take integration just as seriously. A powerful experience and an initial “clearing” can be an important start, but it is usually only the first step in a longer, often lifelong process. For healing to last, we believe people need tools and support to bring what they learned into daily life. We also aim to provide longer-term support so the changes can stick. Much of our team has worked at other retreat centers, and we saw how much most people needed ongoing connection and guidance after returning home. You can read more about our integration program here and our safety protocols here.

We work only with highly experienced Indigenous Shipibo healers from the Peruvian Amazon. We are connected to respected family lineages who have trained with this medicine for generations and have decades of experience. This depth of training helps them hold ceremony safely and effectively. We rotate our healers so they can balance time with their families and communities in Peru while also serving at our locations in Costa Rica. For every ceremony, we work with one female and one male healer, and you will work with the same healers throughout your entire retreat. You can learn more about our healers and their individual stories on our team page.

Ceremonies take place in a large, circular hut called a maloca, which is the traditional Shipibo ceremonial space.

During ceremony, each guest has their own mattress arranged in a circle around the outer edge of the maloca, along with a pillow, blanket, and a bucket in case they need to purge. Bathrooms are just outside. Our facilitators are available throughout the ceremony to assist anyone who needs help.

The healers and facilitators sit in the center. During ceremony, the healers will come to each guest’s mat and sing a personal icaro (a healing song) based on your intention and what they sense is needed. The Shipibo tradition typically uses song as the primary healing tool, along with mapacho (sacred tobacco) and flower water. We have one female and one male Shipibo healer, plus three facilitators, for a group of about 18–22 guests.

Ayahuasca affects different people in different ways. While some people do have vivid visuals, it is often less common than many people expect. In many cases, Ayahuasca works on an energetic or emotional level that can be hard to describe.

People’s experiences can include physical and energetic sensations (like yawning, laughing, crying, sweating, vomiting, shaking), deep thoughts, strong emotions rising to the surface, mental images, revisiting memories, or a feeling of unity and connection. The experience can change from person to person and from one ceremony to the next.

We try to reduce the expectation of visions, because even when visions happen, they are not always the main part of the healing. Often, the deeper work happens in the body. Sometimes visions can be distracting; other times they can help the mind understand what is happening. We encourage guests to let go of expectations, trust the process, and believe they will receive what they need—even if it looks different than they imagined.

Shipibo beliefs come from a deeply rooted relationship with plants, animals, and nature. They see life as an interconnected energy field that exists in everything. This idea of deep “oneness” can feel unfamiliar to many Western minds, but it shapes how their healing works. The patterns in Shipibo art and textiles represent this interconnected reality and the connection between our world and the spirit world. In a similar way, icaros (healing songs) are like an audible version of these patterns.

During ceremony, the healer connects with the energetic patterns of the plants, and through the healer’s voice, those patterns become an icaro. In this view, the icaro carries a “design” that moves through the person’s system, helping restore balance and release energetic blocks and related emotions. The healer knows when a healing pattern is complete because the “design” becomes clear in the person’s energetic field. Often this takes multiple ceremonies. When the healed “designs” are fully embedded, they are called an arcana. In the tradition, this is considered lasting and protective for the person going forward.

Because this kind of work can be subtle, it may feel hard to “see” during the ceremony—especially for those with a more Western mindset. We tell guests that even if they do not get clear insights during the ceremony itself, insights may unfold over the days, weeks, and months afterward, once the energetic work has created the right foundation.

Ayahuasca can involve purging, including vomiting or diarrhea. If you need help getting to the bathroom, our facilitators are available and will show you an easy way to signal them.

It’s also important to know that “purging” can mean many things. For some people it may look like crying, yawning, sweating, shaking, or laughing. Our facilitators are trained to respond to many situations, and we aim to care for you quickly, calmly, and kindly if anything challenging happens physically. As we like to say, “everything is normal on Ayahuasca.” Whatever happens is okay, and there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Choosing where to take part in this sacred experience is extremely important, and it can strongly affect what you get out of it.

Wherever you are considering, our first suggestion is to check in with yourself: does it feel right? Next, make sure you clearly understand the healers’ training and experience, and whether the retreat provides a strong, safe container—both during the retreat and afterward.

Key things to ask about include: who trained the person leading ceremonies; their lineage; who their main teacher was and that teacher’s experience; how long they apprenticed; where they trained; what tradition they follow (if any); and how long they have been holding ceremony. These details help you understand whether they can safely hold the “energetic container” of the space.

In Shipibo and some mestizo traditions, one useful measure of training is the number of master plant dietas a healer has completed. A dieta is part of apprenticeship where the student spends time in isolation with a strict diet, drinks small amounts of tea made from a specific master plant, and connects with that plant through ceremony. Over time, this is believed to cleanse the body and spirit and help the healer learn the plant’s subtle energies. In this tradition, healers receive their icaros (healing songs) through this deep connection with master plants during dietas. This is a general overview of an important part of training in these traditions. A healer who runs ceremonies independently will often have done at least about five years of diets.

You can read more about the healers we work with at Soltara here.

Other factors to consider include the ratio of healers/facilitators to guests, and overall group size. A very skilled healer may be able to hold space for about 10–12 people alone, but larger groups often require multiple healers and strong facilitation to keep the space safe and stable. You should also ask about the brew: where it comes from and whether anything is added besides Ayahuasca vine and chacruna leaf. If there are admixtures, you should know exactly what they are and why they are included. Some added plants (such as certain strong trees or plants) can be risky if not handled by someone properly trained and “dieted” to work with them.

At Soltara, we work with two healers (one female and one male from the same lineage) and 2–3 facilitators, with a maximum of 22 guests. Our Ayahuasca contains only the two main ingredients: Ayahuasca vine and chacruna leaf.

Also, be cautious about retreats that combine many different medicines or traditions in a short time. Soltara believes it is important to work with each medicine on its own, both for your body’s stability and out of respect for each master plant teacher. This is one reason we recommend avoiding other psychoactive substances for at least 30 days before and after your retreat.

Finally, ask about integration and follow-up support: What support do they offer during the retreat (between and after ceremonies) and after you return home? Do they have experienced integration therapists or coaches available? Do they provide resources and ways to stay connected to the community? Do they prepare you with workshops, sharing circles, and practical tools for common integration challenges? For context,you can read more about Soltara’s integration program here.

We hope these guidelines help you choose what feels right for you. If you have more questions about how we work with medicine at Soltara, please reach out through our Contact page.

Many Soltara guests have little or no experience with psychoactive medicines and still find deep healing with Ayahuasca. In fact, having less experience can sometimes help, because it may be easier to enter ceremony without strong expectations—something that can greatly affect the experience.

Working with Ayahuasca is often a process. If you are planning to work with the medicine—especially for the first time—we recommend giving yourself enough time for multiple ceremonies in a safe and supportive setting. It can take time to build trust and a relationship with the medicine so deeper work can unfold. Sometimes one ceremony can open the process, but may not be enough to gain meaningful benefit and then “close” what has been opened in an energetic sense. This is one reason our minimum retreat stay is five nights. We have found that at least three ceremonies, along with integration support during and after the retreat, can support a deep level of healing.

We have more information about Ayahuasca on our website. Here are some helpful starting points:

About Ayahuasca
Preparing for your Ayahuasca experience
Integration of the Ayahuasca experience

After you register, you will receive an information packet with our preparation and dietary guidelines. Beyond the specific foods we recommend avoiding, it helps to see the diet less as a “restriction” and more as a way to support your body so the medicine can work well.

In general, a clean diet that emphasizes whole foods (and limits things like excess salt, sugar, very spicy foods, red meat, pork, alcohol, recreational drugs and substances, excessive dairy, and heavily processed foods) can make it easier for the medicine to work with you.

Learn more here about best practices for a dieta before drinking Ayahuasca.

We invite you to join the Soltara Community Platform, where we offer preparation and integration support and a community of like-minded people. If you sign up for a retreat, you receive one full year of Soltara Plus membership included. If not, you can register for a free account to access community spaces and virtual holistic healing events.

Upgrading to Soltara Plus also gives you access to:

• Holistic, trauma-informed preparation and integration support
• Regular live events, including monthly preparation and integration circles with a Soltara plant medicine therapist
• Community spaces for questions, sharing, and connection
• Guided breathwork, meditation, and yoga experiences
• Soltara news and retreat information
• Curated educational content from preparation to integration and beyond
• Online courses for deeper learning on specific topics
• A carefully vetted network of practitioners, coaches, and guides for 1:1 support
• And much more

We also offer 1-on-1 preparation sessions for guests who want emotional and mental support while preparing. These sessions can help clarify intentions, reduce anxiety, and build a strong foundation for the work you’ll do before arriving. Please visit this link to view availability and book a session with a preparation coach & Soltara facilitator, all of whom have several years of experience supporting people working with Ayahuasca.

Here are a few additional resources we recommend:

About Ayahuasca
Preparing for your Ayahuasca experience
Integration of the Ayahuasca experience

Soltara does not require the COVID-19 vaccine to join a retreat. For other vaccines, check what your government recommends for travel to Costa Rica, and make sure you are up to date. Routine vaccinations are typically recommended, and it may also be a good idea to consider typhoid. If you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever, Costa Rica may require proof of yellow fever vaccination.

Soltara has fewer mosquitoes than many jungle locations because of the ocean breeze, but we still recommend bringing natural bug spray. In rare cases, mosquitoes can carry malaria. If you plan to participate in Ayahuasca ceremonies, avoid taking antimalarial medication for the retreat. You can review official traveler guidance from your government (for example, U.S. travelers often use CDC travel guidance).

If possible, we recommend stopping all supplements 7 days before your retreat. The basic idea of working with master plant teachers like Ayahuasca is to arrive with a “clean slate” in your body. In the Shipibo tradition, people are generally advised to temporarily pause other supplements, plant treatments (unless prescribed by the healers), and synthetic drug treatments so they can connect more directly with Ayahuasca. If you can safely pause these (unless they are medically necessary), you may have a clearer connection with the medicine.

Because CBD oil comes from the marijuana plant, we recommend not using it for at least two weeks before and after your retreat. This is not a medical contraindication, but it is a way to help your body prepare for Ayahuasca by pausing other plant medicines during that window.

If there is anything you need to continue during the retreat, please note it on your registration form and we will follow up with you.

As part of your journey with us, you receive a full year of preparation, integration, and community support through our virtual Soltara Community Platform.

Our approach to healing is guided by the wisdom of our Shipibo healers, our team’s decades of experience (including work at top Ayahuasca centers in the Peruvian Amazon), feedback from our community, and what we have seen people need most. Because of this, we place strong emphasis on preparation and integration—helping guests prepare effectively and bring their work home in a practical way. We also work closely with clinical psychologists who have years of experience with the medicine and training in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

Our holistic support includes both on-site and off-site components. You can read more about what’s included in your retreat here. Below is a brief overview:

• A thorough intake process, in collaboration with therapists and medical advisors, to support safety and fit
• Extensive, holistic preparation and integration support created by Soltara plant medicine therapists
• An Ayahuasca diet guidebook to help prepare your body
• Access to our community platform through Nectara with one year of Soltara Plus membership, including:
  • Community spaces for questions, sharing, and connection
  • Retreat information and logistics
  • Resources for physical, emotional, therapeutic, mental, spiritual, cultural, relational, creative, and travel-day support
  • Monthly events, including free preparation and integration circles with a Soltara therapist
  • Guided yoga, breathwork, and meditation experiences
  • Online courses on topics such as trauma physiology, mindfulness, and ceremonial preparation
  • A carefully vetted network of practitioners, coaches, and guides for individual support
• Access to our Entwined program (12 modules) for loved ones and family members of people entering plant medicine ceremony
• “The Hero’s Journal,” a customizable integration journal given on arrival to support reflection, intention-setting, ceremony processing, and building an integration plan. This framework has been reviewed by our clinical psychologist advisors and is designed to help you set yourself up for success.
• We also hold integration discussions during your stay using parts of the journal to help you create an actionable plan—from the beginning of your time at Soltara through your return to everyday life.
• Our retreat programming is built to help you immerse yourself in different healing modalities that you can take home with you (such as bodywork, meditation, and time in nature) so you can build habits that support your continued healing.
• After the retreat, we offer 3 months of weekly follow-up emails with resources and content to help you keep checking in with yourself and supporting your process.
• We also offer regular virtual group preparation and integration circles so guests can share in real time, ask questions, and stay connected before and after their retreat.

We are excited about this framework and the way it supports lasting change. We focus on empowering people to become their own healers—both during the retreat and long after it ends.

You can book a call with one of our integration coaches (who has also facilitated at Soltara) via this link. Every retreat booking includes one free 1:1 preparation and one 1:1 integration call, with additional 50 minute sessions for $150 USD.

We also invite you to join the Soltara Community Platform! If you sign up for a retreat, you’ll receive one full year of Soltara Plus membership included. Otherwise, you can register for a free account to access community spaces and virtual holistic healing events. Upgrading to Soltara Plus also gives you access to:

• Holistic, trauma-informed preparation and integration support
• Regular live events, including monthly preparation and integration circles with a Soltara plant medicine therapist
• Community spaces for questions, sharing, and connection
• Guided breathwork, meditation, and yoga experiences
• Soltara news and retreat information
• Curated educational content from preparation to integration and beyond
• Online courses for deeper learning on specific topics
• A carefully vetted network of practitioners, coaches, and guides for 1:1 support And more

Please view our complete policies here.

We want every guest to feel personally supported and to have enough space to go deeply into their process. We also believe the community experience matters, and that can be lost if a group is too large. For these reasons, we keep groups relatively small and maintain a high healer-team-to-guest ratio.

Our maximum capacity at our Playa Blanca, Costa Rica location, our Scarlet Valley, Costa Rica location, and our Goddess Falls, Costa Rica location is about 18–22 guests. For a group of this size, we work with two Shipibo healers, three facilitators, an assistant facilitator, a Retreat Director, and a yoga teacher.

During every ceremony, each guest receives a personal healing icaro (healing song), based on their intention for healing, what the healers feel is needed, and their consultation with our healers during the retreat.

You can view all retreat programs and dates here, and filter by date, location, or program type. Choose your retreat, then register on that page by filling out a short form and placing a deposit to hold your spot.

To register:

1. Select your program length (5, 7, or 12 nights), dates, and retreat location on our Retreats Page.
2. Choose your lodging option.
3. Fill out the registration form and submit your deposit.
4. After you reserve your space, you will receive an email with a link to complete an intake form.
5. Next, our intake support team will review your form and follow up to confirm your registration, request more information, schedule an intake call if needed, or let you know the retreat is not a good fit right now (in which case we refund your deposit).
6. If you are approved through intake, you will receive a “Registration Confirmed” email and access to the Soltara Community Platform, which includes retreat details plus preparation and integration support.

Please note: your booking is not fully confirmed until we receive and review your intake questionnaire. If it is considered medically unsafe for you to attend, you are entitled to a full refund of any deposit paid.

If you are taking medications or have medical diagnoses, we recommend discussing your decision with your doctor—especially before changing or tapering any medications.

This work is very personal, so we recommend checking in with yourself about what feels right and trusting your intuition. The main difference between retreat lengths is the number of ceremonies and how much time you have to rest, process, and integrate the work.

Some people find meaningful healing in 5 nights or one week. Others benefit from more time to build a deeper connection and let the healing take root. Depending on what you are working on, more time may give you a better chance to integrate more fully. Either way, there is no “wrong” choice—choose what fits you.

We only offer the retreat lengths listed on our retreat page. Our programming is designed to help you fully immerse and get the most from your experience.

Ayahuasca work can be intense, and it often helps to have enough time for multiple ceremonies and for integration. If possible, we encourage you to make space for a full retreat so you don’t interrupt or cut short the process. Committing to your full retreat can create the best conditions for deep, lasting benefit.

All guests must be at least 18 years old to be on site and participate in a retreat.

Because this work can be very deep and emotionally sensitive, we do not allow guests to bring children. We maintain a strong container so participants can go deeply into their process without affecting children who may not understand what is happening.

Couples are welcome. During ceremony, we do not have couples sit next to each other in the maloca. This helps each person focus on their own process and reduces energetic influence.

Outside of ceremony, we ask all guests to abstain from sexual and sensual contact (with themselves or others) during the retreat. Beyond that, you can choose what feels best regarding accommodations. Some couples prefer separate rooms to support their individual process, while others prefer to share a private space and process together. This is up to you.

You can view all retreat programs on our Retreats page. When you select a retreat, you’ll see availability and pricing based on the lodging option you choose.

For Playa Blanca, Costa Rica details, click here.

For Goddess Falls, Costa Rica details, click here.

For Scarlet Valley, Costa Rica details, click here.

We offer all-inclusive packages based on lodging type. Pricing includes meals, accommodations, ceremonies, activities, one-on-one preparation and integration sessions, taxes, fees, and transportation to and from the pickup location.

We know a retreat is a meaningful investment, and we want to make healing as accessible as possible. We offer a general scholarship program and a BIPOC scholarship program for people committed to their healing journey who would otherwise be unable to attend. These programs run on a lottery basis.

For certain retreats at certain times of year, we also offer partial scholarships.
For guests on a budget, we offer more economical private tambo lodging options at our Playa Blanca location. These have shared bathrooms/showers and no air-conditioning. To view details, select a retreat date on the Retreats page and review the lodging options.

We sometimes evaluate payment plans case-by-case. Please contact us at [email protected] if you need help.

If you are a veteran, Soltara partners with VETS, Inc. and the Heroic Hearts Project for potential financial support options.

Yes, you can pay your remaining balance by credit card. We will send a balance statement with this option about two weeks before your retreat.

For our Playa Blanca and Scarlet Valley locations, we also ask that you bring the last $500 balance in like-new USD bills, which we collect the afternoon after you arrive on site.

You can still participate in ceremony. Some traditions recommend that women on their period do not participate, but our healers simply ask that you tell a facilitator so they can inform the healer and be aware of that energy release during ceremony.

Our healers have decades of experience and are familiar with the energetics of the ceremonial space. We have worked with Shipibo healers for several years and have not had issues related to maintaining a safe container for guests who are on their cycle.

At this time, we are not offering volunteer or work-trade opportunities. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on future openings.

The Central Pacific Valley of Costa Rica is tropical but often pleasant. 

Bijagual de Turrubares, located in a mountainous region near the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, typically experiences comfortable, warm temperatures ranging from roughly 25 – 28 C (77 – 82 F) on average, with hotter days reaching the low 30s (up to 90+ F) during the March-April dry season. The area is cooler than nearby beach towns like Jaco.

• Dry Season (December – April): Temperatures are warmest, often peaking in March and April, with lower humidity.
• Rainy Season (May – November): Temperatures remain warm, but humidity increases, and afternoons often bring rainfall.
• Monthly Averages: The region experiences a consistent, moderate tropical climate with average monthly temperatures around 23 C (73 F).
• Elevation Factor: Because Bijagual is in the mountains, it is consistently cooler than the coast, often providing a 25 – 28 C (77 – 82 F) average day, which feels very comfortable compared to the 30+ C (90+ F) temperatures on the coast.

Bring light, breathable clothing, plus a light sweater for cooler evenings.

Soltara also recommends light, loose long-sleeve shirts and long pants for sun and occasional mosquitoes, and sneakers or sandals with backs if you want to explore property’s rainforest trails.

For our Playa Blanca location, we recommend flying into SJO (San José) and booking flights only after your medical intake form has been reviewed and confirmed. Please see our Playa Blanca travel logistics page for details.

For Costa Rica retreats, we recommend the Fairfield by Marriott San Jose Airport Hotel, which is where our shuttle pickup and drop-off happens near SJO. See travel logistics pages for details: Playa Blanca | Goddess Falls.

In the lush mountains of Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Valley, our newest retreat space is alive with wildlife, birdsong, tropical gardens, and protected rainforest near Carara National Park.

Set along a biological corridor, the land offers sweeping valley views, fresh mountain air, and a deep sense of peace. Spacious indoor and outdoor communal areas invite connection and reflection, while gardens, nature trails, and onsite permaculture ground the experience in the living landscape. With a pool, gym, spa, and a range of thoughtfully designed accommodations, this retreat space supports deep rest, presence, and connection to the rhythms of the jungle.

Click Here to Learn More

For our Playa Blanca, Costa Rica location, we recommend flying into SJO and booking your flights only after your medical intake form has been reviewed and confirmed by our intake team. Please see our travel logistics page for more information.

For our Costa Rica locations, we recommend the Fairfield by Marriot San Jose Airport Hotel, which is the location of our shuttle pickup and drop-off near the San Jose airport (SJO). Please see our travel logistics pages for more information: Playa Blanca | Goddess Falls

During your retreat, you may visit two nearby beaches during free time (about a 3-minute walk down our beach trails). We do not offer off-site excursions, and we do not allow guests to travel off site beyond the beaches or visit with people who are not on retreat.

We do this to protect the energetic container. When you are open and working with Ayahuasca, it can be important to reduce outside interactions and avoid extra logistics so you can stay focused on your process. With nature trails, beach access, and an intimate group (no more than about 22 guests), most people find they have plenty of space and freedom without needing additional excursions.

After retreat, you may want to prioritize rest and gentle integration before flying home. If you do want to explore, here are some ideas mentioned by Soltara:

1–2+ days: Day trips from San José:

• La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Lake Arenal/Arenal Volcano, coffee plantations, or city walking tours.
• Santa Teresa (about 2 hours south): surf, yoga, tide pools, sunsets; nearby towns include Mal País and Playa Hermosa; day trips to Montezuma Waterfall, Isla Tortuga, or Curu National Reserve.
• Other beach town options within 2–3 hours: Nosara/Sámara and Jacó.
• Monteverde Cloud Forest (within ~3 hours): cooler mountain air and wildlife; from the region you can also plan to see La Fortuna Waterfall.
• La Fortuna: hot springs and waterfall options.

3–5+ days: Further south:

• Dominical/Uvita (about 5 hours).
• Corcovado National Park for deeper exploration; Soltara suggests flying from SJO to save time.

Soltara can help coordinate separate transportation (at additional cost if you do not join the group shuttle back to San José). For questions, email [email protected]. We can also recommend rome2rio.com as a tool to estimate travel times and costs.

Diamante Valley, Costa Rica is tropical but often mild and pleasant because it is near the Central Valley. Typical temperatures range from about 15°C to 26°C (59°F to 79°F). Bring light, breathable clothing, plus a light sweater for cooler evenings.

Soltara also recommends light, loose long-sleeve shirts and long pants for sun and occasional mosquitoes, and sandals with backs or water shoes if you want to explore nearby waterfalls.

For the Diamante Valley (Goddess Falls) location, we recommend flying into SJO and booking flights only after your medical intake form is reviewed and confirmed. See the Goddess Falls travel logistics page for details.

We recommend the Fairfield by Marriott San Jose Airport Hotel, which is where our shuttle pickup and drop-off happens near SJO. See travel logistics for details.

Soltara at Goddess Falls is a mountain retreat overlooking Costa Rica’s Diamante Valley. It is named for Goddess Pools, a nearby waterfall. The retreat sits on a ridge within a private rainforest sanctuary of over 200 acres, with panoramic views, flowing water, jungle sounds, and rich biodiversity. The area is sometimes called the “land of waterfalls.”

The space is hosted at HOLOS Retreat Center and includes jungle trails, natural swimming pools, fire circles, forest breezes, and views of nearby waterfalls (including one visible from the dining area). The retreat blends rustic elegance with simplicity and is designed to support reconnection—to nature, to your body, and to your inner wisdom.

Gift certificates apply toward the retreat cost at the time you book. If prices increase later, the certificate value (including any bonus credit) will be applied to your balance.

Gift certificates must be used within two years of the purchase date.

After you purchase a gift certificate, a Soltara team member will contact you to introduce themselves, help you explore retreat dates, share program details, and guide you through booking. This person will be your main point of contact from purchase through retreat confirmation.

Gift certificates cannot be applied through Retreat Guru or direct website bookings. Redemptions are handled personally by our team to make sure your credit is applied correctly and your experience is fully supported.

No. You can use a gift certificate for one or more retreat bookings within two years of purchase, until the full value (including any bonus credit) has been used. Any unused balance after two years will expire.

Gift certificates purchased during the Holiday Sale already include a discount of 10% or more, so they cannot be combined with other discount codes, offers, or promotions. Gift certificates purchased at full price (without a promotion) may be used with other discounts or promotions if they are available at the time of booking.

Yes, gift certificates can be applied to any Soltara retreat program, depending on availability.

Yes. A certificate can be transferred up to two times from the original buyer, and it must still be used within two years of the purchase date.

Yes. Many guests buy certificates for themselves to lock in extra value and flexibility for a future retreat.

Yes, you can apply multiple gift certificates toward any retreat booking.

No. Gift certificate purchases are non-refundable, except if the recipient is not medically cleared to attend after our intake review process.