Ayahuasca Retreats in California: Complete 2025 Guide to Legal Options and What to Expect

For thousands of years, ayahuasca has found use in Amazonian traditions for healing, spiritual exploration, and deep personal transformation. In 2012, a foundational study drawing from 2,267 ceremonies further hinted at the psychoactive beverage’s promise in treating depression, anxiety, trauma, and PTSD. Through qualitative assessments, participants reported reduced alcohol intake, healthier dieting, improved moods, and greater self-acceptance. 

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Today in 2025, ayahuasca’s presence has broadened into modern wellness and therapeutic spaces, with California emerging as a hub for those seeking guided experiences. However, even with city-wide decriminalization in Oakland and Santa Cruz, the psychedelic legal landscape remains complex. Through an overview of California’s legal policies and an examination of reputable retreats, this guide presents an informed approach to ayahuasca retreats in the Golden State. 

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Essential Legal Considerations When Choosing a Retreat in California

Even with local decriminalization efforts, federal law still applies, meaning risks persist. Here are key factors to consider when selecting a retreat with the highest level of legal protection:

• Religious Affiliation: Retreats operating under recognized religious exemptions offer greater legal security.
• Location: Cities like Oakland and Santa Cruz provide more lenient environments due to local decriminalization.
• Indigenous or Tribal Lands: While not traditionally associated with ayahuasca, Native American land operates under tribal sovereignty, offering some protection.
• Church Structure: Many retreats structure themselves as religious organizations to seek RFRA protections, but DEA approvals remain rare, with no new exemptions granted in over a decade.

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While ayahuasca retreats continue to thrive in California, participants should carefully assess their risk tolerance and the legal standing of any ceremony they attend. As such, the next section explores seven trusted retreats in California, detailing their approaches, pricing, and what to expect in 2025.

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Top 5 Ayahuasca Retreats in California for 2025

When selecting an ayahuasca retreat in California, several factors deserve careful consideration beyond just legal status. The experience, traditions, setting, and support systems vary significantly between providers. Here's our comprehensive breakdown of the most reputable ayahuasca retreat options for California residents in 2025: 

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1. Best Personalized Healing Experiences: Sacred Valley Spiritual Retreats

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Sacred Valley Spiritual Retreat combines traditional shamanic practices with modern healing techniques to provide unique ayahuasca ceremonies in California. Alan and Dianna Waugh started this retreat center after their life-changing honeymoon with plant medicine in Ecuador. The center serves as a sanctuary where people find individual-specific healing experiences.

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The Sacred Valley Experience

Unlike typical group ceremonies, Sacred Valley Spiritual Retreat specializes in private ayahuasca experiences designed for couples and individuals. The retreat moved its main operations from Mount Shasta, California, to Vilcabamba, Ecuador in 2022—where sacred plant medicines originated. Today, they maintain a satellite healing center in Mount Shasta that helps people prepare and process their experiences.

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2. Best Indigenous-Led Ceremonies with Veteran Support: Hummingbird Church

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Courtney Close started Hummingbird Church in 2021, inspired by her own healing experience. The church has become a respected ayahuasca retreat in California. Weekend-long retreats feature authentic ceremonies led by experienced indigenous practitioners.

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The Ayahuasca Circle Experience

In Cherry Valley, California, Hummingbird Church hosts ceremonies around a traditional grandfather fire. Taita Pedro Davila, a Colombian shaman from the Kamëntsá people, leads these experiences with over 25 years of experience serving ayahuasca. Retreats typically cost around $900 and include 2-3 ceremonies in both indoor facilities (1,400 square foot space) and outdoor natural settings on 2 acres.

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The church welcomes people from all walks of life. Many participants are military veterans, corporate executives, and people seeking healing from past traumas. As such, the church emphasizes community support, offering integration calls and fostering connections among participants from all backgrounds.

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3. Authentic Colombian Traditions in Northern California: Origen Sagrada

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Origen Sagrada connects Colombian ayahuasca's authentic healing traditions with California. This retreat differs from others because of its deep roots in indigenous lineages and its dedication to traditional ceremonial practices.

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The Muruy Ceremonial Approach

Respected spiritual leaders Abuelo Claudion and Abuelita Bernadita from the Colombian Amazon's Muruy tribe lead these ceremonies. Their knowledge spans generations of indigenous wisdom: these elders bring extensive expertise in medicinal plants, sacred rituals, and ages-old healing methods.

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Their retreats, held near Castle Rock in Northern California, feature authentic rituals, including the Circle of Word and live ceremonial music. A weekend retreat includes two nights with orientation two ceremonies, priced at $950. Participants often report profound healing experiences rooted in ancestral wisdom.

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Participant Testimonials and Transformations

People who've attended these retreats often speak about their deep healing experiences. One person described finding a new family: "The community that she has helped build has become my family and I can't imagine life without them.” Women at the retreats praised the "wonderful opportunity to experience authentic ayahuasca medicine ceremonies" and the "amazing healing sessions" by the abuelas.

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The testimonials often come back to one theme: transformation. "Between the medicine, the work of the abuelas, and other growth opportunities throughout the week, the retreat offered a powerful environment for deep healing and personal growth.”

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4. Intimate Ceremonial Journeys with Expert Facilitation: New Life Ayahuasca

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New Life Rising creates an intimate ayahuasca experience that combines traditional practices with a supportive setting. The retreat transforms lives through well-planned ceremonies and complete support. Many California residents seeking plant medicine choose this Costa Rica-based center.

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The Brew: Sourcing and Preparation

New Life Rising's ayahuasca brew contains two key components: Banisteriopsis caapi (the ayahuasca vine) and Chaliponga (Diplopterys cabrerana), a DMT-containing plant. According to New Life Rising, this simple approach differs from the complexity and additives of comparable mixtures. Each plant plays a specific role: B. caapi contains MAOIs (harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine) that activate DMT orally. The facilitators source ingredients responsibly to ensure pure and potent medicine for deep healing.

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Ceremonial Structure and Support

The ceremonies happen in darkness, allowing participants to journey inward in small groups of twelve people. Experienced ayahuasqueros Matthew and Jeanae, trained in Peruvian Mestizo traditions, guide each session. Notably, they maintain a 1:3 facilitator-to-participant ratio to provide closely-attentive services throughout.

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Ceremonies start at 6 PM and last about four hours. Participants gather around a fire afterward to reflect quietly and process their experiences together.

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California Location Advantages

For California residents, New Life Rising is located a short flight away in Costa Rica. Given the indeterminate complexity of ayahuasca’s legal status in their state, this retreat provides a legal opportunity for guests to "step away from their daily lives and fully engage in the healing power of the medicine.” Furthermore, New Life Rising notes that a change of scenery may help in the healing process by stripping away the distractions of ‘daily life.’ 

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5. Accessible, Donation-Based Plant Medicine Ceremonies: Two Birds Church

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Two Birds Church offers a unique donation-based model, making ayahuasca accessible to those who might not afford traditional retreats. As a true non-profit, all contributions go toward maintaining the facility, ceremonial tools, staff, and food. Their transparent financial model has earned trust within the plant medicine community.

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Safety and Ceremony Structure

Prioritizing safety, Two Birds conducts detailed medical screenings reviewed by a board-certified psychiatric pharmacist. Ceremonies are small (seven participants, three trained facilitators), with all facilitators certified in CPR and First Aid. Participants stay on their mats in a sacred space for six-hour ceremonies, ensuring deep, uninterrupted reflection.

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Community and Integration Support

Two Birds fosters an inclusive, non-denominational environment where participants feel secure. Their digital integration course, Sunday meditations, and cacao ceremonies support long-term healing. Ceremony groups also stay connected through dedicated chat spaces for ongoing support.

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Ayahuasca Retreat Price Comparison: Investment Options for Your Healing Journey

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Before you start your healing experience, the price of each individual retreat merits careful consideration. In spite of similar services, retreats and their associated costs can fluctuate wildly—from donation-based ceremonies to premium experiences that cost thousands of dollars.

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Understanding Price Factors: Location, Duration, and Facilitator Experience

Your experience's final price depends on several key elements:

• Location: Remote settings cost more because of logistical challenges
• Duration: Weekend retreats range from $650-$1000, while longer experiences cost substantially more
• Accommodations: Private rooms cost more than shared spaces
• Inclusions: Extra therapies like massage or yoga sessions change the price
• Facilitator Experience: Experienced shamans and higher facilitator-to-participant ratios raise costs

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Budget-Friendly Options Without Compromising Safety and Quality

Safe options don't always come with high prices. Using its donation-based model, Two Birds Church makes plant-based medicine accessible while keeping high safety standards through complete medical screenings. Alternatively, Origen Sagrada's five-day retreats cost $700. These retreat programs, along with multiple others listed above, offer various packages for guests to optimize on their own budgetary terms. 

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Premium Retreat Experiences: What Luxury Ayahuasca Programs Include

Premium California-connected retreat programs can cost up to $175,000 for 4-week complete healing experiences. These exclusive packages come with 5-star accommodations, daily colonics, liver detoxes, IV drips, stem cell therapy, and 30+ hours of one-on-one healing each week. Depending on what you’re looking for, these luxurious benefits may be an excellent fit—or an exacerbating cost. 

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Hidden Costs to Budget For: Preparation, Transportation and Integration

You should budget for preparation needs—special diets and time away from work. Transportation can add hundreds more to your total cost. On top of that, integration support—a vital part of long-term benefits—might need separate investment after the retreat. Many centers charge extra for additional ceremonies ($150+) or complementary plant medicines that improve your experience.

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The value matters more than the price. Expert facilitators, proper medical screening, and complete integration support often justify higher costs. These elements ensure your healing experience stays safe and works well.

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California's Evolving Psychedelic Legal Landscape: What You Need to Know in 2025

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Much of ayahuasca’s scrutiny is due to its psychoactive compound, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. This classification makes its use, possession, and distribution illegal in most circumstances. However, key legal developments in California have created gray areas where certain ceremonies operate with reduced legal risk.

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City-Level Decriminalization: Oakland, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco

Following psilocybin decriminalization in Denver, Colorado in 2019, Oakland became the first U.S. city to decriminalize the possession and use of entheogenic plants, including ayahuasca. Following Oakland’s lead, Santa Cruz passed a similar measure in early 2020, and later, San Francisco joined the movement in 2022. While these measures fell short of total legalization, they deprioritized law enforcement efforts against personal use and cultivation, creating a local environment where ceremonies could operate with less risk of prosecution.

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California's Legislative Journey: SB 58, SB 1012, and Current Status

Years later, Senate Bill 58 (SB 58) followed in 2023 as a state-wide push to expand decriminalization beyond individual Californian cities. A streamlined version of Senator Scott Wiener’s Senate Bill 519, SB 58 aimed to decriminalize the possession and use of several natural psychedelics, including ayahuasca, psilocybin, and mescaline (excluding peyote). It passed both houses of the state legislature, suggesting growing bipartisan support for psychedelic decriminalization.

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However, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill in October 2023. While he supported further research and therapeutic implementation of psychedelics, he cited insufficient psychedelic framework and safeguards for California’s public health.

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The next year, Scott Wiener proposed a framework focused on regulated services in SB 1012, but it was turned down due to budgetary constraints. While the future of psychedelic reform in California remains unclear for now, legislative success will likely involve a more structural approach, potentially including licensing requirements similar to those in Oregon. 

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2025 Update: SB 751 and the Veterans and First Responders Research Program

Legislative efforts continue to shape California’s stance on psychedelics today, particularly in therapeutic settings. SB 751, introduced earlier this year, proposes a ‘Veterans and First Responders Research Pilot Program.’ This initiative, running until January 1, 2031, would authorize the California Health and Human Services Agency to oversee research into psilocybin services for targeted populations in up to five counties. In partnership with the University of California system, the program would focus on protocol design, training facilitators, and gathering data from mental health clinics, veterans facilities, and hospice programs.

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While SB 751 does not legalize psilocybin use outside research settings, it represents a step toward broader acceptance of psychedelic therapy. In the meantime, many veterans seeking plant-based healing turn to retreats in Oregon, where regulations are more accommodating.

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Religious Freedom Protections: Legal Pathways for Ceremonial Ayahuasca Use

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Religious use of ayahuasca has legal precedent in the U.S. under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The landmark Supreme Court case Gonzales v. O Centro Espírita Beneficente União do Vegetal (2006) ruled that certain religious groups could legally import and consume ayahuasca for sacramental purposes. A similar decision in Church of the Holy Light of the Queen v. Mukasey reinforced these protections for the Santo Daime tradition. However, these exemptions are limited to recognized religious organizations, and obtaining DEA approval remains a formidable hurdle.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How much do ayahuasca retreats cost in California? Prices range from $650 to $1,000 for weekend retreats, with luxury experiences costing more. Two Birds Church offers a donation-based model for affordability.

Are ayahuasca retreats in California safe? Reputable retreats ensure safety through medical screenings, trained facilitators, and controlled settings. Centers like Hummingbird Church and Two Birds Church follow strict protocols, including small groups and certified staff.

What should I expect during an ayahuasca ceremony in California? Ceremonies often last 4-6 hours in darkness, incorporating music, rituals, and guided experiences. Many retreats limit group sizes for personalized attention and offer integration support afterward.

Are ayahuasca retreats legal in California? Ayahuasca is federally illegal but decriminalized in some cities like Oakland. Some retreats operate under religious exemptions or in legal gray areas. Research is essential before attending.

How can I prepare for an ayahuasca retreat in California? Preparation includes dietary restrictions, avoiding medications/substances, and mental readiness. Many centers provide guidance and integration support to enhance the experience.