Sacred Plants & Traditional Medicines

My 10-day pilgrimage with Santiago through the Andes was life-changing. Hiking sacred trails, drinking San Pedro and joining powerful ceremonies opened my heart completely. I experienced unconditional love and humanity’s unbreakable bond with nature like never before. What a profound, healing journey that I will continue to learn from for a long time. Thank you, Santiago — you offer magical medicine that I highly recommend to anyone ready to put in the work to remember who they truly are.

To work with Santiago, in this capacity, is a soul calling unlike any other." This pilgrimage stripped away the layers, revealing aspects of myself that were buried deep within. It allowed me to step fully into my most empowered self. Learning from a master like Santiago how to be in right relation with the world around me was one of the greatest gifts and highest honors of my life. As Santiago reminds us, "Spirit rarely gives us what we expect, but gives us exactly what we need." With lifetimes ahead of me for the integration work, I know Spirit gave me exactly that. Thank you, Santiago, for your heart and brotherhood. May you have all the blessings of the Spirit.

When I met Santiago I knew I was in the presence of someone extraordinary. He arrived under the cover of night, a striking figure in a top hat and adorned with jewelry that shimmered like something of the spirit world. His energy was magnetic, and powerful. I felt a deep knowing that this was the shaman I had been searching for. My first ceremony with San Pedro was with Santiago. Though it began with intensity and challenge, under his care it unfolded into the a heart-opening, and transformative experience. Santiago held the space with knowing, wisdom, and love, guiding me through the medicine with grace. Over the years and across many ceremonies, Santiago has shown himself to be a an authentic teacher of this sacred work. His presence is both commanding and compassionate. His songs carry timeless prayer, and his guidance has touched me deeply. Of the many shamans I have sat with, Santiago is one of the very few I trust completely with my soul. If you are seeking true healing and spiritual growth, and a guide who walks in integrity, I wholeheartedly recommend Santiago. Working with him has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. With deepest gratitude and respect,

I completing the 10 day pilgrimage with Santiago, it was powerful, transformative and something I will never forget. The views and scenery weren't just beautiful, it was medicine. His blessings are deeply sincere, unforgettable, and personal. He sees you, truly sees you. Each day was a ceremony, we made various offerings at the lagoons and high in the mountains, in these moments it was as if you were touched by the unseenworld and woven into the Mystery itself. Santiago's heart carries something like an ancient promise, a commitment to his work that is shared in his prayers, and with every person who has a chance to sit in his ceremonies. If you are seeking an extraordinary spiritual journey in an intimate setting where you will have the chance to learn directly from a person who carries the knowledge, I can't think of a better opportunity.

I spent many years searching, truly searching, for the right guide and the right place to go deeper into myself with plantmedicines. What I found with Santiago in Vilcabamba was not just a retreat, but an ancestral homecoming. From the very first moment I met Santiago, I could feel it: this is a man who carries deep wisdom. Not as something he performs, but as something he is. He is a gifted healer, widely respected, and when you sit with him, you understand why. His presence is calm, grounded, and profoundly attuned. The land in Vilcabamba itself is equally powerful. There is something undeniably magical about the place. A stillness, a depth, a field that supports inner work in a way that is hard to describe but impossible to ignore. The combination of Santiago and this sacred environment creates a container with a clear purpose: to help you meet yourself more deeply, so you can take the next step on your path. Working with Santiago is not superficial. The process can be deep, at times intense, but always held with care and integrity. His guidance is both supportive and reflective. Nothing is forced. There is no pressure, but if you are willing to truly face yourself, Santiago walks beside you with clarity and strength. However, the way Santiago weaves his life experience and wisdom into the journey is a game changer. The ceremonies are offered with respect, in the right sequence, and with a deep understanding of what each medicine can open and what it cannot do. If you are open to receiving, there is a depth here that can truly shift something within you. One of the most meaningful moments for me was when Santiago created a necklace as a symbol of my journey. It is now a power object I carry with me in every ritual and ceremony, a tangible reminder of the work, the transformation and the rememberance of what I am and where I come from. If you are looking for a trustworthy, grounded, and deeply experienced guide to explore the deeper layers of yourself through Huachuma (San Pedro) and Ayahuasca, in a place that holds real power,  presence and wisdom, I can wholeheartedly recommend Santiago and his peers. For me, this was not just a retreat. It was coming home to myself.

Wow, where to begin. I felt the distant call for my wife and I to sit a 5 day retreat with Santiago in the sacred valley of Villcabama. Language fails to begin to describe just how transformative our time was with Santi in the Ecuadorian Apu’s. His big beautiful heart combined with the sacred Huachuma enabled us to let go and come home to our true selves. The experience was particularly deep for my wife, who had to move through a lot of darkness. Santiago with the help of Ryan expertly allowed her to find the light amongst the dark, facilitating deep and ever lasting change. I have such a deep gratitude for Santiago and Ryan, for the work they do is truly remarkable. I recommend this experience to anyone wanting to un-become who they are not, and for those who chose to walk in beauty.