AMAZONIAN GOLD RETREAT SERIES
II. GUARDIANS

We will all meet in Quito, Ecuador on the morning of July 15th. We'll then fly together down to Loja in Southern Ecuador to immerse into one of the most gentle, safe and beautiful landscapes of the country where the Andes meet the Amazon.

Rather than rushing from destination to destination, this pilgrimage is designed to unfold gradually—allowing time for wonder, integration, meaningful conversations, and unexpected discoveries.

While the exact flow may evolve based on weather, local opportunities, and the needs of the group, you can expect a journey that includes:

✧ Arrival in Quito and domestic flight to Loja (Andes-Amazon region of southern Ecuador)

✧ Gentle landing practices, daily cacao, yoga, movement, and spacious time to arrive

✧ Visits to waterfalls, rivers, and cloud forest landscapes where the Andes meet the Amazon

✧ Wild cacao harvesting and immersion in cacao farms, fermentation, drying, and traditional preparation methods

✧ Encounters with stingless bees and the extraordinary biodiversity that makes this region one of the most ecologically rich places on Earth

✧ Indigenous cultural immersion and conversations with local knowledge keepers

✧ Exploration of the archaeological discoveries helping rewrite the story of cacao

✧ A private nighttime ceremony within the ancient spiral temple beneath the stars

✧ Community meals, music, storytelling, and integration circles

✧ A final day of grounding, reflection, and preparation to carry the experience home

A NOTE ABOUT THE ITINERARY

This pilgrimage is intentionally designed as a living experience rather than a fixed production schedule.

Weather, seasonal opportunities, local invitations, archaeological access, and the natural rhythm of the group may influence the exact sequence of events.

Our commitment is not to a rigid timetable.

Our commitment is to creating the most meaningful, authentic, and transformative experience possible.

INVESTMENT: $6800 per person

INCLUDED
✓ 6 nights of private accommodations

✓ 7 days of guided experiences

✓ Daily cacao activations (unlimited Amazonian GOLD)

✓ 2+ nourishing meals per day

✓ All in-country transportation from Quito onward (including domestic flights)

✓ National park and archaeological site entry fees

✓ Rain boots and ponchos for excursions

✓ Founder host and retreat facilitator Searaya Sinnette

✓ Ecuadorian host, translator, and cacao expert

✓ Dedicated logistical support team throughout the journey

✓ Archaeologist and historian-guided experiences

✓ Daily yoga, movement, breathwork, and integration practices

✓ Live guitar music to accompany our days

✓ Donation supporting the preservation of the Palanda archaeological site

NOT INCLUDED

✗ International airfare to and from Ecuador

✗ Travel and international health insurance

✗ Alcoholic beverages

✗ Personal purchases and souvenirs

✗ Gratuities for local guides and staff

The centerpiece of the pilgrimage.

One evening, our group will gather within the ancient spiral temple after dark. Surrounded by mountains, forest, and starlight, we will experience this extraordinary site in a way few people ever have.

Explore the ruins at Santa Ana La Florida in Palanda, Ecuador. Learn about the discoveries pushing cacao's history back more than 5,300 years and immerse in the energy of the land where this story first unfolded. Learn first-hand from the site's lead archeologist as well as a renowned cacao researcher and historian.

Travel beyond cacao as a beverage and meet the living plant itself. Harvest fresh pods, taste cacao directly from the fruit, and deepen your understanding of the ecology, genetics, and cultural significance of one of humanity's most beloved plants.

Discover the remarkable relationship between native stingless bees, rainforest biodiversity, indigenous communities, and cacao. Experience one of the Amazon's most fascinating keystone species and taste some of the rarest honey on Earth.

Swim, cleanse, and play beneath waterfalls flowing from the Andes into the Amazon basin. These experiences are not simply recreational—they offer opportunities to reconnect with wonder, presence, and the healing intelligence of nature.

Spend time with local communities carrying forward traditions rooted in relationship with the land. Explore how ancestral knowledge, cultural resilience, and regenerative livelihoods continue to shape the future of the Amazon.

Walk through one of the most biologically rich regions on Earth. Encounter cloud forests, rivers, birds, medicinal plants, orchids, insects, and ecosystems found nowhere else.

One of the unique aspects of this journey is the meeting place between archaeology, ecology, indigenous wisdom, modern science, and personal experience. We are not asking participants to choose one lens. We are inviting them to explore all of them.

The retreat is intentionally limited to eleven participants. This creates an uncommon level of intimacy, access, flexibility, and depth. Everyone matters. Everyone contributes. Everyone becomes part of the story.