AMAZONIAN GOLD RETREAT SERIES
I. ORIGINS
I. ORIGINS
⚛ Journey to the birthplace of cacao civilization in southern Ecuador. Enter the ancient spiral temple beneath the stars. ⚛
July 15 - 21, 2026
Original Wild Cacao Lineage – Oldest Ceremonial Cacao Site on Earth – Private Archaeological Immersion – Exclusive Night Ceremony in the Spiral – Expand into Ancient Cosmovision – Anchor Direct Relationship with Cacao's Birthplace – Returning to Original Coherence
11 Participants
WHY IS THIS JOURNEY REVEALING ITSELF NOW?
✓ For generations, the story of cacao was believed to begin in Mesoamerica 3,500 years ago. Yet recent archaeological discoveries in southern Ecuador are revealing a far older story—one that pushes humanity's relationship with cacao back thousands of years and reshapes what we thought we knew about its origins.
✓ We are living through a rare moment when archaeology, indigenous knowledge, ecology, and direct experience are beginning to converge. The ancient spiral temple is not merely a historical site—it is part of a living inquiry that will continue to unfold through your direct participation.
✓ After years of building a relationship with cacao through ritual, ceremony, and daily practice, here is your invitation to root into direct relationship with the trees, the plants, the waters, the mineral-rich earth, the ancient history... with its origin.
✓ Because transformation rarely begins with adding something new. More often, it begins when we step far enough away from our ordinary lives that we can finally recognize what has been there all along.
What if cacao has been waiting 5,300 years to tell you its true origin story? Watch the Video ➔
Sometimes a journey appears precisely when your soul is ready to hear its invitation.
WHAT YOU'LL EXPERIENCE
Daily Rhythm – Where are we going?
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.
What's included?
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 Ancient Spiral Temple Beneath the Stars
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.
Walking the Birthplace of Cacao Civilization
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.
Harvesting Wild Amazonian Cacao
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.
Ascend with the Angelitas of the Forest
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.
Sacred Waterfalls & Living Waters
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.
Indigenous Knowledge & Living Culture
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.
Biodiversity Hotspot
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.
The Convergence of Science & Soul
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 Circle of Eleven – Intimate Group Size
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.
Choose your Contribution
We are offering a sliding scale of pricing for this expedition.
The three contribution levels reflect your capacity and calling to support the broader ecosystem of people, places, and projects connected to this work. Every participant will receive the same accommodations, meals, transportation, experiences, ceremonies, and access throughout the journey.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION — $4,800
For those who feel deeply called to join and need a more accessible rate.
STEWARD CONTRIBUTION — $5,500
Supports local partnerships, cultural exchange initiatives, and fair compensation for the many people who make these journeys possible.
GUARDIAN CONTRIBUTION — $6,800
Helps fund conservation efforts, archaeological preservation, indigenous partnerships, stingless bee initiatives, and future regenerative projects throughout Ecuador.
WHERE YOUR CONTRIBUTION FLOWS
FAIR PROFIT
Your investment does more than fund a retreat. It participates in a larger ecosystem of reciprocity.
Every dollar carries energy.
From our inception point in 2017, Legacy Cacao has operated from a simple belief: money is not meant to be accumulated and extracted from life—it is meant to move through healthy relationships, creating more life wherever it flows.
Nine years ago, Michelle and I committed to a philosophy we call Fair Profit.
Rather than paying the lowest possible prices, we intentionally pay well above market rates whenever possible—for cacao farming, cacao processing, indigenous wisdom keepers, guides, drivers, musicians, translators, logistics teams, and local partners.
Why?
Because excellence deserves to be recognized. Stewardship deserves to be honored. And because we believe the people carrying the deepest wisdom are often among the least financially supported.
These pilgrimages continue that commitment.
Every person and organization we are working with will receive compensation designed to communicate something deeper than a transaction:
"Thank you. We see you. We value what you carry and offer in service to our community."
Your investment is not simply purchasing an experience.
It is supporting an embodied ecosystem of reciprocity.
FUTURE LEADER SCHOLARSHIPS
We believe these experiences should not be limited only to those who can easily afford them. A portion of every pilgrimage supports scholarship opportunities for young leaders, visionaries, and community builders who feel called to this work but may not otherwise have access.
TRINIDAD DORADA
A portion of every pilgrimage directly supports our flagship conservation and regeneration project in Ecuador.
Trinidad Dorada is an emerging collaboration between indigenous communities, regenerative cacao producers, native stingless bee stewards, scientists, conservationists, and international partners working together to protect biodiversity while creating thriving local livelihoods.
The project focuses on preserving wild cacao genetics, expanding regenerative agroforestry systems, supporting native pollinators, strengthening local economies, and demonstrating new models where conservation and prosperity grow together rather than compete.
A LEGACY OF QUIET GIVING
Over the past nine years, our community has quietly supported projects around the world.
Together, we have gifted thousands of bags of ceremonial cacao through our original buy-one-give-one initiative.
We helped an indigenous Mayan community reclaim ancestral lands that had been taken generations before—supporting families as they returned home and built new lives on their own land.
We helped fund weaving cooperatives, purchase traditional looms, and support indigenous women returning to school.
These projects were never marketing campaigns.
They were expressions of a deeper belief:
That abundance becomes meaningful when it moves.
That giving and receiving are part of the same living current.
And that every one of us has the opportunity to become a steward of that flow.
Reserve your Spot Today
ORIGINS: Amazon Expedition July 2026
Intersted in exploring Week 2?
– Wild Cacao – Sacred Waters – Shuar Cultural Immersion – Plant Medicine Ceremonies – Stingless Bees – Conservation through Agroforestry – Nervous System Recoding – Embodied Sovereignty – Living Reciprocity –