Arrive
Arrival at Santarém airport, included transfer to Alter do Chão, hotel check-in and rest.
An Ayurvedic Journey into the Amazon
Awakening
the Senses.
An eight-day riverboat immersion through the Brazilian Amazon, with one day given to each of the five senses, held inside an Ayurvedic rhythm and carried by the river itself.
Ask About This RetreatAwaken your senses in the heart of the Amazon.
The journey
Eight days on the river.
This is an Ayurvedic journey into the Amazon, shaped around the rhythm of the water rather than an itinerary you have to keep up with. The first two nights are spent on land in Alter do Chão, adapting and receiving orientation for the river journey. Then the group embarks, and for six days a traditional riverboat becomes home, moving slowly between channels, flooded forest, and the river communities who live along them.
Each day on the water is given to one sense and its corresponding element, so the eight days move through hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell in turn. Forest walks, canoe excursions, community encounters, and an optional medicine ceremony are woven through the river portion of the retreat. The invitation is a simple one: reconnect with yourself through ancestral medicines, in a place where the senses have nowhere to hide.
The experience
What the eight days hold.
Six threads run through the journey, woven into the daily rhythm of life aboard the boat and the places the river brings us to.
Ayurvedic Routine
A daily rhythm drawn from Ayurvedic dinacharya: morning practices, mindful eating, rest, and care for the body in a tropical climate.
Breathwork Sessions
Pranayama-inspired breathwork held in the evenings, used to settle the nervous system and integrate the day.
River Communities
Visits with the riverside communities who host us, shared on their terms and at their pace.
Sacred Walk to the Ancient Samaúma Tree
A walk through the forest to a towering Samaúma, one of the oldest and most revered trees of the Amazon.
Amazon Riverboat Living
Six days aboard a traditional riverboat: hammocks, open decks, river sounds, and sunsets from the water.
Ayahuasca Ceremony
Ceremony with ancestral plant medicine, held in the traditional way and facilitated by a psychologist with 27 years of experience. Participation is optional.
Day by day
January 10 to 17.
Forest walks, canoe excursions, community encounters, and the optional medicine ceremony are woven through the river portion of the retreat.
Land
Time to adapt, recover from travel, and receive practical orientation for the river journey.
Opening
Embarkation, group agreements, introduction to the Ayurvedic rhythm, and departure along the rivers.
Ether / Hearing
Listening, vibration and spaciousness. Vishuddha as a field of expression and receptivity.
Air / Touch
Contact, breath and movement. Anahata as a field of relationship and sensitivity.
Fire / Sight
Light, discernment and direction. Manipura as a field of clarity and transformation.
Water / Taste
Flow, nourishment and feeling. Svadhisthana as a field of vitality and experience.
Earth / Smell
Grounding, memory and integration. Muladhara, return to Alter do Chão, and onward travel.
A journey through the five senses
One sense, one element, one day.
Each day on the river takes up a single sense and the element and energetic centre that carry it, so the practices, meals, excursions, and reflection all point the same direction.
HearingEtherVishuddha
TouchAirAnahata
SightFireManipura
TasteWaterSvadhisthana
SmellEarthMuladhara
Ayurveda as a lived practice
A steady routine, held loosely.
Each day combines a steady routine with the changing realities of the river. Practices are accessible, and adapted to the group.
Before sunrise
Warm water, quiet arrival, beach meditation, and gentle yoga.
Morning
Simple self-care and sensory practices inspired by Ayurvedic dinacharya.
Daytime
Meals, forest and river excursions, community visits, learning, and rest.
Evening
Meditation, mantra, pranayama-inspired breathwork, and integration.
Life aboard
Simple, shared, and close to the river.
For six days the boat becomes the group's shared home. Its first deck is used for meals and gathering; the upper deck is dedicated to sleeping in hammocks. This is a simple way to travel, and part of what makes the river feel close.
Sleeping
A shared hammock sleeping area on the upper deck. There are no private cabins.
Facilities
Bathrooms with showers, and electricity available onboard.
Connection
Internet may be available, but disconnection is strongly encouraged.
Meals
Three meals daily while aboard: breakfast, a regional lunch, and a light soup-based dinner.
Important comfort note
Participants should be comfortable sleeping in a hammock every night while aboard. A sleeping bag and pillow are recommended.
What is included
Clear arrangements, fewer distractions.
- Hotel accommodation in Alter do Chão on January 10 and 11
- Boat accommodation from January 12 to 17
- Three meals daily while aboard
- Airport transfer and retreat transportation
- Ayurvedic, yoga, meditation and breathwork sessions
- Forest, canoe and riverside community experiences
- Guides, facilitators, ceremony and retreat materials
Not included◐
Plan for these separately
International and domestic airfare
Travel and medical insurance
Lunches and dinners in Alter do Chão on January 10 and 11
Personal purchases, beverages or services not listed
Optional hotel nights before or after the retreat
Taxes or banking fees related to payment
Experience, care and local relationship
Who guides the journey.
The retreat is held by a Brazilian team rooted in Alter do Chão and the surrounding river, alongside participant care and coordination for travellers arriving from North America.
Bruno Mariz
Ayurveda & integrative practices
Naturologist since 2019, with postgraduate training in Manasa Roga Chikitsa (Ayurvedic psychotherapy). His work integrates Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, and botanical medicine.
Patricia Soubihe
Psychology & ceremony facilitation
Psychologist since 1994, postgraduate in phytotherapy, and certified by Grof Transpersonal Training in 1997. She has facilitated ayahuasca rituals for 27 years.
Daniel Gutierrez Govino
Local production & territory
Journalist and photographer based in Alter do Chão since 2014. He works with travel, audiovisual, and social projects, and is co-founder and communications director of Brigada de Alter.
Ilan Friedenbach
Participant care & coordination
With a background in psychology, crisis response, and trauma-informed practice, Ilan helps create a safe and supportive environment for growth and self-discovery, and connects travellers in North America with the team in Brazil.
Travel & preparation
Getting there, and getting ready.
Arrive: January 10 at Santarém (STM).
Return: flight after midnight, January 17–18.
What to bring
- Refillable water bottle and headlamp
- Light layers plus a warm layer for travel
- Sun hat, swimwear, sandals and towel
- Comfortable trail clothing and footwear
- Sleeping bag, pillow and small daypack
- Ground cloth or sarong for body practices
- Personal medication and a compact first-aid kit
- Extra batteries or a power bank for a camera
Health & environment
- Expect tropical heat, strong sun and possible rain
- Use biodegradable toiletries whenever possible, since what we use can reach the river
- Prepare for an easy but long forest walk of up to five hours
- Consult a travel-health professional, ideally at least six weeks before departure
- Yellow fever vaccination may be recommended for this itinerary; discuss it with a qualified clinician
- Travel insurance is strongly recommended
Entry requirements for Canadian travellers
As of August 2026, Canadian passport holders require a tourist visa for Brazil. Entry and health requirements can change: verify current rules before purchasing travel, and again before departure.
Current guidance: travel.gc.ca/destinations/brazil · Brazil Ministry of Health: gov.br/saude
Reserve your place in the journey
$3,553 CAD.
Maximum 16 participants, with a minimum group size of 12. Payment is by bank transfer to the retreat's Brazilian company; taxes and banking fees are not included.
Early registration
Register by September 15, 2026
A deposit of $1,000 CAD, followed by three payments of $851 CAD.
Final registration
November 10, 2026
The last date to join the journey. Payment by bank transfer; taxes and banking fees are not included.
Cancellation policy
Participant cancellation: amounts already paid are non-refundable. If the minimum group of 12 is not reached by November 10, 2026, the retreat fee is refunded in full. Flights should be booked with flexible or refundable conditions whenever possible.
Questions
Come to us with your questions.
For this retreat, The Holo works closely with Ilan Friedenbach, a facilitator connecting North America with Brazil. Between us you have someone to talk to in your own time zone about whether this journey is right for you, what the days ask of you, and what to expect from ceremony.
The Holo is an avenue for promoting this retreat. All payments and final registration occur through the retreat's company in Brazil. We will introduce you directly and stay alongside you through the process, but the booking itself is completed with the Brazilian team.
Ask us anything using the form below, or reach out through our contact page. We answer personally, usually within two business days.
Inquiries
Ask about the Amazon.
Share your details below and we will follow up personally with the full journey outline, what is and is not included, the payment schedule, and an introduction to the team in Brazil to complete your registration. Places are limited to 16 travellers.