Directions to reach Spirit Vine

The easiest way is to get to the Spirit  Vine Ayahuasca Retreat Center is to fly into Ilheus airport. Our Center is 60km north along the coast from Ilheus and is approximately 1 hour driving from the airport. The other option is to arrive via car/taxi/bus in the town of Itacare which is about 15 minutes driving to our center.

Your Ayahuasca Trip Begins With...

Flying to Brazil

Most major airlines in all countries have flights to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and some other big cities in Brazil. It is best to book your flight directly to Ilheus if this is feasible, otherwise you can book a flight to one of the above mentioned cities and then separately book an internal connection to Ilheus. You can find tickets on websites such as Expedia, Kayak, TripAdvisor, Webjet, SkyScanner, Gol, Latam, Copa, United Airlines, Aerolinas Argentinas and many others. If you need help arranging your flights please contact us.

Flying to Ilheus

You can easily get flights to Ilheus (airport code IOS) from major Brazilian cities with the airlines – Latam, Gol, Azul, and Avianca. All bookings can be done online. We arrange airport transfers with trusted taxi drivers who know the location of our center and have been working with us for many years.

It is very important to note that you need to collect your bags at the first point of entry in Brazil. Even if your ticket is booked onward to another destination, your bags will be offloaded and you have to go through customs and check-in again for your next flight. Also note that there are two different airports in Sao Paulo – Congonhas and Guarulhos – which are 1-2 hours apart (depending on traffic) by taxi or bus.

Or a Road Trip from Salvador to Itacare

Some people also like to arrive via Salvador in Bahia, a bustling city thriving with culture and the old capital of Brazil. TheVine Centre is around 6 hours from Salvador by road and ferry. It is relatively easy to get a ferry and bus from Salvador or you can fly to Ilheus (40 minutes) from Salvador airport. Another option is to arrange a private taxi to take you directly from Salvador to Itacare or Spirit Vine.

To come from Salvador by road, you must cross the Bay of All Saints via the Ferry Boat, which then connects with buses directly to Itacaré. When you arrive on the Ferry Boat, you can book directly with the bus companies Aguia Branca and Cidade Sol.

Itacaré

Itacaré is a small town located on the south coast of Bahia state, just 150 miles from Salvador.

Originally Itacare was a fisherman’s town. The first visit makes it seem like many other small coastal towns, but dig deeper and you’ll find a multi-layered microcosm of everything that makes this world a beautiful place. White sandy beaches, pure, un-adulterated nature, gorgeous people, delectable food, tranquility, and most importantly, sunshine and awesome waves.

Whether body surfing in the warm ocean water, riding a barrel, or practicing yoga on the beach, Itacaré attracts adventure seekers, eco-enthusiasts and urban dwellers alike. Rent a canoe and take a bath in the waterfall in Conta River, scuba dive in Marau, surf in Engenhoca beach (five minutes driving from our center).

Stop by the artisans in Itacare and buy some presents. Dine at one of the many eateries serving local and international cuisine. After dinner and before dessert, stop by the “Jungle” to watch capoira and perhaps even participate. Dance with people from all over the world on the cobble-stoned streets. Itacaré is quite during the day but after the sun sets, the streets start to come alive.

At least once before you return home, try the typical Bahian speciality called Acaraje and Moqueca. Drink an Açai smoothie or a Cacao honey.

For more information visit Itacare.com

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Upcoming Retreats

  • Jul  1 — Jul 11
  • Aug  8 — Aug 16
  • Sep  1 — Sep 9
  • Oct  3 — Oct 11
  • Nov  15 — Nov 25

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Spirit Vine COVID-19 Update

Last Updated: 5th May 2023

We have established guidelines to ensure that we provide the maximum amount of safety to all participants who attend the retreats.

We will update this section when new information is available.

Content listed here is subject to change.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Recommendations for COVID-19

The current guidelines from the Brazilian government state that anyone who wants to enter Brazil must present either a valid Covid test or a Covid vaccine certificate. You do not need to take any other vaccines to enter Brazil. These guidelines may change in the future.

Prior to leaving Brazil, depending on the requirements of your destination country, you may be required to present an RT-PCR or Antigen test, or vaccine certificate. If you need a PCR test we recommend you to budget the required time of 6 hours to take the test and get the results at Sao Paulo Guarulhos airport. Antigen test can be taken in the town of Itacare near our center before you go to the airport or at the airport in Sao Paulo.

Please note that Itacare and Ilheus do not have RT-PCR testing centers.

Spirit Vine Guidelines for COVID-19

We don’t require covid tests or any type of vaccination certificates to participate in the retreats. If you opt to take the Covid vaccine, we require that vaccination must be done at least 2 months prior to drinking ayahuasca. This is for the safety of participants to make sure the vaccine doesn’t have any reaction with the ingestion of ayahuasca.