7-Day Plant-Based Detox and Nature Retreat in the Ecuadorian Andes

The programme runs Sunday to Saturday, with arrivals at 4:00pm on the first day for check-in and introductions. That first evening sets the tone: a documentary screening followed by a detoxifying juice prepared by staff, then free time. It's not a hard start.

From Monday the days fill out. Day two begins with a lodge tour at 8:00am and juice at 8:30am, then a vegetable harvest at the organic farm at 9:00am. You eat what you picked at a group lunch at noon, have the afternoon free, then make dinner and juice together at 6:00pm. The evening documentary is "Cowspiracy." Day three is the big excursion: a van collects the group at 9:00am for the drive to Lake Busa, a hike around the lake, a packed lunch, an afternoon visit to San Fernando, and a return to the lodge by 4:00pm.

Wednesday stays on the property and goes deeper into the food side. Pancho gives an insect presentation and tour at 9:00am, followed by a discussion on organic pollination and the problems with pesticides. At 11:00am there's a tour of Ed's Food Forest, and at noon an all-you-can-eat lunch of fruits and vegetables picked from that same forest. Dinner and juice are made as a group at 6:00pm.

Thursday is the loosest day: juice prep at 8:00am, then a visit to an adventure park at 9:00am, a "We want more mora!" juice at noon, and a return to the lodge by 4:00pm for the usual 6:00pm group dinner. Friday covers El Chorro Falls at 9:00am, a stop at the Giron vegetable market at noon, back to the lodge by 1:30pm, then an essential oils class with Vanessa Anderson at 4:00pm. Saturday is departure — juice prep at 8:00am and transport back to Cuenca at 11:00am.

The retreat is run by Torrin Brauch, an Ecuador real estate agent (license #6/478) who also operates the lodge and organic farm operation, and whose site pairs this detox week with an Ecuadorian investor vacation package. That's why the same page advertises a "10 Days Ecuadorian Investor Vacation Package" alongside the detox itinerary — the retreat is part of a wider Ecuador business that includes real estate services, rentals and an organic farm membership. There is no named yoga, fitness or nutrition instructor attached to the week; the food side is handled by staff, Ed runs the food forest tour, Pancho runs the insect tour, and Vanessa Anderson teaches the essential oils class.

The location is the Yunguilla Valley in Azuay province, in the Andes of southern Ecuador, near Cuenca. The itinerary's outings — Lake Busa, San Fernando, El Chorro Falls, Giron vegetable market, the adventure park — are all within day-trip distance of the lodge.

What's included

- 7-day guided detox and nature programme - Accommodation at the lodge - Daily detoxifying juices prepared as a group - Group-prepared healthy dinners - Group lunch preparation with freshly picked vegetables - All-you-can-eat fruit and vegetable lunch at Ed's Food Forest - Packed lunch on the Lake Busa excursion day - Vegetable harvest at the organic farm - Lodge tour - Hike around Lake Busa - Visit to San Fernando - Pancho's insect presentation and tour - Discussion on organic pollination and pesticides - Tour of Ed's Food Forest - Visit to adventure park - "We want more mora!" juice - Trip to El Chorro Falls - Visit to Giron vegetable market - Essential Oils class with Vanessa Anderson - Documentary screenings ("What the Health", "Cowspiracy") - Group discussions - Van transport to Lake Busa - Transport back to Cuenca on the final day

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance - Personal expenses - Additional excursions not listed in the itinerary - Transport to the lodge on arrival day, unless arranged separately - Snacks and drinks outside the scheduled programme