





Hi! I am mandolin badger…
And I’m excited to offer you a totally unique travel experience in Colombia, a place I have lived and worked for many years.
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to it’s old dimensions.”
Think pampered vacation meets ethical wellness + culture retreat. Every logistical detail is handled for you, with room to choose your own adventure & get into the community on your own. You have the opportunity to relax by the pool, explore the area with a friend, or partake in as many activities as you like. Getaway combines real eco tourism with pampering and a completely dialed in local guide + liaison to make your ideal retreat come true.
Meet Haba Teresa, who is a Matriarchal Mamo (healer) for the local Kogi Tribe. Spanish is both our second language and our relationship was built over many years while I lived with a local woman on land sacred to her people. I have learned over time how to offer these retreats only with guidance from mentors like her.
Our home for retreat is known as ‘The Heart Of The Universe’ to Indigenous People. Nestled in the the tallest coastal mountains on earth, we can see Carribean seas and snow peaks from our retreat center. The air smells like mangoes, the jungle is alive with parrots and monkeys, and the air is so clean you will never want to leave. There are 15 ecosystems on this one mountain! There are more endemic (from here and only here) plants and animals per capita than anywhere else on Earth! Just coming and staying in this Nature alone is life changing.
You are one of a handful of people ever allowed into a cleansing, blessing, and welcoming ceremony with the oldest and most culturally closed Indigenous Tribe in South America. The Kogi’s consider themselves guardians of Nature and are powerful wisdom keepers. As an addition, you will be able to ask questions of elders in circle post ceremony. You will also have the opportunity to book a private healing session with Haba Teresa, the powerful medicine woman pictured above. This experience is an incredible honor and we appreciate the opportunity.
By choosing this retreat you are given access to all the best local secrets that you can not book or find online. Just like anywhere, the big tourist traps are worth checking out but they aren’t what makes a place truly special. It’s the hole in the wall restaurants that will blow your mind, the secret waterfalls only a few locals know of, or the old witchy woman in the jungle whose healing massage feels like a spiritual experience. These are just a few of the experiences that await you in this paradise.
We give in gratitude and exchange for all that we receive from the people and land here. The school we support was started by a good friend of mine in the home I lived in for 4 years. This school offers Montessori classes to local children for free. The Kogi Tribe are the amazing Indigenous elders we learn and receive from on retreat. You will see and experience first hand where your donation goes and the impact it makes.
A Bilingual Retreat Staff At Your Service
Our venue hires entirely local Colombians who can speak English. Myself and our team of 6 will be at your service to support you with everything you need to have a comfy, fun, and memorable retreat.
Locally Sourced Meals
Colombian and French Fusion meals are prepared on site at our retreat center. The food is healthy, delicious and sourced from local farmers wherever possible.
Daily Yoga & Meditation
Your invitation to start your day with some juicy movement and guided meditation with rotating local teachers!
Incredible Nature Walks
There is more endemic flora and fauna per capita on this mountain than anywhere else in the world! You will be picking avocados off trees to the sound of thrumming life as you explore.
Nourishing Free Time
This retreat won’t leave you packed with activities and overwhelmed. You’ll have plenty of time to chill, integrate, and let your body come into a flow state.
Mind Body Soul Massage with Griselda
This matriarchal leader for the Kogi Tribe is offering you the opportunity for private healing sessions that words can not express.
New friends from around the world
Connect with like minded people who also care to travel sustainably, uplift local communities and always try to leave a place better than we found it. It takes a certain kind of person to go explore a country many still fear, are up for an adventure, are curious about the world around them, value nature, and want to really experience another culture.
So Many Waterfalls
There are 3 glacial fed waterfalls near our retreat venue. A day trip to one of these local secrets is going to leave you in awe.
Tickets from $1,650 with extended payment plans at no additional charge
One of my intentions with this retreat was to make the medicinal, freeing, invorating magic of this experience available to more people. Send us a private message about payment plans and we will work with you.
Activities To Choose From
Refresh yourself in one of our local waterfalls
Explore a 100yr old glacier powered Coffee Farm
Experience Holotropic Breathwork under the stars with Alejandro
Join in a weekly women’s mandala dance class with Katia
Enjoy a massage to the sound of the jungle with Griselda
Relax by the pool
Try horseback riding through a rainforest
Sample all the local juices
Explore the mountain village of Minca
Or just melt in a hammock all day…
( Delicious and locally sourced meals are available at retreat center or in the village near us. Prices range from $4-12 USD per meal)
inclusive spaces are better for everyone
We are a home for all curious explorers who care for our planet, themselves and one another.
We believe diversity and inclusion is broader than race, ethnicity and culture. It’s invisible or visible disability, neurotype, gender, sexuality, age, religious beliefs and politics.
As a white woman, I am always learning to be a better listener. As a TBI survivor who is bisexual, neurocomplex and from a low income family… I know what it’s like to feel left out from wellness spaces I would like to be in .
I am passionate about creating optimal environments for us all to come together and enjoy. I created this retreat for those who need special accommodations to be in the mix with everyone else and have their needs met. Inclusive spaces are better for everyone.
-Mandolin Badger (Founder)
Description: Private room with 1 full size bed, and private bathroom with nature views.
Description: Private room with 1 queen size bed, tropical rainforest views and a private bathroom.
Description: Private room with 1 queen size bed, private bathroom and balcony overlooking the garden.
Description: Private room with 2 double beds, private bathroom and jungle views.
Description: Private room with 1 king size bed. Mountain, carribbean sea and jungle views with a private bathroom and private terrace.
Description * * Private room with 1 queen bed and 2 full beds. Private bathroom and private balcony with mountain and jungle views. Must book as a group of at least 2.
Description: Single bed in 4 person shared room with private bathroom, individual chargers and reading lights.
Description: Single bed in an 8 person shared room with individual chargers and a shared bathroom. Lofted and open air windows with views of the jungle, mountains and Caribbean Sea.
Everyday you will be served a delicious breakfast as part of your stay. Lunch is served from 12:30-3 and Dinner is served 7:30-8pm with a variety of delectable options. We have a low-key bar open until 10pm serving up everything from fresh squeezed juices to locally crafted beers.
i just feel like this entire experience was a gift AND I’M really GRATEFUL.
- CARLA AVRUCH
THIS TRIP UNLOCKED A LOT OF DOORS FOR ME THAT I DIDN’T KNOW NEEDED UNLOCKING.
IT’S CHANGED MY LIFE AND IT’S SOMETHING I’LL ALWAYS KEEP WITH ME AND BE GRATEFUL FOR. - ZACH SMITH
We fly in and out of Santa Marta, Colombia. (SMR) A private car will escort you on the 1 hour drive between the airport and retreat center. Arrival and deparure is included!
Yes. You will be in a very peaceful, nature based region surrounded by locals very appreciative for you to be there. Crime exists in Colombia just like everywhere, but we will not be close to areas of poverty in cities where crime exists.
No. There are no vaccines suggested for this region of Colombia.
A private car will collect you at the airport and deliver you to our retreat center. Upon departure a private car will return you to the airport for your flight.