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This is a super comprehensive and immersive training that lasts for 9 weeks, and incorporates shamanic philosophy too. Also one of the highest-rated yoga retreats in Ecuador.
If you’re looking to step deeper into your spiritual growth while having a life-changing experience at the same time, I suggest doing a yoga teacher training in Ecuador, one of the most underrated countries out there.
Ecuador is like a second home to me. It’s a country I have a deep relationship with, and one I’ve returned to several times. While both yoga teacher trainings and yoga retreats are popping up, Ecuador also has a prevalent tradition of shamanic healing that is deeply woven into the culture.
In 2023, I lived in Ecuador for 6 months while working at a shamanic healing center in the Andes. During this time, I met a handful of people who were doing yoga teacher trainings, while regularly participating in Ayahuasca ceremonies too.
Doing a yoga teacher training is an entire experience that youโll probably hold close to your heart until the day you die. Doing a yoga teacher training in Ecuador is just as much for the experience of getting away, building community, and diving deep into your spiritual practice as it is for the training itself.
As yoga teacher trainings have different lengths, including:
200-hour teacher training: Beginner level and foundational training.
- The standard starting point for becoming a certified yoga teacher
- Covers basic asana, anatomy, philosophy, teaching methodology, and intro to pranayama & meditation
- Prepares you to start teaching general yoga classesย
300-hour yoga teacher training: Advanced level. For those who have already completed the 200-hour.
- Builds on what you learned in the 200-hour
- Focuses more deeply on anatomy, philosophy, sequencing, adjustments, and specialty styles (e.g., yin, trauma-informed, prenatal)
- Often more intensive and spiritually focused
500-hour yoga teacher training: Comprehensive, master-level training.
- Either a 200 + 300-hour combo or a full 500-hour course.
- Covers everything from foundational teaching to advanced practice, subtle body studies, yogic ethics, and often includes practicum hours
- Great for those serious about teaching long-term, leading retreats, or going deep on the path
Ecuador is one of those underrated gems that offers so much diversity. If youโd rather do it on a beautiful coastline and incorporate surfing into your routine, or perhaps the Andes, where you can also participate in Ayahuasca ceremonies, you can! These retreats have character, and they couldnโt be in better locations.
Before we jump into the offerings, if youโre just looking for a yoga retreat,ย you can go to this article. If you want to know more about Ecuador, I made a comprehensive backpackerโs guideย here. Last, if you want to travel the country a bit before or after your training,ย Iโve got you covered here.
With that said, letโs get into it.
Suppose youโre looking for a teacher training that goes beyond just learning to teach yoga and understand the full breadth of yogic wisdom. In that case, Trimurti Yogaโs 200-hour multi-style YTT in the Andes might be the experience youโre looking for.
Set on a peaceful yoga farm outside of Quito, this training takes place in nature, where the energy is quiet and ideal for inner work. The curriculum combines yogic philosophy, breathwork, meditation, and a diverse range of yoga styles, including Hatha, Vinyasa, Kundalini, Tantra, and Yin. Thereโs also an emphasis on functional anatomy, sequencing, and understanding how to adapt yoga to different body types and personal needs, making this an inclusive training for those who want to teach with awareness and heart.
- Provider: Trimurti International Yoga
- Location: Yaruqui, Pichincha, Ecuador
- Duration: 28 days | 200-hour
- Price: From $1800
If you feel called to deepen your practice in a beautiful, cultural city that has a strong presence of shamanic healing and other modalities in the area, OM Healing Center might resonate with you.
This 200-hour yoga teacher training takes place over 28 days in a renovated 160-year-old hacienda, just outside the sacred mountainous city of Cuenca. Cuenca is known for its peaceful energy, charming cobblestone streets, and its proximity toย Cajas National Park.
The center itself is designed for inner work and community. It’s spacious, modern, and full of character. This center also features a pool, a man-made waterfall, cozy social areas, and quiet corners where you can journal, meditate, or simply absorb the mountain air.
This training doesnโt just teach asanas, it also incorporates ceremony. Youโll experience Temazcal (sweat lodge), kirtan, and massage. If youโre looking for a great center to begin your path as a yoga teacher, OM Healing Center is a beautiful place to start.
- Provider:ย OM Healing Center
- Location:ย Cuenca, Ecuador
- Duration: 28 days | 200-hour
- Price:ย From $2550
Tucked away in the peaceful coastal village of Ayampe, Niyama Yoga Shala offers a 200-hour yoga teacher training designed for spiritual seekers who are ready to slow down, go inward, and reconnect to what matters most.
The training itself blends yoga philosophy, asana, anatomy, alignment, and the basics of a yogic and Ayurvedic lifestyle. Youโll move through the physical, emotional, and spiritual layers of yoga in a space that invites both self-reflection and community. This course tends to draw soul-searchers from all over the world who all come here to deepen their spiritual path.
This sleepy beach town has become a quiet haven for yogis, surfers, and creatives, and has grown an alternative community in recent years who are focused moreso on holistic health, healing, and personal growth. Finca Punta is also a shamanic center outside of Ayampe, which offers authentic Temazcales and Ayahuasca ceremonies which can be a good addition to the teacher training.
- Provider: Niyama Yoga Shala
- Location: Ayampe, Ecuador
- Duration: 28 days | 200-hour
- Price: From $3999
If you’re feeling called to deepen your practice in a place where nature speaks loudly and magic feels alive, this 300-hour yoga teacher training with Yoga Revista might be your answer. Held in the otherworldly Galรกpagos Islands, this immersive training weaves formal study with soul-stirring exploration โ a true fusion of discipline and discovery.
Over three thoughtfully structured modules, youโll journey through Ghatastha yoga and biomechanics, Hatha yoga, and Raja yoga, grounding your growth in both the physical and subtle aspects of the yogic path. The setting itself is nothing short of sacred: a peaceful retreat space nestled in coastal mangroves, just a short walk from the ocean.
Between teachings, youโll swim with marine life, walk beside giant tortoises, paddleboard through still waters, explore lava tunnels, and practice presence in one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet. If youโre seeking a transformational experience that blends ancient knowledge, natural beauty, and inner evolution โ this offering is rare and radiant.
- Provider:ย Yoga Revista
- Location:ย Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands
- Duration: 28 days | 300-hour
- Price: From $3320
This 63-day yoga teacher training integrates both tantric and indigenous shamanic worldviews into one cohesive path. The teachings here blend Kaula Tantra Yoga with various other spiritual traditions, including breathwork, chakra balancing, kriya, shamanic ritual, mantra, and expressive movement.ย
The training deeply incorporates shamanic philosophy and practice, so you’ll come out of it with a much bigger toolset than just being able to teach yoga. As you’ll live here for 9 weeks, you’re almost certain to create some life-long friends that will feel like family as you progress through the training. The extended training also means that you will really dive into the nuts and bolts of both yoga and shamanic philosophy, rather than just learning the essentials.
Held at an ashram near the Ilalรณ Volcano just outside Quito, the setting alone is beautiful as you’re surrounded by mountains, but close enough to Quito to get out and explore a little. If you’re craving something deeper than surface-level spirituality, this deeply immersive training offers a rare opportunity to take your spiritual practice to some serious depths.
- Provider: Durgaโs Tiger School for Tantra Yoga and Shamanism.
- Location: Tumbaco, Ecuador.
- Duration: 63 days | 500-hour
- Price: From $5057
