Cap Karoso eco-resort on Indonesia's remote Sumba island has launched a week-long 'Shamanic Healing Journey' that offers guests encounters with local shamans, plant-based healing ceremonies and personalised spa treatments. Olivia Palamountain reports

As the Western world wakes up to the power of ancient medicine, Cap Karoso, an eco-resort on the Indonesian island of Sumba, has launched a Shamanic Healing Journey that blends local indigenous traditions from the Marapu, with ancestral holistic healing practices.

The exclusive experience is more than just a wellness programme, says the resort, "it is a sacred pause and a return to self, stillness, and something far greater."

The Shamanic Healing Journey includes a combination of personalised treatments at Cap Karoso’s Malala Spa, immersive movement and meditation sessions and a rare opportunity to connect with a shaman in a traditional local village.Each shamanic encounter is guided on a case-by-case basis, often involving plant-based brews (non-hallucinogenic), breathwork and treatments through the crown of the head and ears, which are considered “energetic portals” that hold deep healing potential.

Cap Karoso’s founder, Evguenia Ivara, was inspired to launch the wellness journey after her own life-changing experience. She says: “I discovered the incredible force of the Sumbanese traditional healing when I had an accident on the island, rupturing the ligaments in my ankle. A healer from a neighbouring village recommended some local herbs and a magical oil, which had a phenomenal impact.

"I also encountered a shaman who made me understand that my pain was not just physical, but that I also needed to regain a sense of connection that I somehow lost along the way. In the process of healing my ankle, I felt that it was my soul that was in some way healed too”.
Much of the experience takes place outdoors in "sacred landscapes" - from forest clearings and clifftops to secluded beaches and hidden caves - movement and meditation practices are guided with therapeutic intention. Rooted in modalities like fascia release, breathwork, biomechanics and Atma Yoga, they help support nervous system regulation, trauma release and embodiment.

The Malala Spa complements the nature-based work with deeply intuitive body treatments that respond to what is emerging in each guest, often focusing on grounding, lymphatic release, craniosacral touch and body memory clearing.All ingredients are sourced from Cap Karoso’s regenerative, organic farm and nearby villages.

Led by Cap Karoso’s wellness director, Kiri Desborough, the retreat is designed to be especially powerful for those navigating life transitions, healing from grief or trauma, facing burnout or simply longing to remember what it feels like to just be, without external influences.

By the end of the week, guests should expect a profound sense of peace, clarity, and the ability to let go of old patterns, pressure or pain, says the resort.Guests will also gain profound insights into the use of medicinal plants native to Sumba and used for centuries for emotional balance, digestion, purification, and spiritual protection. Ingredients such as ginger root, turmeric, clove, betel leaf, and other botanicals are prepared as tonics or infusions, crafted to work subtly but deeply through the body.

The Shamanic Healing Journey starts from approximately £12,000 per person or £15,000 per couple, and is inclusive of:

• A 7-night stay on a full-board basis in a beachfront suite (with the option to upgrade to a villa)
• Airport transfers
• An extensive consultation with wellness director Kiri Desborough pre-visit
• A tailor-made wellness program with treatments from The Malala Spa
• A bespoke and personalised full-board food and drinks menu
• Daily private movement and meditation practices in various locations
• A private cultural immersion and medicinal plant experience
• Shaman encounter