Immerse in a traditional limpia and discover centuries-old healing traditions guided by Ecuadorian practitioners
An unconventional form of renewal is unfolding in the heart of Quito, Ecuador—one that may include the flick of stinging nettles.
Casa Gangotena, the award-winning boutique hotel in the city’s historic centre, is welcoming the New Year with limpia, an ancient Andean energy-equilibrium ritual led by traditional healers. Designed to unblock, rebalance, and restore energy, the guided experience revitalizes mind and body while offering insight into the Andes’ enduring healing traditions.
True to Casa Gangotena’s commitment to being a good neighbour—one that honours both sustainable development and cultural preservation—the hotel’s limpia experience is led by local practitioners deeply attuned to the ritual’s cultural significance and traditions.
Recalibrating Your Equilibrium
In the Andean worldview, the cosmos is understood as a living, interconnected whole, where personal energy can be disrupted by espanto—literally “fright”—throwing one’s equilibrium out of balance. The ritual of limpia, developed over generations to restore this harmony, is traditionally performed by elder women known as hierbateras, whose knowledge is passed down from mother to daughter.
Acting as translators, guides lead guests to either of two city settings where limpiasare practiced: El Secreto de Las Plantas and the San Francisco Market. Both are renowned for their herbalists, who use a range of plants and essences to perform traditional rituals, and are only a short stroll away from Casa Gangotena.
Stinging Nettles for Improved Circulation
And quite a ritual limpia is. After disrobing, if they’d like, to their underclothes in private, guests are flicked with stinging nettles to improve circulation (optional and only selectively on children); rubbed with a mixture of 12 types of bitter herbs; and massaged with a blend of flowers, roses, and carnations. Finally, an egg scented with aromatic essences is used to trace the body’s outline, then swirled with six kinds of sweet herbs bound as a broom to leave participants both relaxed and invigorated.
Following the treatment, the healer provides a diagnosis of what they’ve discovered, translated knowledgeably by the guide. From the “evil eye” and bad energy to fatigue and arthritis, prepare to be enlightened.
Glimpse into Local Culture
Skeptical? Many of Casa Gangotena’s more rational-minded guests—often en route to the Galápagos Islands—initially regard limpia as a charming tradition lacking a scientific foundation. Yet nearly all come away appreciating its deeply relaxing and revitalizing effects, as well as the rare opportunity to engage with a living expression of local culture.
The limpia experience at Casa Gangotena is priced at $100 per person and includes the guided walk to and from select hierbateras, translation services, and the treatment.
Rates at Casa Gangotena start at $613, including breakfast, Quito-style afternoon coffee snack, and taxes. For reservations: visit www.casagangotena.com.