FAQ's
On this page we have tried to answer all of the questions we generally get asked by guests who come to our retreat.
If you can’t find the answer to a question you have, please contact us – we’re happy to answer all questions!
Ayahuasca Preperation FAQ's
Everything you need to know when preparing to come to our ayahuasca retreat.
Travel Preparations FAQ's
Details about travel arrangements and preparations.
Master Plant Dieta FAQ's
Everything you need to know master plant dietas at our retreat.
Ayahuasca Ceremony FAQ's
Details and common questions about our ayahuasca ceremonies.
Ayahuasca Preparation FAQ's
Everything you need to know to prepare for your Ayahuasca ceremonies
No – Before serving you Ayahusca and entering a Dieta we demand that you have been sober from any pharmaceutical or drug use for a minimum of 2 weeks before your first Ayahuasca ceremony.
In general, what you eat post Ayahuasca exiting a Dieta is more important than what you eat prior. However, we recommend that you start a healthier diet 1-2 weeks before entering the dieta, especially the 3 days leading up to your arrival. Avoid alcohol, pork, chocolate, coffee, and factory-produced meat and focus on eco-friendly and natural foods. See: http://www.ayahuasca.com/science/foods-and-meds-to-avoid-with-maois/
We will send you a suggested meal plan to follow before your retreat.
The psychological preparations are just as necessary. What is your intention with the trip? Understanding your intent before you start is essential because the journey might be difficult. Even though you will have great support from the family and the shamans, one of your best assets is tapping into your intention and surrendering to what is, trusting the medicine.
We will send you a detailed preparation guide after you make your reservation.
We do recommend bringing a backpack instead of a roller case. You could arrive without anything, and you would still be cared for. However, we recommend a few items: fast drying towel, natural soap, toothpaste, headlamp (with red light), Crooks or flip-flops, water bottle, umbrella, natural bug repellent, notebook/sketchbook, and pens.
After your discovery call, we will request a 30% USD deposit via bank transfer. The remaining balanace will be settled in USD cash upon arrival at the retreat.
Everything else (food/drink you buy in pucallpa before coming to the retreat, shipibo artwork) will be paid in Peruvian soles, which is the local currency for the area.
Travel Preparations FAQ's
All you need to know when preparing to travel to our retreat
At our retreat, there are no restrictions – but please check with your embassy for the latest updates before departing.
You used to be required to fill in a health affidavit, but since October 22, that is no longer required. Most western countries don´t require visa but some do. Please check with your embassy page before booking a ticket.
The end destination is Pucallpa. You fly to Lima, the capital of Peru. From there you take a 55 min flight to Pucallpa, which costs about 50$. Latam, Sky, and Star Peru carriers leave every 2 hours or so. If you have checked-in luggage arriving in Lima, you need to pick it up and check it in again.
We will send you a complete guide on logistics once you make the deposit for your reservation.
We recommend all guests spend one night in Pucallpa, acclimatizing to the environment. Casa Andina, Pucallpa (or the same area) is well located and costs about 50$. The following morning we pick you up from your hotel and head for the boat transfer towards our retreat outside Pahoyan.
We will send you a complete guide on logistics once you make the deposit for your reservation.
The speedboat ride will take you on a beautiful journey up and Amazonian river. The journey is about 3 hours from Pucallpa to the Shipibo village of Pahoyan and provides excellent views of the Amazon. From Pahoyan, we will either take one of our small fishing boats for a 15 min ride to the retreat or a small moto ride through the village of Pahoyan. It depends on the weather and season.
We will send you a complete guide on logistics once you make the deposit for your reservation.
No. While some guests have a complete itinerary scheduled, many decide to extend their stay if availability allows. In the village of Pahoyan, there is a wi-fi station where you can use your phone/computer to make travel arrangements before returning to Pucallpa.
Yes – The speedboat transfer will take you back, and you will be supported on the way. Upon arrival in Pucallpa, we can assist you to the airport or hotel or show you a few markets. We do recommend our guests spend one night in Pucallpa before continuing their journey forward.
Master Plant Dieta FAQ's
Common questions our guests have before embarking on a master plant dieta at our retreat.
Some guests arrive with a clear idea of what plant or tree they wish to diet on after reading about certain dietas online. If you have an idea beforehand, please let us know. However, the shamans will look at your physical and psychological health, your intention, and the length of your trip. After gathering all your details, they will ask mother Ayahuasca during the first ceremony for guidance. The following morning, they will know what plant or tree best suits your needs.
We require a minimum of 10 days for lighter plants and trees. For stronger plants and trees, we require a stay for 20+ days. It is also possible to diet two different plants during a 20-day dieta.
Your diet will consist of very little fat, no sugar, and no salt. You will get fish and chicken occasionally and always be able to eat yourself full. During nights of ceremony, you won´t have dinner since the medicine should be drunk on an empty stomach. Please let us know if you have allergies or other food preferences (vegetarian/vegan). If not, you will be served the same food the shamans eat during their dietas.
There are guidelines you are to follow to best immerse in the medicine. We recommend as little stimulation as possible. Electronic usage is not allowed. No phone, reading, music, and limited contact with other guests. You are welcome to draw, write and participate in the shamans’ handicrafts. We don’t force it, but we recommend all guests to gather all the stimuli items in a bag and let the family hold it until the end of your dieta.
While every individual is different and on different dietas some things are good to prepare for. Dietas combined with Ayahuasca are no walk in the park. While it can carry through immense transformation and healing, the journey is seldom easy. The medicine might bring up old wounds to heal, feelings of loneliness, boredom, physical pain, doubt, anger, love, clarity, and much more. It will weaken your physical body, tearing down your defenses so the medicine can penetrate and do its work. During your dieta it is of the utmost importance to focus on your intention, surrender to the medicine, and allow whatever comes forward.
Ayahuasca Ceremony FAQ's
Everything you need to know about our ayahuasca ceremonies.
Our Ayahuasca is picked and brewed by the Shamans themselves.
In your first Ayahuasca ceremony, you will receive half a cup to test your tolerance and ease you into the experience. After the first ceremony, you will be offered one cup. However, some guests might need more and some less.
Yes – At the moment, we only have space for 8 guests. In the ceremonies, we typically have 2-4 shamans depending on the number of participants joining us. We strive to have 1 Shaman per 2 guests. But since we just recently opened up, we typically have 1 Shaman per person. Above that, we always have a facilitator not drinking the medicine assisting during the ceremony.
We don’t really see ceremonies going “wrong.” A ceremony might be difficult for an individual, but that doesn’t make it wrong. You will be surrounded by some of the most powerful shamans in the Amazon with immense experience with the medicine. If the experience becomes overwhelming, the Shamans have Icaros to calm and communicate with the medicine within you. You see, there might come a time in the ceremony where your ego might try to convince you that you can’t handle it, that you are too weak, that you will lose it. Still, you must remember that the medicine only shows you what you are ready for. She provides us with truth, and many times it is not what we want, but it is what we need.
A big part of taking Ayahuasca is the purge of traumas, destructive energies, and diseases stuck in your body and soul. The purging is a necessity but should never be forced but instead surrendered to. The purging comes in different forms at different times for different people. It might be yawning, coughing, fever, shaking, shivering, pooping, crying, laughing, screaming, puking, and more. Many people come here with a big fear of puking. Still, with the support from Ayahuasca, they not only became allied with it but embraced it.
To set an intention. The intention might be the same for all your ceremonies, or it might change by a little or a lot. We can´t stress the importance of having an intention with taking the medicine. If you feel lost during the ceremony, just remember to return to your intention. You might not always like what the medicine shows you, but she will only provide you with what you need. Remember, if it gets difficult, just ask for support, and you will have a shaman guiding the medicine. If you ever feel like you just want to run away, or want it to be over, the best thing you can do is surrender to whatever the mother Ayahuasca is showing you. If you feel fear – Don´t say NO to it; instead, say YES and allow it to be, explore it, and go deeper into it. You can´t hide anything from her, so it´s useless to resist – instead, allow what is and embrace it.
Still have questions?
We appreciate finding the right retreat is an extremely important part of your plant medicine journey. If you stil have any questions, or want to discuss whether our retreat is a good fit for you, book a discovery call with a member of our team, or visit our contact us page to get in touch using other methods.