Ayahuasca Retreat Reviews — Helping You Stay Safe with 5,000+ Independent Reviews
Our Program
At Arkana, we create the space for you to get in touch with your truth, opening your path for deeper meaning and greater fulfillment in your life. We work with ancestral medicines such as Ayahuasca, San Pedro, Bufo Alvarius, Rapé , using the traditional practices of the indigenous cultures of the Peruvian Amazon. We currently operate two centers in Peru, one in the Peruvian Amazon and a second one in the Sacred Valley (close to Machu Picchu), and one in Mexico, the choice is yours.
With great respect for the plants and the knowledge and healing that comes with them, our lineage of Shipibo shamans set the stage for truly deep and profound healing. Awaken your inner power through their sacred and powerful icaros (healing songs), and discover your connection to all things by exploring some of the 2.2 million hectare Pacaya Samiria National Reserve which is our backyard. Nourish your body and soul with fresh, clean, delicious meals that promote your Ayahuasca experience, and integrate healthy habits into your routine with our yoga classes and extensive selection of gym equipment for all levels. We believe the health of physical body sets the foundation for the health of the energetic body – Often ignored in this type of spiritual work, we find this to be an important part of the healing process, so you can begin implementing the healthy habits that will carry this work with you into your life back home. Finally, relax your mind and spirit with sound baths, meditations, breathwave sessions, and OM circles, or simply enjoy the tranquil views of both sunrise and sunset from our front porch on the banks of the Ucayali River, surrounded by lush biodiversity and the mesmerizing sounds of the jungle.
Arkana’s exceptional team of highly-trained Shipibo Master Shamans represent an unbroken lineage of plant medicine work. With a combined history of over 70 years of experience working closely with Ayahuasca and other master plant teachers of the jungle, our compassionate healers lovingly share their teachings, healing songs (icaros), capabilities, and knowledge with integrity and honor. We strive to maintain the traditional practices passed down through thousands of years of indigenous Amazonian culture, in order to continue to promote the true purpose and nature of plant medicine work.
Experiencing the medicines with us is a transformative personal journey, and so much more. We also work closely with our local community, the Amazonian village of Libertad, to ensure that our Center can benefit and give back to the people who have so generously let us into their homes and hearts. We create employment opportunities, teach free English classes, provide a space for the ladies to sell their handmade crafts, and assist in construction projects, among other things. Our latest endeavor is outfitting the entire village with free solar panels, so every house can have light and electricity. When you join us, you are helping the rainforest and the Amazon communities that live here.
Guests that come to our Center often say they feel like “part of the family” with us – that’s no coincidence, as we are one big family at Arkana! The people that are with you throughout your experience can simply facilitate your own healing journey or become an integral part of it. Our experienced, loving, and professional team of caregivers welcomes you to join our tribe, where we strive to make you feel at home and at ease, supported and cared for with all the love and compassion that is at the core of the plant medicines and people we work with.
Ayahuasca is a powerful medicine that offers us the opportunity to understand our true nature, by shining a light onto our darkness, and holding a mirror up to our fears, negative thought patterns, and self-limiting beliefs. We provide the environment and expertise of a team of highly skilled, warm, compassionate Shamans and facilitators to guide you through the process of awakening, of choosing differently, healing, and expanding. It is a slow but steady path towards freedom – from fear, from illusion, from self-constructed boundaries – resulting in a lighter, brighter, more authentic self, and the full experience of love. It is our honor to help you on this most fulfilling of all journeys: the journey back home.
We look forward to having you with us!
Lots of Love,
The Team
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RP
March 9, 2017 at 12:32 pmAyahuasca is a very powerful medicine and should be treated with respect and care. This is what Pulse Tours does exceptionally well. They provide a safe, kind and caring atmosphere to experience and understand the power of the medicine as well as enough activities to experience the jungle i.e. walks, boat rides, fishing, swimming and visit to local village.
I cannot say enough about the Shamans, facilitators and staff. They are knowledgeable, kind and assist in every way possible to make your experience safe, caring, and powerful. The yoga classes, singing bowls and Ohm meditation were wonderful in helping prepare for the evening ceremonies. The morning after share groups with the Shamans allowed you to ask questions, voice concerns but most importantly understand the experience. They have thought of every way possible to make the entire experience memorable and meaningful.
Everything runs flawlessly from the point of arrival in Iquitos to departure. The facility is modest but clean, comfortable and well maintained. The food was nutritious as well as tasty. Being on the river the scenery, especially at sunset, is breath taking.
My experience with Pulse Tours was truly a life changing experience that I will remember forever.
kendra
March 8, 2017 at 10:15 pmI am very happy with my decision to experience Ayahuasca with Pulse Tours. The absolute top reason I would give is because of the shamans. Wiler, and the other shamans are pure-hearted, powerful, and I trust them completely. I was fortunate enough to attend during a week when there were four shamans. The fourth was a visiting shaman who loved being at the center as much as the guests. There is truly a peaceful, sacred feeling to the location. The center is very protected, physically and energetically. The maloca where the ceremonies took place is still one of the safest spaces I can imagine.
I made this journey with my partner and we had a shared sleeping space, which was very nice. When discussing whether or not to have adjacent mats in the maloca, we were given good information from the staff, but they were careful to attach no judgement to what choice we would make. We ultimately decided to choose mats that had several people between us. I am so pleased with this decision as it gave us both the opportunity to make this journey independently, but support each other outside of ceremony.
My only feedback for improvement would be that I had a difficult time finding a place to meditate during my free time. There are a lot of amazing spaces, but many become quite social or become a place where there is traffic. There was a small “tree fort” for meditation but it was not netted and there were not cushions nearby. I would have appreciated a more convenient space. With effort, this was no real problem.
I left feeling so incredibly wealthy in a way that has nothing to do with money. The healing power of ayahuasca and the safe space Pulse provides for that healing is exactly what I needed. The people that are drawn there were incredible and I feel blessed to have been able to connect with them. The food, especially the fruit was fresh and simple- there was always more than I could eat. The opportunity to explore the jungle and nature rounded out the experience so that guests could connect with the land and river surrounding the center. Without this aspect, it would be easy to get stuck in the bubble of your growth and ceremonies.
I found the staff to be knowledgeable and approachable. I even pulled a staff member aside for one-on-one support when I had uncovered a troubling memory during ceremony. I admire the intuition and hard work it takes to support a group in ceremony then sit with us the next day for group share. I am so appreciative of all the support I received.
leighholmes
March 8, 2017 at 1:46 pmMyself and two brothers spent a week at the center and had an incredible time. Everyone there was awesome. The staff are amazing, welcoming and compassionate. there are also super competent. Having a medical professional on staff and also the Sharman with their knowledge of ancient cures meant we were able to relax knowing we were in good hands. The experience is also extremely authentic, down to earth and an honest experience. I love the fact that the center has such a good relationship with the local village and they are making a positive contribution to the local economy. I could go on forever but suffice to say that every aspect of our stay exceeded our expectations and contributed to us having the trip of a life time. I just want to express my gratitude to Pulse for allowing us to stay at the center, for treating us so well and facilitating our participate in the life changing Ayahausca ceremonies. We witnessed profound healing stories from our fellow travelers and were blown away by how much the medicine was helping make peoples lives better. The side trips we took during the day were themselves worth the trip. To the Pulse Team: Please don’t change anything you guys are awesome and I hope to see you all again one day. A big sincere thanks to you all.
Advice to anyone considering coming to the center, if you are like me and cant believe there are so many rave reviews then hit up their facebook page and Im sure that any of the hundreds of past guests will be able to give you some insights. Dont scour the internet for the one bad review. For me that was not helpful and provided some unnecessary trepidation prior to my visit.
victor__k
March 6, 2017 at 8:39 amOverall impression and experience
I really enjoyed staying at the center and my ayahuasca and cambo experience were very valuable.
The center has a very good infrastructure. The rooms are simple, but every bed has a robust mosquito net. The rooms are made up and cleaned every day. The cleaning staff works very good. Laundry service is available for free.
The food is simple, very healthy, and served according to the schedule. I particularly enjoyed a lot of fresh and delicious fruits (mango, apple, banana, watermelone, papaya, apple, tangerine). Kitchen works like a clock. At your request you can also get a menu according to your restrictions and allergies.
The center has a well equipped gym, mini library with interesting books and numerous chillouts with hammocks and rockers.
The malloca – the building, where all the ceremonies and group sharing take place, is very big and spacious.
All the logistics, like meeting at airport, transportation to the center etc., is just flawless.
The staff and management are very attentive, friendly, careful. I always felt their support, love and care.
I feel so much respect and gratitude to the shamans that it’s hard for me to put it in words. They listen your feelings and reflections very carefully and help you understand the process and the outcomes.
I liked how the ceremonies of ayahuasca were organised and conducted. The staff were attentive and helpful. The Icaro songs of shamans were gorgeous, they were like guiding light in the universe that you plunged in to discover.
SergeyArtemov
March 2, 2017 at 4:22 amHey, if you think about trying Ayahusca for the first time, don’t think – go. Grab your backpack and go. Don’t think. It will not help. Follow your intuition.
I am a businessman, a family man, and I came to Peru to try Ayahuasca merely for some fun, some new psychedelic experience, but not expecting much out of it.
I must admit I was really lucky to get to Pulse Tours Ayahuasca Center.
Because I discovered and you should understand this – Ayahuasca is not just some “new experience”. It can be a life changing experience and it is very important to try it for the first time with the right shamans and right people who are managing the whole process.
So I can recommend Pulse Tours team and shamans of this Center with all my heart.
Ayahuasca is extremely powerful healing practice and medicine for you soul, mind and body. And as for anything that is extremely powerful, the people that use it must be responsible, decent, careful and professional. They must have good intentions. Pulse Tours team has all of this. They are great! Guys, thank you. Thank you Tatyana, Val, Greg, Tamara, Dolan, Ksenia, Willer, Anjelita, Gilberto, Alban, Hose – you are the best! 🙂
What is also very important is that there are 4 shamans at the Center. And the whole team that leads every ceremony is around 10 people. You will feel their support and get advice. You will get the right introduction and very valuable advice. They explain everything before and after.
Everyone in this Center is very much dedicated to the medicine, to this healing practice. They are professional, though modest.
The leading shaman at the center, Willer, has a very strong and sincere intention to help people, to open the world of Ayahuasca to everyone who is looking for healing or growth or wisdom or anything else we are all looking for.
The interpretations (follow-ups) after each ceremony are made by the head shaman. It is also important. With a great Spanish-English translation carefully carried out by by Tamara these conversations are very helpful, because the head shaman explains very much about your personal experience, answers your questions and explains almost everything. He shares his knowledge generously and explains a lot about each personal experience.
If you need translation and communication in other language, the team is multilingual.
Besides Ayahuasca we had meditations, yoga, jungle walks, boat trips, hunting, fishing and a great amount of laughing, and sharing our emotions with each other. This was great.