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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MelloVello
January 6, 2017 at 7:42 pmPulse Tours does it right!
I’ve been down to the center twice and I can say that hands down they know what they’re doing. From start to finish you feel in good hands and comfortable. The coordinators make transportation, from the moment you step off the plane, clear and concise and before you know it you’re at the hotel situated in your room. Next is the fun part of meeting all the fresh faces who have flown in from around the world to partake in the very experience you’re seeking. Meeting everyone down in the main hall before setting off for lunch was a nice touch. Nothing quite like refueling after a long flight and having some good introductory laughs with new friends.
Like I stated earlier, Transportation is easy peasy and before you know it, you’re off to the next small town where you board the same familiar boat(In my case) and you’re off for a cruise down the amazon to the center itself. Enjoying the fresh air, taking in the scenery, listening to your favorite music, conversing with others or catching up on some sleep is the way to go here. Before you know it, you’re at the beautiful center. Step off the boat, grab your bag/supplies and hike to the front entrance. Here you’ll meet the majority of the main staff who you’ll be in contact with for the rest of your time being. All amazing and friendly people :).
Once you’re situated in your room, you’re off to the races. The next week or two are jam packed with fun and exciting things to do from jungle hikes to piranha fishing, visiting the neighboring village to swimming in the amazon(If you so wish to). And if you’re not up to any of the exercises and would just like to chill out, jump into one of many comfy seats, recliners, hammocks etc. situated at various locations around the center. Grab your headphones or favorite book and enjoy!
Now down to the reason why you’re here. The medicine. You’re in for a unique genuine jungle experience. You’re working with the ancient medicines. The tools used for centuries and centuries. Some of the tactics may seem primitive but this is how it is and by the time you’re done, you wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Kambo is a powerful purgative medicine cleansing the body of any unnecessary waste that may be in the body before your first ceremony. This is very beneficial.
The Ayahuasca Ceremonies are pure magic… Conducted at night under the roof of the giant Maloka. You will experience magic from out of your deepest imagination… Everyone’s trips are different, filled with both comfort and discomfort. The medicine works with you in all the ways it needs to. 4-5hours may feel like an eternity and then poof, the ceremony is closed by the master shaman and the candles are lit and a light fruit snack is served to feed any appetite you may have.
The Shamans at Pulse are…. Magicians.. I can’t even begin to explain how they shape and mold your experience through their Icaro’s(Shipibo Songs). You really have to experience it yourself and you’ll find yourself here writing a review unable to explain it yourself. It’s pure magic.
Theres a reason that I’ve been down here twice with Pulse and will continue to do so. They’re family now and you’ll know what I’m talking about by the time you leave. I love these guys and I can feel their genuine exchange of love back. It’s a beautiful spot. I find myself smiling and almost tearing up as I write this. I’m so thankful to have joined the Pulse family. The Pulse of the jungle…
If you’ve saved up your hard earned money and are wondering where to go… I can’t recommend Pulse Tours and the Ayahuasca Adventure Center enough. You don’t know who I am but Trust me… Everyone at the center will welcome you with open arms and will work with you to get you the best experience possible.
Pulse Tours changed my life…. Will they change yours?
Much love.
S.
Althausnick
December 28, 2016 at 10:21 amI recently returned to pulse for the second time, first being their New Years 10 day trip but I’ll get back to that. I returned to them for one main reason, the people, let’s face it you’re going to be in the jungle not a five star hotel. There’s bugs and heat and for the most part it’s not super pleasant. But at pulse there was never a point where I felt unsafe or neglected in anyway, there is always someone there willing to stop what they are doing to talk or show you where something is or help you in anyway they can. Sometimes during ceremony things can get hectic for you and again they are there to help whether it’s words of encouragement or to carry you to the bathroom. In my two trips with pulse I’ve had the opportunity to meet everyone who works there and they are some of the nicest people I’ve had the opportunity to meet, I consider all of them my friends. Another reason is the food, while the ata diet is pretty bland the cooks there work very well to make dishes all approved as aya friendly by weiler , the shaman, and they’re awesome I repeat awesome the food is surprisingly good. Side note: they have the best mangos ever don’t miss out. The gym is pretty well set up, but truth be told in the 3 weeks I was there I maybe used it 4 times because, well it’s hot and I’m on vacation, stop judging.So if you’re looking for a cushy air conditioned resort you probably shouldn’t go to the jungle, but if you do definitely give them a good look the setting is gorgeous, the food is great, the staff is amazing and your safety will be the last thing on your mind because you’ll feel like at home with your jungle family. Ps if you give Rafa “the jungle dog” apples you’ll have a friend for life.
Nicotortorella
December 27, 2016 at 5:46 pmLife Changed Forever
If I could leave 100 stars I would. This place was exactly what I was looking for. Perfect mix of traditional Ceremonies and amenities, while feeling very safe and taken care of. So much respect for all of the staff and other visitors. The shamans are the real deal. So so powerful. The most incredible fooooooood. Simple and delicious. Knowledge everywhere. Gym had everything I needed. Day trips off the property were wonderful. Everything everything everything was super easy. I can’t wait to go back. The ceremonies!!!!!!! My life forever changed. Thank you pulse, I am forever part of your family. So much love
Thomas
December 22, 2016 at 12:49 pmI’ve stayed one week in the jungle with Pulse Tours. It was a wonderful experience! Met so many nice people there: The shamans, the facilitators and of course the other guests! The ceremonies are carefully carried out. The Ayahuasca is well prepared in its pure form, containing only the Banisteriopsis Caapi vine and Psychotria Viridis leaves. The shamans lead the ceremonies with Icaros chanting and the facilitators do great job in taking care of the participants.
Throughout the day you can join different activities like jungle tours, meditation, yoga or hitting the gym.
It was the first time for me doing Ayahuasca and I’m definately considering coming back to this magical place!
Westerberg
December 20, 2016 at 8:43 pmI stayed with pulse tours for the 2 week intensive Ayahuasca retreat, which included 8 Ayahuasca cermonies, 2 nunu cermonies and 2 kamboda frog cermonies + floral bath and a place to stay and food with all the jungle trips exc.
Before I went on this adventure I had some knowledge on what I was about to bring myself into.
I heard alot about it, listen to Terrance McKenna’s 10 hour long talk about psychedelics, podcasts and more.
As a 20 year old that never had flown alone to a foreign country before, this was quite an experience. A wonderful one, seeing the first sight of Iquitos in realtime after I arrived to the airport I already thought that the trip had made itself worth. The city felt very unique in itself to me. Most of my insight with which people would consider phycadelics like mushrooms and LSD came through my brother. I myself had never tried or experienced any of those before. Even before the Ayauasca cermonies.
Ayauasca was first psychedelic experience.
Pulse tours picked us up at the hotel la casona as planned, and they are very friendly, this time our group was picked up by Melissa, Val and Dolan, and we all presented our selfs to eachother and after that Dolan brought us to a nice breakfast place called Dawn of the Amazon cafe. If you guys are going there I Recommend “The Acai Bowl” which taste really good and maybe even the Acai smoothie recommended by the chef in the menu aswell!
After the breakfast we went back and picked up our baggage and brought it to the drivers outside the hotel, then finally started our journey towards the center, we stopped 1 time on the way for a tiny break since some of us needed a snack or something to drink, about 25 mins after the break we stopped at a dinner and we got served some lunch at a cozy place besides the road where they apparently had some really nice grilled chicken which were one of the options to eat during the stay, the other one was a whole grilled fish which was good but I probably would have went with the chicken the next time around. Their juices they served there were so refreshing and tasty. At the lunch place one of the other facilitor members of the center arrived, which was Rafael, he is a really cool and knowledgeable guy. After that we arrived at a gas stop where we needed to continue on motortaxis (tuk tuks) towards the boats. 10 – 15 mins later we arrived att the dock where our boats were at and we put our big baggage in one of them which arrived abit later at the center. When we arrived att the dock we picked up some other members of the center, which had probably stayed a while in the village, one of them was Chandra and she is really lovely. During the boat ride, Falcon one of the guides for the jungle tours showed us a glimpse of the Amazon River which we passed by towards our boat ride to the center. When we arrived finally, they showed us around the center and we finally settled down for abit, and later that evening we gathered in the malocka (the big hut where the ceremonies take place) where we got introduced to the shamans for the nunu and the kamboda frog venom. And later at dawn we started the nunu ceremony, and early in the morning the second day we did the kamboda frog venom ceremony. After that we had a Ayauasca talk and we got introduced to 2 of the ayauasca shamans Ernesto and Angela. And later at dawn we started the first #1 Ayauasca cermony. The 3 day of the retreat, Wiler the third shaman for ayauasca arrived, and that dawn was followed with the second #2 Ayauasca cermony, where all 3 shamans of the ayauasca cermony sang together, which continued to happen following cermonies. Before most of the cermonies we did floral baths which feels very nice and refreshing.
Overall summary
I think that they handle everything very good, they got your back if you need help throughout the cermony, and after the cermony incase you need anything in particular. During some of the dark trips I had which was one of the best ones, they really had my back when I needed it. I also had very good ones which made me have a hard time not laughing. Its a very nice place to stay there is alot of mosquito nets and I didn’t have to wear any mosquito repellent at the center at all, and there were no mosquitos during the day at center just some that never got to you at night when you walked through to the next hut. I would bring for the jungle tours though, there could be alot in there sometimes. Also if you ever go out with Falcon on the jungle expedition exc, bring your camera, sometimes you meet the unexpected, and a monkey 🙂 Also for the sloth visit ofcourse.
I love the facilitators at center. And you will see that, as the more cermonies you do with the people in the group you are with at the center, you’ll grow a stronger connection with them. And that connection is really something worth feeling ones in your lifetime atleast ,I would say. If I ever decide to do ayauasca in the South America again I would definitely choose pulse tours again.
All my thanks go out to the shamans, the facilitators, the tribe and people I didn’t mention in this review about some of my experience during the visit with Pulse Tours. I love you all. And I hope I will see you again soon.
Thank you with all regards Johan Westerberg