Ayahuasca Retreat Reviews — Helping You Stay Safe with 5,000+ Independent Reviews
Aya Madre is a shamanic healing center outside of Iquitos, Peru. It is owned and operated by master Shipibo shaman Estela Pangoza and her family. Maestra Estela is a renowned healer who works with the power of ayahuasca and mother nature as part of an ancient system of holistic treatment. Come heal your physical, emotional and/or spiritual illnesses, and connect more deeply to nature, yourself and higher states of well-being.
Maestra Estela has owned this property and been hosting a wide range of guests, clients and patients for over 5 years. In 2018 the center was officially founded as “Aya Madre.” Maestra Estela’s vision is to open a space deep in the heart of the jungle for people from the around the world to experience the deep and profound healing of mother nature.
While “ayahuasca tourism” has boomed in the Amazon jungle, with tourists seeking the sometimes thrilling visions ayahuasca can offer, Maestra Estela practices a traditional form of Shipibo plant medicine. This tradition sees ayahuasca as one of many master plants which along with a range of other plant treatments, can act as a powerful diagnostic tool, purgative, and ultimately, help us connect more deeply with the healing power within ourselves and all around us. This form of Shipibo plant medicine has been practiced for thousands of years, and at Aya Madre guests will be immersed in the full system of healing under Maestra Estela’s care and guidance.
As far as we know, this center is unique in being 100% owned and operated by a female, indigenous shaman. This is no small task in a world of shamanism dominated by men. Maestra Estela provides a safe, nurturing, empowering environment where you can experience the deep healing of the jungle, Ayahuasca, and the Shipibo plant tradition.
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butterfliesinthesky
November 22, 2025 at 9:57 amMedicina medicina medicina
Wow! I am so grateful for my experience at Aya Madre! It has been a blessing to receive plant medicine from such a knowledgeable, kind, healing Maestra Estela. The Shippibo family is welcoming with sweet smiles and the Amazonian location has all the butterflies and birds to captivate you. There is a special diet to help ensure the plants are received better and plant teas for healing your body inside and out.
The Ayahuasca was sensational and Maestra sings to everyone individually to provide a more intimate connection as you receive the medicine. It truly is an authentic plant medicine experience from a woman who breaths the Amazon and heals with her magical hands. Thank you so much for the opportunity to receive, learn, release, and grow. You must give yourself the gift of AyaMadre!!
Debbie Mac11
November 17, 2025 at 1:26 pmMy 10 days at the Aya Madre Healing Center were nothing short of transformational. I connected so deeply with the plants of my dieta—wisdom that felt ancient, intimate, and alive. It’s guidance I know will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Julie’s meals were a daily gift. She cooked for us three times a day, and I found myself genuinely excited for each one. Her food was nourishing, grounding, and made with such obvious love and care.
The ceremonies were profoundly heart-opening and deeply healing. Maestra Estella and her brother Roldán are truly remarkable humans and extraordinary shamans. They seemed to understand exactly what I needed even without me ever having to speak it. Their presence made me feel held, supported, and completely safe throughout the entire process.
Aya Madre is a place of real, honest healing. I’m endlessly grateful for my time spent at Aya Madre.
Brenda
November 17, 2025 at 12:29 pmChoosing Aya Madre is a serious commitment, and it’s something you step into with intention. You are traveling into a very remote part of the Amazon to do deep personal work, and the experience reflects that. For me, the heart of Aya Madre is Maestra Estela. Everything people say about her is true. She is powerful, grounded, and deeply connected to the work. You don’t just come for the setting, you come because she is the one guiding you. She holds the space with a kind of clarity and strength that makes the whole process possible. She holds space for the medicine to pluck away deep emotional pain, thought patterns, karmic cycles, completely buried in the subconscious so that you could begin to work at it.
At the same time, it’s important to understand what you are walking into. This is not a wellness retreat with modern “comforts”. You have the basics you need, but the focus is the work itself. The remoteness strips away distraction *very important*, and because of that, the process can be both transformative and challenging. I would not recommend this level of isolation to someone who has never explored deep deep healing work or therapy before. You need a strong mindset, conviction, and a clear intention when you arrive.
Even with the intensity, I can already feel the changes in my life weeks after returning. My mindset, the things that have begun to come up, the clarity I gained, all of it continues to unfold. Aya Madre is not for everyone, but if you are ready for real, life shifting work, and you feel called to learn under someone who truly knows how to hold the space, Maestra Estela is worth the journey.
My only bit of feedback would be around the food. Expanding the menu a little would really help. The limited options made the work feel even tougher, and simple, bland food can still be nourishing and taste good. It doesn’t have to be unpleasant to support the process.
heloise
October 20, 2025 at 4:50 pmAyamadre is an incredible place.
Maestra Estela is humble and dévoted to people who Come to heal in her center . She is radiating love and her icaros are so powerfull.
Ayamadre is a traditional dieting center , you have no activities and very simple food in respect of the diet conditions. They know What sacred médecine is . you are invités to meditate Connect with your plant , and with thé nature . You can go swiming After ceremony in thé river it is Magic .
They serve wachuma and ayahuasca médecine . It is a very Nice combination of grandfathzr and grand mother energy.
Thais place is quiet just 6 people at thé Time ….. pure magic
Janofthejungle
October 1, 2025 at 7:32 pmMy experience at Aya Madre in May of 2025 was nothing short of life-changing. This retreat offered a profound and transformative journey that went far beyond my expectations. From the moment I arrived, I was enveloped in an atmosphere of pure love and support.
The heart of this experience is the incredible Maestra Estella. She is a truly gifted, wise, and deeply caring healer. Her presence is both powerful and gentle, and she guides the ceremonies with immense wisdom and compassion. I felt completely safe and held in her capable hands.
It’s important to know that the setting is primitive—this is not a luxury resort. However, that is its greatest strength. Being one with nature, disconnected from the distractions of the modern world, is absolutely essential to connecting deeply with the plant medicine. The simplicity allows for a pure, unadulterated journey inward.
One of the most beautiful and unexpected gifts was the community. I met people who I know will be lifelong friends. Sharing this profound experience in such a supportive environment created bonds that are difficult to describe.
This was not a one-time trip for me; it was the beginning of an annual pilgrimage. I plan on returning to Aya Madre every year to continue my healing and growth under Maestra Estella’s wonderful guidance. If you are called to this path, I cannot recommend this sacred place highly enough.