I visited SelvaMadre end of last year. The resort is situated in an isolated, beautiful and quiet area in the Jungle. Perfect for an authentic Jungle stay experience. The atmosphere is already breathing peace, welcoming you pleasantly when you arrive there. Traditional and basic Tambos have what you need, a private room, a clean bed, a toilet (a normal one, not a sawdust bucket) and a place for showering. There was no running water or electricity when I stayed there, but I quickly realized that it isn?t needed. I could manage well using little buckets with water for showering and flushing the toilet. It didn?t bother me at all, it adds to your ?Back to Basics? experience.

Tambos are virtually bug free. No mosquitos inside. In general there were some mosquitos outside, but not an amount to be worried about. Just stay inside when the sun goes up or under, that?s snack time for those buggies. You are in the Jungle, so you have to live with the animal creatures around you. But I felt very safe here, both from animals as from people. No stress.

The care of the visitors by the people who run this resort, Shaman Don Lucho and his family, is most probably the strongest point they have. You have the feeling that you are part of his family from the first day on. You spent the day with them, talk with them, eat with them, have ceremonies with them. And they are very open and willing to listen to you. This absolutely contributes to the trust and comfort you need while taking part in Ayahuasca ceremonies. Specifically when you are doing this for the first time.
This is also a safe place for women, as the Shaman, Don Lucho, is a Shaman who recognizes his position with respect when dealing with women in general. I saw that many times during my stay.
Lucky for me I could speak Spanish, so I did not need a translator. Because of that I could express myself very well, and the time Don Lucho spent with me was super beneficial for my personal development. He really is interested in you and does everything within his capacity to make your stay an unforgettable one. But also an experience to take with you when returning home. That?s up to you!

The food is OK, everyday it is freshly prepared on site. Specific ?ayahuasca dieting? is not so strict here. I struggled a bit with this in the beginning but quickly accepted the Shamans opinion about it as it did not affect my experience with ayahuasca. The ayahuasca is also prepared on site. Only ayahuasca and chakruna, nothing else. It is not the strongest ayahuasca I have taken in my life, so if you are looking for a ?tripping in the jungle? experience where you don?t know where you are anymore, this place is not for you. But when you are looking for a spiritual experience, going easy in ceremonies and are open to learn and face yourself, this is a place for you. Especially when you have no experience and you are doing this for the first time. It is very safe, as the Shaman is not a fan of loading you up with ayahuasca to a point where people lose themselves. He prefers to slowly walk towards deeper experiences instead of running to the top and being out of breath. The day after the ceremony is just as important as the ceremony itself, to reflect on your experience and integrate the insights gained. It was absolutely beneficial for me. The ceremonies are what you would expect, and the Shaman sings and whistles very beautiful, adding positively to the experience of taking part in an ayahuasca ceremony.

The price of the retreat packages are very reasonable for what you get. And you can see with your own eyes where your money is going. There were a lot of building and expanding activities in the retreat area when I was there. I can imagine this place becoming bigger and bigger through time, as it has an unique formula.

Unfortunately for me I had to leave the retreat due to a medical condition coming to the surface caused by the combination of heat and humidity in the Jungle. I got advised to go to dryer areas to improve my medical condition, which I did. There was no problem coming back later and continue with my retreat. But when I came back a couple of weeks later, the same medical condition flared up again making it impossible for me to continue. Since this was very personal and unexpected, after some talking with the Shaman, Don Lucho, he agreed to give me a fair refund of the part of the retreat I could not attend anymore. And I did receive this refund a couple of weeks later with no problems. It is not about the money refunded, but the act of understanding the situation and responding accordingly. This absolutely contributed to the trust I already had in this Shaman, Don Lucho. As money is not his primary goal but the wellbeing of his visitors is.

I have no doubts about his true intentions. This Shaman is for real. Most probably one of the few Shamans left in this growing ayahuasca tourism business who still has his both feet on the ground and wants to help and cure you and is not chasing your money for personal profit.

I absolutely recommend this retreat center. When my medical situation is cured, after my surgery, I will return when I am in the area. Thank you Don Lucho and all your family members for your care and understanding !