How do I reserve my space?​

For your safety, every participant must complete a medical form and attend a video interview before being approved to join the retreat. To begin the process, please send us an email, letting us know you'd like to come, and we'll send you all the necessary documents to send back to us. Following your video call, payment of the 35% deposit via PayPal or Wise will confirm your place.

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What vaccinations do I need to enter Peru?

There are no legal vaccination requirements for entry to Peru. For general recommendations for travel vaccinations for Peru and South America, please follow the advice of your doctor.

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What kind of visa do I need to enter Peru?

Foreigners can enter Peru with a tourist visa which allows for 90 - 183 days inside the country. Citizens from the UK, US and many European and Latin American countries will be granted the visa upon arrival at the border. For some countries, you need to apply for the tourist visa 15 days or more before you come. You can find more information about Peruvian tourist visas, and if you need to apply for one at https://www.gob.pe/en/36240-apply-for-a-tourist-visa-to-enter-peru ​

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Is there a currency exchange in the area?

Yes - for the best exchange rates, we recommend the currency exchanges in Cusco city centre. You will be able to exchange currencies at the airport as well but the rates are not so good. You can also withdraw soles, and often US Dollars, from most ATM machines with fees varying depending on the banks at both ends.

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How do I get to the retreat?

We'll provide your transport from either Cusco airport or your accommodation in the Sacred Valley to and from the retreat. Let us know when you've arranged your travel so that we can arrange to pick you up. To get to the area, there are regular daily flights between Lima and Cusco airports and daily flights between Cusco and some of the other major cities in Peru. Cusco is also accessible by bus from Lima and from other cities in Peru, but do be aware that the bus journies can be very long , its a 24 hour ride from Lima to Cusco.

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Do I need to stop taking medications before drinking Ayahuasca?

Yes - almost all pharmaceutical medications need to be discontinued for a period of time before and after drinking Ayahuasca, and many herbal medicines and supplements need to be stopped for a short period of time as well. The amount of time varies depending on the medication. SSRIs and other strong anti-depressants need to be discontinued for at least 6-8 weeks before and after drinking - this is extremely important as combining these with Ayahuasca can potentially be fatal. Other medications generally need to be discontinued for 2-4 weeks before and after, and supplements and herbal medicines for 1-2 weeks. During our video meeting, we'll talk about any medications you're taking that will need to be stopped and for how long, and we'll support you with working with your doctor to go through this process safely.

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I have food allergies and/or follow a restriced diet, are you able to cater for me?

Yes, we can cater for your dietary requirements and will do our best to make your food as satisfying as possible whilst also following the restrictions for the dieta and the plant medicines. Please let us know about any dietary requirements during our initial call so that we can be sure to have all the ingredients that we need for you.

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Can I take altitude pills with Ayahuasca?​

No, altitude pills are not compatible with Ayahuasca and need to be discontinued for 4-5 days beforehand. You will be in a high altitude climate - Urubamba is at 2870m, and Cusco is at 3400m. Symptoms of altitude sickness can vary from person to person ranging from no symptoms at all, to shortness of breath upon excursion, to intense headaches, breathlessness and exhaustion. We'll have some medicinal teas available to help with the altitude and you'll have plenty of time to rest at the retreat, but if you are concened about coming straight into the retreat at a high altitude, we recommend that you arrive a few days earlier to acclimatise. We can also give you directions to oxygen tanks in Cusco, which many people find help with the symptoms.

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What kind of preparation and integration support do you provide?

In our initial video call, we'll talk about your reasons for coming to the retreat and you'll have the opportunity to ask any questions, to talk about any concerns you may have and to let us know your needs. You'll also be send some preparation information including what to bring and what to expect, and some journalling and meditation exercises that can help you prepare. We're always avaialable to answer any questions by email in the run-up to the retreat so you can get in touch at any time that you need to. 

Following the retreat, you'll have three integration calls about a month, three months and six months afterwards, to check in with how you're doing and to assist you if you're experiencing any challenges. The timing of these calls is flexible and they can be taken when you most need them, so they can be much sooner and closer together if you're in need of support. We're also always available to support you if you need it and you can send us an email or a text at any time.

Integration is a unique and personal process for everyone and we'll do all we can to provide you with the support that you need in the way that you need it - this can include talking through your ceremonies and your process, addressing challenges, support with health and lifestyle changes, and guided meditation and yoga practices to bring into your days.

You'll also receive access to three monthly group integration meetings, via Zoom, to attend at any time that best suits you after the retreat. These meetings are open to everyone including participants from other retreats and those who have not attended ceremonies or retreats with us, and are intended provide a safe space for sharing, integration and discussion around the medicines, healing and spirituality. Sometimes one of the biggest challenges can be returning home to an environment where very few people understand your experience, so the monthly group meetings provide a space for individuals to meet, share and connect. Following the retreat, you'll receive access to three group meetings at no additional cost, and the usual fee to join is $10.

Additional preparation and integration sessions are also available for $70 per session, or $390 for six sessions (you can combine preparation and integration sessions as you need).

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Do I have to drink Ayahuasca in every ceremony?

No - you are never obliged to drink the medicines and you can come to the retreat and not consume a single drop if you don't want to! Sometimes, after a very strong Ayahuasca ceremony, participants choose to take a night off from drinking and this is absolutely fine, but you will still be required to sit in the ceremony to receive the icaros and your personal cleansing, as the medicine and your dieta will still be working with you, even if you haven't drank that night. ​

We also always reserve the right to not serve you Ayahuasca at any time if we believe it is not in your best interests for your safety and wellbeing,  or in the best interests of the other participants​

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What safety meausures do you have in place to ensure that the ceremonies are safe for everyone?

Your safety is our number one priority! We give every participant a medical screening and video call to check that we feel it is 100% safe for them to consume Ayahuasca, and if at any time we have any reason to believe that it would not be safe for someone to drink it, even if thay have already drank in that retreat or in that ceremony, we will refuse to serve that person.

The maximum group size for this retreat is six people, which allows for every participant to receive personal attention from Lidia and from the retreat staff and facilitators.

After confirming your space, you'll also be sent a document containing our rules and policies around personal conduct and respect for others during ceremony and at the retreat, which you'll be expected to follow at all times.

 

We also take the following safety measures for all of our Ayahuasca ceremonies:

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• There is always one facilitator present who does not drink Ayahuasca during ceremonies, in case of the event of an emergency.
   

• Retreat facilitators are available 24/7 for the duration of the retreat, for assistance whenever needed.
   

• Any participant demonstrating abusive behaviour and/or dierespect for other participants and the ceremony rules will be asked to leave the premesis.

 

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How do I arrange to go to Macchu Picchu before/after the retreat?

There are always many tours leaving for Macchu Picchu from Cusco, Urubamba and the Sacred Valley and it's easy to arrange a trip. We can put you in touch with English speaking guides who previous retreat participants have given us great feedback about.  If you are going straight from the retreat, you might find it easiest to get a taxi or a collectivo from Urubamba to Ollantaytambo (about 30 mins) and from there you can get the train to Macchu Picchu. It's recommended to book tickets and train tickets ahead of time - if you're going with a guide they will help you from this, or they can be booked online. If serveral members of the group are all looking to go, we can help to arrange a tour for the group to go togeher.