Peru Retreat – 10-Day Healing and Learning Retreat in Peru – June 2025

Ayahuasca Healing
& Learning Retreat in Peru
June 13th – June 27th, 2025

Please read the following summary and scroll to the bottom of this page to register…

Retreat Location: Yachay Wasi Lodge (located in the Amazon Rainforest, four hours upriver from Iquitos, Peru). 

​Ayahuasquero: Don Eladio Melendez Garcia. Both Don Eladio’s father and grandfather were ayahuasquero curanderos. Don Eladio is both a respected teacher and healer, deeply familiar with the curative plants of the region. You’ll discover his approach to be welcoming and gracious. Don Eladio has traveled extensively throughout the region in his healing practice, in addition to participating in ceremonies with multiple tribes. His ready understanding of both western culture and tribal customs gives him firm footing in bridging the knowledge of the medicina to western mindsets. His retreat center is located in the rainforest outside of the tiny riverside village of Genaro Herrera.

Prerequisite: To join us on this retreat, it is a requirement that you have sat in ceremony with AYA prior to the retreat.

Arrival: Please plan on arriving in Iquitos, Peru no later than June 13, 2025.

​​Length of Retreat: 10-day stay at the Yachay Wasi Lodge retreat compound. 

​​Basic Itinerary: 

Day 1: We’ll meet at Hotel La Casona in Iquitos, Peru.

Day 3: We’ll travel by bus and fast boat to reach the Yachay Wasi Lodge outside of the riverside village of Genaro Herrera.

Day 3 – Day 13: We’ll journey and train in apprenticeship fashion with Don Eladio Melendez Garcia for 10 days.  While there, we’ll sit in ceremony with Ayahuasca four times and will spend our days learning and gaining experience with the traditions, songs, and medicinal plants of the region.

Day 14: Return trip to Hotel La Casona in Iquitos.

Cost of Retreat: It’s $2,000 USD for your 10-day Healing & Learning Retreat at the Yachay Wasi Lodge. Lodging, meals, and transportation from and returning to Iquitos are included in the cost of the retreat. To hold your space, a $1,000 non-refundable deposit is due at the time of signing up. The remaining $1,000 to complete payment for the retreat is due by Tuesday, May 27. 

Additional Costs & Travel Arrangements: To make participation as economical as possible for everyone, we’re leaving flight bookings and hotel reservations in Iquitos up to each participant; but, if you need assistance, we’re happy to help. Flights to Iquitos, Peru are currently running around $900 – $1,200.  This is the most economical solution for those traveling from the US.  Our favorite flight booking site is www.seatguru.com. 

​​Hotel: Hotel La Casona is our top choice for meeting in Iquitos before traveling upriver into the Amazon Rainforest. It’s easy to book online and the hotel runs approximately $30/night. Hotel La Casona caters to ayahuasca travelers from around the planet. It’s a great place to meet people. The easiest way to make a reservation is to email Hotel La Casona at contacto@hotellacasonaiquitos.com.pe. You might find Google Translate helpful when making your reservation as well. We’d recommend reserving a room with AC. Hotel La Casona will also pick you up at the airport for transportation to the hotel.

Bus & Boat Trip: Transportation to Yachay Wasi Lodge from Iquitos is included in the cost of the Retreat.

​​Passports: You’ll need a passport to travel to Peru from the US. You can begin the process online. It can take take 4-6 weeks for standard processing, 2-3 weeks for expedited processing, or less time if you’re near a passport field office. See link for details on timetables.​

Climate: Rain and cloud-cover cycle day to day. Days can run into the high 80’s and evenings into the low 60’s.  So you’ll want to pack accordingly. Long pants are essential for jungle walks.

Translation: We will hire a Translator to assist us during our time at Yachay Wasi Lodge.

We’ll get you more details on flight plans, what to pack, and how to prepare for your stay in Peru as the trip draws closer as well.​

There are a few things to keep in mind before signing up: If you have a heart condition or chronic high blood pressure, you may not be able to participate in ceremony. Certain drugs, herbs, and medications have also been found to be incompatible with ayahuasca. If you’ve been on one of the SSRI class of antidepressants, you’ll need to have been off of them for 8 weeks before participating in ceremony. Antihypertensive medications must also be completely out of your system in order to safely participate in ceremony. We advise that you give your system sufficient time for the removal of any incompatible substances from your body before attending ceremony, and please make sure that you consult with your healthcare provider before discontinuing any prescription medications. Major health conditions may require special attention, so please feel free to contact us by phone or email if you have any questions or concerns in this regard.

After you sign up and provide your donation for ceremony here, you will be sent a confirmation email and provided with links to fill out your AYA Health Form and Ceremony Questionnaire. Each ceremony participant will need to fill out their own health form and questionnaire for review.

For contact information or to register, please click the Register Now button below…