They say you can only trust a review when you know the source, so first a bit of my own background: I?m a 23 y/o female, I generally consider myself an atheist, though if I had to pick a religion I most closely identify with it would be Buddhism. I attended an ivy league university studying Bioengineering, and finished with my Master?s. I?m a scientist through and through. The study of spirituality piqued my interest while I was in college, mainly because of the sheer diversity of people and cultures I encountered. There were so many questions posed by so many people. So with a goal to keep an open mind, I ventured into the world of hallucinogens. In reality I wanted to better understand myself and the world, beyond the logical and into something much more subjective. And while up until then I had ventured into cannabis pretty exclusively, I discovered a whole new side of my mind when trying hallucinogens. I got into lucid dreaming, I marveled at myself and the human experience, I felt connected to things and people like I never had before. I pursued mindfulness meditation and yoga. It colored my world. It fascinated and intrigued me and I wanted to know more.

I’m also a Redditor. For those of you who aren’t familiar, check it out. You’re welcome. I subscribe to the Psychonaut forum – some things can be hit or miss but generally speaking they have interesting perspectives and articles on all things cerebral. This is relevant because that’s where I first heard about Pulse Tours. Dan Cleland posted about his experiences leading people on an adventure tour of the Amazon jungle, culminating in a few days at a spiritual center and participating in Ayahuasca ceremonies. Dan was well-spoken, knowledgeable of the people and the area, had experience with the medicine before, and took the time to thoroughly answer even the most skeptical questions. I was immediately interested, as I was graduating just before the trip he was planning and I thought this would be an exceptional way to transition to the next big phase of my life. I contacted him immediately and wanted to bring my significant other along. Dan and I talked back and forth, I got a good vibe and did some due diligence. Everything I found about him I could tell he was interested in people and cultures, and that he had experience traveling throughout South America. My family (and even my ultra-skeptical SO) thought I was crazy for venturing into the unknown with someone(s) I had essentially met through the internet. Maybe I was crazy, probably a little naive, but somehow I knew he was genuine. I was sure of it and I decided, fuck it, I’m going to trust my gut. It was risky, but I did.

It was fucking awesome. No, seriously, it was beautiful and scary and bug-filled and sweaty and rain-soaked and dirty and I have never felt more alive. I breathed more deeply, spent more energy, slept more soundly and fell in love with the jungle, with my trip mates, with my SO, with the Earth, with life. I have never seen stars so beautiful or trees in such numbers. In short, if you’re looking at this site: Go, get the message Ayahuasca can bring you, and do something about it.

Now, in terms of actually reviewing this particular company:

I had only been out of the country once before, a rather inexperienced traveler, and that was perfectly ok. Dan, the founder and at the time the sole trip leader, took care of everything, literally everything. He had the logistics down, the transportation down, he spoke Spanish fluently and was one of the most genuine people I have ever met. I could tell he cared and wanted us to experience everything we could. He arranged some amazing adventures: we caught and released cayman; we fished for piranha (I caught 4); we took a jungle tour (where one of our boat’s motors fell into the water – truly a real Amazon adventure there. Kudos to our Peruvian guides for improvising a solution) where our local guide, Victor (also an amazing man who is continuing business with Pulse Tours – ask him for folklore stories about the jungle, they are fascinating) showed us the diversity and functionality of the Amazon’s myriad flora and fauna; we fed bananas to monkeys; we held a sloth!; we swam with the pink river dolphins; we toured the markets and I ate grubs for the first time; and all of this before we even went to the spiritual center. Dan did his research and took us to a spiritual center that was not only legitimate but had clean accommodations, was involved in and respectful of the surrounding area, and where the Ayahuasca contained only the two main ingredients, b. caapi and I believe chacruna in this case. The ceremonies were led by two shamans who sang beautifully, in a sacred Moloka hut. Everyone sits in a large circle, and gets their own mattress, pillows, sheets, and buckets. It’s kept clean and the grounds are beautiful. During the ceremonies there are respectful guards outside to help you get to the bathroom if needed and just make sure you’re not wandering off into the jungle. It’s a safe place and it facilitated an unforgettable experience. Pulse Tours gave the group the freedom to experience the jungle, the people, each other, and themselves and I highly recommend this company. Dan and Tatyana are hardworking people who want to spend their lives spreading the word about not only Ayahuasca, but the sacredness, beauty, and fragility of the Amazon. Victor grew up in the Amazon and wants nothing more than to protect it, to show people its wonders so they can appreciate and cherish it. They are genuinely good people who put their hearts and minds into Pulse Tours and they deserve as much business as they can handle.

My favorite part of this company is that they wanted us to experience the jungle first, which I think is what separates this from most other Aya trips – it’s so, so important to understand, or at least glimpse, the nature and culture of the Amazon, the people and animals that inhabit this beautiful, scary, fascinating, fragile world. Dan and Tatyana and Victor all get that. They facilitated a journey that was well thought out, well executed, and truly a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life.