Our Program
At Arkana, we create the space for you to get in touch with your truth, opening your path for deeper meaning and greater fulfillment in your life. We work with ancestral medicines such as Ayahuasca, San Pedro, Bufo Alvarius, Rapé , using the traditional practices of the indigenous cultures of the Peruvian Amazon. We currently operate two centers in Peru, one in the Peruvian Amazon and a second one in the Sacred Valley (close to Machu Picchu), and one in Mexico, the choice is yours.
With great respect for the plants and the knowledge and healing that comes with them, our lineage of Shipibo shamans set the stage for truly deep and profound healing. Awaken your inner power through their sacred and powerful icaros (healing songs), and discover your connection to all things by exploring some of the 2.2 million hectare Pacaya Samiria National Reserve which is our backyard. Nourish your body and soul with fresh, clean, delicious meals that promote your Ayahuasca experience, and integrate healthy habits into your routine with our yoga classes and extensive selection of gym equipment for all levels. We believe the health of physical body sets the foundation for the health of the energetic body – Often ignored in this type of spiritual work, we find this to be an important part of the healing process, so you can begin implementing the healthy habits that will carry this work with you into your life back home. Finally, relax your mind and spirit with sound baths, meditations, breathwave sessions, and OM circles, or simply enjoy the tranquil views of both sunrise and sunset from our front porch on the banks of the Ucayali River, surrounded by lush biodiversity and the mesmerizing sounds of the jungle.
Arkana’s exceptional team of highly-trained Shipibo Master Shamans represent an unbroken lineage of plant medicine work. With a combined history of over 70 years of experience working closely with Ayahuasca and other master plant teachers of the jungle, our compassionate healers lovingly share their teachings, healing songs (icaros), capabilities, and knowledge with integrity and honor. We strive to maintain the traditional practices passed down through thousands of years of indigenous Amazonian culture, in order to continue to promote the true purpose and nature of plant medicine work.
Experiencing the medicines with us is a transformative personal journey, and so much more. We also work closely with our local community, the Amazonian village of Libertad, to ensure that our Center can benefit and give back to the people who have so generously let us into their homes and hearts. We create employment opportunities, teach free English classes, provide a space for the ladies to sell their handmade crafts, and assist in construction projects, among other things. Our latest endeavor is outfitting the entire village with free solar panels, so every house can have light and electricity. When you join us, you are helping the rainforest and the Amazon communities that live here.
Guests that come to our Center often say they feel like “part of the family” with us – that’s no coincidence, as we are one big family at Arkana! The people that are with you throughout your experience can simply facilitate your own healing journey or become an integral part of it. Our experienced, loving, and professional team of caregivers welcomes you to join our tribe, where we strive to make you feel at home and at ease, supported and cared for with all the love and compassion that is at the core of the plant medicines and people we work with.
Ayahuasca is a powerful medicine that offers us the opportunity to understand our true nature, by shining a light onto our darkness, and holding a mirror up to our fears, negative thought patterns, and self-limiting beliefs. We provide the environment and expertise of a team of highly skilled, warm, compassionate Shamans and facilitators to guide you through the process of awakening, of choosing differently, healing, and expanding. It is a slow but steady path towards freedom – from fear, from illusion, from self-constructed boundaries – resulting in a lighter, brighter, more authentic self, and the full experience of love. It is our honor to help you on this most fulfilling of all journeys: the journey back home.
We look forward to having you with us!
Lots of Love,
The Team
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HuachumaGargler
December 3, 2024 at 3:56 pmThis is for the Sacred Valley location.
This was my first ayahuasca retreat. I didn’t know what to expect. Arkana takes a very active role in your week. They very focused on spirituality and healing and take their medicines and ceremonies very seriously. On the first day you are asked to set an intention and share this with the maestros through a translator. I wasn’t entirely comfortable sharing my problems with total strangers and gave a high-level version, not going too deep.
The ceremony space is very compact and personal. You need to be comfortable with strangers hearing all your bodily purging sounds loud and clear. And you need to be comfortable hearing that from everyone else. If you’re shy or squeamish you might be better off in one of their other retreat locations.
The center is beautiful and comfortable. The food is excellent. The staff is excellent. The facilitators are kind and genuine. They’ve seen people go through hell and know how to take care of you. The maestros are the real thing. They care about you, listen to what you share, and give good feedback. I only wish I spoke Spanish so I could talk with them.
I had a hard time with the altitude the first half of the retreat. I also had some minor allergic reaction to either mapacho or palo santo smoke. Other people reported the same. The schedule is a bit tough as well. Ayahuasca ceremonies 2 nights in a row can be exhausting because it’s usually difficult to get any sleep either night. This was followed by a very long day visiting Machu Picchu, followed the next day with a bufo ceremony and another ayahuasca ceremony. I could have used a rest day or 2 in there.
I would like Arkana to provide even more integration support after the experience. I don’t know what’s practical, but something like a regular meeting online would be great. I know they do this sometimes, but I think even once a week wouldn’t be too much. Especially for recent retreat attendees.
Evan G
November 26, 2024 at 4:50 pmQuite literally the best week and most profound healing and transformational experience of my life. The maestros and medicine were incredible and the sitting with them in ceremony was unforgettable. But also the facilitators, the staff, the food, the mission, every single detail at Arkana Sacred Valley was above expectations and made for an absolute perfect week. If you’re being called to the medicine and looking for the right place, you can’t find better than Arkana. Whether the Jungle or the Sacred Valley, Arkana is the place. They go above and beyond and treat every person and step of the way with unconditional Love. Your Soul is waiting ✨.
TravelAroundTheWorld
November 26, 2024 at 11:16 amI recently participated in an Ayahuasca retreat with Arkana in the Peru Amazon location. It was a really transformative experience for me. The team was incredibly professional and supportive, creating a safe and nurturing environment for my healing and personal growth.
I was particularly impressed by the schedule beyond the Ayahuasca ceremonies. We had many activities before the ceremonies to prepare us and many activities afterwards to integrate the experiences.
I would highly recommend this retreat to anyone seeking a transformative experience.
tolo
November 24, 2024 at 12:03 amI am a meditation teacher and surprised when called to the medicine. I am grateful for this journey and Arkana is highly recommended. Today I have deep reverence for the medicine and Arkana has become family. The support, cuisine, and accommodations were wonderful. If I return to Aya it will be through Arkana. It was truly an authentic experience
PabloPicante
November 22, 2024 at 5:57 amI attended Arkana Amazon nearly a month ago, and to say the experience was life changing would be an understatement. Everything from the itinerary, to the facilitators and the staff was beyond expectations. The Shamans are truly a gift as they help you navigate through the ceremonies and the medicine’s journey. I left the jungle with tons of questions answered and others that I didn’t know needed to be answered until I returned. Arkana puts as much work into the after process and integration as they do during the retreat. Highly highly recommended