We are an ayahuasca retreat healing center, operating as a lodge in the Amazon rainforest. We are located 90 minutes outside of Iquitos, Peru near the small village of Llanchama along the Nanay River.
We provide traditional Shipibo medicine services wich includes: healing and learning diets, master plant medicine, and traditional Shipibo ayahuasca ceremonies.
Once you are here, you will meet with our shaman master healer Ricardo Amaringo, and with the asistance of a profesional translator, you can explain him your intention for the healing procces.
Your treatment will then be tailored to your personal needs, often including further treatment with a master plant. Furthermore, in traditional style, you will then adhere to a strict healing diet developed to promote the healing work of the curanderos and our medicinal plants.
Once on the diet, you will be invited to participate in ayahuasca ceremonies four times a week, for further ceremonial healing under the guidance of Ricardo and his assistants shamans. In ceremony, you will be further treated by the curanderos through the traditional healing song, called icaros.
The day after every ayahuasca ceremony, with the exception of Fridays, there is a group discussion led by Ricardo to review experiences in the ceremony and the progress of all of our participants, apprentices and visitors.
In some cases, further treatment techniques are also indicated, including healing plant preparations for bathing and vapor treatment, or cataplasm.
Traditional treatment requires time, so visitors are encouraged to visit us for one week or more. Group programs are often designed for 10 days or 2 weeks and more advanced treatment can take one/two months or longer.
For particular individuals, we also offer traditional diets for learning under the guidance of Ricardo. This level of training is best discussed in person with Ricardo himself.
We charge an all-inclusive daily fee for our services, which covers transport from the Iquitos airport, private room, modern bathrooms and showers, diet meals, laundry service, electricity, wifi internet, traditional medicine and experienced international facilitator staff support.
If you are interested in visiting, please email us to establish contact and verify availability at our center. From that point, we can plan your visit!
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Recent Reviews
Review of Lighthouse by What can I say?! There were wonderful people in the center, especially Gino, Christian and Diana, who assisted the shaman, but also the cooking crew and the gardeners. They all have a very open heart and really support the guests… Read More from susan Apr 21, 13:53
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nicolas
May 10, 2022 at 5:26 pmI lost 675 USD and unfortunately I never was welcomed there. I wanted to go there because it was highly recommended to me but due to a total lack of answers, support and bad management the Nihue Rao center made me waste a good amount of money.
Nine month before going there I paid my deposit for me and my girlfriend who was just planned to stay with me but not drink ayahuasca. Everything was confirmed and okay. Until one month before where I had a few questions by email.They first denied my deposit and told me there was an issue with the person not drinking. That it might cost more.They never replied to my questions, ignored me went they where online, and it has been a festival of excuses. Covid, malaria, connexion, …
They never took responsibility in their awful management and they sneakily stole me some money.The center and the master are probably good, but the management were disgraceful to me. Just be aware. If you feel that anything is not right just pass on and find some more reliable center.
carsonst
July 12, 2021 at 9:04 amThis was my second time staying at Nihue Rao and my first time doing a 1-month long plant diet. Although it was a challenging experience, it was exactly what I needed. During this month, I learned a ton not only from my plant teachers but also from integration sessions with the head shaman, Ricardo, who willingly shared his deep knowledge of the world of Ayahuasca and Shipibo shamanism. Ricardo and his fellow shamans are second to none in regard to the strength and healing power of their icaros. Also, they really do care about your well-being and it is clear that they put your healing at the forefront.
Lastly, since coming back for a second trip, it is clear that management has improved and is only going to get better. The group of facilitators was amazingly kind, caring, and full of wisdom. When embarking on a plant medicine journey the most important thing is to feel safe and supported and that is what you will get at Nihue Rao.
Mishaleader
June 14, 2021 at 3:59 pmAmazing place! I was there three times and definitely planning to come back. Shaman Ricardo does incredible work, kipping up with the shipibo traditions and enlightening others. Facilitators, who truly enjoy helping passengers. Variety of master plants to meet everyones need. Great, magic ceremonies of Mother Ayavaska. Thank you Nihue Rao for everything!
Royal Celestial
January 11, 2021 at 10:54 pmI was one of the long term dieters, and I know that people who run this center are more concerned with their reviews on Aya advisors as opposed to their relationships with their pasajeros/dieters and their privacy. So after paying this center more than 14k of my hard earned money, it’s only fair that I leave this review.
When you diet trees, you go deep. The wisdom you learn from the trees is superior to the knowledge that can be gleaned from the books, for that wisdom comes directly from the Cosmos in its purest and most unadulterated state. As one of the long term dieters, I had a very intense process. It was profoundly healing, and I had amazing breakthroughs and results. I am thankful for the healing I received here. Yet I can’t help but feel betrayed and violated by the people who work here and were supposed to keep my personal and intimate information private.
As with every long term diet involving an intense and powerful tree, there are tests that come up and challenges one must face and overcome. I shared some of my personal challenges with the manager of the center, Benoit Allouche (who I used to trust and have a lot of respect for – past tense). Benoit used to work with all long term dieters and assist them during the more challenging aspects of their diet (which is a fairly standard thing on a long diet). What was highly unethical and unprofessional, however, was the fact that the manager of this center and people who work there violated my privacy and shared very personal and private information (that was not even written in stone at the time) with others who worked there or just happened to be in the Nihue Rao clique of friends. It felt like sacrilege. Low level aggressive people affiliated with this center (who I don’t even know and who don’t know me) went out of their way to speculate on the state of my diet, life, and even well-being thanks to Benoit (the girl he started hooking up with and others who work there and can’t honor dieters’ privacy).
They attack long-term dieters’ dietas, they say lies, and they even steal people’s dietas by blocking their medicine. The two women who worked there as temporary facilitators were highly jealous, aggressive, disingenuous and competitive types. One of these insecure women shared a lot of woo woo type stuff that was not plant-medicine with pasajeros who were still very under the influence of Aya (i.e. open energetically), blocked their medicine, and put her own low vibe energy into them. When confronted, she started emotionally blackmailing and slandering. I find it truly fascinating that this jealous and competitive woman deluded herself into thinking that she had the capacity to know an iota of what I went through during my long term diet and what my personal transformation entailed. And that was after she tried to copy-cat my diet and dieted the same tree in the summer of 2018 (clearly without the same results). Not only what she did was highly unethical and out of integrity, it was straight-up malicious and sociopathic. I am truly disgusted by the fact that people who work at Nihue Rao can’t honor someone’s process and even go as far as violate their privacy and the sacredness of their diet. It doesn’t matter how much you knew or didn’t know about my diet and its intimate details – it was not your place to inquire, be nosy, speculate and spread lies. I didn’t pay you all that money for you to be talking about me and my diet. Find better things to do with your lives.
And yes, it’s true that they are very money-driven. Also there’s an overall lack of empathy and a sense of fear that permeates this center. They’re afraid of everyone who has a certain energy that may “jump” onto them. To the point that they’ll do or say very rude, inappropriate and inhumane things and treat others as lepers.
Travellink
May 22, 2020 at 7:40 amI felt that this was very business and money driven. Much more professional than other retreats I have attended, which didn’t even offer a plant based vomitivo before the ceremonies, but still not up to par to invest time, trust and money in. Martina wouldn’t even bother responding to me asking for a discount after my stay there. Ricardo has a harsh tone with the pasajeros sometimes and recurringly spit out in front of my feet when I walked by. Which I then excused as being a shamanic thing, but it made me highly uncomfortable and obviously lacked any kind of human decency. I had a feeling of distrust with him from the start, but that of course was my personal intuition which may differ for others. Some of the guests, during the short time of my retreat there, also had really bad vibes and bullying behavior. Big ego energy. After one ceremony when we were offered fruit from a bowl and I declined, Ricardo facetiously commented “no quiere banana”? I was then told by another female guest – who overheard the remark- the next day, that he had likened her to a monkey a few times before. I saw that she wanted to shrug it off as funny, but I felt deep down that she as well knew it was demeaning and verbally abusive. For the benefittees of the doubt, there can be cultural differences, but the gist is in the tonality and intention in which things are presented and these translate globally. I am grateful and glad that these days I am healed enough and have be able to heal my self esteem to the point, that I wouldn’t ever even consider paying someone to abuse me.
Talyn
February 26, 2020 at 7:05 pmI just got home from a 2 week- 8 ceremony journey at Nihue Rao. It was absolutely incredible. I feel like I was able to experience the medicine in a traditional Shipibo fashion. I am grateful we were able to diet a master plant while we were there. That combined with the Ayahuasca really enhanced the whole experience. I haven’t heard of other centers doing the master plant diet which really makes this center unique. Ricardo really knows what he is doing. The staff there were very accommodating and helped us every step of the way with open hearts and endless love. The Shamans there are very powerful healers. I was able to go deep inside myself and experience true healing. I’m grateful that we were able to extend our stay and Ricardo even offered a private ceremony for our group. I was also very grateful for the integration meetings each day after ceremony where staff and Ricardo were able to tailor our next ceremony to the healing we needed. I don’t know that I will ever go to another center. This place is the real deal, I’m looking forward to returning to further the work. Thank you thank you Nihue Rao!
Jesper_
May 15, 2019 at 4:12 amI spent 1 month in December 2018.
The experience of this month and the deep work that was done while being there is still hard to put into words. So if I should choose one word to describe Nihue rao it would be MAGIC.
The ceremonies are beatiful and powerful at the same time. The work of all the shamans is in it self amazing to experience.
The singing of Ricardo is the most healing and heart opening icaro iv ever received.
I feel truly greatful for the work of all the shamans. Such dedication, love and intension of healing made it possible for me to go as deep into myself as I ever been. exploring what it means for me being here, having this experience it is to be a human. It helped me looking honest on old traumas that had become behavioral patterns that played out in my life. Insecurities and not feeling as if i fitted into this world. All this got healed and transformed into strenght. Today I feel more at peace with myself then ever.
It was hard work but the love, guidance and compassion for me made it possible.
Further more I came to Nihue Rao with psoriasis and got a special treatment for this as well. And that helped alot with in a weeks time. And was nearly gone when I went back home. And is still better then ever.
The staff is caring, very helpful and with humour and love for everyone staying there.
The place is beatiful and a perfect place for healing.
I cant speak well enough about Nihue Rao.
It changed my life and the way I see myself and the world we live in.
kmfernandez
May 14, 2019 at 9:19 pmI spent 10 days at Nihue Rao…what an amazing experience. Genuine, authentic, loving facilitators taking you through some deep inner work. It isn’t easy but it is truly life changing. I am so grateful for the time I spent there.
Torleifj
April 25, 2019 at 7:10 amI spent 10 days at Nihure Rao and i was very happy with the whole stay. Its a little drive from town, but everything was facilitated nicely with pickup and transport. Once i arrived, i was given a tour and lodged into my room. The place was nice and quiet, away from any city noise, so i had the peace around me to really focus on the treatment. The facilitators was professional and helpful in interpenetrating the visions i had during the ceremonies. I can recommend Nihue Rao for anyone that wants to experience a true traditional treatment in secure and friendly circumstances. All the best. Miss you guys!
Damian Campbell
April 24, 2019 at 6:24 pmTo whom it may concern,
I am writing to let you know from the depths of my heart of my experience with mamma aya at the healing centre Nihue Rao.
I was at a point in my life where I felt completely lost, confused, directionless, had no clarity and was suffering from self confidence and a lack of that magical lust for life. This was all so out of character for me as I am usually one to embrace life and all that it has to offer. I had just come out of a very serious relationship only a few months before and was completely heartbroken and sad. I thought that relationship was going to last forever and was completely lost when it ended. I had no sense of myself and no direction in life. I fought and fought and tried to hang on but in the end I just lost myself. For a small period like I said I couldn’t find that magic spark in life anymore.
Which brings me to Nihue Rao and my magical transformation with mother ayahuasca. A friend of mine back here in Australia knew what I was going through and told me about this incredible and magical healing centre in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon called ‘Nihue Rao’. Instantly I was a buzz just wanting to try anything to get my life back and come to me. I wanted to love me again and accept myself for who I genuinely was as a person. To regain that zest and spark for life. To say I found it again at Nihue Rao is a huge understatement. I gained and even more potent zest, love and appreciation for not only life but for myself and all those around me. I came back to me and learned to love and accept myself again in all my entirety exactly as I am and unconditionally too. I was able to turn anger and resentment into love, understanding, forgiveness and compassion. I was also given the tools and able to learn the process in developing a healthy ego in order to navigate forwards through life from this point on. A balance of confidence and humility I learned is all that is required. It is a process yes but one I now understand a little better.
From the moment we entered Nihue Rao we were greeted with a smile and warm friendly hug and made to feel right at home. We felt like family instantly with all the other passengers as that is exactly what we all became and will remain forever. We were shown our beautiful jungle hut living quarters and given a tour of this incredible healing centre nestled deep in the heart of the jungle. A place where you feel time stands still and you are completely at peace. The head Sharman ‘Ricardo’ interviewed each and everyone of us individually to really find out our trauma so he could go deep with the healing. Then we were given a plant concoction called ‘Vomitivo’ to help cleanse our system and again aid in the healing process. We had to adhere to a strict diet also before, during and after our stay at the centre. This also helped the ayahuasca do her her work in pulling out our trauma at the roots. Really going deep. The ceremonies were conducted six times out of the ten days we were there in a beautiful Maloca and were conducted in a really professional and ceremonious way. The shamans would start singing there icaros to the group as the ayahuasca started to take effect and then we were called up one by one individual to get sung to.
I can not express my gratitude, respect and love I now have for mother ayahuasca and the endless possibilities in life she has helped me see. It was a brutal and emotionally painful experience dealing with all my childhood trauma and all my stuff, bringing it to the surface but also one the most liberating, profound and beautiful life transforming experiences I have ever had. I have been able to let go of so much baggage I was holding on to and turn that emotional turmoil into love, forgiveness, understanding and compassion. This has dramatically improved my life so much and for that I am eternally grateful. I know have more clarity, perspective, love and most importantly acceptance of what is. I am able to let go of that control and just trust and allow a lot more easily. And that’s the greatest feeling ever. Because when we learn to do that, trust me, we can all fly…:)
Much love to all out there on your journey. May you always be happy and you all find your purpose. With love,
Damo ❤️