I booked a week long stay at the Otorongo Center in mid November. Not knowing what to expect I showed up in Iquitos nervous and anxious. Maybe writing this can help some people prepare for their stay in Iquitos and have an idea of what to expect. If the post is too long for you the short version is: It was a very positive experience in a beautiful place that gave me what I was looking for but isn’t for people looking for a luxury time in the jungle.
Here’s my play by play: My pickup was at a restaurant in Iquitos. I was expecting an airport pickup and was kind of disappointed I had to travel into the city for my pickup. In fairness, I misread the pickup email and booked my arrival flight outside the times that the center does direct airport pickup. So, my bad. The team did drop me off at the airport for my departure flight and even waited around with me while my flight was delayed, which I surely appreciated. Pickup was by Guido and his translator, a lovely Argentinian woman who spoke great English. I handed them my money within five minutes of meeting them. I guess they wanted to get that out of the way. I arrived at the meeting point, a restaurant in the city, 30 minutes early and had an okay lunch at the restaurant. It was nice to sit and have WiFi for a little bit near the main town square after my long flight. I was expecting a car ride as transport, but apparently there aren’t many cars in Iquitos and most of the transport is done by Tuc Tuc. A little bit of a bumpy ride but I tried to be positive and think of it as all part of the adventure! It was a 20 minute tuc tuc ride before we got to the boat owned by the center. After we got off the boat, I elected to walk through the jungle to the center, about a 15 minute walk. My first impression was, wow we are really off grid here, nothing around but animals and trees- a little nerve wracking but just what I wanted. I was blown away by the beautiful and thoughtful design of the campground. The other reviews weren’t kidding when they said the only thing you hear are the birds and the frogs. Definitely an A+ for facilities. I knew going in that the center was off grid, and I wanted a place without WiFi or electricity. When my phone died during the week, (as I was using it to take pictures and because I forgot my flashlight) Guido offered to take it to his house and charge it for me. Very accommodating. When we got to the center we had a welcome meeting of sorts, introducing the group to the center and that kind of thing. The first night we each had a one on one meeting with the Shaman. Well, the translator was there too to help those of us who don’t speak Spanish, so it wasn’t really one on one I guess. This meeting made me feel much more comfortable. The Shaman’s sense of humor and gentle nature immediately made me feel at ease. I don’t want to go to in depth with the ceremonies. The ceremonies start at evening and end around midnight, I got help walking to the bathroom and I had a personalized attention from the Shaman with tobacco. It was beautiful. The songs from the Shaman were unexpected, but played an important part in my trip. I didn’t have any visions the first night which apparently isn’t uncommon for newcomers to Ayahuasca. But the second two ceremonies involved visions and purging. Good thing the bathroom is close by (lol). All my Ayahuasca ceremonies were tough, but beautiful and gave me what I needed. I woke up the morning after my second ceremony and cried for an hour. Not tears of sadness but cathartic tears. Good tears, if that makes sense. The Shaman saw me crying and we had a nice conversation during breakfast. The food was DELICIOUS. Fresh fruit, delicious cooked veggies and rice. And all natural and healthy. It made me want to cook at home (I never cook haha). I have to say though, that by the end of the week, I was ready to have crunchy, salty, very salty French fries. I went to the center to do inside work, I didn’t go to make friends. But I have to say, the other guests made the experience. The late nights sitting up late talking, drinking Chamomile tea out of the white mugs. You’ll know what I mean if you go. I made great friendships and deep, deep connections. The group made the experience 100% My time at the center was great. I’ve been home for a little while, and looking back at my pictures from the center still makes me smile and has given me a peace that will never leave me. I got what I needed. It’s a small family operation in a rustic environment. It’s very clearly a locally owned operation. The one thing to look out for- there is no electricity at the center. I wanted that kind of rustic thing but I get why people would want more luxury comforts. If you go to the center, I would definitely recommend that you bring a good flashlight, high boots if you want to do jungle walks, and make sure you voice your needs. If you want more food, ask. If you want another pillow, just ask. Don’t be shy.