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Sample Seven Day Itinerary
• First day
You are met by staff from our Iquitos office upon your arrival at the airport and take a taxi or the rickshaw-like motocarro through the colorful city to our office near the Plaza de Armas. Depending on the time of day you may have breakfast at Ari’s or lunch at one of the many area restaurants. We will stop by the Belen market to pick up boots and other supplies and visit the herbal medicine Curandera for special healing herbs.
We board motocarros to the port on the Amazon, climb into our speedboat, and embark on a 45-60 minute journey to the Center. You are riding down the Amazon! We stop and the village of Tamshiyacu for poultry, eggs and water and you can buy local handicrafts from local artisans if you so desire. After that we enter the winding, glassy Tamshiyacu River for the remainder of the trip. Once docked you will be taken to your bungalow.
If you arrive in the morning you will gather for lunch around 1pm. Typical local meals consist of chicken, fish, plantains, rice and fresh fruits are eaten in our three story lodge overlooking the jungle and Tamshiyacu River. After lunch you can enjoy a swim and a guided walk into the rainforest to acclimate to the massive amounts of flora and fauna.
Dinner is normally served around 7 PM. After dinner is time a good time to visit, ask questions, discuss upcoming ayahuasca ceremonies, history of the region, shamanism, or just enjoy the peacefulness of the rainforest.
If you have not done so already, set your goals for the week.
• Second day
You wake up in your maluka to see a fruit platter and a cup of cinnamon tea. You can make your way to the dining area from 8 AM on for breakfast consisting of juice, eggs, butter and jam.
After breakfast you are welcome to take a tour of the Refugio, visiting the botanic gardens, community homes and tree-houses. This is a good time to learn about the native medicinal plants and their healing properties and confer with Scott and the other shamans about the medicine work of the jungle.
Lunch is served at 1:00 PM, after which you can consider options. You may want to eat a light snack if you are going to participate in tonight’s ceremony, or drink some juice and tea. Early evening is a good time to rest, meditate, read, write in your journal in preparation for your first ceremony. We will gather around 9pm to walk to the ceremony house. After the ceremony you will be escorted to your bungalow.
• Third day
Alter breakfast, you will be taken for a visit to “La Hacienda”, a local producer of sugar cane liqueur, which is a typical alcoholic beverage of the region and return in time for lunch.
The afternoon would be a good time to go for a swim or arrange a canoe ride to the nearby lake which hosts the beautiful Amazonian giant lotus, the Victoria Regina, as well as caymans, a variety of fish and interesting plants. While canoeing, you might see grey or pink dolphins (this latter related to many Amazonian myths) and monkeys which live in the rainforest that surrounding your home.
During your stay, there will be discussions on the psychosomatic dimensions of shamanic healing and the physical, psychological and spiritual healing engaged through working with ayahuasca and other indigenous medicines and herbs including San Pedro, peyote, mushrooms and other powerful tools to increase your wellbeing.
• Days 4 through 6
You now are used to the schedule, or at times the lack of schedule enjoyed in jungle living. . Ceremonies will be scheduled to fit the wants and needs of you and the other guests.
As you learn more about the jungle, shamanism and natural healing, you may want to consider other options such as an herb/flower bath, different treatments for specific physical and emotional needs, interacting with the local residents or simply “checking out” to meditate, read and relax!
• Sixth day
This is your last full day in the jungle so be sure you have planned how you want to spend it. Dinner is a great time to review the goals that you set at the beginning of the week and see how far you have come. The medicine work speeds up healing and overall personal growth and it is fun to check in with the other guests.
• Seventh day
Depending on the time of your flight, breakfast at 8, pack and embark to Iquitos!
