Three sanctuaries in the Peruvian Amazon, the Sacred Valley and Mexico, held by lineage-keeping healers and watched over by a medical team. Take two unhurried minutes and we’ll show you where your journey should begin.
People arrive at Arkana for different reasons, and rarely for just one. Choose the line that sounds most like you.
Your answers stay private and only shape your recommendation.
The Retreat Finder turns a complicated choice into a short, private conversation — without asking you to book a call before you’re ready.
Your reasons, experience, preferred setting, available time and priorities shape the match.
A best-fit sanctuary, why it matched, and the details that matter to you — on screen and by email.
Talk with an advisor, see dates and pricing, or simply keep reading. Every path is welcome.
Setting and time narrow the choice more than anything else. Peru hosts 7, 14 and 21-day programmes year-round; Mexico offers shorter 4 and 7-day formats by season.
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Ucayali River · near Iquitos, Peru
Deep rainforest immersion in the homeland of the Shipibo ayahuasca tradition — river, jungle and night ceremony, with a pool, spa and yoga shala to return to.
Urubamba · beside the Vilcanota River, Peru
The Andes near Machu Picchu: remodelled ensuite rooms, mountain air, and ayahuasca alongside San Pedro — deep work with more space and comfort around it.
Yucatán, near Mérida · Valle de Bravo
Our longest-running Mexico sanctuary: a 16th-century hacienda in the Mayan jungle, where Mazatec and Wixárika healers hold intimate, shorter retreats with psilocybin, peyote and the temazcal. Retreats also run at Khungi Espacio in Valle de Bravo, a lakeside town in the forested mountains west of Mexico City.
In Peru, every ceremony is led by Shipibo maestros and maestras who learned the medicine from their elders, as their elders did before them. Their icaros — healing songs — guide the night. The patterns woven into their textiles, called kené, are said to be those songs made visible; you’ll find one on the wing of our butterfly.
In Mexico, ceremonies are held by Maestra Jazmín Pineda, a Mazatec medicine woman and daughter of Abuela Julieta Casimiro, and by Marakame Juan, a Wixárika peyote carrier from San Andrés Cohamiata.
Maestra Justina has lived with ayahuasca for more than forty-five years; together, our master shamans carry over a century of experience.
“Hauntingly beautiful.”John, on the icaros · Amazon retreat, 2026
Every guest walks the same careful path, from the first conversation to life back home. Nothing about it is rushed, and nothing is left to chance.
A rigorous pre-arrival medical screening, facilitators beside you in every ceremony, a high staff-to-guest ratio and care on site around the clock.
An advisor listens to your intentions and questions, and helps confirm which sanctuary fits.
A detailed health review under medical oversight. Some medications, including SSRIs and MAOIs, and certain conditions are contraindicated.
Guidance on the traditional dieta, what to bring and how to arrive ready — in body and intention.
Master shamans lead; facilitators stay with you through the night; group shares help you make sense of it by day.
The 8P integration method, online integration masterminds and one-to-one aftercare, so the change lasts.
Four pillars shape every Arkana retreat. You bring your intention; the rest is taken care of.
Ayahuasca and the traditional plant medicines of each sanctuary, prepared and served within their lineage.
Yoga, meditation, breathwork and sound healing between ceremonies.
Workshops and shares that help insight become a life you actually live.
Farm-to-table meals, daily housekeeping and a team on hand around the clock.
1,889 reviews across seven independent listings on four platforms, averaging 4.9. A few of them are here — open any story to read more, or follow it to the original.
Combined across seven listings on four platforms, September 2026. Video stories on arkanainternational.com
Testimonials reflect the personal experiences of individual guests, shared on public review platforms and with Arkana. Individual experiences vary and no specific outcome is guaranteed.
“The amount of love, joy, and life changing revelations I experienced…”
Every one of these stories began with a single question. Which retreat is right for me?
If yours isn’t here, an advisor will answer it personally — no pressure, no script.
Every guest completes a detailed pre-arrival medical screening, reviewed under the oversight of Dr. Arturo Sáenz, MD. In ceremony, experienced facilitators are with you throughout, and the staff-to-guest ratio is deliberately high. Since 2014, more than 4,000 guests have been guided through this same careful process.
Yes. Many guests arrive for their first ceremony. You’ll receive preparation guidance before you travel, an orientation and intention-setting on arrival, and facilitators who explain each step. The Retreat Finder also takes your experience into account when it recommends a sanctuary.
Some medications — including SSRIs and MAOIs — and certain medical conditions are contraindicated. The screening process reviews your history before you are confirmed. Please never stop or change a medication without speaking to your own doctor.
It mostly comes down to setting, time and the medicines you feel drawn to. The Amazon is the most immersive; the Sacred Valley offers mountain air and more comfort; Mexico offers shorter, intimate seasonal formats. The Retreat Finder weighs all of this in about two minutes.
Accommodation, farm-to-table meals, unlimited fruit, water and tea, all ceremonies, shamanic consultations, yoga, breathwork and sound healing, integration workshops, excursions and your airport shuttle. Flights, travel insurance and hotel nights before or after are not included.
Amazon: fly into Iquitos (IQT) the day before; a complimentary shuttle leaves a designated hotel at 8:00 AM. Sacred Valley: fly into Cusco, with shuttle transfers included. Yucatán: fly into Cancún (CUN); the hacienda is about 2.5 hours away, with an optional shuttle. Valle de Bravo: about 2.5 hours from Mexico City airport. Your passport should be valid for six months beyond arrival.
Intimate by design: around 14 guests on average in the Amazon, 10 in the Sacred Valley and 15 in Mexico, with a high staff-to-guest ratio at every sanctuary.
Integration continues through Arkana’s 8P integration method, online integration masterminds and one-to-one aftercare, so that what you experience becomes part of everyday life.
No. It is a fit-and-preference tool that suggests where to start. Formal medical screening is a separate step before any booking is confirmed.
Begin with two quiet minutes. You’ll receive a personal Retreat Profile — and the freedom to decide what comes next.
A private, no-obligation conversation with an Arkana advisor about your intentions, questions and the sanctuary that fits.
A real person on the Arkana team reads every message and replies personally. No pressure, no script.
Arkana International ("we," "our," or "us") operates wellness retreat centers in Peru, Mexico, and Costa Rica, and maintains the website www.arkanainternational.com (the "Site"). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information that we gather through our Site.
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As a global organization with operations in Peru, Mexico, and Costa Rica, your personal information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country.
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If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:
Email: liliana@arkanainternational.com
Arkana International
Arkana Amazon Office Jiron Fitzcarrald 152, Iquitos Peru 16002
Thank you for trusting Arkana International with your personal information. We are committed to maintaining that trust by protecting and respecting your privacy.
Welcome, we are honored that you have chosen Arkana and will be joining one of our retreats. The following Terms and Conditions have been designed as a result of our practical experience gathered over the years and serve to prepare our guests for a positive and safe experience in ceremony and in a program as a whole.
This agreement is between Arkana International ("Arkana" or "the Host") and You (the "Participant").
By booking a retreat at Arkana you agree to all the following terms and conditions:
1. The Participant agrees to take part in ayahuasca and medicinal plant ceremonies with the Host out of his own free will and is not coerced by anyone. He/she has been advised that ayahuasca is a visionary plant medicine, and is clear on the meaning of this.
2. The participant understands that these natural treatments may involve physical, psychological and emotional reactions. He/she agrees to be physically and mentally fit to participate at a retreat at Arkana and accepts full responsibility of any associated risks and consequences.
3. The Host will do their utmost to ensure the safety and comfort of the Participant during the retreat. The Participant, in turn, agrees to abide by all rules and regulations as outlined in these terms and conditions and/or communicated orally during the retreat.
4. In observance with Peruvian Law concerning the illegal practice of Medicine: Ley N° 28538, Arkana is not a medical facility as defined by Peruvian legislation and no health care is practiced under its direction. Its owners and employees are not health care professionals and do not practice health care of any form. The healers at Arkana function as spiritual guides and teachers. Retreats are offered for the sole purpose of spiritual connection and personal growth.
5. The participant agrees to truthfully answer all questions in the medical questionnaire that is part of the registration process. He/she agrees to full disclosure with the Host, in writing, regarding their health history, medical conditions, and any medications they are taking, prior to booking. All information will be deemed confidential by the Host.
6. After booking, the Participant agrees to notify the Host of any material change in their medical condition in a timely manner and understands that withholding medical information could be dangerous to their health.
7. In the event that the Participant is taking medications, it will be his/her responsibility to consult with the prescribing physician regarding possible interactions with the natural medicines supplied by Arkana. The Host is not responsible for the personal decision of any guest to stop taking medications or change their medication schedule, and accepts no liability for any adverse effects from withdrawal from any medication.
8. The participant understands that unless it has been specifically authorized in writing by Arkana’s staff, he/she must not combine any kind of allopathic medication with the natural medicines provided at the retreat.
9. The Participant confirms that they have not been diagnosed with the following mental conditions: bi-polar, or any form of schizophrenia, schizophreniform, schizoaffective disorders.
10. The Participant understands that it is important to prepare physically and mentally for the retreat. This includes adhering to a rigurous diet, abstaining from street drugs, and pharmacological restrictions required by Arkana for at least two weeks prior to the start of the retreat and for at least four weeks following the last ceremony.
11. During the Retreat. In order to maintain a safe environment while at the retreat, all participants are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful manner with others respecting their healing processes and personal boundaries
The following offences are intolerable, and will result in the Participant’s removal from the retreat without any responsibility for a refund or providing accomodations outside of Arkana at the sole discretion of Arkana’s staff:
12. If a Participant’s behavior presents a threat to the safety of themselves or others, the Host reserves the right to physically restrain the Participant. Such restraint will be conducted as gently as possible and with respect for the dignity of the Participant.
13. If upon arrival, the Participant is found to be intoxicated. inebriated or in possession of street drugs, or alcohol, the Host at its sole discretion reserves the right to deny them entry to Arkana and/or the retreat without any responsibility for a refund, or providing accommodation outside of Arkana.
14. The Host may require the Participant to take a drug or breathalyzer test prior to or during a program or activity, without prior notice or reason. If the Participant refuses to comply with the test, the Host reserves the right to deny entrance to Arkana and/or remove them from the retreat immediately and without prior notice, responsibility for a refund.
15. The Host is not liable for the injury of any Participant that may occur during or after the program. By participating in a program at and accepting this Agreement, the Participant expresses full understanding of and responsibility for the risks that they may encounter during a program. The Participant releases Arkana, its owners, and employees of said responsibility. Any legal action taken against Arkana will only take place in Peru under Peruvian Law.
16. In the case of a medical emergency during a retreat that requires evacuation and treatment, the Participant will be accompanied by one of Arkana’s staff to the closest medical facility. The participant agrees to pay for all medical expenses done on his behalf.
17. The Participant agrees to follow the guidance of Arkana staff should they develop or exhibit any symptoms of COVID during their retreat. This may include evacuation for an offsite quarantine and medical care at Participant’s own expense. There will be no refunds for any missed ceremonies as a result of such event.
18. Arkana reserves the right to expel any individual from the retreat without prior notice, responsibilibility for a refund, or providing accomodation outside of Arkana. In such event, the Participant will be responsible for paying for their transportation from the center to the nearest city.
19. Payment Terms. All reservations require a 50% down payment paid at the time of booking via credit card. The outstanding balance is to be paid in cash in USD upon arrival to the center on the date of the retreat.
20. Deposits will only be refundable within 24 hours of registration or if during the medical screening, issues it is concluded by Arkana personnel that the Guest is not a good candidate for plant medicines. In either case deposits will be refunded minus a transaction and administrative fee of $250.
21. Cancellations. Should the Participant cancel their reservation outside of the 24 hr grace period, all deposits will be considered Non-Refundable. Instead, a personal credit will be issued in the name of the Participant to be used at any of our locations within 24 months of the original retreat date. Participants will be responsible for any price increases for the chosen retreat program.
In the event that the Host is forced to cancel a retreat due to unforeseen major events such as Inclement Weather (River Flooding),, Civil Unrest, Health Pandemics, no refunds will be issued to participants. Instead, credits will be issued to be used at a later time in any one of our locations.
22. Personal Credit. In the event of a cancellation, the percentage of the deposit that will be converted into a personal credit will depend on the timeliness of the cancellation request:
Personal credits may be transferred to a third party as long as the credit is to be used for a new reservation. Under no circumstance may this credit be used to pay someone else’s retreat outstanding balance.
23. Early Departure. Should the participant decide to leave the retreat prematurely for any reason, he will forego any monies paid, and no full or partial refunds/credits will be issued to be used at a later time. The participant will be responsible to cover any transportation costs to return to the nearest city.
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