Ayahuasca is the most common name given to an Amazonian brew used ancestrally by the indigenous people to treat physical, emotional and spiritual illnesses.
The Peruvian jungle begins in the eastern foothills of the Andean Cordillera, and extends to the Peruvian political borders with Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, in the territory of the Peruvian departments of Loreto, Amazonas, San Martín, Ucayali and Madre de Dios.
Where to experience Ayahuasca in Peru is not an easy decision, since the Peruvian Amazon is vast and the options for retreat houses are innumerable. In this blog we will offer you a geographical concept and the advantages of taking Ayahuasca in one place or another.
Summary
Ayahuasca in Loreto
In this Amazon region, it is found in the northeastern part of the Peruvian Amazon jungle. Here we will find not only shamanic centers, but also a vast amount of the plants that are used to make the Ayahuasca brew.
Loreto is one of the departments with the greatest diversity of ethnic peoples and the largest volume of indigenous population (61,793 inhabitants), housing 26% of the total population of indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon.
Many of the tourists who carry out retreats of Ayahuasca in Peru, specifically in Iquitos, have the idea that Shipibo-Conibo shamans only live in Iquitos or in the department of Loreto, however this mobile ethnic group lives within the departments of Loreto, Mostly Ucuyali, Huanuco, Amazonas and Madre de Dios.
The advantages of healing with Ayahuasca in Iquitos is its easy access, its location on the banks of the great Amazon River and a great diversity of other Amazon tours that a tourist can do.
Shipibo-Konibo-Iquitos
Ayahuasca in Ucayali
One of the most authentic places to perform ayahuasca in Peru is undoubtedly the department of Ucayali. This Amazonian department is located in the central-eastern jungle of Peru.
Ucayali has Pucallpa as its capital and, like Iquitos, it has a large number of indigenous tribes such as the Shipibo-Conibo, Nahua, Piro, Cashibo-cacataibo and many more.
Ucayali is another of the authentic places to do ayahuasca in Peru. From its capital Pucallpa, there are also many Amazon tours, which can make your spiritual journey more pleasant.
Shipibo-Konibo-Ucayali
Ayahuasca in Cusco
Although ayahuasca sessions in Peru are more popular in Iquitos, they also take place in other regions of the country; including Cusco among them. This place is attractive for this type of ritual ceremonies due to the large amount of energy attributed to it and its proximity to Machu Picchu. The Ayahuasca ceremonies in Cusco are usually ingested in the sacred valley of the Incas.
However, what many tourists do not know is that the department of Cusco also has its portion of the Amazon jungle which borders the departments of Ucayali and Madre de Dios. Places where the Matsigenka and Ashaninka tribe live.
Between the departments of Cusco and Madre de Dios, is the Manu National Park, a place very close to Machu Picchu. In this place there is an Ayahuasca retreat called Ikaro Ayahuasca retreat, which works with Ashaninka and Matsigenka shamans.
The advantages of taking Ayahuasca at Ikaro Ayahuasca retreat is that the starting point is the city of Cusco, the place from where all the tours to Machu Picchu also depart. If you do not have much time or do not want to go to Iquitos, the Manu jungle is the right place to drink Ayahuasca in Peru.
Ashaninka people
Ayahuasca in Peru-Madre de Dios
One of the most autochthonous and least commercial Amazonian regions to drink Ayahuasca in Peru is Madre de Dios and its capital Puerto Maldonado. This region received hundreds of tourists year after year who yearn to visit Lake Sandoval, Tambopata-Candamo and other tourist attractions in the region; however, Ayahuasca retreats are still not that popular.
This department is located in the southeastern Amazon jungle. Madre de Dios is home to 10 indigenous or native peoples: Amahuaca, Ashaninka, Ese Eja, Harakbut, Iñapari, Kichwa, Mashco Piro, Matsigenka, Shipibo-Konibo and Yine. All these Amazonian tribes of Puerto Maldonado are Ayahuasca experts, due to this, this region also offers you the opportunity to carry out intense retreats of Ayahuasca in Peru.
Yine people
In short, in the Amazon jungle of Peru there are many places where you can experience mother Ayahuasca in an authentic way. However, there are other aspects that will make you have a better or worse experience with Ayahuasca. We will leave these characteristics for another blog.
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