Eye-level view of red-roofed bridge with green railings over murky water leading to green building in jungle.

Traditional Ayahuasca Retreat Center in Peru

A Peruvian family-run retreat 14 km from Iquitos, with never more than ten guests


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10 guests maximum, every retreat
1,400+ ayahuasca ceremonies facilitated
45+ years 4th-generation Peruvian curandero
14 km from Iquitos, Peru

Since opening in 2010, the Hummingbird has never had a medical incident related to drinking ayahuasca.

Ayahuasca Retreats at the Hummingbird Center

With no more than ten guests, each retreat is an intimate circle guided by our Peruvian curandero, rooted in generations of Amazonian plant medicine. In this safe, nurturing space, you’ll receive personal care and attention to explore deep energetic and subconscious layers, release limiting beliefs, and remember your true self.

Since 2010, ayahuasca retreats at the Hummingbird offers more than ceremony — it’s an invitation to restore balance to body, mind, and spirit, cleanse and renew, and step into greater clarity, peace, and wholeness.

More about our Ayahuasca Retreats →
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What a Retreat Is Like

Ayahuasca has the ability to open us to spiritual realms and other dimensions. A fascinating aspect of this medicine is everyone has a unique experience and is taken through an individualized process of healing. There is incredible variety of experience, and it is best to set aside all expectations. Your process will almost certainly be different than what you have read. Ayahuasca Ceremony Details →

Ayahuasca is a powerful medicine and teacher plant that brings deep multi-level level healing physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. While a very large number of issues may be addressed with ayahuasca and other medicine plants, it is not a cure all or magic bullet. Understanding the possibilities of what you may experience in an ayahuasca retreat allows one to relax into their journey. Ayahuasca Healing Details →

Drawing on fourteen years of facilitating ayahuasca ceremonies and retreats, we have written an in-depth article exploring the common patterns of experience, the importance of commitment and surrender, and what participants can realistically expect. Read What its Really Like Working With Ayahuasca →

Working With Highly Skilled Healers

The Hummingbird Center is an ayahuasca retreat center dedicated to helping people improve their lives. Founded in 2010, Hummingbird offers ayahuasca and san pedro healing retreats that stay true to this ancient plant-medicine tradition. Our curandero Manain is a 4th generation ayahuasquero with over 45 years of experience, and has mastered the subtleties of this plant-spirit medicine world.

It takes many years of training to develop good relationships with the medicine spirits and skill working with subtle spiritual energies to effect lasting healing. True mastery requires decades of experience, and Manain has been working with ayahuasca since he was 16 years old. Our lead facilitator has been guiding people through this healing process since 2010, and has facilitated over 1400 ayahuasca ceremonies.

At the Hummingbird you are under the care of highly experienced, caring, and compassionate practitioners dedicated to helping people heal and transform their lives. The depth of growth and change achieved has many saying they feel as though they have been reborn.

Hummingbird Center owner and lead facilitator Jim lives on the property with his family and has personally facilitated more than 350 ayahuasca retreats since the center opened in 2010.

More about our Healers →

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Is It Safe?

Since opening in 2010, the Hummingbird has never had a medical incident related to drinking ayahuasca. Our safety standards begin with a rigorous, multi-stage screening process to assess contraindications, medication interactions, and psychological readiness. Once onsite, our small group format supports attentive care and consistent monitoring during and after ceremony, with sober support staff present so guests are not left alone while still under the effects of the medicine.

We follow a conservative dosing protocol, starting with a moderate dose intended to give a clear introduction to ayahuasca without leaving you feeling overwhelmed. In every ceremony, you have the option to drink a second time if you wish to go deeper. We will responsibly increase your dose each night until you reach the level of intensity you desire. We never push anyone to drink more than they feel comfortable with.

Perhaps reflecting Jim's own 30-year journey with depression, which came to an end in his third ayahuasca ceremony, Hummingbird has attracted many people who have lived with depression or anxiety for 15 years or more. Through our Immersion retreat program and extended stays of three to four weeks, including multiple master plant dietas, we have worked with more than 250 people seeking lasting relief from these deeply debilitating patterns.

More about Ayahuasca Safety →Responsible Ceremonies →

A Mestizo Amazonian Lineage

Our ceremonies are led by Don Manain Amacifen, a curandero of the mestizo Amazonian tradition. This is the healing lineage of the Peruvian jungle, carried in families rather than institutions.

Manain is the fourth generation of his family to carry it. Born in Requena, twelve hours from Iquitos by river, he began training at sixteen under his father and worked beside him for fifteen years. After his father died he moved deeper into the jungle to San Herardo, healing there for over twenty years before joining the Hummingbird in 2014.

What that means in ceremony is specific. On the first night he reads the group from the altar. In every ceremony after, he stops in front of each person and sings an icaro meant for them alone.

More about our healers →

a bank of bobinsana in full pink bloom along the edge of the lawn, with the red-roofed ceremony maloca and the jungle canopy behind it

What is Different About the Hummingbird Center?

At the Hummingbird, we have stayed with tradition. Our program was designed by master curanderos and has proven effective since the very beginning. We take a different approach than most other ayahuasca retreat centers:

  • Intimate Group Size: A maximum of 10 participants allows for deep personal attention.
  • Long-Term Process: Jim has personally guided over 250 people through our 3–4 week Immersion Retreats, many of whom struggled with treatment-resistant depression for over 15 years.
  • Proven Leadership: Jim has coached and encouraged approximately 1,000 additional people through varying levels of healing and personal growth.
  • A Private Integration Group: When your reservation is approved we email you a link to our private Facebook group, open only to our guests, so you can talk with others before your retreat begins. It is peer-to-peer support, with a pinned reading list on integration, shadow work and contemplative practice.
  • A Focus on Mindfulness and Stillness: With decades of meditation practice, Jim understands that cultivating stillness is more transformative than a busy schedule. We create space for the wisdom of the heart to surface naturally, complemented by meditation and simple breathwork.
  • Safety: In over 1,400 ceremonies, we have never had a medical incident related to ayahuasca.

View our Retreat Programs Overview

My stay at Hummingbird Healing Center was life-changing. From the moment I arrived, I could feel the love, care, and attention woven into every part of the retreat.
Cully
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Grandfather Huachuma (San Pedro)

Our ayahuasca retreats include a ceremony with huachuma, the visonary cactus of the Andes. Huachuma is a peer of ayahuasca in its ability to teach and heal, using a gentle touch in its approach. Considered a heart opening medicine, huachuma drops the filters through which we view the world, so we have a direct experience of reality. A truly beautiful medicine, people often say it was the most wonderful experience of their lives.

Huachuma brings clarity, revealing the mental games we play with ourselves that keep us small, and opens access to universal consciousness, our true spiritual nature. "San Pedro" is simply Spanish for Saint Peter. It is a name given by a Spanish priest because he said "it opens the gates of heaven".

More about Huachuma →

A grove of tall columnar huachuma cacti with deep vertical ribs and small pale spines, growing in open ground under a blue sky with white clouds.

Fourteen Kilometers from Iquitos

We are located 14 KM outside of Iquitos, Peru. Our ayahuasca retreat center is situated in a peaceful jungle setting, three kilometers away from the main Iquitos-Nauta road to ensure a quiet, undisturbed environment.

Iquitos is the largest city in the world that cannot be reached by road. You fly in, almost always from Lima, a flight of about one hour and fifty minutes. Arrive the day before your retreat begins so you start rested; most hotels in town offer airport pickup.

The group is collected at 10:00 am on the first morning, at the Las Terrazas restaurant on the Boulevard, a riverfront park a block from the Plaza de Armas.

More about our Location →Traveling to Iquitos →Photo Gallery →

Hummingbird Center Reviews

Review by Elin from Sweden

Elin

Review by Aleksa

Aleksa

Review by Mar from Mexico

Mar

★★★★★
As soon as I got to the retreat, I felt safe and comfortable with the retreat and all the people there, and I knew I made the right choice, which was such a relief! You're in good hands with Jim and Don Manain. I had quite a life changing experience on this retreat and words can not say how grateful I am chose this facility.     Read full review
Lauren Quigley, Australia
★★★★★
I had an incredible experience at the Hummingbird Center. The facilitators are so caring and knowledgeable. The location is stunning beyond words.     Read full review
Profile picture Young woman with long brown hair, in a patterned dress, standing in tall golden grass and looking down
Natasha P, Germany
★★★★★
This experience changed my life. The key with this medicine is to find the right setting, the right healers to guide you, and have the right intentions. Humming bird takes care of the first two and helps you take care of the third.     Read full review
Tristan H, Australia
★★★★★
Hummingbird is an extraordinary place... This place sings with love and is here to teach you a lot about yourself and your journey. There is a possibility for great positive change for life through this experience.     Read full review
Helena A, United Kingdom

Read more reviews →

Ayahuasca Retreat Lengths to Fit Your Needs

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12 Day Ayahuasca Retreat

Experience the deep healing and teaching of Peru’s two visionary medicine plants... Step into a safe container for deep healing.

Price: $2800

  • ► 6 Ayahuasca Ceremonies
  • ► 1 San Pedro Ceremony
  • ► Vapor and Mud Baths
  • ► Meditation and Breath Work
  • ► Talks on Changing Belief Systems
  • ► Plant Baths Every Afternoon
12 Day Retreat Details →
Circular meditation room

9 Day Ayahuasca Retreat

Our 9 day retreat is an introduction to the magic of ayahuasca and huachuma, the san pedro visionary cactus. Great for those looking for clarity of purpose.

Price: $2400

  • ► 4 Ayahuasca Ceremonies
  • ► 1 San Pedro Ceremony
  • ► Vapor and Mud Baths
  • ► Meditation and Breath Work
  • ► Healing on Days Without Ceremony
  • ► Plant Baths Every Afternoon
9 Day Retreat Details →
Spiritual healing ceremony

Immersion Ayahuasca Retreat

Our 3–4 week immersion retreat is for those seeking deep, lasting transformation or whose condition requires a longer treatment.

Price: $3800 - $4800

  • ► 3 or 4 Week Stays
  • ► 8 -12 Ayahuasca Ceremonies
  • ► 2 -3 San Pedro Ceremonies
  • ► Master Plant Dietas
  • ► Private Consultations With Shaman
  • ► All Features of the 12 Day Retreat
Immersion Retreat Details →

More on Retreat Prices →

Upcoming Ayahuasca Healing Retreats

Price (USD) Availability Reserve
Tue, Sep 1, 2026 7, 9 or 12 Day Ayahuasca Retreat $2000, $2400, $2800 Open Book Now
Tue, Sep 15, 2026 7, 9 or 12 Day Ayahuasca Retreat $2000, $2400, $2800 Open Book Now
Thu, Oct 1, 2026 7, 9 or 12 Day Ayahuasca Retreat $2000, $2400, $2800 Open Book Now
Sun, Nov 1, 2026 7, 9 or 12 Day Ayahuasca Retreat $2000, $2400, $2800 Open Book Now
Sun, Nov 15, 2026 7, 9 or 12 Day Ayahuasca Retreat $2000, $2400, $2800 Open Book Now

New to Ayahuasca? Start Here

Most people arrive with the same four questions. We have answered them at length rather than briefly. Here is what the experience is actually like, how to choose a centre, what the real risks are, and what ayahuasca can do to the sense of self.

What It’s Really Like Working With Ayahuasca →
What actually happens in ceremony, why commitment matters more than technique, and what to realistically expect.
Ayahuasca Safety: Risks and Contraindications →
The medications and medical conditions that do not combine with ayahuasca, and how we screen for them.
14 Keys to a Better Ayahuasca Retreat →
What separates the people who get a great deal from their retreat from those who do not.
Ego Dissolution and the Sense of Self →
The experience people find hardest to prepare for, and what it is actually for.
Heavy rain pouring in a sheet off the maloca roof, hammocks hung along the open side, jungle grey with rain beyond

Frequently Asked Questions

What will I pay, and what does that price include?

Seven days is $2,000. The four-week Immersion is $4,800, and the 9-day and 12-day retreats sit between the two. Flights to Iquitos are the one substantial expense you arrange yourself.

What's Included:

  • Ayahuasca ceremonies led by Manain, a Mestizo Maestro with over 45 years of experience.
  • At least one Huachuma (San Pedro) ceremony, with the option to substitute for ayahuasca if you feel a special affinity for it.
  • Daily plant baths for energetic cleansing and integration circles every morning after ceremony.
  • Group healing sessions in the maloca and comfortable private accommodations.
  • Delicious, fresh food that adheres to the traditional ayahuasca diet.
  • A personalized intake process that starts with a real conversation, not just a form and a deposit.
What is the typical group size?

We accept a maximum of 10 participants per retreat. This size is ideal for fostering strong group bonding while allowing you to retreat into solitude whenever the call for quiet arises.

What is Huachuma (San Pedro) and why do you use both medicines?

Huachuma is a sacred cactus medicine with different properties than ayahuasca. While ayahuasca tends to work on deeper, darker subconscious material, Huachuma brings a gentler, heart-opening energy. The synergy between them creates a more complete transformation. We pioneered this dual-medicine approach in 2010 to provide a more balanced healing journey.

What is Hummingbird's approach to healing?

We focus on stillness, not activity. Our approach is more like a meditation retreat or a "healing hospital" than a wellness resort. Rooted in ancient Taoist teachings on contemplative practice, we provide the quiet space necessary for deep self-reflection and lasting change.

Do I need to have a "big problem" to attend an ayahuasca retreat?

No. People come to either Heal or Learn. Whether you are looking to resolve a specific trauma or simply wish to discover the tricks your ego plays based on subconscious beliefs, ayahuasca is a powerful teacher. It is not limited in what it can show you about yourself.

What makes the biggest difference in preparing for a retreat?

Developing a strong commitment to your own growth is key. Commitment eases surrender, and surrender is where the deepest healing happens. For a deeper look at this process, read our guide on The Importance of Surrender.

Before and After the Retreat

Prepare for your Ayahuasca Retreat

Good preparation is essential for maximizing the benefits of your time in ayahuasca ceremony. The cleaner our bodies and the clearer our minds when we arrive, the sooner ayahuasca can get to the root level of our troubles, the sooner she can begin imparting wisdom and insights that can transform our lives.

The body, mind and spirit all benefit from simple, time-proven practices that promote health, harmony and vitality. These practices are simply clean, healthy living, and one’s life would be better if they were always practiced. An ayahuasca retreat is a significant investment of your resources and energy. Get the most from this investment by arriving well prepared.

More about Preparation →

Integrating What is Learned

Integrating lessons from ceremony is essential for lasting transformation. After a period of attention, intention and focus, new behaviors becomes a natural part of how we show up in life. Taking conscious and focused action to anchor new ways of being into our lives accelerates the integration process.

The real work of integration unfolds in daily life, as insights from ceremony are reflected upon, practiced and gradually embodied. Simple practices, thoughtful reflection and conscious action can help strengthen what was learned during the retreat. Our integration resources offer practical guidance for working with your experience and carrying its lessons into the months and years ahead.

More about Ayahuasca Integration →

A personalized intake process that starts with a real conversation, not just a form and a deposit.

We do not want lack of money to be the reason a person does not attend. If we agree the Hummingbird is the right place for you, we will do our best to work something out.

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