Blue Morpho Retreats

Blue Morpho Retreats runs six-day ayahuasca and San Pedro retreats in Peru, at lodges in the Amazon rainforest near Iquitos and in the Sacred Valley near Cusco. Its ceremonies are led by its founder, Hamilton Souther, who in 2004 became the first Westerner recognised as a maestro médico vegetalista.

Approach

Souther trained under the healer Julio Llerena Pinedo and has led ceremonies since 2002. He works with three different brews to match each guest’s intention, inside a ceremonial structure he calls Sanctuary, and gives a daily talk with questions of about 90 minutes. A multilingual team of facilitators supports guests in ceremony, and the group meets in integration circles. The brew is made on site from plants grown near Iquitos or in the Andes.

Who it is for

The retreats are pitched at professionals and other seekers working on trauma, self-limiting beliefs and personal growth, and the organisation says most guests come back.

Practical details

The all-inclusive retreats are listed from $1,998 to $3,499, depending on the venue and the mix of ceremonies. Heliconia Lodge, on the Amazon, offers four ayahuasca ceremonies with wildlife excursions; Blue Morpho Lodge sits in a 170-acre private reserve; and Andean Haven in the Sacred Valley pairs ayahuasca with San Pedro. Guests pay their own travel and a hotel night beforehand, and need travel insurance.

Care and safety

Every guest completes a confidential medical and psychological intake on health history, medications and supplements. Heart disease, mental health diagnoses and some medications may rule ayahuasca out, and most medications must be paused before arrival, with a physician’s advice. Integration guidance and the online Blue Morpho Mystery School follow the retreat. Ayahuasca is legal in Peru, and the organisation says it has held a government licence for over 20 years.