Atmosphere

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Atmosphere and feature ratings above are based on Best Retreats research (November 2026). They will be updated if Amazon Jungle Retreat submits its own information.

Amazon Jungle Retreat (Selva Wild Lodge): An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats in the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve, Peru

Amazon Jungle Retreat is a remote lodge, Selva Wild Lodge, in the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo communal conservation area of Loreto, Peru, co-owned by Héctor Vezirian, that runs eight-day retreats with four ayahuasca ceremonies led by a Cocama shaman named Demetrio and 14-day retreats adding kambo and a master plant dieta, for up to 12 guests from $1,050, per its program pages. It offers small groups deep in a protected forest with Indigenous guides. Against that, its shaman and guide give first names only, no company, deposit or refund terms are published, two live pages price the same retreat differently, and no screening, contraindications or emergency plan are published for a site hours by river from a hospital.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Selva Wild Lodge in the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo communal conservation area, Loreto, Peru, about five hours by boat from the Iquitos area; no village or GPS is published.
• Approach: Four or five night ceremonies with Shipibo icaros, plant baths, jungle walks and integration circles; the 14-day program adds two kambo sessions and a master plant dieta.
• Suitable For: Travelers wanting a remote, nature-focused retreat in a small group who can screen themselves. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: The eight-day retreat runs from $1,050 in a shared room to $2,800 private, per its eight-day program page; two live 14-day pages list a private single at $3,200 and $5,200. No deposit, refund, food or transfer terms are published.
• Overall Assessment: A remote, small-group setting with Indigenous guides, offset by unverifiable people, no published terms or medical safeguards, conflicting prices and few reviews. Directory evaluation: C.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

Retreat Guru shows 5.0 from five reviews; no reviews were found on Tripadvisor, Google, AyaAdvisors or Trustpilot, and none of 3 stars or lower. If you have attended, we encourage you to share your experience through our submission form.

🚩 Incident Report

We searched review platforms and English and Spanish-language news for reports involving Amazon Jungle Retreat, Selva Wild Lodge, Héctor Vezirian and its named guides.

• Deaths and serious injuries: None found.
• Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
• Theft and fraud: None found.
• Legal action: None found.

The shaman and guide give first names only, which limits this search. A 2025 tourist death after a ceremony elsewhere in Loreto, at a different lodge, is unrelated.

If you have experienced or witnessed an incident with this center, please report it confidentially.

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. Héctor Vezirian describes himself as a co-owner, naturalist and survival expert with more than 30 years in South American rainforests who also runs an animal rescue shelter near Iquitos, per his teacher profile (unverified). Ceremonies are led by Demetrio, described as a Cocama shaman, per his profile, with Sergio, described as an Achuar guide and son of an Achuar elder (both unverified). No company or tax number is named.

Screening and medical support. No medical questionnaire, contraindication list or emergency protocol is published; the 14-day pages claim “ongoing medical supervision” without naming anyone. Kambo is added to ayahuasca in the longer program, and hospitals in Iquitos are hours away by river.

Listings. Two live 14-day pages give different prices for the same rooms, per-person totals carry odd cents, and no future dates are posted.

Status. Listings were live in November 2026 with no upcoming dates; the only dated retreat seen was in June 2026.

Legal context. Ayahuasca is legal in Peru, and in 2024 Peru’s health ministry issued a safe-use guide urging health screening and warning against untrained facilitators, per Gestión.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

With no published screening and a hospital hours away, guests must screen themselves carefully. ICEERS notes that ayahuasca’s MAOI component makes it dangerous with SSRIs and other serotonergic drugs and that it is contraindicated for people prone to psychosis. Never stop a psychiatric medication to qualify for a ceremony without your prescriber’s guidance.

🧪 Brew Substance

Ayahuasca served by Demetrio; its source is not published. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Deep, hot lowland rainforest in a protected reserve, far from tourist routes.
• Rooms: Simple eco lodges with private or shared rooms for up to four.
• Style: Cocama and Achuar-led ceremony with jungle excursions.

Practical guidance: Fly to Iquitos (IQT) and confirm in writing how you reach the lodge and how long an emergency evacuation would take.

Should You Book?

Only with caution. Ask in writing for the shaman’s and guide’s full names and training, the screening questions and contraindication list, who provides the “medical supervision” and their credentials, the emergency plan and evacuation time, the correct price, the deposit and refund terms, and the legal entity you are paying. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

The lodge presents itself as a conservation-minded retreat combining jungle expeditions with traditional ceremony. We did not independently verify anyone’s training.

Prep & Integration Tips

Before you go: Disclose every medication and condition in writing, plan any change with your own doctor, and buy insurance that covers evacuation. After you return: Arrange support from a qualified therapist at home. Our guide on how to research ayahuasca incidents can help you check any center.

Pros & Cons

Book Your Ceremony

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Last reviewed November 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified medical professional.