Atmosphere

Features

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

Arutam Cusco: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca and San Pedro Retreats near Cusco, Peru

Arutam Cusco is a small home-based retreat on the slopes of Apu Machu Pikol overlooking Cusco, Peru, run by Rory McCormick and his wife Ana, that offered nine-day retreats with five silent ayahuasca and San Pedro ceremonies, kambo and astrology readings, per its AyaAdvisors listing and a directory profile. Guests praised kind, knowledgeable hosts and a peaceful setting. Against that, no prices, screening, medical staff or emergency plan were published, its founder names no teacher or lineage, and no activity was found after about 2016. It is not related to Cumbres de Arutam in Ecuador.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: A property with an adobe maloca on the slopes of Apu Machu Pikol, above Cusco, Peru; no address was published.
• Approach: Silent ayahuasca and San Pedro ceremonies, kambo, and astrological birth-chart readings in a home setting.
• Suitable For: Readers researching the center’s history; current operation is unconfirmed. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: No prices, deposit or refund terms were published; shared rooms and all meals were included, per a directory profile.
• Overall Assessment: Warmly reviewed, small-scale hosting, offset by no published safety information, a founder without a stated lineage, kambo alongside ayahuasca at altitude and no activity since about 2016. Directory evaluation: C-.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

AyaAdvisors shows 5.0 from 2 reviews from April and June 2015, praising generous hosts, good food and a serene setting with hummingbirds. Tripadvisor forum posts from about 2014 to 2016 are mostly positive. No reviews of 3 stars or lower were found. 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 Arutam Cusco and Rory McCormick.

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

Ana’s surname is not published and the footprint is small and old, so this absence offers limited assurance.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. Rory McCormick, named as founder, says he came to Peru “out of desperation” and worked with several unnamed shamans for about three years before providing “the space and the medicine”, per a promotional page (unverified); forum posters describe him as an astrologer. A forum poster in about 2016 said Arutam and Phoenix Ayahuasca near Iquitos referred guests to each other (unverified). No company or RUC tax number was found.

Screening and medical support. No screening process, contraindication list, medical staff or emergency protocol was published. Kambo was offered alongside ayahuasca and San Pedro at high altitude. Hospitals are in Cusco.

Status. The last dated reviews are from 2015 and forum mentions end around 2016; no current listing or dates were found. Treat it as possibly closed.

Legal context. Ayahuasca is legal in Peru, its traditional use is national heritage, and there is no licensing regime for retreats, per ICEERS.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

Ask whether kambo, ayahuasca and San Pedro are ever given close together and how that is managed. 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 and San Pedro served by the hosts; the source was not published. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Cool, high Andean slopes above Cusco with fruit trees and mountain water.
• Rooms: Shared rooms in a family home.
• Style: Silent ceremonies led by Western hosts, with astrology.

Practical guidance: Fly to Cusco (CUZ) and allow time to acclimatize to the altitude.

Should You Book?

Only with caution, and it may no longer operate. If you find it running, ask in writing for the price and refund terms, who prepares and serves each medicine and their training, the screening questions and contraindication list, who on site is trained in first aid, and the emergency plan. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Arutam Cusco presented itself as a quiet family retreat where guests sat with the medicines in silence. We did not independently verify anyone’s training.

Prep & Integration Tips

Before you go: Disclose every medication and condition in writing and plan any change with your own doctor. 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

No current booking page was found; its last listing is on AyaAdvisors. Best Retreats does not take bookings; learn more about our mission.

Last reviewed November 2026.

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