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

Ayahuasca Cusco: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats in San Jerónimo, Cusco, Peru

Ayahuasca Cusco is a Cusco retreat brand launched in 2025 that sells one to seven-day ayahuasca and San Pedro programs from $210 to $1,395 at a “Templo de Retiros” in the Huayllapampa valley, San Jerónimo district, about an hour from Cusco, per its 7-day retreat page. It shares its office, retreat site, prices, staff and video channel with the older Cusco operator Caisae, also called Comunidad de Chamanes del Perú, and with Ayahuasca Wachuma. It publishes a contraindication list and graded refunds. Against that, Caisae’s reviews include unverified allegations of a 2017 ceremony assault with broken ribs and 2021 nonconsensual touching, the new brand does not disclose that history or the people named, no medical staff are named, and Caisae’s health ministry certification claims are unsupported.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: A rural retreat house in the Huayllapampa (Patapata) valley, San Jerónimo district, Cusco province, Peru, 45 to 60 minutes from the city, with an office in Wanchaq, Cusco.
• Approach: Ayahuasca ceremonies with Amazonian and Andean masters, plus San Pedro, coca leaf readings, cleansings, “volcanic medicinal water” and water-only fasting days; the sister brand Caisae also sells kambo.
• Suitable For: Very few people until the operator addresses the allegations. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $210 for one day, $425 to $775 for two to five days and $1,075 to $1,395 for seven days, with a 10% deposit; refunds fall from 90% to nothing as the start date nears, per its refund policy.
• Overall Assessment: Clear prices and a written contraindication list, offset by serious unverified abuse allegations against the network, reviews split across brands, unsupported certification claims and no named medical staff. Directory evaluation: D.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

The new brand shows 4.9 from 143 Google reviews and 36 Tripadvisor reviews in widgets on its own site that link to no review pages. Caisae, the same operation, has 149 Tripadvisor reviews since 2016, 128 of them excellent and 18 at 3 stars or lower, including 12 at 1 star. Guests praise warm hosts, help interpreting visions and emotional release. Complaints describe delays, disorganization, an assistant who seemed intoxicated in 2017, per this review, an unresponsive owner and stray dogs at the site. 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 Ayahuasca Cusco, Caisae, Comunidad de Chamanes del Perú, Ayahuasca Wachuma and their listed masters.

• Deaths and serious injuries: A 2017 Tripadvisor review, also posted on AyaAdvisors, alleges physical abuse during a Caisae retreat, with three broken ribs and bruising documented by a tourist police doctor, names two staff members, and says a lawsuit was underway (unverified). No owner response, police record, court filing or press report was found.
• Sexual misconduct: A 2021 Tripadvisor review alleges that the man running the site touched the reviewer without consent after the reviewer said no, and beat a dog before a ceremony (unverified). No owner response is visible.
• Theft and fraud: The 2017 abuse review also alleges that data on the guest’s phone and computer was erased (unverified).
• Legal action: None found.

Staff named in the 2017 allegation still appear in recent reviews and owner responses but are not listed on the new brand’s site. Two 2016 tourist deaths in the Cusco region involved other operators and are not linked to this one.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. The about page lists six masters, including Maestro Chanan and Maestra Lourdes Flores for ayahuasca and Q’ero healers Santiago Salas and Andrés Apaza for San Pedro, but names no owners (unverified). Its claims of “since 2013” and 10,000 guests differ from Caisae’s 15 and 20-year claims. No company or RUC tax number appears.

Certification claims. Caisae says its ceremonies are recognized and certified by Peru’s health ministry, with no certificate shown, while Ayahuasca Cusco’s own legal page says Peru has no licensing system for retreat centers.

Screening and medical support. Guests complete a diagnostic form and consent, and the health disclaimer excludes SSRIs, MAOIs, heart conditions, psychosis history and pregnancy, but gives no washout periods. No medical staff are named, and the emergency plan is to take the guest “to the nearest clinic”. The site sits at about 3,300 m.

Status. Operating; its terms were updated in October 2026 and Caisae has reviews through September 2026.

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

Fasting days, purge water and several ceremonies at altitude add physical strain. 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 the listed masters; 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: Cool, high Andean valley outside Cusco.
• Rooms: Shared group rooms, small private rooms and VIP rooms with views, with a pool, per its retreat page.
• Style: Amazonian and Andean ceremonies sold in many short packages.

Practical guidance: Fly to Cusco (CUZ) and arrive a few days early to acclimatize; Cusco hotel pickup is included.

Should You Book?

We cannot recommend it until the operator responds to the allegations. If you consider it, ask in writing who owns the business, who will be present at your ceremonies, how the 2017 and 2021 complaints were handled, who on site is medically trained, and which clinic it uses in an emergency. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Ayahuasca Cusco presents itself as a community of Amazonian and Andean healers started by the healers themselves. 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 tell someone outside the retreat where you are. 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.