Mamaycuna Lodge
Atmosphere
Features
Atmosphere and feature ratings above are based on Best Retreats research (November 2026). They will be updated if Mamaycuna Lodge submits its own information.
Mamaycuna Lodge: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats near Iquitos, Peru
Mamaycuna Lodge, also called Mamaycuna Traditional Amazonian Healing Center, is a small ayahuasca center near Iquitos tied to curandero Roman Castillo Perez, whose name appears on its Instagram account. A business photo on Tripadvisor says ceremonies run from 8 pm to midnight in “the Mamaycuna Lodge’s Hall.” A 2015 independent travel blog described Roman as a down-to-earth healer holding ceremonies on his land about 45 minutes from Iquitos by mototaxi and river crossing, for 200 soles a night. Against that, no current prices, schedule, legal entity, contraindication policy, medical staff or emergency plan is published, no reviews appear on Tripadvisor, Retreat Guru or BookRetreats, and the latest dated independent evidence is from 2015.
🎯 At a Glance
- Locations: The Iquitos area of Loreto, Peru. No village, address or GPS is published; the 2015 blog places Roman’s ceremony land about 45 minutes outside the city, across a river, without naming Mamaycuna.
- Approach: Night ayahuasca ceremonies with a mestizo ayahuasquero; kambo appears in marketplace listings that may be linked.
- Suitable For: Experienced drinkers able to verify the healer, site and emergency arrangements in person. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
- Costs: No current price is published. Marketplace listings by an Iquitos organizer named Oscar Johnson Ramirez, possibly linked, offer two and four-day ayahuasca retreats and a two-day kambo program. In 2015 Roman charged 200 soles per person per night. Our earlier price of $300 for three days is unverified.
- Overall Assessment: A named local ayahuasquero with one positive independent account, offset by almost no verifiable current information, no published safety framework, no legal entity and no readable reviews. Directory evaluation: C.
💬 What Guests Are Saying
| Platform | Rating | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiatoslaw blog | Positive | 1 | January 2015; about Roman Castillo Perez |
| Tripadvisor | None | 0 | No listing; one business photo |
The positive picture. The 2015 blogger describes Roman as grounded and unpretentious, working without shamanic props, with an individual approach to each guest.
The negative feedback. None found.
Who is writing the reviews. No independent reviews were found on any platform. The center uses two websites, three names, a Gmail booking address and marketplace listings under an individual’s name. 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 Mamaycuna, Roman Castillo Perez and Oscar Johnson Ramirez.
- Deaths and serious injuries: None found involving this center.
- Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
- Theft and fraud: None found.
- Legal action: None found.
With so little indexed, the absence of reports is weak evidence. In January 2024 a man died after drinking ayahuasca prepared by a local healer on the Iquitos to Nauta road, as RPP reported, and in June 2025 a US tourist died at a different retreat in the Alto Nanay district; neither case involves this center. Our earlier profile found no incidents.
If you have experienced or witnessed an incident with this center, please report it confidentially.
🔍 Critical Notes
Screening and medical support. No medical questionnaire, contraindication list, medical staff or emergency protocol is published. If the site is still across a river from Iquitos, any evacuation needs a boat.
Who runs it. No Peruvian tax number (RUC) or company was found. Roman’s lineage is not stated. The link to Oscar Johnson Ramirez’s marketplace listings is unconfirmed, and no source names a Kelly. Luz Y Vida Amazon Lodge, also in our directory, is led by a different Oscar.
Legal context. Ayahuasca is legal in Peru, where traditional use is national cultural heritage, but retreat centers are not licensed, according to ICEERS.
Corrections to our earlier profile. Marketplace listings that may be linked show two and four-day formats, not three days. A family-run operation, rustic tambos, several shamans, host Kelly, the $300 price, groups of up to 12 and positive guest feedback remain unverified. The name, the Iquitos jungle area, host Roman, a limited online presence and the absence of safety incidents are confirmed.
🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks
No screening, contraindications, medical staff or emergency plan are published. 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
How the brew is prepared is not described. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.
📍 Location, Setting & Style
- Setting: Lowland rainforest outside Iquitos.
- Rooms: Not described; a ceremony hall is pictured.
- Style: A local ayahuasquero’s evening ceremonies.
Practical guidance: Fly to Iquitos and confirm the meeting point and transport in advance; in 2015 guests met at a hostel in the city.
Should You Book?
Only after confirming the center is operating, its location, who serves the medicine, the price, medication rules and the emergency plan in writing. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.
The Team & Story
Roman Castillo Perez has served ayahuasca to paying guests near Iquitos since at least 2015, according to the travel blog; his training is not described. 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
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Named local ayahuasquero | No current prices, dates or location |
| Positive independent account (2015) | No screening, medical staff or emergency plan |
| No incidents found | No legal entity found |
| Low historical cost | No reviews on major platforms |
Book Your Ceremony
No public dates are listed; the center can be contacted through its Facebook page. 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.