Outer Travels Inner Journeys
Atmosphere
Features
Atmosphere and feature ratings above are based on Best Retreats research (November 2026). They will be updated if Outer Travels Inner Journeys submits its own information.
Outer Travels Inner Journeys: An In-Depth Review of a Peru Ayahuasca Tour Operator
Outer Travels Inner Journeys is a British-run tour operator founded by Andy Metcalfe that sold sacred-site tours in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Lake Titicaca with San Pedro ceremonies, and week-long ayahuasca retreats at Kapitari near Iquitos with curandero Luis Culquitón (Don Lucho), at about US$650 for four ceremonies in 2015, per its AyaAdvisors listing and press reports. In September 2015 a 24-year-old New Zealand guest on one of its trips died at Kapitari after drinking a tobacco purging tea, and witnesses said no one present had first aid training. Its website now shows only a redesign notice, and no activity was found after 2019.
🎯 At a Glance
- Locations: Tours in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Lake Titicaca, with ayahuasca retreats at Kapitari across the Nanay River from Iquitos, Peru; the founder said he was based in Iquitos.
- Approach: Group tours combining sacred sites, San Pedro ceremonies and a week of ayahuasca ceremonies with a tobacco purge, run through partner venues rather than its own center.
- Suitable For: Readers researching the operator’s history; current operation is unconfirmed. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
- Costs: About US$650 for a seven-day Kapitari retreat in 2015, per ABC Foreign Correspondent; its 23-day “Peru Odyssey” tour started at £2,225 in 2015. Its own refund terms are no longer published.
- Overall Assessment: A guest death on one of its trips with no first aid on hand, an organizer who distanced himself from the shaman’s role, unverified refund and payment complaints and no activity since 2019. Directory evaluation: D-.
💬 What Guests Are Saying
AyaAdvisors shows 3.8 from 5 reviews dated 2014 to 2019, praising logistics, guides and a supportive shaman; one 3-star review cites itinerary changes and a disengaged organizer. A March 2017 review written by a parent of the guest who died says the organizer did not personally inform the family and that a refund took about three months, and a 2014 reviewer said PayPal had stopped processing the company’s payments (both unverified). If you have attended, we encourage you to share your experience through our submission form.
🚩 Incident Report
We searched international press, review platforms and English and Spanish-language news for reports involving Outer Travels Inner Journeys, Andy Metcalfe, Kapitari and Don Lucho.
- Deaths and serious injuries: In September 2015 a 24-year-old New Zealand guest on a trip organized by Andy Metcalfe died at Kapitari after drinking a tobacco purging tea prepared by Don Lucho. Witnesses said a paramedic guest’s offer of help was turned away until he went into cardiac arrest, no one present had first aid or CPR training, and the evacuation vehicle overturned, per ABC Foreign Correspondent. His family learned of the death from another tourist, and Peruvian prosecutors reopened the case in 2017, per ABC News and RNZ; no outcome was found. Metcalfe described himself as a “middleman” and said the shaman “is ultimately responsible”. Press reports name Metcalfe rather than the company.
- Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
- Theft and fraud: No fraud found; the refund delay and payment processor complaint above are unverified single reviews.
- Legal action: None against the operator was found.
If you have experienced or witnessed an incident with this operator, please report it confidentially.
🔍 Critical Notes
Who runs it. Andy Metcalfe, a British expat, founded the company and later ran the Gaia Tree retreat near Iquitos from 2016, per ABC News; Gaia Tree’s own site later said it was not operating. Guides named in reviews include Miguel Bellota. No registered company was confirmed.
Screening and medical support. No screening process, contraindication list, medical staff or emergency protocol was found, and the 2015 case showed no trained first aid on site. In 2017 ABC reported Kapitari among dozens of Iquitos retreats said to operate illegally.
Status. Its website shows only “We’re having a redesign. Back soon!” (November 2026), and the last dated review is from May 2019. 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
Tobacco purges and other preparatory brews carry their own risks; ask exactly what you will be given before ayahuasca and who is trained to respond. 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 a mapacho tobacco purging tea prepared by Don Lucho at Kapitari, and San Pedro on Andean tours. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.
📍 Location, Setting & Style
- Setting: Andean sacred sites and lowland rainforest near Iquitos.
- Rooms: Hotels on tours and partner retreat lodging at Kapitari.
- Style: Group travel combining tourism with ceremonies at partner venues.
Practical guidance: Tours started in Cusco (CUZ); the ayahuasca leg was reached from Iquitos (IQT) by boat.
Should You Book?
We cannot recommend it, and it may no longer operate. If any tour operator offers you an ayahuasca leg, ask who is medically trained on site, what every brew contains, how evacuation works, whether the venue holds permits, and who is responsible if something goes wrong. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.
The Team & Story
Outer Travels Inner Journeys marketed “life changing shamanic retreats and adventures” for international travelers. We did not independently verify anyone’s training.
Prep & Integration Tips
Before you go anywhere: 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
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Combined Andes and Amazon itinerary | Guest death on one of its trips |
| Some guests praised its guides | No first aid or medical staff reported |
| Low 2015 retreat price | Refund and payment complaints (unverified) |
| Named founder | No activity found since 2019 |
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.