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

PUNQU: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca and San Pedro Retreats in Urubamba, Sacred Valley, Peru

PUNQU, run by PUNQU Inner Travel Agency E.I.R.L., is a small retreat near Urubamba in Peru’s Sacred Valley founded by Zahra Chouicha and Valentin Usca Callañaupa that sells three to ten-day ayahuasca and San Pedro retreats for up to four guests, from $500 to $1,950, with Shipibo shaman Joel Inuma Arevalo and Andean and Q’ero maestros, per its website. It names its shamans and company, publishes a contraindication list and has dozens of five-star reviews. Against that, its medical form allows stopping antidepressants only one week before ceremony, deposits are “strictly non-refundable” on its own site while booking platforms advertise refunds, it sells tobacco purges as add-ons, and its reviews show a same-day burst.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: A retreat house above Urubamba, Sacred Valley, Cusco, Peru, at about 2,800 m and roughly 90 minutes from Cusco airport; its office is in Cusco.
• Approach: Ayahuasca and San Pedro ceremonies with Shipibo and Andean shamans, a volcanic-water purge, Andean ceremonies and paid extras such as rapé, tobacco purges, massage and tarot.
• Suitable For: People wanting a very small, comfortable group retreat with Machu Picchu options. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $500 for three days, $1,000 for five, $1,600 for seven and $1,950 for ten days with tours, per its terms page and program pages; half is paid by Zelle as a “strictly non-refundable” deposit and the rest in cash on arrival, while its Retreat Guru and BookRetreats listings advertise refundable deposits.
• Overall Assessment: Named shamans, a registered company and tiny groups, offset by a risky medication washout, conflicting refund terms, add-on purges and review integrity concerns. Directory evaluation: C.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

Tripadvisor shows 5.0 from 49 reviews from December 2023 to October 2026, Google shows all five-star reviews and BookRetreats 5.0 from 4, praising personal attention, safety and a family feel. Eight reviews were posted on 1 May 2025, several reviewers post on both Google and Tripadvisor, and one shares a co-founder’s surname. 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 PUNQU, Zahra Chouicha, Valentin Usca Callañaupa and its named shamans.

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

The center began operating around 2023, 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. Zahra Chouicha, who describes training with a Shipibo maestra, and Valentin Usca Callañaupa, from an Urubamba family of Andean ceremonialists, run the company, per its about page. Named shamans include Shipibo curandero Joel Inuma Arevalo, Andean maestra Roxana Usca Callañaupa and Q’ero paqos Toribio and Lino Quispe (unverified). Its terms give a company tax number, and its claimed tourism and culture ministry licenses show no numbers.

Screening and medical support. A medical history form and the website exclude pregnancy, heart conditions, recent surgery and personal or family history of psychosis or bipolar disorder, but the form allows stopping antidepressants, anxiolytics and antipsychotics “at least one week” before with a doctor’s approval, shorter than commonly advised for many antidepressants. No medical staff or emergency protocol is published, and its terms disclaim responsibility for “accidents, damages, illnesses, deaths”. One reviewer attended about two months after knee surgery despite the surgery exclusion.

Status. Operating, with reviews and blog posts in October 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

Do not rely on a one-week washout; some antidepressants, such as fluoxetine, take weeks to clear, so plan any change with your prescriber. 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 its Shipibo shaman and San Pedro by Andean maestros; the 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 above Urubamba.
• Rooms: Private cabin rooms with two simple beds.
• Style: Shipibo and Andean ceremonies with wellness extras.

Practical guidance: Fly to Cusco (CUZ); airport or hotel transfers both ways are included. Allow time to acclimatize.

Should You Book?

Possibly, with care. Get the refund terms in writing before paying any deposit, confirm the medication washout with your own doctor, and ask who on site is trained in first aid, the emergency plan and the nearest hospital, and whether purges are given on ceremony days. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

PUNQU presents itself as an “inner travel agency” offering a spiritual reset in a family setting in the Sacred Valley. 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

Programs are listed on its website and Retreat Guru. 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.