Atmosphere

Features

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

Sanken Nete: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats in San Francisco de Yarinacocha, Peru

Sanken Nete is a family-run Shipibo ayahuasca center in the Shipibo-Konibo community of San Francisco de Yarinacocha, about an hour from Pucallpa, Ucayali, Peru, founded by maestra Elisa Vargas Fernández (Reshin Wesna) and run with her son Fredy Luis Vargas Fernández, that sold seven-night retreats with three ayahuasca ceremonies for $1,800 to $2,200 in 2024, per its retreat page. It is led by a long-public Shipibo healer and publishes conservative medication washouts. Against that, no medical staff, emergency protocol or hospital route is published, it has no independent reviews, its ownership statements conflict, and no retreat has been dated since November 2024.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Traditional Shipibo houses and a maloca in the maestra’s home community of San Francisco, near Yarinacocha lake, Coronel Portillo province, Ucayali, Peru.
• Approach: Shipibo ayahuasca ceremonies with icaros, tobacco, plant baths and master plant dietas, with yoga and breathwork on hosted retreat weeks.
• Suitable For: Guests seeking a family Shipibo setting who confirm current dates directly. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $1,800 in a shared Shipibo house or $2,100 to $2,200 private for seven nights in 2024, with pickup in Pucallpa. Cancellations 45 or more days ahead are refunded minus a 3% card fee and $150; nothing is refunded inside 45 days, per its FAQ.
• Overall Assessment: An experienced Shipibo maestra, small groups and careful medication rules, offset by no published medical or emergency arrangements, no reviews, an unclear ownership and booking structure and no recent dates. Directory evaluation: C.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

No reviews were found on Retreat Guru, BookRetreats, Tripadvisor, Google or AyaAdvisors, and its own site has no testimonials. A 2020 community fundraiser on GoFundMe describes the maestra as a respected ayahuasquera who had hosted hundreds of local and international visitors. 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 Sanken Nete, Elisa Vargas Fernández, Fredy Luis Vargas Fernández and its retreat hosts.

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

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. The healers page presents Elisa Vargas Fernández as a Shipibo-Konibo meraya who has worked across Peru and abroad, and her son Fredy as the maestro who runs the center (unverified). The site also names foreign retreat founders and hosts, says bookings go through an intermediary called Earthly Ventures, and its terms fall under California law and place all risk on participants, while the FAQ says the Shipibo community fully owns and runs the center. No company or RUC tax number appears.

Screening and medical support. Its preparation page asks guests to stop SSRIs six weeks before (eight for fluoxetine) and excludes people with heart conditions, and says an unnamed senior nurse reviews health forms. No on-site medical staff, emergency protocol or nearest hospital is stated; hospitals are in Yarinacocha town and Pucallpa (unverified).

Status. The website is live, but its latest dated retreat ran in November 2024 and no later dates were found. Treat group retreats as possibly inactive and confirm directly.

Related listings. The maestra also leads ayahuasca ceremonies on retreats run by Transcendent Institute in the Sacred Valley. Don Mateo is a separate center in the same village.

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 who on site handles a medical emergency at night and how long the trip to hospital takes. 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 prepared by the Vargas Fernández family. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Hot Amazon lowlands near the Ucayali River and Yarinacocha lake.
• Rooms: Eleven traditional Shipibo houses with a shared kitchen and Wi-Fi, per the center page.
• Style: Family Shipibo ceremonies in the healer’s own village.

Practical guidance: Fly to Pucallpa (PCL); the team meets retreat guests in Pucallpa.

Should You Book?

Possibly, once current dates are confirmed. Ask in writing who will lead your ceremonies, who on site is trained in first aid, the emergency plan and hospital route, which entity takes your payment, and the refund terms. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Sanken Nete, the “Light of the Universe”, presents itself as a female-led Shipibo medicine house. 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 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

Book Your Ceremony

Retreats are listed on its website. 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.