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

Shamballa Ayahuasca Retreats: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats in the Sacred Valley, Cusco, Peru

Shamballa Ayahuasca Retreats is a Sacred Valley ayahuasca retreat founded by Gintare Petrauskaite and Peter Ewart, listed in Huayllabamba and pinned on the edge of Pisac, Cusco, Peru, that sold seven-day programs with three ayahuasca ceremonies and one San Pedro ceremony for $2,400 to $3,000, per its Third Wave listing. Early guests praised its music and care. Against that, its lead facilitator claims Sufi, Shaolin and Gurdjieff training rather than a curandero lineage, no medical staff or emergency plan is published, a 2024 review alleges a cancelled retreat and a kept £500 deposit, and it shows no activity since.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Listed at Huayllabamba, Urubamba province, while Google places it on Avenida Rinconada in Pisac, Calca province, Cusco, Peru; the exact venue is unconfirmed. The founders also claimed retreats in Mexico and Spain.
• Approach: Three ayahuasca ceremonies and one San Pedro ceremony with live music, sound healing, breathwork, ecstatic dance, coaching and integration circles.
• Suitable For: Readers researching its history; current operation is unconfirmed. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $2,400 to $3,000 for seven days with meals, lodging and transport; the only refund term covers applicants rejected on medical grounds.
• Overall Assessment: Positive early reviews and a comfortable venue, offset by a non-traditional lead facilitator, no medical safeguards, an unrefunded deposit complaint and an apparently dormant operation. Directory evaluation: C-.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

Google shows 4.5 from 15 reviews, 13 five-star and 2 one-star, per a copy on Wanderlog. Positive reviews, mostly from August and September 2021, describe feeling safe and cared for, live music from the lead facilitator and a warm co-founder; several describe earlier ceremonies with the pair, including in Spain in 2020. A one-star review from June 2024 calls it a “SCAM”, saying a retreat was cancelled, two £500 deposits were kept, emails went unanswered and the reviewer was blocked on Instagram (unverified). The second one-star review has no visible text. Third Wave shows one positive review and Retreat Guru none. 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 Shamballa Ayahuasca Retreats, Peter Ewart and Gintare Petrauskaite.

• Deaths and serious injuries: None found.
• Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
• Theft and fraud: One 2024 review alleges a kept deposit after a cancelled retreat (unverified); no operator reply was 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. Third Wave lists Gintare Petrauskaite and Peter Ewart as founders and Ewart as lead shaman, claiming “over 1000 held ceremonies” and training in Sufism, yoga, Shaolin martial arts and Gurdjieff’s methods (unverified). Reviewers call the lead facilitator “Pitt”, very likely the same person. The brew is said to come from an unnamed brewer in Pucallpa. No company or RUC tax number appears.

Screening and medical support. Applicants complete a health form and a call, but no contraindication list, medical staff or emergency protocol is published. Hospitals are in Cusco, about an hour away (unverified), and the valley sits near 3,000 m.

Status. Retreat Guru shows no events or guides, Third Wave was last updated in November 2022, and the latest dated activity is the June 2024 cancellation complaint. Treat it as possibly inactive.

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 can respond to a medical emergency at altitude. 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 from an unnamed brewer in Pucallpa, per the listing. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Cool Andean valley between mountains.
• Rooms: A main building with gardens and a glass-walled yoga room, per its listing.
• Style: Western-led ceremonies with live music and modern wellness practices.

Practical guidance: Fly to Cusco (CUZ) and confirm the venue and transfer in writing, since its listings name two towns.

Should You Book?

Not until it shows current activity. Ask in writing where retreats are held now, who leads them, who on site is trained in first aid, the emergency plan and the full refund terms, and pay by a method with buyer protection. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

Shamballa presents itself as a holistic, high-comfort ayahuasca retreat built around its founders’ ceremonies. 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

The center is listed on 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.