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

The Garden of Peace: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca and Master Plant Dietas near Tarapoto, Peru

The Garden of Peace (El Jardín de la Paz) is a small, Western-run ayahuasca and master plant dieta center in the high jungle near Lamas, one to two hours from Tarapoto in Peru’s San Martín region, which says it opened in 2013 and has been led in turn by English owner Ashley Avery with Shipibo maestro Reshin Nika and, on 2026 listings, by Dutch host Marije van Neck with curandero Gumercindo Galindo Shapiama, according to its Retreat Guru page and BookRetreats page. Programs of 5 to 21 days cost $950 to $2,950 with Tarapoto airport pickup, groups stay small, applicants are screened for SSRIs and MAOIs, and it rates 4.81 from 31 Retreat Guru reviews and 5.00 from 13 on BookRetreats. Against that, no medical staff, emergency plan or hospital information is published for a remote site, no legal entity was found, the curandero is billed as “Dr.” without a stated medical credential, and listings contradict each other on prices, refund terms, distance and group size.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: A seven-hectare property with a river in the high jungle near Lamas, San Martín, Peru, one hour (2026 listings) or two hours (2025 listings) from Tarapoto; no district is published.
• Approach: Ayahuasca ceremonies with a mapacho purge and a master plant dieta chosen by the maestro, in 5, 10, 14 and 21-day programs with two to eight ayahuasca ceremonies, plant and clay baths and, at some events, yoga and breathwork.
• Suitable For: Adults wanting a rustic dieta in a small group, after confirming medical cover and an emergency plan in writing. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $950 for 5 days, $1,750 for 10 and $2,950 for 21 on BookRetreats, and $1,350 for 10 days, $1,550 for 14 and $2,200 for 21 on its own booking site. Retreat Guru describes a non-refundable 50% deposit, while BookRetreats refunds deposits in full 30 or more days out. Tarapoto airport pickup is included.
• Overall Assessment: A long-running dieta center with application screening, small groups and solid reviews, offset by no medical staff or emergency plan at a remote site, repeated leadership changes, no legal entity and contradictory listings. Directory evaluation: B-.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

The positive picture. Reviewers describe a safe space, integrity, skilled healers, good food and grounds, and a welcome for solo travelers and non-Spanish speakers; 2026 reviewers praise the preparation, Maestro Gume, the casitas and the river.

The negative feedback. A 4-star 2023 Retreat Guru review says it is not for first-timers, describing long solitude in open jungle and a center still developing its management; others note rustic conditions. Most Retreat Guru reviews are not visible.

Who is writing the reviews. BookRetreats shows the same 13 reviews on all three programs, all posted within five months of the new host’s arrival, and some describe programs not on those pages; several testimonials claim cures for depression. No Tripadvisor or Google listing was 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 The Garden of Peace, Ashley Avery, Lara Charlotte, Reshin Nika, Isa Rina, Gumercindo Galindo Shapiama, Reyna Luz Edery Flores and Marije van Neck.

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

No enforcement action against retreat centers in San Martín from 2024 to 2026 was found.

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

🔍 Critical Notes

Screening and medical support. Applicants complete an application and screening covering health history, medications and psychological readiness, BookRetreats flags SSRIs and MAOIs as dangerous, and not everyone is accepted. No medical staff, emergency protocol or nearest hospital is published; listings describe round-the-clock English-speaking staff. Gumercindo is billed as “Dr.” with no medical license listed. The center also tells guests they must follow a 30-day post-dieta or risk serious illness (operator claim).

Who runs it. Lara Charlotte served as managing director in earlier years; Ashley Avery, from England, is listed as founder and co-owner, working with Shipibo maestro Reshin Nika and his daughter Isa Rina through October 2025; and 2026 listings name Marije van Neck as host with Gumercindo Galindo Shapiama, who says he trained from age 13 near Jenaro Herrera. Whether the 2026 listings reflect a change of operator is not stated. Maestra Reyna Luz Edery Flores of the Pucallpa region served as an earlier healer. No Peruvian company registration was found.

Listing contradictions. Distance from Tarapoto is given as one or two hours, group size as 8, 10 or 12, and prices and refund terms differ between Retreat Guru and BookRetreats. Retreat Guru amenity tags list a pool, spa and air conditioning at a site with open casitas and composting toilets.

Legal context. Peru declared traditional ayahuasca use National Cultural Heritage in 2008 while distinguishing it from commercial use, per Bia Labate, and no law licenses retreat centers, per ICEERS.

Corrections to our earlier profile. The maestro’s name is Reshin Nika, not Reshi Nika, and he does not appear on 2026 listings. Retreat Guru shows 4.81 from 31 reviews, not 5/5. Prices run $950 to $2,950, and no listing shows $1,450. Ayahuasca’s status in Peru is clearer than “ambiguous”: traditional use is protected, though retreats are unregulated. Cloud forest, river pools, Quora praise, a “completely safe” review and a review saying facilitators lacked trauma awareness remain unverified, as does website text in our earlier profile saying ayahuasca with master plants heals a whole range of diseases, which is the operator’s claim. The high jungle near Tarapoto, a river on the property, Shipibo-style ceremonies through 2025, individually tailored dietas, plain dieta food and no incidents found are confirmed.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

BookRetreats flags SSRIs and MAOIs and asks guests to list all medications, but no full contraindication list is 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

Ayahuasca of undisclosed recipe, master plants chosen by the maestro, mapacho purges, plant and clay baths, and rapé and sananga at one 2025 event. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: High jungle where the Andes meet the Amazon, with warm days, cool nights and a river on the property.
• Rooms: Private casitas open on all sides with a bed and hammock and no electricity inside, composting toilets and shared bathrooms; the main house has electricity.
• Style: Traditional dietas with Shipibo and mestizo healers, hosted by Western staff who add yoga and breathwork at some events.

Practical guidance: Pickup and drop-off at Tarapoto airport are included.

Should You Book?

Possibly, after confirming in writing who the current maestro and owners are, how emergencies are handled and which refund terms apply. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

The center says it opened in 2013 and has hosted 7 to 30-day dietas and women’s retreats since; 2026 listings offer year-round weekly start dates. 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; the dieta excludes salt, sugar, spice, pork, alcohol and sex. After you return: One online integration session and post-dieta guidelines are included; arrange support from a qualified therapist at home as well. Our guide on how to research ayahuasca incidents can help you check any center.

Pros & Cons

Book Your Ceremony

Programs are listed on its BookRetreats page and Retreat Guru 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.