Journey with sacred fungi to unlock deep healing, expand consciousness and reconnect with life's mysteries
Anonymous says, "I experienced two Sessions with Alfonso in Playa del Carmen. The first one was Bufo, followed by Xanga/DMT one week later. In both Sessions, Alfonso answered my questions, explained what would take place, how to receive the medicine, as well as to set an intention for each experience." See more
Kevin says, "I recently had the pleasure of attending an Ayahuasca retreat at the Arkana spiritual centre in the sacred valley, Peru (8th to the 14th September 2024). This was my third Ayahuasca retreat, as I'd previously attended a different, well known, Ayahuasca centre in the Peruvian Amazon in Iquitos (2017 and 2019)." See more
Maximilian says, "With Aleece and Wouter, I felt safe and cared for throughout the entire retreat. Not only did they make sure that I got the most out of the experience itself from beginning (initial call), through middle (psychedelic trip) to end (integration session), they also went out of their way to make me fell at home at all times." See more
Iva says, "The whole session was organized very well, and I would recommend this retreat to everybody interested in inner exploration, self reflection and generally using mushrooms for personal growth/healing." See more
Amy says, "I travelled with my husband from the USA to Spain to la Mezquita for the microdosing and mindfulness retreat. We were welcomed by Sansón who had just travelled back from Africa." See more
Anonymous says, "This retreat provides a well researched, thoroughly organized experience, enriched by an outstandingly skilled and caring facilitative staff. The setting is culturally meaningful in naturally beautiful Jamaican context." See more
Anonymous says, "Mark guided me through my journey, made sure I had the support I needed at all times. Overall the experience was wonderful. Thanks to Mark, I was able to overcome my anxiety throughout the session and went through all the different stages safely." See more
Psilocybin retreat costs vary widely based on duration, location, and inclusions. Single-day experiences typically range from EUR €400-650 in Europe, USD $350-525 in the Netherlands, and USD $280-425 in Jamaica, Mexico and Costa Rica. Multi-day retreats generally cost EUR €2,000-3,500 for 4-5 days in Europe, with luxury options reaching EUR €5,000+. The average daily cost hovers around USD $400-600, with private sessions commanding higher prices than group experiences. Accommodations, meal quality, facilitator expertise, and integration support all influence pricing. Many retreats include preparation calls, integration sessions, and ceremonial experiences in their packages.
The main active compound in psilocybin mushrooms, psilocin, is actually a DMT molecule coated with compounds that 'mask' it from the MAO enzymes so that it can safely be digested and reach the bloodstream. In that way, the DMT element of the ayahuasca journey can quite fairly rival experiences with high doses of magic mushrooms.
However — the ayahuasca journey is far from only a prolonged DMT trip. It is the synergy of the B. caapi vine and the DMT admixture that catalyzes such a profoundly more full-bodied experience, one that has taken some to completely independently existing ineffable spirit realms where it's possible to meet and interact with sentient entities, or down the long, often dark road of Memory Ln, where they can revisit and confront suppressed traumatic memories.
While they also offer profound insight into the nature of the self, others, life, and the universe, mushrooms also typically tend to provide a more supportive, encouraging type of experience. Conversely, ayahuasca is infamous for holding drinkers accountable for their wrongdoings, and very clearly showing them the path toward self-betterment so that no more rationalizations are possible.
In general, ayahuasca can be said to potentially offer a more intense (both physically and mentally), exhausting, ego dissolving, profoundly transformative journey, both deeply inward as well as to exquisite alternate dimensions of existence.
Classic psychedelics (like psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, ayahuasca, and mescaline) do not create physical dependence or addiction in the way substances like alcohol, opioids, or nicotine do. Most retreat participants find these medicines self-limiting—the profound, sometimes challenging experiences they produce naturally discourage frequent use. In traditional cultures where these plants have been used for centuries, they're typically approached with reverence and used ceremonially, not recreationally. That said, psychological attachment can form with any substance or experience that alters consciousness. At retreats, guests sometimes arrive with misconceptions about psychedelics being an easy "shortcut" to healing, only to discover these medicines often reveal what needs attention rather than instantly fixing it. The medicine itself rarely becomes problematic; the relationship with it might. What's most important isn't necessarily whether a substance can create dependency, but one's intention and the context of use. Many find these experiences so complete that they need significant integration time before feeling called to return.