I want to start our conversation telling you that my life through the ayahuasca medicine path started in 2008, but working with my ancestral lineage started much earlier. Since I was a youth, I was actively participating in the healing ceremonies that my family practices: we are descendants of a Andean tradition. My father is a hampy camayoc, and my great grandmother was the curandera of her little village, Quiquijana. This district is located in Quispicanchis, Cusco. My fathers lineage is traced back almost 600 years. Now my work with energy medicine (such as Andean offerings), Amazonian plant medicine, Huachuma and Ayahuasca is dedicated to these familiar maestros.
In 2017 I started Novalis alongside my wife and dear friend. I am director of our center, and we are dedicated to conservation. We are the stewards of over 2000 hectares of primary rainforest in the south-east Peruvian Amazon. I have been living and working in these jungles since 2006, and I know the people and plants here well.
Thank you for considering to work with us.
Loyver is from the Alto Ucayali region, and was born in the community of San Francisco de Yarina Cocha. As a young boy he was first initiated by his mother, a healer who was trained by her grandfather, father and father-in-law, who recounted her many experiences of Medicine and ceremony to her young son. Two important lineages came together in Loyver (or Wesha´kea, his Shipibo name, which signifies 'infinite patterns of possibility'): the lineage of his maternal grandfather, who contacted him in dream from early age and taught him to dream lucidly, and the lineage of his paternal grandfather, a traditional Shipibo ayahuasquero. Loyver learned how to heal with ayahuasca and the pharmacopeia of the rainforest through many years of ceremony and dieta in isolation. Loyver also traveled through the region of Ucayali to study and take medicine with other masters and some relatives during his young adulthood. He also works as an artist, exhibiting his paintings throughout Peru. His paintings tell the most exquisite tales through expressing some of his experiences with the medicine.
Details of this retreat
Treehouse Lodging. Small group retreats with personal attention. Flexible Pricing. 2000 hectares of Virgin Amazon Rainforest. Volunteering.
Our goal is the protection of 2000 hectares of Amazon RainForest. For this, we have decided to operate as a platform that offers the necessary space for the implementation of projects where all work can be carried out under the concept of collaboration and harmony with nature. We are an open laboratory for human/nature interaction in this part of the world. We offer ayahuasca medicine retreats, nature retreats, and artist residencies.
Keeping our retreat groups exceptionally small ( 3-8 people), allows us to provide personal attention to each of our guests and to keep the atmosphere of a small family house in the deep forest.
Each retreat will offer you:
- Transportation from Puerto Maldonado to Novalis
- Accommodation in our shared tree houses is completely screened from mosquitos and with mosquito netting provided over the beds.
- 4-5 Ayahuasca ceremonies (the number dependent on your own dieta)
- Individual health consultations, if required
- Flower baths
- A 8 day individually selected plant dieta
- Pre- and post-ceremony sharing circles
- Jungle walks
- Locally grown vegetarian food cooked with love
- Translation from Spanish to English
Our home is located in the middle of a primary rainforest full of animals and birds and we offer unique treehouse living as a way to re-connect with nature. We offer flexible pricing on our Ayahuasca retreats, shamanic plant dietas, and work exchange opportunities.
Novalis offers various options for accommodation and can host between 3 and 12 people at a time in our 3 double occupancy treehouses or the ground level 4-bedroom house. We are also available to host any guest retreats that might benefit from the rainforest setting. All our houses are completely mosquito-proof and built with locally sourced lumber, often from salvaged wood, and with a focus on simplicity, sustainability, and functionality.
For this dieta we will be working with the main medicine team of Novalis director Juan Zuniga, Shipibo Loyver Yui, and Machiguenga elders, Carmen, and Luis.
**Email us at wearenovalis@gmail.com for more information.
Please Bring
Headlamp & Extra Batteries
Water Bottle
Umbrella
Repellant
Eco-friendly Soap & Washing Detergent
Loose Clothes
Schedule
**Email us at wearenovalis@gmail.com for more information.
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
Novalis, Novalis, Jiron Arequipa, Puerto Maldonado, Peru
Directions
We are located 2 hours outside of the city of Puerto Maldonado in SE Peru. Please arrive to Puerto Maldonado, and from there we will take care of your transport.
Accommodation
Our treehouses are 10 meters up in the canopy with beautiful 360degree views. These treehouses are home for 2-3 people, and depending on group size sometimes we also have space for single occupancy. Please enquire.
Please contact us for discounts or low-income options.
Venue & Amenities
Our center is located 4km from the riverside and is completely surrounded by primary rainforest. We have running water, composting toilets, kitchen facilities, and many different indoor and outdoor spaces for you to be and relax. We have over 30km of walking trails in active Brazil Nut harvested forest.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
We serve vegetarian food and can cater to many types of diets and food intolerances, including allergies.
What's Included
Each dieta ayahuasca retreat will include:
Transportation from Puerto Maldonado to NOVALIS and back (40-minute car ride followed by a 45-minute beautiful boat ride along the river, and a 40-minute scenic hike through the rainforest)
Accommodation in our shared tree houses is completely screened in from mosquitos, with netting provided over the beds, comfortable mattresses, fresh sheets, and lanterns.
Possibility to take part in the preparation of the medicine (depending upon the timing of cooking and a particular retreat)
Individual health consultations with our medicine people
Sharing circles before and after ceremonies
Individually selected plant dietas (depending on the type of retreat)
Opportunity to deepen your knowledge of shamanic practice and the use of medicinal plants
Locally grown vegetarian meals cooked with love (All meals included)
At least 3 Shipibo and Machiguenga Grandmother Ceremonies, 4 for dietas.
Transpersonal Psychology Integration Circles
What's Not Included
Airfare from your home
Hotels before and after
Food in the city of Puerto Maldonado
Customer Reviews
4.75 out of 5.0 average rating
5.0
Verified
Precious Place With Precious People
I cannot recommend Novalis highly enough to anyone who wishes to visit the Amazon jungle and learn about it as well as about its people and plant medicine, go on an adventure to reconnect with nature, themselves, others, … and much more. Sincerely. Their team is an absolute treasure. Honest, caring, dedicated, skilled, generous, professional, devoted… these are just a few of the beautiful qualities they uniquely embody.
Having a chance to be immersed in the magical rainforest in such a unique way is purely and simply a gift. An exquisite experience to say the least. To be giving back to Mother Nature by supporting the cause Novalis vouches for is also such a highlight in going on a retreat with them.
They will welcome you with wide open arms and big bright smiles, cook delicious food for you, offer you a comfortable room in an real treehouse, provide you with the right tools you may seek, share their knowledge and wisdom with you, and support you every step of the way - whatever your aim is when choosing to journey with them.
You will most certainly feel safe, supported, and empowered in every aspect.
Wishing for you to take a leap of faith as I did as you will most certainly not regret it.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Novalis family. To me you are now family too. I will see you soon and already cannot wait for next time.
Until then, take good care of yourselves.
With all my love,
Mathilde
5.0
Verified
Thank you Juan!
Juan is a human with a big heart and a good ear. He will do what he can to make your stay a success. He took the time to listen to eveyone's story, helping with his knowledge and own experience. His presence was always very comforting. He also took us for a walk in the jungle and shared a fair bit of knowledge about medicinal plants. Thank you Juan and Cassandra for making this possible!
5.0
Verified
Thank you lovely people!
Went to Novalis for an 8 day retreat with a shaman and Ayahuasca. I received the answers to my life questions, lots of love and learnings. The tree houses are comfortable, the food was delicious and plentiful. It was a true immersion in the amazon forest, hot and humid! The groups are small (7 to 9 participants) and we each had the opportunity to have a good clean with Jonathan, our shaman, who was very loving and helpful. Staying there a week, doing 3 Ayahuasca ceremonies, we had time to know eachother and get comfortable, wich, for me, was a must. We had lots of free time, but found some good books to read. Juan, the hosting familly and also our musician were all very loving, full of good vibrations! I had an awesome experience. Thank you again to all of you at this retreat!
: ) xxx
5.0
Experience the reality of selva
We spend great time in Novalis, experiencing the reality of Peruvian selva, while living on the beautiful tree-houses and observing the nature. That was the best experience from our two months trip to Peru. You leave in with more peace in your mind.
5.0
A rare and magic portal
Everything about this retreat was truly personalised and caring. I met with Juan and Cassandra the night before and they took the time to really explain everything and settle me, answer all my questions. I felt very safe and held. On arrival, Juan spoke about his vision for conservation, landing us fully in context and the reality of the rainforest rather than trying to authenticate an 'indigenous experience'. That said, once we landed (after the beautiful boat ride and trek) at Novalis itself, it was like entering a true oasis. The whole team work like magic. The food is amazing. The tree-houses are quite unique (! total immersion!) And most importantly, Juan and luyver work as the most attentive, expert and deeply spiritual team to deliver you exactly the experience you need. Juan's theraputic session with me before Ceremony was profound - he saw into my soul with deep care and guided me towards setting the perfect intentions, laying the ground work for a truly healing and remarkable medicine journey. Luyver's song pierced my soul and spoke to me with a depth of wisdom and spirit through his shamanic lineage. The forest shower and the personalised floral baths were an absolute treat. The special resin Juan ground me for a problamatic spot is just one example of how caring and personalised, and especially knowledgable he is with his plant medicines. The spot, needless to say, disappeared within days. But the profound effect of staying at Novalis and the wisdom, beauty and downloads I received there will stay with me for a life time...
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Available Dates
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Payments made through Retreat Guru do not include the cost of: plant medicine, psychedelics or similar products. Separate payment of $10.00 per person to be arranged with the center.
Select a Room
$2,100.00
Please contact us for discounts or low-income options.
Refund & Cancellation Policy
The event is 100% refundable for cancellation 60+ days before the event start date. The event is 50% refundable if cancelled 30-59 days before the start date.