Find Authentic Retreats in Arequipa Peru

"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"

"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!"

"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"

"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."

"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..."

"Hello, the retreat at Novalis was amazing. All the stuff and people super friendly. The vegetarian food very delicious. I could highly recommend this place for everyone who is looking for a place in the middle of the rainforest far apart from civilization."

"I spent 3 weeks in Novalis. As a volonteer and then as a retreat participant. The place is just magic such as the team. Everything and everyone is just perfect for helping you learning a lot on yourself, on medicinal plants and on life ... all, on a very safe way. Loyver is such a great Man full of wisdom and very disponible for sharing and helping on every subject. As a human being but also as a doctor with a lot of interest in traditional medicines, i really enjoy and take benefit of my stay there. The proof is ... I am going back for an other retreat !"

"Spending a week at Novalis was one of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much while I was there and I’ve been using the information I received in my daily life. It has brought me balance and harmony. The staff made me feel like family and we are now friends for life. Much love and respect for all that Novalis has to offer."

"I spent a whole month at Novalis and I'm dreaming to go back. The place is really beautiful, full inmersed and integrated in the jungle nature and at the same time felt pretty safe (wild animals whise) and without too many mosquitos. The people there also are one of the best things. They are so much loving and caring. Also very professional, I felt very safe in all the moment. They are always available to explain, listen, talk to you... And the experiences offered and lived there: floral bath, singing circle, nature walks, morning yoga, cocoa circles, art and creativity, the work with the plants....I do feel really blessed and grateful to the experience. I consider I have a high standart in terms of coherence, integrity and safety; and to me Novalis has the 5 stars. I totally recommend it !!! :)"

"What an amazing land! I am somewhat a snob for good living, even though I can rough it pretty well and have no complaints for simplicity, but I didn't feel that way there at all. This land is truly something special and divine -- simple luxury. There are so many acres to explore, the jungle is lush, full, there were minimal bugs biting me (in the season I went during September), and the land owners Juan and Cassandra really care about the land. The rest of the staff on hand all the time are genuine, humble, and desire catering for an amazing experience. Dioni really cares for the land just like every other person who arrives and makes delicious jungle surprises in the kitchen. The land really calls to your essence and returns you to the original version of oneself. James, Bri, Bri, Jessica, Lee, and all hold down the land with such integrity, honesty, and joy. You can really feel the love. I was immediately taken into the fold, cared for, respected, and honored. What more could you ask for? Well if you want more...there are amazing Tree trunks that are ancient and hold flower baths!!! This is quite a luxury in the jungle to take a bath staring out into the jungle. The water is clean, the outdoor shower is divine, and the tree houses are epic. The facilities are very clean and cared for. I was able to walk the whole time barefoot, which is really a luxury. Basically, this land is a gem, genuine, and so are the people. Louyver and Jessica held amazing space for the Ayahuasca ceremonies. I have been in countless ceremonies over the years and with Jess and Loyver I felt safe the whole time, cared for, and the gentle nature of the two of them create a space that you can really go deep within your own personal process. They really care about your plant dieta, if you choose to do so, and take such good care of your body, spirit, and mind. There are so many opportunities to do art, go on walks alone or with a group, time to reflect, and listen to the nature. I personally used the time to disconnect from all of technology (even though you do not have to) and it is easy where there is no electricity. There is nothing more romantic and ancient than being in a group of amazing humans in candle light. It is a genuine experience not to be missed. Enjoy the simple luxury of a jungle oasis."

"What a wonderful experience I had here in Novalis. Coming at first as a volunteer to work Juan Cassandra and all the family made me feel like a part of theirs. As beginning the retreat they dedicate all their love to the participants and the make sure that everything is set to make us comfortable. The tree houses are amazing, taking bath is wonderful and going at the Ayahuasca ceremony was one of the most beautiful experience in my life. Lloyver is a wonderful shaman who guided me through my journey with his lovely songs. I had assistance from Juan and the others all night long so you can't feel more secure. Also as Novalis is not just for ceremonies, you can learn so much about the forest, the animals and the plants. How to protect this incredible environment and take the knowledge to where you are from. Thank you a billion time to Juan, Cassandra, Lloyver, James, Lee, the Bri's, Yuri, Frejol and Dioni !"

"A word of caution for those thinking of coming here. In the past Loyver Yui has been involved with another center called Sacred Dimension (https://retreat.guru/centers/1017/sacred-dimension) that was closed after his wife Alyssan was arrested in connection with the death of a participant. While Alyssan was leading a ceremony, one of the participants passed away without notice on her part.            Here is also a news article in spanish on the event: https://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/internacionales/409561-peru-investiga-muerte-turista-estadounidense-sesio/                 Please exercise discernment in choosing who you work with, especially when it comes to medicine work.                                                 *********** CENTER RESPONSE************                                 Yulia, To begin, I want you to know how deeply sorry we are for your loss; losing a loved one is one of the most devastating things that one experiences in life, and we can not imagine your pain. Continuing to honor your friend and celebrate the life she lived we know must be important to you. We hope you continue doing so. Because the medicine work community is small, we have heard about this incident that occurred at what was then Sacred Dimension Retreat Center in the Sacred Valley. We know medicine work is complex, and that this work requires delicacy, reverence, transparency, and great responsibility. What happened to Christina should never happen again. Loyver, who works with us and has so for almost 4 years, was not present at the center during the retreat Christina attended. He left Sacred Dimension three months before this occurred, and since then, is no longer in relations with Alyssan nor does he work or live there in an capacity. As you might notice, the news article here does not mention Loyver’s name, and there is reason for that: he had nothing to do with this incident. Loyver is a sweet, humble, and gracious man from the Shipibo lineage, and we will stand by his reputation. With medicine work, there is always a risk. We know this, and we won’t pretend like this isn’t true. We pride ourselves in not only creating emotionally safe containers for participants to experience the transformational power of plant medicine, but in our ability to ensure we are creating safety structures in place to ensure that nothing like this occurs, and at the worst case scenario, to have structures in place to deal with situations appropriately before they escalate to anything like what happened to your friend, Christina. Additionally, I invite you to learn more about our project, Novalis. Ceremony is just one of many programs we provide. Our center is also a hub for Amazon conservation. This dedication to holistic offerings is one way we ensure our ceremonies are firmly grounded in reality. From our heart to yours, we wish you the best. And may Christina’s life forever be honoured. Humbly, Cassandra and Juan Novalis"

"I can just echo what my predecessors wrote about this place: it is outstandingly awesome on all levels. I had the opportunity to visit the center on a crucial moment when the core team and family found their common song, continuing to create something very special together and giving people the opportunity on the basis of absolutely fair monetary contributions to encounter nature & medicine in a way that changes one’s life. Juan and his team, all warm, open and knowledgeable persons to learn a lot from, made sure that I had the best possible experience with the grandmother medicine, not to mention the nourishing food, essential oil baths in the forest, enchanting elven-like tree houses in an astonishingly welcoming and colorful forest, great wisdom of Shipibo and other spiritual-medicinal traditions and insights in potent political weaving work with local communities. I will surely return and continue being connected with them. Thank you for existing!"

"It would be impossible to put my wonderful full experience of Novalis into a few paragraphs so I will keep it simple. Novalis is an incredible place that I recommend to anyone following their calling. It's setting is in the heart of the rainforest. It's truly magical, I sincerely believe it is protected by the divine and run by those blessed with the service of working with Aya and other plant medicines. The team are wonderful people who really are working for the greater good and it shows on all levels. The place is alive with an abundance of wildlife, incredible sounds and clean air. You can feel the energy. From the beautiful, comfortable and safe tree houses to the delicious food and refreshing outdoor shower it's a wonder how they achieved all this deep in the forest. The plant medicines, facilitators and shaman are of the highest order, following and respecting the traditions with care and compassion. I stayed for 3 weeks, did four ceremonies and undertook the dieta. I felt safe and protected the whole time and was an experience I will never forget. I hold it dearly in my heart. I cannot recommend this place enough and will be returning again. Thank you Novalis x"

"When I came here, I was just so amazed by the great abundance of nature and this loving people who were there for one with knowledge and compassion :) I learned a lot during this time and the ceremony where special and eye opening for me. The medicine man a enrichment for all senes. He is there for you when you are having a bad time, during and beside of the ceremony. Especially when I went on my travelling and heard a lot of people having bad experiences with ceremonies I was so happy having the luck of finding such a special place. Living in a treehouse and waking up with a wonderful harmonic orchester of insects and the nature of the rainforest, this is just holiday for the soul. Living the essence in within. Thanks to this great guys for the support and the friendship. I will keep you always in my heart"

"I took part in the 7 Day Ayahuasca retreat here in November 2017 and from start to finish it was an outstanding experience. First of all the location in the Amazon was one of the most sweetest and welcoming parts of the rainforest I have ever experienced. I have heard from friends of other experiences from other parts of the jungle of bugs and spiders and all sorts of nasty creatures, the location of Novalis was the complete opposite and drinking Ayahuasca in this part of the Jungle I felt so cared for and safe and a real part of the magical community that was the rainforest. We were met by Juan the owner in Puerto Moldonado and then came by boat and a walk to the centre I stayed in a huge treehouse with only the sounds of nature to keep me company, and nature is LOUD, I was woken each day at dawn by the laughing monkeys which was a wonderful alarm clock. Coming to a centre like this really gives you the true meaning of down time and relax time, there is plenty of opportunities to read many books, meditate, do yoga and really experience nature at its most splendid. The food was amazing, 3 amazing vegan meals per day I ate so much when I wasn't fasting for my ceremonies but everything was fresh and local and really the tastiest food ever. The ceremonies themselves were really intimate, Juan talked me through each one, helping me set my intentions and really get to where I was at at the time. During the ceremony which mostly comprised of 6-8 people Juan was there throughout making sure everyone was ok and getting the most out of their own ceremony. The shaman Lueyver was also there throughout for me, I really felt very held and loved and safe throughout the ceremony almost like it was just for me. Before each ceremony I was given a Reiki treatment from Jordan which really grounded me and took a lot of my fears away, as a Reiki teacher myself I know the power of Reiki to help balance the energies which I found a really beautiful touch for anyone going into a medicine ceremony. On alternate days I was also given a flower bath right in the middle of the jungle it was so beautiful The lessons that I got from all my ceremonies were priceless to me, since leaving Novalis, I can say that I am a different person. Things that bothered me now dont exist anymore. Although they say that Ayahuasca is not a magic pill that gets rid of your problems, no, the problems and issues are still there, but they either don't bother me at all anymore or I just know how to deal with them. So for me it was a magic pill, one that I am forever grateful to and to Novalis for offering me the space and personal attention to help myself become the best version of myself. I would recommend Novalis to anyone looking for an intimate and personal medicine healing experience. The location and centre itself are top notch, a real luxury eco permaculture retreat centre. Their personal touch and care from everyone in the centre really makes it feel like a family, everyone from the Shaman to Gianni the cook make you feel like you are a part of something. Drinking Ayahuasca can be an overwhelming experience, coming to a place like Novalis really made it one of the most enriching and loving experiences of my life."