Peru Rainforest Retreat Packing List & Travel Tips

Joining me in the rainforest on retreat in Peru?

In this article I will share with you how to prepare for your journey!

• traveling to & from Peru from your home country, & to the jungle

• packing list

• preparation for the retreat

• what to expect living in the rainforest

• further retreat details

• Puerto Maldonado town

• information about visiting Cusco & the sacred valley
  

What is included on the retreat:

• Taxi & boat transportation to and from the Amazon jungle from Puerto Maldonado

• Accommodation, plant based meals, ceremonies & activities during the retreat

What is NOT Included in the retreat:

• Flights to and from Peru, & within the country

• Transportation within Puerto Maldonado

  (tuktuk/taxis are everywhere and only cost 5 soles ($1.50) around town, and 25 soles ($7.15) from the airport into town

• Accommodation & meals outside of the retreat

How to get to get there & where to stay:

Please plan to arrive in Puerto Maldonado the day before the retreat starts. Day 1 of the retreat is the day we will leave town to go into the jungle together. If this is not possible, please be sure to arrive on retreat day 1 early in the morning.

Flights to Peru:

You will fly from your country into Lima, Peru, J. Chavez International (LIM) so you can go through customs, and from there you will take another flight into Puerto Maldonado (PEM).

*Flights to Puerto Maldonado are mainly in the morning and afternoon, so if you arrive into Lima in the evening, you will have to spend the night and catch a flight the next morning. There are a few airports very close to the airport, such as the Wyndham and the Holiday Inn for around $150 USD, which have free airport shuttle transportation. You can find more inexpensive options as well. Please note, if you go into the city of Lima, this can take an hour or two, and sometimes there is a lot of traffic, so give yourself time to get back to the airport. You will also have to pay for a taxi. Barranco and Miraflores are the most popular and charming areas to stay in within the city.

Cusco/Sacred Valley to/from Puerto Maldonado:

You can fly to Puerto Maldonado from Cusco city, or take the 8 hour overnight bus from Cusco, for around $20-40 USD. Civa or Excluciva are the best buses with reclining seats. Please know, the road is very windy, unless you are the type of person who can sleep easily in any situation, you may not sleep much on the bus. Also, during the rainy season, sometimes landslides happen and prolong the time you are on the bus. Once my 8 hour bus ride turned into 16 hours due to this. Schedule at redbus.pe or buy your ticket at the bus station.

Where to stay in Puerto Maldonado:

I like to use booking.com to reserve hotels and hostels when I am traveling. All the places I will mention in this article you can book through booking, and are linked in blue.

Puerto Maldonado is a small and busy town, aside from a few restaurants, the plaza and the market, there is not much to see or do in town. People come here in order to book tours into the rainforest, so I don't recommend staying here for fun unless you want to do more tours outside of the retreat.

Wasai: This is the classic place to stay, the concierges speak engish and spanish, it has a pool, some rooms have AC, and is along the river, keeping a bit of a nature vibe and a great location to walk to everything you will need. They have original and older rooms that are by the pool/riverside, or the newer rooms, which are a bit nicer, but are next to a busy and louder road with bright lights. I recommend the older rooms. Most of them have three beds, so if you want to share with others who are coming on the retreat, you could split it and each pay around $20 for three people, as they are around $60 a night for a room.

La Fauna Hotel: Great rates, shared hostel style rooms or individual rooms, again, you could share a room with up to 6 people with others on the retreat if you choose. Rooms are around $20 or less a night. Close to the plaza and walking distance of everything, has a pool and a delightful courtyard. No A/C, just fans. Breakfast is included.

Tambopata Hostel: Also afforadable rates, A/C, I have never stayed here but have friends who have and were content with their stay. Has a pool.

Kapievi Ecovillage:

Quiet, in nature, about a 15 minute taxi ride outside of the city center. Pool, A/C. Most pricey option, meals cost extra.

Where to eat and visit in Puerto Maldonado:

La Semilla restaurant: has wifi, simple and healthy affordable meals, this is where we often meet to go into the jungle

Cacao Center: delicious and artfully done food and cacao, nature/quieter vibes, wifi, food takes time so make sure you are not in a hurry

Panachos: healthy sandwiches & bread

Tipico Sabor de La Region: I go here when I am in town for the local fish they wrap in leaves and grill, its delicious, they grill chicken too, and serve yucca, plaintain and salad. This is what the name says, it is the typical food of the region!

To get there, ask your taxi driver to take you to "El Embujo restaurant" which shows up in google maps. Tipico is directly across the street from Embrujo. There are about 4-6 restaurants on this corner that all serve the same thing, and at least two named Tipico. The best one, has a painting of an indigenous woman on the outside, and an owl on the wall on the inside. Order the Patarashka.

Meysis Garden: Peruvian vibes, soups, meats and ceviches

Mercado Modelo: This is the typical indoor/outdoor Peruvian market where you can find produce, juices, clothing, rainboots & umbrellas, tobaccos, herbs, perfumes, coca, honey, etc. Vendors surround the market, & the main shops are inside of the blue steel building.

Plaza Verde Bio Tienda: this shop has eco friendly and natural soaps, shampoos & body products, as wellas essential oils, natural bug spray, incense, & snacks

Laundry:

Please come to the retreat with all clean clothes! We do not have laundry service in the jungle. You can wash things by hand and we have clothes lines for drying, but during the rainy season, it is very hard to get things to dry, so they tend to stay damp and get a funky smell. If you are traveling around before coming to the retreat, please do your laundry so you arrive to the retreat with all clean clothes.

In Puerto Maldonado we use Lavanderia Burbujas. There are a few laundry spots called burbujas in town, ask me for the right one. This place has never damaged or lost my clothing. They usually return the clothes within 24 hours, so you will need to give them time.

So, pack extra undies. ;)

Amazon Rainforest Packing List

Please bring:

• Headlamp and/or small flashlight *if your headlamp has a red light option this is ideal for ceremony

• Water bottle

• Journal and pens

• Lighter

• Natural bug spray

• Natural & biodegradable body products

  >If you will be on a master plant dieta, please buy Dr. Bronner's unscented soap, and have a natural toothpaste

• Rain jacket and/or small umbrella, shoes that can get wet

• Light & flowy comfortable clothes, see below

I recommend bringing/optional:

• Earplugs and eye mask (the jungle is loud at night, earplugs are great if you are sensitive)

• Travel towel: we have towels for you at the center, but I prefer to use my fast drying towel

• Small travel pillow: we have pillows, but I sleep best with my own, and although we replace our pillows yearly, the jungle is a moist environment...

  *I love this pillow, its $20 on Amazon and I bring it everywhere, it rolls up, its memory foam but has a bamboo cover

• Instrument, art supplies

• Electrolytes

• Sun hat & sunglasses for the walk and boat

• Large ziploc bags to keep journals, electronics, or sacred items that could get moldy in

• Travel tea mug: sometimes you just want your hot tea to stay hot and come to bed with you

• Luci light or little blow up lantern

• Activated charcoal

Clothing:

• 1-2 pairs of undies per day you will be in the jungle

• 1-2 pairs pants

• 1-3 pairs shorts or mini skirts/skorts

• 1 maxi dress, 1 shorter dress

• 3-4 tank tops

• 2-3 long shirts/button up

• 2-3 pairs socks

• rain jacket

• 1 warm layer, sweatshirt/sweater/poncho

• Shoes: 1 pair sandals that can get wet, dry fast, and slip on and off easily, 1 pair hiking boots/rain boots

  
  

*Notes:

-Mosquitos are not too bad in the rainy season, but they are always in the rainforest, and usually come out late afternoon/dusk. For some reason, they are more drawn to biting people who are wearing darker colors, so opt for light. We use lovely toxic coils from Asia that we buy at the market to keep them away. These work very well, sometimes you gotta do, what ya gotta do. I honestly never wear mosquito repellent, I don't like it.

One of my mosquito life hacks is toe thong socks. For some reason, mosquitoes bite my feet more than any other part of my body, and I like the simplicity of flip flops or sandals. Enter the toe thong sock, which only separates your big toe from the rest so you can wear your flip flops in the evening and keep mosquitoes from biting your feet. Here are the ones I use: tabi socks. I am sure you could find these cheap on Amazon, I wear earth runner's so I like these.

-Clothes: Some people like to wear more nature-inspired gear, think REI and outdoor pants vibes. Personally, I wear flowy yoga pants, tank tops, skirts, skorts, shorts, and dresses. I bring button up long sleeve shirts, and layer those for chilly mornings and mosquito protection in the evenings.

Fabrics like cotton and linen are best in the jungle.

Do not bring denim as it will soak up moisture and stay wet, or leather, it will mold fast.

Most of the time, the jungle is warm. In the rainy season, sometimes mornings and evenings can get chilly, so it is always a good idea to have warm layers in case. I bring a pair of cotton leggings, a sweatshirt, and a warm poncho.

-Pack light, in the rainy season, it is not so hot or humid that you are drenched in sweat all day like other times of the year. Therefore, you can easily rewear clothes a two or three times. I bring darker colored skirts or shorts and wear them multiple times in the week.

-Shoes: I wear my sandals pretty much all the time in the jungle, hiking in and out as well. There are ants that can bite on the trail, and if you prefer close toed shoes, I support you, its a fantastic idea. And, just know if your hiking shoes get wet and they are not waterproof, they may not dry fast. Rain-boots are a pain to pack. My mom gifted me these lightweight packable rain boots years ago and I love them, and they are extremely sexy. 10/10 recommend. https://ameico.com/collections/pokeboo

Living in the Rainforest:

• How we get to the land & traveling with luggage:

To get into the land, we will take taxis together from town the boat port. We will have a 45 minute boat ride, and a 45 minute walk through the forest to get to the land.

The walk is completely flat, except for a large steep hill 5 minutes in. We will need to get your luggage up this hill, and from there, it will be loaded onto a motorbike and driven into the land.

Please for this reason, do not pack a giant suitcase that weighs over 50 lbs!

If you bring a big suitcase, distribute the weight with another bag. I usually pack two bags that are carry on size, and a regular backpack. Don't stress and go out and spend money on bags, just know it makes it easier when people pack lighter and smaller.

• Accommodations are a shared treehouse of two or three people, and/or a private tambo hut (mainly for dieteros). If you are volunteering, you will stay in a large shared house. All structures are screened in, and each bed has its own mosquito net, with pillow, bedding, and towel.

• Meals are plant based, we serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, except on ceremony nights, where we fast from dinner. If you are receiving kambo, you will not have breakfast the morning of your ceremony.

• Wifi & phone service: There is no phone service in the jungle except for a few Peruvian phone lines that work. We also do not have wifi. (We may, one day). Please make sure to let your loved ones and your work know you will be off grid for the time being. If there is an emergency we are able to contact town or if you need to send a message it is possible. This is an amazing opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of the jungle and your inner journey.

• Our toilets are compost toilets.

• Our shower is outside, you will love it. Please use natural products as everything goes back into the earth.

• We have a spring on the land, so we have fresh filtered spring water for drinking and bathing in. Blessed.

• The land has walking trails, and a creek. We have our ceremonial maloka, a yoga shala, a dining area with a library, an outdoor kitchen, fire pit with hammocks to lounge in, outdoor medicine kitchen, and living spaces- treehouses, tambos, and staff housing.

• Remember you are living in nature. There are bugs and sometimes little jungle opossums that make their way into the buildings. They won't harm you if you don't harm them.

Ceremony

Ceremonies are held in our beautiful ceremonial maloka in the evening after dark. We gather a little before 8pm. Every person will have a mat to sit/lay on.

We begin by cleansing the space with palo santo, and sharing intentions. Each person is called up individually to receive their medicine, which is made on the land by our team.

Then candles are blown out, traditionally, Shipibo ceremonies are held in the dark at night. After some time has passed, our curandero will begin whistling and singing opening icaros, or medicine songs to open and protect the space. From there, our curandero will continue to guide the ceremony, and the other facilitators will share songs and assist and support you as needed.

In Shipibo and mestizo (mixed culture) ceremonies, songs and icaros are sung throughout the night and are an important aspect of the healing journey and of ceremony. Icaros direct the space, call in earth elements or plant or animal spirits, cleanse energies, and facilitate healing. Mapacho, or tobacco, as well as perfumes, are used as well for healing, cleansing, prayer, and opening and closing energetic spaces. Mapacho smoke may be blown on you, and perfume may be utilized for your cleansing as well.

Every ceremony is different. You may have a very physical experience and need to purge (via vomiting, going to the bathroom, emitting emotions or having fluctuations in body temperature), and/or you could have visions, or none at all. You may feel euphoric, happy, and energized, or tired, uncomfortable and challenged. Some nights are blissful, and some nights are hard. Either way, there is beauty in both, the medicine gives you what she knows you need in order to grow and to heal.

Ceremonies typically last around 4-6 hours, it depends on the group and energy of the evening. Every ceremony is a unique adventure!

Although each individual has a very personal experience that will be different from the person next to them, some nights have a general vibe of being more relaxed, while other evenings, the medicine is more strong. When we close ceremony, some people are complete with their process, while others may still feel the effects of the medicine. You are welcome to stay in the maloka, or go back to your treehouse. A facilitator will stay in the maloka with those still feeling the medicine until they feel ready to be alone.

The following morning, we will gather together in the maloka after breakfast to have an integration circle and talk about our experiences. This is a special time that can be very helpful to understand our experiences, and hearing the reflections and journeys of others can be the medicine we need to hear as well.

Dieta (diet)

On ceremony days, and when you are dieting with a master plant, you will eat a simple diet with no salt, sugar, processed foods, oils, onions or garlic, or red meat. You will not have sex with yourself or others, and you will be mindful of your energy and what you are consuming.

A month before the retreat, it is recommended to begin cleaning out your system in preparation for the medicine. Your body is a living sanctuary, and you will be ingesting a very sacred and ancient medicine into your temple so you may commune with this plant spirit teacher. This is a very special opportunity, and you will receive the most benefit when you take care of yourself, and your diet.

• Eliminate junk "food" and processed foods. May you consider this an invitation and gateway to a healthy lifestyle, where you eat whole, natural, real foods from the earth, like Creator intended.

• You may wish to limit or cut out coffee, caffeine, or stimulants. You will not have them during the retreat. Eliminate a week before.

• Eliminate sweets and processed sugars, fats, and processed oils. Stick with fruits, dates, honey, and maple syrup as natural sweeteners. Cut out or lessen natural sugars the week before you come to the jungle. Steam your veggies or cook lightly with olive or coconut oil.

• Chicken, eggs and white fish are great, it is best to eliminate red meat, and avoid pork.

• A note on pork: *People who work with the medicine regularly never eat pork, as pigs are very unclean animals, they eat garbage and feces, and they do not sweat, so toxins stay in their body & in their meat. Although they are intelligent, their meat is low vibrational and unclean. Eating pork can be harmful to dietas. Please do not eat pork preparing for the medicine, and if you dieta, you may consider refraining from pork in your life thereafter. This is also something to consider with ocean bottom feeders.

• Refrain from other plant/earth medicines and pharmaceuticals. If you are prescribed medication, please talk with us, as you will most likely need to ween off your meds to be ready to take the medicine. As for other earth medicines, like mushrooms, it is best to clean your field of other energies so your channel is open to receive the grandmother and not confused by other earth messengers. This is also out of respect for the plant medicine you are preparing for.

• A note on sexual energy: When you share your body with someone, you are sharing and exchanging energy, as well as traumas, patterns, energies from past partners, ancestral codes, etc. When you come to the medicine to focus on yourself, it is best to be in your own energetic field, so that your journey is about you, not energy from your partner or lovers. If you are in a committed partnership, you may wish to have a week of or more of celibacy before you come on retreat. If you are not in a committed partnership and tend to explore multiple energies (lovers), you may wish to take the month before to begin clearing your field and coming back to yourself so you can truly focus on you.

  >If you are partaking in a master plant dieta, it is very important you do not explore sexual energy with yourself or someone else during the duration of your dieta. This will not only ruin your dieta, it could make you sick or have serious consequences.

Food Safety: The river in the region is unfortunately polluted with mercury due to gold mining operations, so be careful with eating fish, farmed fish is usually safer.

Ideally before ayahuasca you are cutting out dairy, but know that the cheese sold in Puerto is not always refrigerated, and multiple people have experienced diarrhea from eating it.

*As with Peru & many countries in this area of the world, be careful eating raw produce, and never drink the water. (Buy bottled unless you are positive the water has been meticulously filtered). If produce is not properly cleaned or interacts with unclean water, you can get very sick. When in doubt, eat cooked food.

Below is a screen shot packing list, and travel tips:

If you are going to be traveling for a while, you may want to check out my other blog post with my "Ultimate Travel Packing List" to get some ideas.

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Cusco

Accommodations

There are so many places to stay in Cusco, over the years I have stayed in everything from hostels, hotels, boutique places and airbnbs. Booking.com and airbnb will give you many options, I recommend to stay in San Blas area, that is the main plaza with lots of shops, restaurants, and many fun alleyways to explore. Honestly I have my favorites, but also find it fun to stay somewhere new and have a different experience every time. Prices are lower doing low season, and higher during busier tourist times.

Amaru Colonial & Amaru Inca

These are two different hotels but operated by the same people, and both have a similar vibe, cozy, charming, views, cute, clean, and reasonably priced, in a great spot in the neighborhood, a close walk to the plaza and right outside a couple of my favorite restaurants, one being Green Point.

Antigua Casona San Blas & Spa

This hotel is beautiful, they have a water filter, outdoor fireplaces, a restaurant, art exhibitions, and cozy rooms. If you want to treat yourself, this is the place, and during low season they drop their prices immensely.

You do not have to stay here to book a spa day, where you can get a delicious massage, sit in the steam room with fresh local eucalyptus plants, and enjoy a whirlpool with fresh fruit. The massage is amazing and the entire experience is worth it, and costs around $100 USD.

Selina Plaza De Armas

Selina Hostels are worldwide, and the Cusco one has its own charm and in another corner of San Blas to explore. They always have events going on, and a bar, so if you are looking to meet other travelers, share a room, or have your own space, this Selina has a sweet vibe.

Casa de La Gringa Mountain House

Gardens, close to the temple of the moon, huachuma (san pedro cactus) ceremonies

*Booking.com & airbnb will offer you endless options of places to stay, it is hard to go wrong

Food:

There are so many amazing restaurants in Cusco, from local dishes to vegan and organic places. Google maps will help you to find whatever your tastebuds are desiring, these are some of my favorites.

Green Point

A total vibe, with an outdoor garden, serving up delicious vegan food and desserts, baked goods, and craft beers, and delicious teas and kombucha. They also have a store across from their restaurant where you can buy their absolutely delicious baked breads, vegan pastries and vegan chocolates.

*The burrito & the chocolate truffles are amazing!

Chia Vegan Restaurant

Cute vibe and delicious & beautiful food, from tacos, soups, burgers and pasta

El Jardín

Healthy food, coffee, garden boutique vibes, in the plaza

Organika

Organic & delicious, try alpaca, and trout ceviche, chocolate mousse, the classic cocktail- pisco sour, goat cheese pizza, and more, quaint and garden vibes

Qura

One of my favorite breakfast spots, they have coffee, cacao, chai tea, lattes, smoothie bowls, and breakfast dishes in a spacious, artsy, upper level space. Great place to relax and do computer work or connect to wifi over a beverage. They have food for lunch and dinner too.

San Pedro Market

Fresh juices, and I really like the chicken soup, it is a fun experience to go in the morning and sit amongst the local people huddled around the chicken soup stands and eat your bowl of soup.

Sopa de pollo, or caldo de gallina is the soup. The other option will give you marinated vegetables and chicken with the soup and noodles served separate.

Explore

San Pedro Market

A must when in Cusco! This market is full of artisan souvenirs, fruits, smoothie stands, groceries, plant medicines, tobacco, agua de florida, cacao, and beyond.

*Note though, if you will be going to the sacred valley and want to find some very well-made textiles by locally made families in the mountains, save buying textiles in the open air street market in Pisac, San Pedro offers textiles but more commercial quality

Museums

Treks & Adventures

Killa Expeditions: private and group tours, highly rated and enjoyed by friends

Machu Picchu

Salkantay

Rainbow Mountain

Mt. Ausangate

There are many different treks to amazing mountains and sacred lakes, some day trips and some for longer. You will find many tour groups within the city and sacred valley and you can learn more about the variety of treks offered.

Temple of the Moon

Saqsaywaman Inca Fortress

Cusco Cathedral

Sacred Valley- Pisac town, Kinsa Cocha Lakes, Urubamba town, Moray Salt Mines, Arin waterfall hike, Ollayantaytambo, Machu Picchu