THE PILGRIMAGE

From The Amazon to the Andes

 Indigenous Teachings, Ancient Plant Wisdom & Adventures!

  

Janurary 4th-21st 2026

Come for One Week Or Both!

Walk an ancient path — one that begins in the lungs of the Earth and rises into the breath of the sky. This pilgrimage bridges worlds: from the sacred medicine of the Amazon to the high mountain temples of the Andes. This is a deep journey, a return to origin, and an offering of the heart….

Stage One: The Journey Begins

Our pilgrimage begins in Yarina Cocha Lake, Pulcalpa, Peru where we’ll cross the sacred waters of Yarina Cocha lake by boat, traveling to Our destination Tierra Vida Benxote, a Shipibo name meaning “Living Earth Healing.”

Your Stay At Tierra Vida Benxote

Live and Learn at Tierra Vida Benxote: A Jungle Retreat Center in the Heart of Shipibo Territory

Accessible only by boat, Tierra Vida Benxote is a place to slow down, listen, and learn. Set within a Shipibo village along the river’s edge, this retreat center is surrounded by rich jungle, wildlife,quiet waters, and the rhythms of daily life lived close to the land.

This is a place to live simply and with intention. We join the local community in learning from elder Shipibo healers, farmers, and fishers—those who carry generations of wisdom about the forest, its plants, and its cycles. Through ceremony, traditional plant studies, and daily practices like fishing, foraging, and farming, we engage with the land in a respectful and meaningful way.

Life at Tierra Vida Benxote is rooted in relationship—with the people, the place, and the plants. It’s an opportunity to share time, meals, and stories with those who know the forest best. We come with open hands and open hearts, ready to listen, learn, and contribute.

What's Included:

6 nights / 7 days at our off-grid jungle sanctuary

  • Private bungalow (tambo) surrounded by nature for deep rest and reflection

  • Three nourishing meals daily, made with organic, locally sourced ingredients from the land

  • Three traditional plant medicine ceremonies, held by experienced, trusted shamans

  • Daily integration support with jungle walks, and group sharing

  • Guided preparation and post-retreat integration resources

  • Airport & Boat transport to and from the center from Pucallpa

  • Clean spring water, fresh fruit, and herbal teas available daily

  • Connection with indigenous wisdom keepers and their sacred traditions

Stage Two: The Descent

Upper Jungle: Asháninka & Beyond (Optional Extension)

From Benxote, we journey deeper upriver to Atalaya, gateway to the upper Amazon. Here we visit Asháninka tribal lands, swimming in waterfalls and sacred rivers around Grand Betania — a lush, remote region of crystalline water and forest wisdom.

For those called, we may travel further to the Urubamba River, visiting the Nahua people, a tribe first contacted only in the 1980s. This is a rare and respectful meeting with a people still deeply connected to primal jungle life. We will visit and live with the tribes while foraging and hunting for our food.

This portion of the pilgrimage is a profound descent into Earth memory — raw, real, and humbling.

During this week we will stay in local family homes, or huts. Guest are also welcome to bring their own camping gear

Stage Three: Pongo River Ascent : The Passage to the Andes

We travel for three days upriver through canyons, cloud forest, and up whitewater rapids on the Pongo River, following the water's path to the mountains. As the landscape shifts, so do we — letting go of the jungle to meet the stone spirits of the Andes. According to legend the river was once crossed by the Inca bridge. The Pongo is a biodiversity Hot spot. According to Wildlife conservation, it is the single most biologically diverse site on the face of earth!

Stage Four: The Return

The Sacred Valley of Pisac

Arriving in Cusco, we rest and integrate. From there we move to Pisac in the Sacred Valley — a place of condors, ruins, and powerful mountain energy. Here, we may:

  • Enter a sweatlodge ceremony (temazcal) for purification

  • Hike sacred sites and temples

  • Close our pilgrimage in silence, fire, or offering

From Pisac, each pilgrim takes their own path — with the land and ancestors forever in their bones!

The Peru Pilgrimage Retreat & Restoration Project

In Partnership with Tierra Vida Benxote & Ni Bero

Welcome to one of the most meaningful projects Rhythms of Nature has been a part of.

On his birthday in 2020, David returned from his second journey to the Peruvian Amazon, having completed a life-changing period living and studying with the Shipibo people. He spent this time working on a permaculture farm and healing retreat center called Tierravida Benxote, founded by Adam Stone and his wife, Netenkena Luz Lomas Maldonado.

During his stay, David had the rare opportunity to study with elder shaman Benjamin Mauha, a 100-year-old maestro and guardian of the sacred Noyarau trees. Under the guidance of Benjamin, Adam, Luz, and their extended Shipibo family, David learned the foundations of traditional plant medicine dietas, sustainable farming practices, and the profound ecological intelligence held within the rainforest.

Since that time, Adam and Luz have continued developing Tierravida Benxote into a thriving hub for regenerative living, Indigenous empowerment, and reforestation. Luz now studies fish ecology and permaculture at a university in Pucallpa, applying her knowledge directly to the ongoing conservation work on the land.

Click the (+) below to learn more

  • During our time in Peru, we live simply and intentionally—immersed in the rainforest ecosystem, participating in daily village life, and learning directly from the people who have called this place home for generations. The focus is not on "healing journeys," but on cultural exchange, plant studies, forest walks, traditional ceremonies, and hands-on work with food systems, permaculture, and the rhythms of the river.

    One of the most inspiring parts of this collaboration is the work of Adam Stone, the founder of Tierra Vida Benxote, and his partner Netenkena Luz Lomas Maldonado, who studies forestry and aquaculture at the local intercultural university. Together, they are building a sustainable future rooted in tradition, ecology, and education. Adam also serves on the board of Ni Bero, a Shipibo-led nonprofit focused on reforestation and cultural preservation.

  • A central piece of our current work involves the paiche, one of the Amazon's most iconic and ancient fish species. Once abundant and revered in tribal life, it has now become threatened due to overfishing and habitat loss.

    With guidance from local biologists and elders, we’re helping develop small-scale aquaculture ponds on the Tierra Vida Benxote property. These ponds aim to:

    • Protect and repopulate the paiche species

    • Provide food security for Indigenous families

    • Offer sustainable livelihoods through ethical harvesting

    • Reconnect younger generations with traditional fishing knowledge

    This project also aligns with broader reforestation efforts led by Ni Bero. Every dollar helps bring new life to the land—through tree planting, water systems, and education rooted in Indigenous wisdom.

  • If this vision speaks to your heart, we invite you to support this project directly.

    • For every $100 donated, we will plant a medicinal or food-producing tree on the Tierra Vida Benxote farm.

    • For donations of $500 or more, you'll receive a handcrafted Shipibo item made by artisans in the village.

    Your support helps fund:

    • Water wells and soil testing for aquaculture ponds

    • Materials and tools for reforestation

    • Ongoing work in permaculture, agroforestry, and Indigenous knowledge sharing

3% Cover the Fee


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 FAQs

  • No. First-timers and experienced participants are welcome. We provide preparation support to ensure everyone feels informed and grounded.

  • You will be sitting in traditional Shipibo-led ceremonies with Ayahuasca, prepared with care and reverence according to ancestral methods. There will be other purgative plants if needed including Opinion Colorado, and Sangre De Grado

  • We’ll send a preparation guide upon registration, which includes a recommended Dieta (a clean eating plan), intention-setting practices, and what to pack. This includes becoming aware of your food choices and lifestyle. Limiting Alcohol or Toxic Substances to allow the medicine to work best.

  • Yes. We offer integration resources and optional one-on-one support to help you carry the insights from the jungle into your everyday life.

  • Yes. We work only with experienced, trusted shamans and a support team who are present throughout your stay. Safety—physical, emotional, and spiritual—is our top priority.

  • Yes, they recently just go Wi-Fi at the center. We just ask that our guest be mindful with electronics to not cross their dieta.

    Yes, there is electricity. There is one main power supply for the whole village so we must be mindful.

  • Yes. Many participants come solo. The retreat container quickly becomes a supportive, heart-centered community.

  • All international travelers will fly into Lima, Peru (LIM). From Lima, you’ll take a short domestic flight to Pucallpa (PCL)—a jungle city in eastern Peru where our journey begins. You are responsible for booking both flights. We will pick you up at the Airport of Pucallpa.

  • At this time, we are not offering any discounts or scholarships for this journey. We deeply honor the value of the experiences and individuals involved, and our pricing reflects a fair and respectful exchange.

    However, we would consider a group discount. Send us an email for inquiries.

  • We keep this pilgrimage intimate, with a group size of approximately 8–10 participants. This allows for deeper connection, personalized support, and a strong sense of community.

  • You’ll stay in private jungle tambos (rustic wooden bungalows) at the retreat center. Each is screened, simple, and designed for solitude, reflection, and safety during ceremonies. Composting toilets and shared gravity-fed showers are available. Week 2: We will be staying in mixture of Hotels, or with the Ashanka Tribe at their homes.

  • Certain medications (especially antidepressants, SSRIs, MAOIs, or blood pressure meds) may be incompatible with plant medicine. We require full medical disclosure in your application, and a review may be necessary to determine if this retreat is safe for you.

  • No. This is a pilgrimage and spiritual immersion, not a tourist trip. We enter sacred territory with humility, care, and reverence for the land, its people, and the medicine traditions. This is a path of remembering, not consuming.