Personal ayahuasca experience reports, honest information about the medicine, and trusted ceremony recommendations near Medellín, Colombia — from someone with 100+ ceremonies.
15 min read
Based on real experience
A comprehensive look at the medicine — its origins, composition, effects on the body and mind, and what science actually says about ayahuasca.
Ayahuasca (pronounced "aya-waska") is a sacred brew that has been used for centuries — possibly millennia — by indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin. The word comes from the Quechua language: "aya" means "spirit" or "dead person," and "wasca" means "vine" or "rope." Together, it's often translated as "vine of the soul" or "vine of the dead."
The brew originated in the western Amazon, in what is now Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and western Brazil. Indigenous groups including the Shipibo-Conibo, Asháninka, and Quechua peoples have used it as a central element of their spiritual and healing practices. It was traditionally consumed in communal ceremonies led by a shaman or curandero (healer), who would guide participants through the experience and interpret the visions.
In the mid-20th century, Ayahuasca began to attract attention from outsiders. The founding of the Santo Daime and União do Vegetal churches in Brazil formalized its use within syncretic religious contexts. By the 1990s and 2000s, Ayahuasca tourism had become a significant phenomenon, with thousands of people from North America, Europe, and beyond traveling to the Amazon to participate in ceremonies.
Ayahuasca is unique in that it requires two distinct plants to produce its psychoactive effects. Neither plant is psychoactive on its own — it's the combination that creates the medicine:
The Vine. This woody liana provides the harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine — beta-carboline alkaloids that act as MAO inhibitors (MAOIs). These compounds prevent the breakdown of DMT in your digestive system, allowing it to reach your brain.
Chacruna leaves. These leaves contain N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a powerful psychedelic compound. Without the MAOI from the vine, DMT would be broken down by monoamine oxidase enzymes in your gut before it could take effect.
The combination is what makes Ayahuasca remarkable from a pharmacological perspective. Indigenous peoples somehow discovered this synergy — two plants that must be combined to work — despite the Amazon containing approximately 80,000 plant species. How this knowledge was discovered remains one of the great ethnobotanical mysteries.
Additional plants are sometimes added to the brew depending on the tradition and the shaman's intention. These can include chaliponga (Diplopterys cabrerana) as an alternative DMT source, as well as plants like toé (Brugmansia) or mapacho (Nicotiana rustica) tobacco, though these additions vary widely.
The physical effects of Ayahuasca are significant and begin within 20–60 minutes of drinking, peaking around 2–3 hours and gradually subsiding over 4–6 hours total. It's important to be honest about what happens to your body:
The most common and expected physical effect is purging — which can include vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, crying, yawning, and sometimes shaking. This is not considered a side effect in the Ayahuasca tradition; it is the medicine working. The Shipibo people call it "la limpieza" — the cleansing.
Physiologically, the purging is triggered by serotonin 5-HT3 receptors in the gut, which are activated by both the harmala alkaloids and DMT. This causes nausea and can lead to vomiting. The diarrhea that sometimes follows is part of the same process.
In the traditional understanding, purging releases stored emotional and physical toxicity — "cleaning house" on multiple levels. Many experienced drinkers report that the more intense the purge, the more profound the subsequent experience often is, though this is not universally true.
Beyond purging, other physical effects include:
The psychological effects of Ayahuasca are where things get truly extraordinary — and where it differs most significantly from other psychedelics. The DMT in Ayahuasca acts primarily on serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, the same receptors targeted by psilocybin and LSD, but the experience is often described as qualitatively different.
Visual experiences can include vivid, complex geometric patterns, visions of animals, plants, and landscapes, encounters with entities or beings, and deeply symbolic imagery. Many people report the visions feel "more real than real" — not like hallucinations but like accessing a different layer of reality.
Emotional experiences are often the most significant aspect. Ayahuasca has a remarkable ability to bring suppressed emotions to the surface — grief, anger, fear, love, joy — and process them in a way that feels complete. People frequently report reliving childhood memories, confronting trauma, or experiencing profound states of compassion and unity.
Cognitive effects include shifts in perspective, enhanced introspection, and what many describe as "downloaded insights" — understanding complex situations or personal patterns with sudden clarity. Some people experience ego dissolution (the temporary loss of the sense of separate self), which can be both terrifying and liberating.
What makes Ayahuasca distinct from other psychedelics is the quality of intentionality many people perceive in the experience. It's common to feel as though the medicine is actively showing you what you need to see, rather than producing random effects. Whether this is a psychological phenomenon or something else is a matter of ongoing debate.
SSRIs, SNRIs, and other serotonergic medications: This combination is scientifically confirmed to be dangerous. Ayahuasca acts as an MAOI, and combining MAOIs with serotonergic drugs can cause serotonin syndrome — a potentially fatal condition. There are documented medical cases of this occurring with Ayahuasca specifically, including a well-cited 2014 case report in the Journal of Medical Toxicology. Do not drink Ayahuasca if you are taking these medications, and always consult a physician before considering any ceremony.
Other precautions: People with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or heart conditions are commonly advised to avoid Ayahuasca, though the published evidence specific to Ayahuasca is more limited than many guides suggest — it largely consists of individual case reports and pharmacological theory rather than large-scale studies. Pregnancy is also listed as a contraindication due to theoretical risks (pharmaceutical MAOIs are contraindicated in pregnancy, and DMT has been shown to cross the placental barrier in animal studies), though there is very little Ayahuasca-specific research on pregnancy outcomes — and some indigenous traditions do include ceremonial use during pregnancy. In all of these cases, the cautious approach is to consult your physician, but I want to be honest that the level of scientific evidence varies significantly between these different warnings.
Known risks include:
What the science says:
A growing body of research supports Ayahuasca's therapeutic potential, while also acknowledging the risks:
It's worth noting that most of these studies involve controlled settings with screened participants. The real-world context of Ayahuasca tourism — variable brew quality, untrained facilitators, and lack of medical screening — introduces additional risks not captured in clinical research.
I want to be transparent — I've drank Ayahuasca over 100 times across three countries. That's not a boast; it's context for what I'm about to share. And what I've learned is this:
Ayahuasca has become my place to learn. To understand myself better. To see what I need to work on to improve myself. To understand how the world and societies actually function beneath the surface.
It's like studying at a university where the curriculum is personalized to exactly what you need — but delivered not through lectures, but through direct experience. The medicine doesn't just give you information; it provides emotional connections to the things you experience. You don't just understand something intellectually — you feel it in your body, in your spirit.
Some of the most valuable insights I've received have been about seeing things from perspectives that are extraordinarily difficult to achieve without the medicine. We all have blind spots — patterns of thinking, emotional reactions, assumptions about how the world works — that are nearly invisible from within our normal state of consciousness. Ayahuasca has a way of shining a light into those blind spots and saying, "Look at this. Really look."
I don't claim to understand how it works at a metaphysical level. I'm not here to tell you it's a spirit or a chemical or both. What I can tell you is that the insights I've gained — about my relationships, my fears, my purpose, the nature of society — have been profoundly useful in my actual life. Not just in ceremony, but in relationships, in difficult conversations and in moments of decisions.
That said, this is my experience. Yours may be entirely different. The medicine works differently for everyone, and no amount of medicine guarantees any particular outcome.
Videos I've found valuable for understanding Ayahuasca from different angles:
A full-length documentary exploring what Ayahuasca is, how it's used, and the experiences of people who work with it.
Watch on YouTubeDW Documentary examining the rapid growth of Ayahuasca use in Brazil — the benefits, the risks, and the questions that remain unanswered.
Watch on YouTubeAyahuasca and its application in modern medicine — from a Spanish-language perspective. Enable auto-translate subtitles for English.
Watch on YouTubeSimon Ruffell shares his encounters with Shipibo Ayahuasca ceremonies and the ethical questions they raise.
Watch on YouTubeA look inside an actual Ayahuasca ceremony in the Amazon, guided by a female shaman.
Watch on YouTubeA personal account of attending Ayahuasca ceremonies — honest about both the challenges and the rewards.
Watch on YouTubeAn award-winning documentary about a curandera and the world of Ayahuasca plant medicine.
Watch on YouTubePractical, no-nonsense advice on how to prepare for an Ayahuasca ceremony — the stuff that actually matters.
Watch on YouTubeAn honest, personal take on deciding whether to sit with this medicine.
This is a very personal decision, and it depends entirely on what you'd like to explore. There's no universal answer — only the one that's right for you, in your specific circumstances, at this specific time in your life.
If you're overall healthy and you follow some basic rules, I believe the risks are genuinely low. It's similar to visiting a new city — there are neighborhoods where you probably shouldn't walk alone after dark, there are scams to watch out for, and there are basic precautions you should take. But millions of people visit cities safely every day by using common sense and following good advice. Ayahuasca is the same.
I've been drinking Ayahuasca for years — over 100 ceremonies now — and I can say with complete honesty: the lessons I've learned are exponentially greater than the sacrifice I've made for each ceremony. The nausea, the discomfort, the late nights, the diet, the cost — all of it pales in comparison to what I've gained in self-understanding, emotional resilience, and clarity about my life.
But this is just my opinion and my experience. It doesn't mean it will be yours.
If you feel uncomfortable or have any doubts — especially if you're taking medications or have a health condition — please check with your physician before attending a ceremony. This isn't a sign of weakness; it's common sense.
To practice discipline by following a diet is, in my experience, a good start for a profound experience. The traditional Ayahuasca diet — which typically involves avoiding pork, red meat, alcohol, drugs, salt, sugar, spicy food, dairy, and sexual activity for several days before a ceremony — isn't just about physical purification. It's about setting an intention through action.
When you choose to restrict your pleasures and comforts, even temporarily, you're telling yourself — and the medicine — that you're serious. That this matters to you. In my experience, this intention-setting through discipline creates fertile ground for deeper work.
*Always consult your physician about medications — SSRIs can be dangerous.
Here's something that's not said often enough: the medicine works in different people with different results, and it's common that you drink Ayahuasca but don't feel anything.
This isn't a malfunction. It's not that you "did it wrong" or that the brew was weak. In my understanding, this is actually the beauty of the medicine — its workings are not guaranteed. It does impact your body and your spirit regardless, but the conscious experience varies enormously. Some people have visions their first time; others drink ten times before anything significant happens. There's no formula.
I want to share a specific experience because it illustrates something important. In one ceremony, I drank Ayahuasca and... nothing. No visions, no purge, no emotional movement. Just darkness and quiet. I felt cheated out of my money, honestly. I was frustrated and disappointed.
I sat with that feeling for a while. I calmed down. And I accepted it — not as a defeat, but as what the medicine was giving me in that moment, even if it felt like nothing.
The next day, I went into the ceremony again. But this time, I had lost all my expectations. I had nothing to prove, nothing to achieve, nothing to get. I relaxed deeply — genuinely deeply — and let the medicine do its work without any agenda from me.
And I ended up with one of the most profound experiences of my life.
I don't share this to suggest that "surrender" always leads to breakthroughs. Sometimes it doesn't. But I share it because that night taught me something that applies far beyond Ayahuasca: the tighter you grip, the less you hold. The more you let go, the more you receive.
So is Ayahuasca right for you? I can't answer that. What I can say is that if you approach it with respect, do your research, follow safety guidelines, and let go of expectations — you give yourself the best chance of a meaningful experience. And even then, the medicine might have other plans for you.
And that's okay.
My experiences drinking Ayahuasca across three countries — and what I learned from each setting.
Ayahuasca is illegal in the United States under federal law — DMT is a Schedule I controlled substance. However, there are exceptions. The União do Vegetal (UDV) and Santo Daime churches have won legal protections to use Ayahuasca in religious ceremonies following Supreme Court rulings.
There are also underground ceremonies that happen in the US, often in private homes or rented spaces. I've attended some of these. The quality varies enormously — from deeply respectful, well-held spaces to situations that felt questionable. If you go this route, know who your facilitator is, ask about their training and lineage, and trust your instincts.
The advantage of US ceremonies is accessibility — you don't need to travel internationally. The disadvantage is the legal gray area and the variability of the experience.
Peru is the heartland of Ayahuasca tourism, and for good reason. The medicine is legal there (in the context of traditional use), and you'll find everything from budget hostels offering nightly ceremonies to high-end luxury retreats.
This was one of my most special experiences. I visited an old Inca farm tucked away in the Sacret Valley near Ollantaytambo — the kind of place that doesn't appear on Google Maps. The setting was breathtaking: mountains on all sides, the sound of a river, ancestral stone walls. Drinking Ayahuasca in a place that has been used for ceremony for hundreds of years, possibly longer, adds a dimension that's hard to replicate.
Cusco has dozens of Ayahuasca centers, ranging from very professional operations to sketchy setups. The altitude (3,400m / 11,150ft) is something to consider — it can intensify the physical effects of the ceremony, and some people find the combination challenging. I attended ceremonies in Cusco that were well-organized with genuine curanderos, and had wonderful experiences.
Iquitos is the gateway to the deep Amazon Ayahuasca experience. This is where you go for the full jungle immersion — drinking in a tambo surrounded by rainforest, with the sounds of insects and animals as your soundtrack. Many of the most respected curanderos work in this region. It's also where the tourist industry is most developed, which means both more options and more exploitation.
Colombia is where I've had the majority of my experiences, and it's where I currently live and participate in ceremonies. The Ayahuasca scene here is different from Peru — less commercialized in some ways, more diverse in others.
Attending Ayahuasca ceremonies in the Colombian jungle is a primal experience. The heat, the humidity, the sheer intensity of the rainforest — it's immersive in a way that's impossible to describe. The ceremonies I attended in the jungle had a rawness and power that I hadn't experienced elsewhere. It's not for everyone — the conditions were basic — but if you want the full Amazonian experience, it doesn't get more authentic than this.
Envigado, just south of Medellín, has become a hub for Ayahuasca ceremonies. The settings here range from private homes to dedicated ceremonial spaces. What I appreciate about the Envigado scene is the accessibility — you can attend a ceremony and be close to home. The quality varies, as it does everywhere, but there are some genuinely excellent options.
Medellín proper has a growing number of Ayahuasca offerings, from ceremonies in yoga studios to retreats in the surrounding hills. The city setting is very different from the jungle. Some people prefer this; others feel it lacks the potency of a more traditional setting. I've had meaningful experiences in Medellín, but it's different to what I've experienced in more remote settings.
Places to experience Ayahuasca in the Medellín area — including ones I've personally attended and recommend.
The Ayahuasca ceremonies around Medellín generally fall into two categories:
Pricier but smaller groups and multi-language support — English, German, French, and others. More tailored to first-timers.
Primarily Spanish, sometimes larger groups. More affordable. Can be just as powerful — but basic Spanish helps.
Medellín area
I've attended ceremonies here and can personally recommend this location. Well-run, experienced facilitators, good energy, genuine care for participants.
View DetailsMedellín area
Another location I've personally attended and highly recommend. Structured retreat experience with preparation guidance, the ceremony, and integration support afterward.
Visit ayahuasca-retreat-colombia.comMedellín area
This one comes highly rated, though I haven't personally visited yet. Based on what I've heard from people in the community whose opinions I trust, it deserves a mention here.
Visit ayahuascaincolombia.comDisclaimer: The recommendations above are based on my personal experience and connections. I am not affiliated with any of these locations financially. Prices, schedules, and quality change. Always read recent reviews, ask questions, and trust your intuition. If something feels off, leave.
Check Google Reviews, Reddit, and Facebook groups. Look for patterns, not extremes.
Who did they train with? For how long? What tradition? A weekend course is not years of apprenticeship.
You have a right to know. If they won't tell you or mention "special additions," go elsewhere.
If you don't speak Spanish, make sure they offer support in your language. The icaros and instructions matter.
If something feels off — the communication, the space, the energy — don't go. You don't need to settle.
"Guaranteed healing," "100% vision experience," "cure your depression" — these are red flags.
Whether you're curious about a specific ceremony, location, or just want to share your own experience — I'd love to hear from you.
I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
