PHOTOS
VIDEOS
COLLABORATIONS
Nic Emery
Our working social coordinator. First introduced to Parign Hak as an attendee, he travelled to the Amazon looking to Ayahuasca for growth and understanding. His experience at Parign Hak was so impactful that he found new purpose in helping others on their path to personal growth. His time in Peru blossomed into ongoing friendship and support with Parign Hak. Nic lives in Los Angeles, CA and manages the social media coordination and communication for retreats.
Medicina Del Sol
Medicina Del Sol is a team of classically trained Ayurvedic therapists, Allopathic medical doctors and Traditional plant medicine practitioners who have been integrating Ayurvedic medicine with Traditional Plant and Holistic Medicines for well over 20 years.
This new Ayavida program is the culmination of their use of Ayurvedic medicine alongside our knowledge of Master plants and Ceremony.
Our primary focus here incorporating Parign Hak with Medicina Del Sol is to provide a much better foundation for working with Ayahuasca through the diagnostic tools, herbology, detoxification/rejuvenation techniques and lifestyle guidelines of Classical Ayurvedic medicine.
With this guidance prior to arrival you will start a personalised process to enable a more receptive and focused state of well being so your intention and focus for the Ceremonies are much more structured, clear and flexible to ensure you gain the most you can from the work here at Parign Hak.
What you can expect to achieve from Ayavida is a renewed you and worldview of self help health.
For more information about their program please visit https://medicinadelsol.com/ayavida-package-1/
ECA-RCA (Implementer of the Administrative Contract of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve): The technical and administrative body of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, composed of an indigenous board that represents 10 beneficiary communities, COHARYIMA (Harakbut, Yine, Matsiguenka Council), and FENAMAD (Native Federation of the Madre de Dios River and Tributaries).
eca-amarakaeri.org.pe/
ARTE ÉTNICO MBEROWE
Native crafts initiative founded by Harakbut artisans Lita Ommia from San José de Karene and Jaime Corisepa from Puerto Azul, the first of its kind!
TESTIMONIALS
"100% Five Stars, the whole gamut. Jessica is the Real Deal and just
about as good as it gets."
"I visited Jessica and her team in Peru last August. She came highly recommended to me by a very trusted friend. I had been living at a meditation centre for nearly 6 months and became acutely aware of a block in my heart chakra. I was very apprehensive to try plant medicine as the idea of a psychedelic experience deeply frightened me. However, after 6 months of meditation and renouncing with little progress on my blocked heart, I decided to reach out to Jessica to inquire about possibilities. From the moment I connected with her she was open, responsive, communicative, clear and forthright. I thoroughly appreciated her honesty and commitment to providing the most authentic and 'true to tradition' experience possible. Within two weeks of our first email exchange, I was in Peru in her loving and experienced hands. We travelled for two days to get to Shintuya, a small town in the heart of the Amazon Jungle. It was a more-than-overwhelming experience (even though I have had my fair share of back country adventures), this somehow seemed like a 'next level' trip. Despite my anxieties, I felt completely safe and taken care of in Jessica's hands. I spent a week with Jessica and her team and I would call the experience nothing less than profoundly transforming. This team is overflowing with so much love and care, respect for tradition and commitment to healing that it's almost impossible to express through words. I have never felt more loved and cared for simply for being human. I was treated with so much compassion that that alone might have been enough to shatter my heart block. I continue to receive support and guidance from Jessica as needed despite the time that has passed, and Icontinue to stay in touch intermittently with her team despite the fact that they live in such a remote community. If you've ever considered trying Ayahuasca or delving deeper into your experiences with this life-changing medicine, Jessica and her team are simply the best available to facilitate a deeply transformative experience with no less love and compassion than a mother of the most divine kind."
- Tracy, Canada
"I have worked with Jessica in her ceremonies on three occasions. The last series was at Parign Hak. In my experience, Jessica has the utmost respect for ayahuasca as a healing and teaching medicine, and for the participant utilizing it. She listened attentively and respected my boundaries as I described specific issues that I wanted the medicine to address. Jessica was caring and compassionate in her approach. Moreover, Jessica described the nature and context of the medicine and advised me on how to proceed during the ceremony. In ceremony, Jessica was always available for assistance. She sang plant icaros in the Shipibo tradition. With the guidance of mapacho tobacco, ayahuasca and her icaros, I had complete trust with Jessica and ayahuasca during the ceremony. After each ceremony, each person shared his or her experience. This was very beneficial because there was a lot of learning that was shared by each participant. Jessica provided further consultation for the next ceremony and many suggestions for integration going forward. Shintuya is a small village on the Madre de Dios River. Victoria and Alberto warmly greeted our group upon arrival. We boarded “lancha” for a 10 minute journey to the ceremony site. We were welcomed in the traditional Harakbut manner. Jessica’s team was very dedicated and loving during the entire retreat. I appreciated their experience with the medicine and the rainforest. They demonstrated so much knowledge during our walks into the forest. The site is surrounded by the rainforest, giving the entire retreat the natural environment of the ayahuasca medicine."
- Frank, Canada
"This was a deep and beautiful journey surrounded by the best love and care. Cannot address enough the importance of the set and setting and the feeling of being in good loving hands during deep journeying. Jessica works with a minimal amount of participants so that you feel fully cared for. During the sessions she was always there for me when I needed support. Her beautiful icaros tucked me in like a warm loving blanket allowing for healing and transmutation of deeper wounds. She also offers full support both during and after the retreats and it is really helpful to work with
someone who can communicate in fluent English. It's also such a gift to be able to be deep in the rainforest giving a focus and ambience supporting the work. The people working at Parign Hak are very lovely and caring. If the medicine is calling you I would definitely recommend to come here."
- Jonathan, Sweden
"Cleansing Healing and Learning! In my experience there are two pieces to this trip, both of which were vital to the experience. The first is that of being in the rain forest and experiencing the culture, food and relational values of the Harakumbut people (Our hosts). This in and of itself is an experience worth the cost of the trip. They performed the day to day operations of cooking, cleaning, communicating, caring for, and integrating Ayahuasca experiences with a such a particular love and grace. The family values and distinction between them and that of our “western culture” provides an opportunity for profound growth and reality shift. The second part of the experience involves all that goes into the Ayahuasca experience. Ayahuasca is not something to be taken lightly. It will give you what you need and not necessarily what you want. That being said, Jessica is meticulous about every step of the process. (Preparation prior to the trip, Preparation prior to the ceremony, Physical, emotional and spiritual care after each ceremony, Integration of learning that took place during the ceremony, Integration of learning after the trip is finished). This experience is so deep and profound and should not be done without careful considerations and by someone highly experienced. This person should also have just as much care as experience. Jessica hits the mark on all of these items. In summation, if you are interested in Indigenous cultures and want to experience that first hand, and or if you are looking for an authentic, safe and profound Ayahuasca experience, this is the place to go."
- Barrett, USA
"A Perfect Spiritual Journey in the Amazon. I had an amazing spiritual and adventurous journey with Jessica at Parign Hak in the Amazon basin! I was looking for a non-commercial ayahuasca experience and this was perfect. I spent a week in the jungle with Jessica, several of the Harakmbut people, and only 2 other western guests. We were treated with love and kindness, and invited into the community as if we were family. The locals fished and cooked healthful meals, as well as, led us up the river for a day of exploring. I thought the mix of ceremonies and tours was perfect—I loved the trip to the hot springs and the nature hikes where Jessica explained the benefits and medicinal properties of so many of the plants we encountered. This trip truly allowed me to get off the beaten path, an experience not easy to attain in the globalized world; as well as, a have transformational spiritual shake up. I highly recommend this authentic and educational trip with Jessica, if you are interested in expanding your knowledge of yourself, the jungle, and Amazonian cultures. It could not have been better and I hope to have the opportunity to return one day."
- Audrey, USA
"Along with the surge in Ayahuasca tourism that South America has seen over the past decade has come a lot of western glitter, pomp and circumstance, cultural hybridization, and both financial and sexual opportunism. To avoid as much of this influence as possible, I sought something simple and humble, rooted in indigenous ceremonial practice. Once I began to seriously search for centers, I found that not only did such a place exist, but that it was also lead by women and endorsed by Dennis McKenna. That place is Parign Hak, or "Grandma's Home," in the native Harakbut language. The combination of these factors gave me the confidence and courage to take a leap of faith I had been contemplating for the last ten years of my life. Over the course of her 24 years in Peru, the organization's co-founder, Jessica, has taken great care to cultivate mutually beneficial and culturally respectful relationships with a number of indigenous community members and their leaders. This opens up a rare and beautiful pathway to participate in an uncorrupted and increasingly rare form of Amazonian medicine. Those who come to Parign Hak bringing trust, commitment, discipline and respect are treated to an experience which consists of so much more than just imbibing. Participants are introduced to the art, dance, language, food, mythology and biodiversity of a people who have over millennia been the pulmonologists, so to speak, of the lungs of the planet. In this area of Peru, that includes the Harakbut and Matsiguenka peoples. Their own history and struggle, from the spiritual to the geopolitical, are also given a most important platform. In this way, the container and context in which Ayahuasca medicine is practiced is given as much emphasis and attention as the brew itself, and I found this to be of great personal value. Indeed, each proved to be an integral part of a larger whole. Jessica's skill as an ayahuasquera is not something I can speak to with great authority, because my experience with shamans and shamanism is slim to none. I *have* seen dozens of "regular" doctors of all different types. If we can consider them all, shamans and doctors, to live under the single banner of healthcare practitioners, then Jessica ranks near, if not at, the very top of the list of any human being in whose care I've ever been placed or placed myself. She helped usher in and guide me through the single most powerful and transformative psychedelic experience of my life. Her care and insight continued in the days and ceremonies following that night, and in the weeks and months following my return to my home country. The mirror which Parign Hak helped to raise and hold in front of me in ceremony, and window it opened before me into the world this medicine occupies, has provided me with an increase in perspective which is beyond the scope of this review. Contrary to some of the rather fantastic accounts online and in the popular press, this is really only the beginning. Now comes what may actually be the hardest part of the process; the "homework" of integrating these newly gained insights into my daily life. I'm confident in my ability to move forward with what this extraordinary place has given me, has helped me to give myself, and I am eager to return someday soon."
-Danny, USA
"I have been to Paring Hak twice, in two consecutive years. The quality of my experience on both occasions has been remarkable. The hosts have been extremely attentive, informed and genuinely caring. The environment is unsurpassed for beauty and it’s educational components . The food and accommodations were according to local culture and phenomenal.
If you wish to experience a life altering transformation this is the place to go. The people facilitating this retreat center are extrordinarily competent and have become family to me. I will return for subsequent visits."
- Oaménoe, Canada
"I can not recommend Parign Hak enough. It was such a once in a lifetime experience. Jessica was such a tremendous guide and I don't think I would have gone on the retreat if it wasn't for her. She was so passionate about what she does and it reflects in her personality. She is very trustworthy and caring and really helps you through your experience. I learned so much about the native communities and the area that we were staying and was able to build some connections with some of the locals. There is truly not another trip I have found that is like it. If you want a real authentic experience that also digs deep in the culture of the area/ people than this is your best choice. I have been in Peru for 10 months and this has been one of my major highlights. You won't regret going on this trip. It was such a phenomenal experience."
-Molly, USA
"It was a life change experience. We were treated as a family member within the community, the food is amazing (fishes were the best) and the nature is astonishing. The ceremonies were unbelievable, now I understand why Dennis McKenna suggests this retreat in Perú. I feel much more confident and clear about my life. I feel self-empowered again. In my opinion the work that the master does is oriented to responsibility, love and respectful. Absolutely reliable... I am going to come back soon... grateful and humble."
-Mounir, Chile
"My life has been forever changed since visiting Parign Hak and I am so very grateful to this entire team of amazing, genuine, and caring people for helping me feel safe, supported and loved through this extremely transformative part of my life journey. They make you feel like family as soon as you meet them. The compassion and love that flows from these beautiful souls in this magical rainforest is absolutely healing and life-changing. It is really hard to put this experience into words. As I read through these other reviews I am resonating very much with their spot-on descriptions of this trip - the jungle excursions, hot springs, the deeply rooted-in-tradition Ayahuasca ceremonies conducted by Jessica, the love and compassion emanating from the Harakmbut people, the thoughtful preparation of food fresh off of the land & their willingness to comply with dietary restrictions, the team’s respect and support for your growth process, etc… If you have a strong desire to heal yourself in mind, body, and spirit, which simultaneously helps to heal the world, a visit to Parign Hak is a darn good place to start!"
-Jodie, USA
"Everyone has a story – the story of their journey through life. Contained within that story are many chapters and roads travelled. If you want to enrich and deepen your life story, a trip to Grandmother’s Home (Parign-Hak) in the Peruvian rainforest is worth your time. The time spent communing with the vast array of plant life in the Amazon jungle is magical, and tea time with Grandmother Ayahuasca is a deeply cleansing, healing, and learning experience. Jessica, the ayahuascera who facilitates the Grandmother’s ceremonies, is a many-storied lady. She was called by Grandmother (a wonderful tale in itself) and serves her calling with integrity, compassion, encyclopaedic knowledge of the flora and fauna of the Amazon rainforest, and keen insight into Grandmother’s teachings. The voice that comes out of her when she chants the icaros during ceremony is otherworldly. Jessica’s friend and teammate, Victoria, along with her partner Alberto, are in charge of the smooth running of Grandmother’s home. Along with their extended family, Victoria and Alberto provide wholesome, ethically sourced meals right out of the rainforest and its rivers. The whole family is warm and welcoming, providing love and support during their visitors’ stay, especially during ceremony. They are beautiful, enlightened souls, and it’s impossible not to be moved by the level of commitment to their guests. They, too, have their stories, and I felt honoured and privileged that they shared some of them with me. I am a writer who ventured into the Amazon rainforest with Jessica to meet beautiful people in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and it was in the name of learning from Grandmother herself. After some serious, transformative healing, I came home with myriad metaphors and symbols to enliven and embolden the rest of my life. My brief but extraordinary stay at Parign-Hak marked the beginning of the rest of, and best of, my life."
-Silvia, Canada
"This was a full week of adventure, rejuvenation and realization! Owned by a local (and amazing!) family, Parign Hak is a loving space that nevertheless allows for personal reflection and rest. Jessica is a well respected and hugely experienced Ayahuascera, who is approachable and authentic. She works tirelessly to make sure everyone feels safe, secure and well looked after, while at the same time pushing you to expand your understanding and "do the work"!. Learning about local plants and their usage enabled us to connect more deeply during ceremony, and with Jessica as our guide we were able to gain insight into the local (Harakbut) people's traditions and knowledge. If you are looking for the "real deal", a space to truly transform and grow, there isn't anywhere that comes close."
-Mark, Canada
"After completing my second retreat with Jessica in Parign Hak (in 2015 and 2017) I can only give the highest recommendation to Jessica as curandera, the hosting family and the place. Jessica's approach is very studious. Before accepting me as a "client" based on our email correspondence, she talked thoroughly with me twice and I had to fill out a questionnaire what gave her a clear picture of "my case". Before going to retreat I've been sent the detailed itinerary with all useful practical details and all needed information about the medicine. During seven days in the retreat she was always available and willing to talk about the process I was going through, to share her vast knowledge of medicine, of the Harakbmut (people native to the area) history, customs, about surrounding nature... Her ceremonies are a powerful yet gentle experience. Trained in Shipibo tradition she adheres to it. Her icaros are pure magic and entire approach very warm and encouraging. Her experience as Manu National park guide is a great addition to her healing skills. The nature around Parign Hak is amazing and trips into the jungle and up and down the pristine Alto Madre de Dios river makes the retreat a really special and transformative experience. Vicky, Alberto and all other members of hosting family at Parign Hak made me feel at home and completely safe. Having experienced ayahuasca ceremonies with ten different ayahuesceros I can, without any hesitation, wholeheartedly recommend Jessica and retreats at Parign Hak."
-Davor, Croatia
"My experience in Parign Hak was wonderful, a week of deep cleansing, healing and learning for body, mind and soul. Parign Hak is a very beautiful, original and pure natural place in the middle of the amazonian jungle, led by an open-hearted Harakbut family. I felt very welcomed and shepered by Vicky, her husband Alberto and their sons. The place is healing by itself and I felt a very strong connection to the vibrant jungle and Pachamama (mother earth) from the very first second we arrived there. Our multi tasking tour guide, facilitator and Ayahuascera Jessica Bertram has an incredible amount of knowledge about the history and tradition of the indigenous amazonian tribes, jungle plants and animals, plant medicine, teacher plants and the shamanic Shipibo tradition and was very very happy to share with us as much as wanted to know ;-) – I learned a lot about the jungle, the natives and about myself. The week was a perfect and very balanced mixture of going deep within myself during the intimate and lovingly led Ayahuasca ceremonies, meeting grandmother Ayahuasca, listening, surrendering, healing, learning, understanding, taking rest and integrating the experiences in group and personal talks. I felt very secure and safe during the ceremonies and the one-on-one work that Jessica is offering each individual participant is very magical and healing. Additional to the transformational personal spiritual work I got to know the Amazon basin in beautiful excursions to the jungle, to natural hot springs and to the river bed. This retreat is a perfect combination of mystical spiritual journeys and very down-to-earth jungle adventures. I am very grateful for this very beautiful and deeply transformational experience and can highly recommend Jessica and her team. Muchas gracias Parign Hak <3!"
-Antonia, Switzerland
"If Aya has in some shape or form entered your awareness, if the idea of doing Ceremony has come up for you, if you find yourself on this website... I would humbly suggest to you, from the bottom of my heart, that you dive in heart-first and just say Yes to having this transformative experience in your life. Just that. Just say Yes and bracket (for the moment) the logistics and the fears and the 'buts' and 'what ifs'. This is precisely what I did once I felt the call to join Ceremony and all else worked itself out. Because if you heed the call, the path will unfold itself for you. I truly believe this and have experienced this over and over again in my life. Saying Yes to visiting with Aya at Parign Hak was one of the best things I have every allowed to happen to me. Despite the perceived obstacles, the oh-so-real imagined fears. I am so grateful that Parign Hak exists in this world and that this is where I was able to have my first experience with Ayahuasca. Not all centers offering Ceremony are equal -- I highly recommend you listen to your heart and allow your intuition to guide you as you make your decisions. Suss out the intentions and the feeling you get from the organizers and practitioners. Do your research based on this and not based on how attractive a website or description is. What these beautiful human beings have created at Parign Hak is nothing short of miraculous. Tucked away from all capitalist models and tourism-driven spiritual retreats, Parign Hak is truly a hidden gem offering rare, powerful experiences. It is run professionally but is anything but corporate -- it is extremely personal and entirely rooted in the heart. What you will experience here is a human experience -- you will join the Harakbut in their wisdom, in their traditions, in their living ceremonial practices. You will join them as they gather with you in Grandma's Home -- not separate, together. Together living interconnected alongside all the living beings of the Amazon and immersing yourself in the heartful wholeness of life there on the land. They will share with you their knowledge of Plant Wisdom, of working with the Earth, of their cultural traditions, of their relationship to the spirit realm. You will be immersed in Amazonian life. What better way to unplug from any limited, partial, narrow life and plug into the expansive Living Organism that is all Creation. This was my experience: plugging in to a much greater and all-encompassing matrix of life. All limitation shed itself as irrelevant. The beautiful people at Parign Hak, with Jessica taking great care in the collaborative process, have created a micro-socioeconomic development project driven by the indigenous community's will to survive and thrive. You are not just joining an Ayahuasca Retreat -- you are helping support the self-determination and survival of a rich cultural heritage and wisdom system. You are supporting a program designed to help a people, who have been labeled as extinct, to survive. You are joining them in healing and thriving together. Forget tourism, forget self-help -- this is Transpersonal Transcultural Transformation. Together! Why spend your money on a simple self-help 'retreat' when you can contribute to the transformation and survival of a community as it evolves and takes on the encroaching forces that are destroying life in the Amazon.My experience at Parign Hak was the most transformative experience of my life! It was safe, pure-hearted, deep, cleansing, and, above all, designed with expert care and devotion for the transformation and well-being of all. I am so thankful to the two powerful women at the forefront, Jessica and Vicky, and to every single one of my new friends there for how much they give -- it was personal for them, and you can feel their investment in you. I invite you to invest in them back - invest in this beautiful program they have self-initiated for you - and you will reap innumerable rewards that keep giving. I am still unfolding and learning from my experience long after visiting Parign Hak! Drop everything that stands in your way and say Yes. You will be forever changed."
-Alexander, Canada
"I had an amazing spiritual and adventurous journey with Jessica at Parign Hak in the Amazon basin! I was looking for a non-commercial ayahuasca experience and this was perfect. I spent a week in the jungle with Jessica, several of the Harakmbut people, and only 2 other western guests. We were treated with love and kindness, and invited into the community as if we were family. The locals fished and cooked healthful meals, as well as, led us up the river for a day of exploring. I thought the mix of ceremonies and tours was perfect—I loved the trip to the hot springs and the nature hikes where Jessica explained the benefits and medicinal properties of so many of the plants we encountered. This trip truly allowed me to get off the beaten path, an experience not easy to attain in the globalized world; as well as, a have transformational spiritual shake up. I highly recommend this authentic and educational trip with Jessica, if you are interested in expanding your knowledge of yourself, the jungle, and Amazonian cultures. It could not have been better and I hope to have the opportunity to return one day."
-Audrey, Australia
"Jessica is a gifted ayahuascara. I have had a number of wonderful and insightful ceremonies with her and wholeheartedly recommend her. She clearly explains how ayahuasca works, in a way that is understandable to all. She is fluent in English, Spanish and German. You can be sure that you will be safe, well looked after and that there is plenty of follow up and time for questions and suggestions between ceremonies. If you wish, she even stays in touch with you by email to see how you are progressing afterwards! Jessica’s close ties with the Harakmbut people, which she has cultivated over the years, and her traditional training with the Shipibo people ensure that you have a genuine traditional Ayahuasca journey. The setting is in the heart of the rainforest, an untouched wilderness where I marvelled at the beauty every day. The Harakmbut people we met were so good to us and we enjoyed their warm hospitality, slept in thatched cabañas, and ate the delicious local food. A life-changing spiritual and cultural experience! I am lucky and grateful for it!"
-Martin, Canada
"An amazing experience with a small group of Harakmbut people and a wonderful Ayahuascera in Jessica Bertram. Alberto and Vicky welcome you into their home in the Amazon, right on the Upper Madre de Dios and Jessica is an intelligent and compassionate guide. An authentic ayahuasca experience in the Shipibo tradition with tremendous care. This is a place for serious healing. The food is outstanding and all from Parign Hak and the surrounding area. Every member of the small family community of Parign Hak will teach you something valuable and you will leave richer for the experience. It is truly life-changing and very different from other, far more commercial plant medicine experiences westerners flock to. I could not recommend Parign Hak or Jessica Bertram more highly. They both profoundly changed my life and led me on the road to conquering chronic disease issues I had battled for about 15 years."
-Daniel, USA
"So lots to say about my experience at parign hak. Our hosts. I couldn’t have stayed with nicer more caring people. Not only did they act as hosts but essentially welcomed us in as part of their family. They spent time with us sharing their very personal stories. They supported us and genuinely wanted to see that we had an authentic and restorative experience. They made me feel very safe and cared for. They live a very simple life which can teach you a lot about all the unnecessary worries we carry with us in modern day life. Next was our ayahuascaro Jessica. The amount of knowledge she has of the amazon and the communities that inhabit it are amazing. It is very obvious she is a huge part of the community there and it is very reassuring. She has obviously made a huge and very positive impact in their lives and it appears very much to be her passion. These people are very much part of her extended family. The place itself is stunning. Out in the jungle surrounded by what can only be described as being akin to one huge green natural cathedral and it’s choir the natural sounds of the jungle and all its wildlife. Just magic waking in the morning and going to bed each night to the sounds of this. All of the above as well as having small groups in which to experience the whole process is fantastic. You basically get very personal attention which is a rarity in the bigger groups that are so often the case in a typical retreat centre. This is anything but typical. It is a very unusual experience that is not easy to come by and very much worth the effort to get to. Safety and authenticity are two important aspects of the experience and Jessica vets people intensely which again is very reassuring. To add to this she provides an after care package which again is not a regular occurrence. Based on my experience I would highly recommend the experience. I can’t thank them enough."
-Katie, England
"Traveling to Parign Hak is magically traveling to the heart of the jungle. It is traveling to visit the house of the grandmother, my grandmother. As I went on the trip and went deeper into the vegetation, crossing rivers and taking a boat, I began to feel more at home.
Upon arrival, the place opens wide and is beautiful, I could feel the affection put in the construction of every detail and especially in the conservation of the place and the care put to live in harmony with its environment. Immediately I felt the respect and love that they have for nature. And I could see when I met them: Jessica, Victoria and Alberto made me feel like a family. They make a wonderful team, where during the session you not only feel that you are in the hands of prepared people but also you are in the hands of people who really care. The protection and care with which they address each one of their visitors make it certainly the grandmother’s house for everyone. It was without a doubt, the best experience I had with the plant, of a special connection, that only people who have been granted the keys can make you access."
-Guille, Peru
"True depth healing work; absolute integrity and loving support; complete respect for the individuals capacity for self-empowerment and equal respect for the power of nature; immersion in the ecology, history and indigenous cultures of the Manu rainforest; continuing integration support and masses of quality post-retreat information. Seriously... nothing beats it!!!"
-Alex, Australia
"This is a rich, low-key, no bullshit, true trans-personal, trans-cultural experience.
Some aspects that appealed to me:
* I felt welcomed, contained, accepted for the way I am
* The food was simple and delicious, cooked under the watchful eye of Gloria
* The cottages and conference room have a delicious humble feel
* The maloca, tucked away further into the jungle, is a sweet place of mystery
* Jessica has hard-won wisdom and a deep understanding of ayahuasca and ceremony
* The jungle is magical and our forays into it and along the river added a depth to the ceremonies.
I have come back to Australia grateful, humbled, opened to the possibilities of ayahuasca, refocused back to the essentials of life, blown away by plant intelligence."
-Ron, Australia
"The work that Jessica, Victoria, Alberto and others undertake at Parign Hak in the Manu area of the Peruvian Amazon, and the wholesome experiences they offer to travelers from across the globe, including authentic, meaningful cultural activities with native communities, is exceptional. I loved my short stay. Keep up the good work. 5 Stars for sure!"
-Chris, England
"I wanted to share some of my story with you all, to send out little ripples to those who may be on a similar path or who are interested in the topic. I went there to take Ayahuasca, which is a hallucinogenic plant medicine native to the Amazon. I did it under the care of a shaman/ayahuasquera/ traditional medicine practitioner named Jessica. Ayahuasca can be used to treat practically everything, but I sought it out to treat depression, which I have struggled with for 15 years. Over the past few years, it had reached a critical point, so I reached out to a classmate who connected me with the retreat center. The retreat center (Parign Hak) is located in the Manu region of the Amazon, where we stayed with an indigenous Harakbut family. A little about Parign Hak: it is run in a way that focuses on the indigenous people, preserves culture and tradition, respects the environment, and fosters community and family. Jessica’s approach is that of strict traditional medicine, which aims to heal by restoring balance. Cut to me in the jungle, I did 3 ayahuasca ceremonies. Some parts were absolutely beautiful and some parts were extremely challenging, but everybody’s experience with the medicine is different. It pushed me very far out of my comfort zone and challenged all of my beliefs about myself. It made me reevaluate my perspectives, my stories about my life, my relationships, my role as a physician and healer, and it showed me the power in creativity in life and in choosing what to believe. Overall, it was nothing short of life-changing, and it was so much more than just the ceremonial work. I received extensive preparatory instructions/counseling, as well as extensive integration counseling. In fact, I am still doing the integration work as my healing is still unfolding at home. It can take up to 3 months to fully integrate the work, so we will see where I am at then, but I am already seeing profound shifts in myself."
-David, U.S.A.
"I have stayed at Parign Hak twice. My most recent experience was like a much awaited homecoming, both for myself and my Parign Hak family. I can’t remember being happier to see a group of people because the Parign Hak family is open, honest, trustworthy, fun, and above all, full of love. These qualities were so essential for my healing because I felt safe enough to be vulnerable and delve into the messiness of facing my authentic self. As a result, I experienced healing of issues that I have struggled with and had not made much progress with over the last 20+ years. I would not have been able to reach such a degree of profound insight and understanding of myself and the world around me without the expert guidance of Jessica, a talented ayahuasquera, whose compassion, devotion, integrity and love, as well as her genuine connection with ayahuasca, and intelligence about culture and society is beyond measure. Additionally, Parign Hak offers a loving family that makes the beautifully breathtaking Amazon jungle a home away from home. I shared delicious, nourishing, locally-sourced meals with them and they joked with me and I felt my heart open more than it ever has before. I can’t wait to return to Parign Hak and see my family again!"
-Elika, U.S.A.
"Where to start…? I live in the UK, some 6,000+ miles away. I was searching for a retreat that appeared to have the ceremony and its sacred purpose at the center of its focus, something that didn’t seem to be completely set up for the consumption of western profit. How lucky I was to come across Parign Hak and the amazing people that make it possible. Jessica and the team there don’t just “run retreats”….they offer something way beyond the value of currency. They have devoted their lives to plant medicine and take you on a journey through the majestic mountains and into the rainforest. Every step of the way taking the time to teach you about the ancient culture, diverse landscape and never ending wonders of the plant world and how we’re connected to it. I traveled alone for this trip so it was a big deal to me to be in experienced hands at the other end. The logistics, organization, food and travel of this retreat are simply excellent. I’m so confident in the safety and welfare I received that I would happily recommend Parign Hak to any of my close family or friends without hesitation.
Forever grateful for this experience."
-Conor, UK
"If you are looking for a place to experience an Ayahuasca ceremony, Parign Hak offers exactly that and so much more.
The experience at Parign Hak truly is a full immersion into the Manu Jungle as well as an in depth examination of the indigenous people of the area and their ancestors. There is also full on explorations of the jungle as a group that is possibly one of the most informative and fun tours anywhere in the world. You see an unimaginable amount of plant and animal life which is accompanied by a detailed explanation of the biology and traditional use. It is hard to describe the experience itself with Ayahuasca, but the one thing I can say is that Jessica, the teacher/shaman here, and her team know exactly what they are doing. Anyone that attends this retreat will at all times be in the kindest, most experienced hands. Honestly, I have never felt safer than during my time on this retreat. The only intention from Parign Hak is to empower and and inform its attendees to help them be better versions of themselves. And that intention is guaranteed. The family at Parign Hak will accept you and treat you as family. How much you get out of the experience is totally up to you, but Parign Hak ensures that the potential gain for you is infinite. I would recommend this place for absolutely anyone. The value of the love and knowledge here at Parign Hak is so grand and full that it is hard to imagine that anywhere else could be a better option for an ayahuasca ceremony."
-Nic, U.S.A.
VIDEO TESTIMONIALS
MEDIA
Kahpi - The Ayahuasca Hub
Don’t Forget Us Native People Behind the Ayahuasca
Speaking from the Amazon rainforest, Wachiperi healer Victoria Corisepa calls for greater respect and recognition for nature, ayahuasca, and indigenous knowledge.
The Durango Herald
Deep in the Amazon, an Indigenous Culture is Revived
MANU PROVINCE, PERU – Along the banks of the upper Madre de Dios River is Parign Hak, a traditional healing center that welcomes tourists and locals to stay for a week or more to be immersed in the culture of the local Harakbut people.
Intercontinental
Cry
Indigenous Peoples Cautiously Celebrate Hunt Oil Withdrawl from Amarakaeri Communal Reserve
After struggling for more than a decade to remove the U.S. oil company Hunt Oil from the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve (ACR) in the Madre de Dios region of Peru, the Harakbut, Machiguenga and Yine Peoples are cautiously optimistic.