Ayahuasca Ceremonies in Brazil vs. Peru: Two Sacred Traditions

At Maravilha Retreat in Búzios, Brazil, we often meet guests who are curious about the differences between ayahuasca traditions in Brazil and Peru. Both countries carry profound wisdom, and both offer transformative experiences. Since our home is in Brazil, we see firsthand how unique the ceremonies here are—rooted in indigenous forest traditions and enriched by syncretic spiritual paths like Santo Daime and União do Vegetal. To help you understand the beauty of each lineage, we’ve written this comparison of Brazil and Peru, starting with the traditions closest to our hearts.

Ayahuasca in Brazil: Forest Traditions and Syncretic Churches

Indigenous Roots

In Brazil, tribes such as the Huni Kuin (Kaxinawá), Yawanawá, Puyanawa, Katukina, and Ashaninka carry ancient ayahuasca traditions. For them, the drink—often called “nixi pae”—is a way of connecting with the forest, the spirits of animals, and their ancestors.

Ceremonies are highly communal. Rather than focusing only on an individual’s inner journey, participants often sing, chant, and sometimes dance together. The sound of maracás (rattles) and drums fills the night, creating an atmosphere of collective healing and celebration.

Santo Daime, UDV, and Barquinha

One unique feature of Brazil is the rise of syncretic religions that blend ayahuasca with Christianity and African spiritual traditions.

• Santo Daime combines hymns, Christian prayers, and dancing in star-like formations.

• União do Vegetal (UDV) offers structured, moral-spiritual teachings in a church-like setting.

• Barquinha blends ayahuasca with Spiritism and mediumship.

These groups are legally recognized in Brazil, making ayahuasca not just an indigenous medicine but also a recognized sacrament of religious life.

Brazilian Ceremony Atmosphere

• Communal and celebratory — many voices singing together.

• A strong sense of connection to nature and community.

• Legal framework supports openness and integration.

Ayahuasca in Peru: Shipibo and the Icaro Tradition

Indigenous Roots

Across the border in Peru, ceremonies are most widely associated with the Shipibo-Conibo people, as well as the Asháninka, Quechua, and Mestizo curanderos. The Peruvian approach is often more individualized, with the healer (curandero) focusing closely on each participant.

The Role of Icaros

At the heart of Peruvian ceremonies are the ícaros—sacred songs that the healer sings to guide the visions and direct the energy of the medicine. Each icaro is considered a living spirit in itself, received through years of dieta (plant diets) and training.

Ceremonies are usually held in a maloka (circular ceremonial hut) at night. Healers may use mapacho tobacco, perfumes, rattles, and sometimes other plants alongside ayahuasca.

Peruvian Ceremony Atmosphere

• Deeply introspective, often in silence between songs.

• Shaman-led — each participant may receive personalized healing through song.

• Strong focus on purging (vomiting, sweating) as a physical and spiritual cleansing.

Key Differences Between Brazil and Peru

Brazilian ceremonies are communal, often filled with singing, chanting, and sometimes dancing. Music can include collective hymns, maracás, and Christian as well as indigenous chants. The atmosphere is celebratory and emphasizes connection to community and nature, with influences from both indigenous animism and Christianity. Ayahuasca use is fully legal for religious practice in Brazil.

Peruvian ceremonies are typically more introspective and individualized. Music comes through icaros sung by the shaman, often directed at specific participants. The atmosphere is quiet, visionary, and deeply personal, rooted in animist and plant-spirit cosmology. Ayahuasca use is tolerated in Peru, though not formally legalized at the national level.

Why Brazil and Peru Both Matter

Both traditions carry the sacred wisdom of the forest, but their differences can shape your experience. In Brazil, you may feel held by community, voices rising together under the stars, or by the structured teachings of a Santo Daime church. In Peru, you may feel the intimate guidance of a curandero’s icaro, pulling you deeper into your own healing journey.

Neither is “better” than the other—they are two unique doors into the same spiritual house.

At Maravilha Retreat, we honor both traditions while offering ceremonies rooted in Brazilian indigenous wisdom and guided by experienced facilitators. If you feel called to experience the power of ayahuasca here in Brazil—under the full moon, by the ocean, surrounded by the forest—our doors are open.