San Pedro Wachuma Cusco
San Pedro Ceremony in Cusco: Wachuma with a Q'ero Master
A full day with San Pedro (Wachuma), led by a Q’ero master, at our retreat center one hour from Cusco. From USD 210 per person.
Q’ero master, Huayllapampa
01 The ceremony
A full day with Wachuma
Our San Pedro ceremony in Cusco is a full day with Wachuma, the Andean cactus medicine, led by one of our Q’ero masters, Santiago Salas or Andrés Apaza, with a translator. We pick you up at 7:00 am at your hotel in Cusco, or at our office (426-A Retiro Street, 5th Floor), hold the ceremony at our retreat center in the Huayllapampa valley, about an hour from the city, and bring you back around 7:00 pm. Prices start at USD 210 per person.
At a glance
- From
- USD 210 per person
- Schedule
- 7:00 am to about 7:00 pm
- Where
- Huayllapampa valley (San Jerónimo), 1 hour from Cusco
- Guide
- Q’ero master + translator
- Group
- Up to 8 people
- Safety
- Health screening before booking
02 Ceremonies
Our Wachuma ceremonies
One day, three ways to join
We run one format: a single day, from morning pickup to evening drop-off. What changes is how private the day is and how many Andean rituals you add around the medicine.
The ceremony
From USD 210 per person. Pickup at 7:00 am from your hotel or our office, a full day with Wachuma in the Huayllapampa valley led by a Q’ero master, and back in Cusco around 7:00 pm. Group, private and VIP options.
Our San Pedro Ceremony: Prices and Options
| San Pedro + volcanic medicinal water | San Pedro + 5 Andean Inca techniques | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | USD 210 | USD 325 |
| Private | USD 310 | USD 425 |
| VIP (fully private) | USD 410 | USD 525 |
Prices are per person. The basic option pairs San Pedro with volcanic medicinal water, a mineral spring water from the volcanic region of Arequipa that we use as a cleanse and purge. The full option adds a coca leaf reading, an energy cleansing, an offering to Pachamama and a flowering bath. Most ceremonies take place in Huayllapampa; the Sacred Valley is possible on request, with an extra transport cost that our booking assistant confirms.
03 What to know
San Pedro Ceremony in Cusco: What to Know
01
How the Day Unfolds
A San Pedro day is long but unhurried. Here is the order we follow:
- 7:00 am, pickup. We collect you at your hotel in Cusco, or you meet us at our office (426-A Retiro Street, 5th Floor), and we travel together. Come with an empty stomach.
- Arrival and volcanic medicinal water. After about an hour on the road you reach Huayllapampa. The master opens the ceremony and you drink the volcanic medicinal water as a cleanse.
- Coca leaf reading and energy cleansing, if your option includes the five Andean techniques.
- The Wachuma ceremony. San Pedro is served as a bitter drink and its effects build over 45 to 90 minutes. Most of the day is spent outdoors, walking slowly, sitting in silence or resting by the fire.
- Pachamama offering and flowering bath close the day in the five-technique option. We share fruit and you are back in Cusco around 7:00 pm.
The full itinerary of the 1-day San Pedro ceremony has the details. For the experience itself, phase by phase, read what to expect at a San Pedro ceremony.
02
Who Leads the Ceremony
Your ceremony is led by one of our Q’ero masters, Santiago Salas or Andrés Apaza, with a translator or assistant beside him for the whole day. The Q’ero are a Quechua-speaking people from the high mountains of Paucartambo, in the Cusco region, widely respected in Peru as keepers of Andean ritual traditions.
The master opens and closes the ceremony, serves the medicine, leads the Andean rituals and keeps watch over the group. The translator makes sure nothing gets lost between Quechua or Spanish and English: your intention, the master’s guidance and anything you need during the day.
We keep groups to a maximum of eight people, so the master can give each person real attention.
03
Where the San Pedro Ceremony Takes Place
Our retreat center sits in the Huayllapampa valley, in the district of San Jerónimo, about an hour from Cusco. It is quiet countryside with open sky and mountains around, which matters for a medicine taken in daylight and largely outdoors.
A ceremony in the Sacred Valley, in Urubamba, is an option on request, for people who want the ceremony near Pisac or Urubamba or are staying in the valley anyway. It adds transport costs, which our booking assistant confirms before you book.
Cusco sits at about 3,400 meters. Arrive in Cusco at least one day before your ceremony, and two or three if your schedule allows, especially if you’re coming from sea level.
04
Is a San Pedro Ceremony Right for You?
San Pedro suits many first-time participants. The medicine is taken by day, you stay aware of your surroundings, and vomiting is far less common than with ayahuasca. People usually come for emotional clarity, to reconnect with nature or to reset after a hard period.
It is not for everyone. Mescaline raises heart rate and blood pressure, and the altitude adds strain. San Pedro is generally not advised for people with heart conditions, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with a history of psychosis. Participants must be over 18.
This is how we check that the ceremony is safe for you:
- You fill in our Preliminary Diagnostic Form before the booking is confirmed.
- You sign an informed consent.
- If your answers show a health issue, we ask for an exam with a specialist before the ceremony. The participant covers its cost.
Tell us about every medication and supplement you take, and don’t stop a prescription on your own: talk to the doctor who prescribed it.
05
San Pedro or Ayahuasca?
Both are sacred plant medicines, but they work very differently.
| San Pedro (Wachuma) | Ayahuasca | |
|---|---|---|
| Tradition | Andean | Amazonian |
| When | By day, outdoors | At night, indoors |
| Character | Heart-opening, clear-headed | Introspective, often intense |
| Effects last | 8 to 12 hours | 4 to 6 hours |
| Purging | Uncommon | Common |
If you are new to plant medicine, San Pedro is often the gentler first step. Many people combine the two on the same trip, with a few days between them. For a fuller comparison, read ayahuasca vs San Pedro; for the night ceremonies, see our 1-day ayahuasca retreat and 2-day ayahuasca retreat.
06
Preparing in the Three Days Before
We ask for three days of simple preparation:
- No alcohol, cannabis or recreational drugs.
- No pork, red meat, heavy fats or spicy food.
- Less sugar, salt, caffeine and processed food.
- A light dinner the night before, and nothing to eat on the morning of the ceremony.
Our San Pedro diet guide explains each point and what to eat instead.
07
Booking, Cancellation and What to Bring
To book, choose your option on the San Pedro ceremony page or write to us on WhatsApp. Our booking assistant confirms your date, sends you the Preliminary Diagnostic Form and arranges your pickup.
You can cancel your ceremony; a penalty applies, and our booking assistant explains the conditions when you book.
Bring warm layers you can take off as the day warms up, a hat, sunscreen, comfortable shoes and water. A notebook helps if you like to write things down.
08
Learn More About Wachuma
- What is San Pedro (Wachuma)?
- Benefits of San Pedro Wachuma
- San Pedro diet before the ceremony
- What to expect at a San Pedro ceremony
- Ayahuasca vs San Pedro
If a day with Wachuma is part of your trip, send us your dates on WhatsApp and we’ll check availability for your San Pedro ceremony in Cusco. We also run ayahuasca retreats and ceremonies in Cusco if you’d like to work with both medicines.
04 FAQ
San Pedro ceremony FAQ
How much does a San Pedro ceremony in Cusco cost?
Ours starts at USD 210 per person in a group, with volcanic medicinal water. With the five Andean techniques it is USD 325. Private and VIP options range from USD 310 to USD 525.
How long does the ceremony last?
The whole day runs from the 7:00 am pickup to about 7:00 pm. The effects of San Pedro last 8 to 12 hours.
Is San Pedro legal in Peru?
Yes. The cactus grows openly in the Andes, and its ceremonial use is part of Peruvian tradition. Taking it out of the country is a different matter, so don't try.
Can I do San Pedro if I've never taken plant medicine?
Yes. Many first-timers start with San Pedro because it is taken by day and is gentler on the body than ayahuasca.
Do you pick me up from my hotel?
Yes. We pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 7:00 am, or you can meet us at our office, 426-A Retiro Street, 5th Floor. We travel together to the retreat center and bring you back around 7:00 pm.
How many days should I spend in Cusco before the ceremony?
At least one, and two or three if your schedule allows, especially if you're coming from sea level.
Can I combine San Pedro and ayahuasca on the same trip?
Yes. Leave a few days between the two ceremonies so you can rest and take in the first experience.
Can the ceremony be held in the Sacred Valley?
Yes, on request. The price goes up to cover transport, and our booking assistant confirms the cost.
Send us your dates on WhatsApp: we check availability, send you the Preliminary Diagnostic Form and arrange your pickup at your hotel or our office in Cusco.