Spirituality, drugs, and tourism: tourists’ and shamans’ experiences of ayahuasca in Iquitos, Peru
Girish Prayag, Paolo Mura, Colin Michael Hall, Julien Fontaine
Tourism Recreation Research June 22, 2016 DOI: 10.1080/02508281.2016.1192237 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Micro-ethnography Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Tourists and shamans involved in ayahuasca tourism in Iquitos, Peru |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Duration | One month |
| Topics | Ayahuasca Shamanism |
| Keywords | Tourism Spirituality |
| Citations | 32 |
| Key findings | Tourists' ayahuasca experiences were perceived as spiritual due to better understanding of self and others, while shamans' encounters were mostly positive but had negative consequences on their practices. |
Abstract
This study critically evaluates the complex inter space of spirituality, drugs, and tourism through tourists' and shamans' accounts of ayahuasca tourism in Iquitos, Peru. Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic beverage traditionally consumed for spiritual and health purposes. Using micro-ethnography, one of the researchers was immersed for one month in the tourism experience of ayahuasca. The findings reveal the ambivalent nature of tourists' experiences and the changing meaning and practices of ayahuasca. Tourists' encounters with ayahuasca were perceived as spiritual due to better understanding and perception of 'self' and 'others'. Shamans' encounters with tourists were mostly positive but negative consequences on their practices were evident. The study highlights issues of fluidity, positionality, and self-identification of roles in tourism.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The antipodes Of the mind Indigenous people, shamans, members of different religious sects using Ayahuasca, and... | 2002 | Qualitative study | |
| Drug Tourism or Spiritual Healing? Ayahuasca Seekers in Amazonia Westerners participating in an ayahuasca retreat in Amazonia | 2005 | Qualitative study | |
| Therapeutic Effects of Ritual Ayahuasca Use in the Treatment of Substance Dependence—Qualitative Results Therapists, expert researchers, and individuals who underwent ayahuasca-assisted... | 2014 | Qualitative study | n = 29 |
| Nourishing the Spirit: Exploratory Research on Ayahuasca Experiences along the Continuum of Recovery from Eating Disorders Individuals previously diagnosed with an eating disorder | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 16 |
| Exploring ayahuasca‐assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada Indigenous adults in Canada who participated in ayahuasca-assisted ceremonial retreats | 2019 | Qualitative study | n = 11 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Modulatory effects of ayahuasca on personality structure in a traditional framework Psychopharmacology July 23, 2020
- Protocol for Outcome Evaluation of Ayahuasca-Assisted Addiction Treatment: The Case of Takiwasi Center Frontiers in Pharmacology May 19, 2021
- Effects of Ayahuasca on Gratitude and Relationships with Nature: A Prospective, Naturalistic Study. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2025
- The enchanted snake and the forbidden fruit: the ayahuasca ‘fairy tale’ tourist Journal of Marketing Management April 16, 2019
- A landscape analysis of psychedelic retreat organizations advertising online PLoS One May 2, 2025
and 11 more in the library
Cites 12
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin mediate the attribution of personal meaning and spiritual significance 14 months later Journal of Psychopharmacology May 30, 2008
- Clinical investigations of the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca: rationale and regulatory challenges. Pharmacology & Therapeutics May 1, 2004
- Risk assessment of ritual use of oral dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmala alkaloids Addiction December 20, 2006
- Assessment of addiction severity among ritual users of ayahuasca Drug and Alcohol Dependence June 17, 2010
and 7 more in the library