About Us
Paojilhuasca's Roots
Founded in 2018 by the renowned curandero Don Gardel and visionary biomedical researcher Fabrizio Beverina, Paojilhuasca Amazonian Medicine Centre offers a unique gateway to the ancient healing powers of the Amazon. We specialize in authentic kambo and ayahuasca ceremonies, bringing these transformative medicines out of tradition and into the hands of everyone seeking profound healing and personal growth.
Our retreat is thoughtfully designed to nurture your journey—blending simplicity with purpose. Surrounded by the breathtaking Amazonian wilderness, our space creates the perfect harmony between peaceful solitude and supportive community living. Here, you are fully immersed in nature’s embrace, allowing deep restoration on every level.
At Paojilhuasca, accessibility is more than a promise—it’s a mission. We keep our prices affordable so that everyone, regardless of background, can experience the life-changing benefits of these sacred medicines. Healing should never be out of reach.
What truly sets us apart is our commitment to research, education, and empowerment. We believe in learning by doing. That’s why every participant takes part in the preparation of the medicines, cultivating a deeper connection and independence on their healing path. Our approach honors tradition while fostering a modern understanding, helping you integrate ancient wisdom with your own experience.
Step into a space where ancestral knowledge meets scientific curiosity—and where your healing story begins. Join Paojilhuasca today and unlock the powerful medicine of the Amazon, with guides who walk alongside you every step of the way.
Amazonian Plants and Healing
Did you know that nearly 70% of Western pharmaceutical medicines trace their origins back to Amazonian plants? For centuries, indigenous healers—known as curanderos—have carefully preserved and passed down the wisdom of these living medicines. Unlike Western science, which often isolates single compounds, Amazonian healing works with plants in their whole form, respecting their natural timing, balance, and synergy.
At Paojilhuasca, we honor this tradition by offering Kambo, Ayahuasca, and Sananga exactly as they have been used for generations, within the sacred environment of the Amazon itself. Here, guests experience authentic ceremonies led by experienced curanderos, supported by research-based protocols that ensure safe and meaningful integration. Nutritious meals are thoughtfully prepared to nourish and sustain the body throughout the healing process.
What makes this approach unique is that it goes far beyond the quick fixes of Western medicine. Healing at Paojilhuasca is a holistic, long-lasting journey that embraces the body, mind, and soul as one. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Amazon and guided with care, participants are able to access deep transformation that restores balance, clarity, and inner peace.
Paraíso & The Local Community
At Paojilhuasca, transformation extends beyond our guests it embraces the local community as well. Every week we source fresh fruit, fish, and other essentials directly from more than fifteen local families, ensuring that the village economy thrives through sustainable and meaningful support. In this way, the nourishment provided to our visitors also uplifts the families who call the Amazon home.
Our mission also includes creating opportunities for education and growth. We provide free internet access to local children, opening doors to learning, knowledge, and the chance to study English. Through dignified employment, both women and men find meaningful work at Paojilhuasca, with at least eight local team members supported daily and even more during construction and development projects.
Beyond economics, our commitment extends to the environment and cultural preservation. We actively collaborate with the village school to nurture environmental awareness and teach children the importance of protecting the jungle that sustains us all. In this way, Paojilhuasca becomes more than a retreat it is a living bridge between cultures, people, and nature, creating ripples of healing and hope that flow far beyond our center.
Volunteers
We welcome all volunteers. We always have ongoing projects to work on and welcome those with initiatives of their own to bring their ideas and skills into the project.
Don Gardel
Ayahuasquero, kambocero, and co-founder
Don Gardel is a revered ayahuasquero, kambocero, and co-founder of the renowned Paojilhuasca Amazonian Medicine Camp. Hailing from a distinguished lineage of shamans—including his grandfather and two brothers—Don Gardel’s connection to traditional healing runs deep in his blood. His journey began in his youth when he lived with the Matses, an indigenous community on the Brazilian border. There, he gained profound knowledge in working with powerful plant medicines like kambo and rapé.
His path to becoming a shaman was both unique and mystical. After falling gravely ill, Don Gardel was healed by the wise La Maestra Alicia, who uncovered an ancient spell placed on him by his grandfather during childhood—a sacred blessing destined to awaken his shamanic potential. Under Alicia’s guidance, he began rigorous training, embracing plant diets and learning the sacred arts of healing.
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With years of experience traveling across Peru and apprenticing with respected curanderos, Don Gardel has become a trusted healer in Amazonian medicine. His deep spiritual wisdom, combined with authentic traditional training, inspires trust and confidence in all who seek his guidance. Together with Fabrizio, he founded the Paojilhuasca Amazonian Medicine Camp—a sanctuary devoted to the preservation and sharing of ancestral healing knowledge.
For those seeking genuine transformation through authentic Amazonian plant medicine, Don Gardel offers a rare blend of heritage, expertise, and heartfelt commitment, making him one of the most respected and trustworthy shamans of our time.
La Maestra Alicia
Ayahuasquera, Vegetalista
La Maestra Alicia is a remarkable Ayahuasquera and vegetalista, a true daughter of the jungle with a soul as deep as the rivers that flow through the Amazon. She comes from a powerful lineage of curanderos—both of her grandfathers were tabacceros, shamans who harness the sacred tobacco plant to heal and guide. But Alicia’s path was not an easy one. Her story is one of profound transformation. After a devastating life crisis that left her lost and homeless, living on the streets, she found herself touched by the medicine of ayahuasca. This encounter didn’t just cure her—it called her. It awakened a deep knowing, a burning desire to serve and heal others as the plants had healed her.
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Though self-taught, Alicia often humbly says the plants themselves are her teachers. She listens deeply to the whispers of the forest, the rhythms of the river, and the wisdom of the earth. Her home lies somewhere between the Paojilhuasca center and a remote, untouched stretch of the Momon River near Iquitos—a place so wild and sacred it breathes life into her medicine, making her power uniquely profound.
In this sacred isolation, Alicia cultivates a fierce connection to nature that infuses her healing with authenticity and strength. She is not just a healer but a guardian of ancient knowledge, a bridge between the spirit world and the jungle, radiating a calm, grounded energy that draws people to her with trust and hope.
Meeting La Maestra Alicia is like stepping into a living story of renewal, resilience, and reverence—a true testament to the healing power of the Amazon and its plants, passed down through generations and renewed in every ceremony she leads.
Fabrizio
Co-founder, manager, kambo & bufo practitioner, retreat facilitator and researcher
Fabrizio Beverina is a remarkable individual whose journey bridges the realms of cutting-edge science and ancient spiritual wisdom with profound authenticity and power. Originally a biomedical researcher specializing in brain-computer interaction and emotional computing, Fabrizio made significant strides in his field—securing a patent for an innovative brain-computer machine and authoring influential papers that have shaped the scientific community. Yet, despite these achievements, his soul yearned for deeper meaning beyond the confines of the laboratory. Driven by an unquenchable thirst for understanding the mind and spirit, Fabrizio chose a radically different path. He left behind the familiar world of modern science to immerse himself in the meditative traditions of Asia. Over twelve transformative years in China, followed by profound studies with Tibetan Buddhist monks in Tibet and India, he honed a practice that integrates deep mindfulness with the mysteries of consciousness.
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Fabrizios creative spirit found fertile ground in Yunnan, China, where he founded RiShi Labs Daliâ an anarchist sanctuary for musicians and artists. Under the alias Kandido Burenson, he expressed himself through comics, experimental theatre, ink paintings, and immersive video installations transforming his artistic vision into vibrant, living experiences. Later, his pioneering mind returned to innovation, leading him to establish Artha LTD in Hong Kong, a trailblazing company at the forefront of AI-assisted education, recognized internationally by Techcrunch London.
Today, Fabrizio stands at the crossroads of science and shamanism with a rare blend of respect, rigor, and reverence. Living alongside shamans in Colombia, Peru, and Brazil, he delves deeply into the healing power of ancestral plants, all while maintaining a uniquely scientific lens. Together with Don Gardel, he co-created Paojilhuasca a space where traditional medicine, meditation, and Qi Gong converge to nurture body, mind, and spirit.
Fabrizio Beverina embodies a fearless commitment to truth, a visionary fusion of intellect and intuition, and an unwavering dedication to healing and transformation. His life story is not just inspiring ”it invites us all to explore the profound depths where science meets soul.
Caterina
Doctor, holistic healer, kambo practitioner, breathwork guide and retreat facilitator
Caterina is a deeply loving and authentic medical professional whose compassionate nature shines through in every aspect of her work. As a skilled doctor with expertise in general and emergency medicine, she brings a grounded, scientific foundation to her holistic healing practice. Certified as a breathwork mentor by the GRIT Academy, Caterina s nurturing presence creates a safe and healing space for those she supports.
Guided by curiosity and a phenomenological approach, Caterina seamlessly integrates Western medical knowledge with the profound healing traditions of Amazonian indigenous cultures, yoga, meditation, and conscious breathing. Her unique blend of conventional medicine and alternative healing methods reflects her genuine dedication to promoting overall health and self-awareness.
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Caterina warm, patient-centered approach emphasizes deep, compassionate communication and meaningful connections. She believes true healing arises from fostering trust, prevention, and personal growth. Through her breathwork workshops, individual sessions, and transformative retreats, she empowers individuals to tap into their inner strength, balance, and vitality.
Specializing in holistic health, Caterina is passionate about supporting physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual wellness. Her loving and authentic demeanor helps clients feel seen, heard, and fully supported on their healing journeys.
Whether guiding conscious connected breathing or exploring altered states of consciousness through psychonautics, Caterinas mission is to bridge diverse healing traditions and expand possibilities beyond conventional care. Her heartfelt intention is to inspire and empower every person she encounters, creating a more compassionate and mindful world.
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Nico
Integration counselor, psychologist, men's work, addiction specialist and retreat facilitator.
Nico is an extraordinary guide whose path beautifully weaves together deep psychological insight, heartfelt healing, and a profound commitment to authentic human connection. As a psychologist and integration counselor, his work goes beyond traditional therapy—it is an embodiment of his own transformative journey toward freedom, presence, and emotional wholeness.
What sets Nico apart is not only his professional training and expertise in addiction treatment but also the vulnerability and honesty he brings from his own lived experience. More than a decade ago, he began his path of healing through Buddhist meditation and yoga—practices that nurtured his calmness, resilience, and self-compassion. Yet, it was his intimate encounter with Ayahuasca—both deeply challenging and profoundly luminous—that allowed him to break open hidden layers of his being. Through this powerful initiation, Nico began to heal old wounds that had long shaped his relationship with himself and those around him.
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His story is not only one of personal transformation but also of dedication to the sacred art of integration—the often unseen yet essential process of bringing profound spiritual revelations into daily life. During his time at the Paojilhuasca retreat, Nico went through a crucible of growth that ultimately became his calling: to walk alongside others as they navigate their own journeys of awakening. With tenderness, presence, and grounded wisdom, he helps people gently weave their newfound insights into everyday reality—supporting them in cultivating balance, resilience, and renewed vitality.
Nico’s awakening also led him to step more fully into his masculinity with authenticity and grace. Recognizing how rare it is for men to have spaces where they can be vulnerably seen and supported, he courageously began creating retreats and online programs dedicated to brotherhood, conscious masculinity, and deep inner work. Through these offerings, he invites men to “grow up”—not through rigid compliance or suppression, but as empowered beings who embody strength alongside tenderness, freedom alongside responsibility, and presence alongside love.
What makes Nico truly remarkable is this rare combination of grounded psychological wisdom, raw authenticity, and a loving heart devoted to service. He is a living example of how deep inner work—done with courage and compassion—can lead not only to freedom from addiction and pain but also to vibrant aliveness and soulful connection. To meet Nico is to encounter a trustworthy guide who has walked through the shadowed valleys of the human experience, yet continues forward with lightness, clarity, and integrity. In a world yearning for genuine healing and connection, Nico stands as a beacon of hope, humanity, and transformation.
The Amazon Jungle
Your donations allow the children in the village to have access to school, help to improve Health Care for people living in isolated areas around Paojilhuasca, and to fight alcohol addiction, creating safer homes for the local women and children.