Our team

A caring family, not a company

We work as a caring family, with many years of knowledge and experience guiding people through deep personal processes.

Arnaldo

Curandero

Arnaldo was raised in Tamshiyacu, Peru. Of Mestizo lineage, he has extensive experience working with Peruvian plant medicines. People describe him as a humble healer with a love for helping those facing various challenges. Arnaldo deeply respects the plant medicines and prefers to consider himself an intermediary between the spirit world and the earthly world, rather than calling himself a healer.

From a young age, Arnaldo was fascinated by the abundant jungle and eager to learn about the healing powers of plants. He is kind and respectful towards others and wants to share his expertise with us, for which we are very grateful.

Vanesa

Co-founder & facilitator

Vanesa was born and raised in Iquitos. Suffering from bulimia in early childhood, she encountered ayahuasca at the age of 17. A mestizo maestro guided her through an intense dieta regimen, which not only helped cure her debilitating disease but also made her love life — something she never thought was possible. Ayahuasca helped her clean her body, spirit, and soul. After this transformative experience, she felt completely reborn.

During and after her studies, Vanesa worked at numerous ayahuasca centers in Peru and abroad, dedicated to helping people transform their lives. She always wanted to create her own place to help people heal, share love and peace, and contribute to the local community.

Jackson

Grounds & medicine

Jackson, Vanesa's brother, makes sure everything at Ayaselva looks beautiful and clean. Together with Arnaldo, he is also responsible for the brewing process of our medicine. He always walks around with positive energy and a big smile. His presence really brightens the atmosphere for us and our guests.

Peter

Co-founder

Peter was born and raised in the Netherlands. With a love for everything technical, he completed his engineering studies and later worked for various technical companies.

Little did he know that ayahuasca would transform his life in a profoundly positive way. It changed his perspective on life and helped him become more empathetic toward others. With a shared vision, Peter and his wife Vanesa decided to create their own center and share this powerful medicine with others.

Denisse

Kitchen

Denisse makes sure our guests can enjoy amazing meals. Even though she strictly follows the ayahuasca diet, she always manages to make the dishes diverse and delicious. We are truly blessed to have her on our team.

Elva

Plant knowledge

Elva, Vanesa's mother, grew up with a father who was an experienced ayahuasquero. Over the years she gathered a wealth of knowledge about medicinal plants, which she now uses to support others in their healing process. She also has a deep passion for gardening — sometimes you may even notice her talking to the plants! She loves being here, surrounded by the beauty of the jungle and the warmth of the people.

“Maestro Arnaldo is such a humble, kind soul with so much knowledge of the plants. Vanesa is an amazing healer, and Peter was always there for us. What touched us most was how they cared for each of us individually.”

Duygu Barutcu · Google review