LAND & NATURE

The Nature at the
Chaka Runa Ecovillage

Discover the land of the Chaka Runa Ecovillage near Shamboyaku in the Peruvian Amazon. Native rainforest, flowing creeks, waterfalls and natural pools create a place to slow down, observe and reconnect with the living world.

THE LAND AT A GLANCE

A diverse and abundant landscape

The Chaka Runa Ecovillage extends across more than 40 hectares in the foothills of the Andes, between approximately 700 and 1,000 metres above sea level. Most of the land remains covered by native rainforest.

From the higher parts of the property, views open toward the Andes. Beneath the canopy, the forest is home to a rich variety of plants, fungi and animals, with creeks flowing through the landscape.

WATER & WATERFALLS

Creeks, waterfalls and
natural pools

Three creeks flow through the Chaka Runa land, feeding ten waterfalls and their natural pools. Each waterfall has its own name. Their waters bring movement and sound to the forest, offering beautiful places to pause and connect with Mother Nature.

Hanaq phaqcha, our largest waterfall

The waters of Hanaq phaqcha emerge directly from a cave. Flowing throughout the year, the waterfall becomes more powerful during periods of heavier rain.

WITHIN THE RAINFOREST

Tropical rainforest in the
Andean foothills

Discover a beautiful ecosystem in the foothills of the Andes, with tall trees, climbing vines, magnificent tree ferns and branches covered in epiphytes. Here, the richness of the Amazon meets the mountain landscape.

Warmth, abundant rainfall and humid air support an extraordinary diversity of life. From the shaded forest floor to the sunlit canopy, different conditions create habitats for countless plants, animals and fungi.

At the Chaka Runa Ecovillage, the higher elevation brings cooler temperatures than in the Amazon lowlands. The air remains humid, but the milder temperatures make it feel fresher and more comfortable.
The Amazon is one of the most biodiverse regions on Planet Earth, home to tens of thousands of plant species and an extraordinary variety of birds, insects, mammals and fungi. A single hectare of forest can contain hundreds of different tree species.
Look up and you may notice plants growing along trunks and branches. These are epiphytes, including orchids, bromeliads and ferns. They use trees for support without taking nourishment from them, growing closer to the light. In moist mountain forests, they can form beautiful gardens above the ground.

Learn more about tropical plants and rainforests

ALREADY GROWING

Healing Plant Garden: Giving back to the plants

~1,400

Ayahuasca vines

~800

Chagropanga plants

~1,400

Chacruna plants

3–4 ha

Under cultivation

Giving back through cultivation

Ayahuasca has been harvested from the Amazon rainforest for generations. Today, growing global demand is putting increasing pressure on the vine in some parts of the Amazon. For us, this raises a simple question: if we continue to receive from these plants, what are we giving back?

Part of our answer is cultivation. Across several hectares of the Ecovillage, we are planting Ayahuasca, Chacruna, Chagropanga and other medicinal and master plants to help ensure their availability for future generations.

Growing within the forest

The project is being developed within the existing forest rather than as an open plantation. Larger trees remain in place. Chacruna grows beneath the shade of the canopy, while Ayahuasca vines can use established trees for support.

This is not only about securing a future supply of plants for Chaka Runa. It is about taking responsibility for a resource that should not simply be harvested without giving something back.

A living garden for the future

The medicinal plant garden will also play an important role in the wider Ecovillage. It can support the Retreat Center today and, in the future, provide a living place for learning through the Shamanic School and for botanical and ethnobotanical research.

WATER THROUGH THE FOREST

Creeks, waterfalls and
natural pools

Three creeks flow through the Chaka Runa land, feeding ten waterfalls and their natural pools. Each waterfall has its own name. Their waters bring movement and sound to the forest, offering beautiful places to pause and connect with Mother Nature.

Hanaq phaqcha, our largest waterfall

The waters of Hanaq phaqcha emerge directly from a cave. Flowing throughout the year, the waterfall becomes more powerful during periods of heavier rain.

Hanaq phaqcha

Natural pools

Creeks through the forest