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02 · Practice

Kambo.

Experience deep cleansing and transformation through the ancient Amazonian practice of Kambo. A sacred ceremony that invites you to purge — physically, emotionally, energetically — and reconnect with what was underneath all along.

What is Kambo?

Kambo is a powerful secretion from the Giant Green Monkey Tree Frog (Phyllomedusa Bicolor, “Leaf Guardian”) that lives high in the canopy of the Amazon rainforest. It has a purifying effect on every level — physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and spiritual.

Indigenous Amazonian tribes call it vaccina de floresta — vaccine of the forest — because it is one of the strongest natural ways known to boost the immune system. It’s also among the most powerful anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antibiotic, and anesthetic substances on earth, capable of clearing various viruses, fungi, and parasites, and detoxing the liver and intestines.

The origins

Indigenous tribes of the Amazon, particularly in Brazil, have used Kambo for thousands of years. Each tribe has its own ritual approach, but the core uses remain consistent: cleansing, strengthening, energizing — both mind and body. Hunters took Kambo to enhance stamina (running faster, longer, with less need for food and sleep). Tribes also used it to treat malaria, fever, infections, and disease — maintaining vitality in punishing environments.

Beyond its physical effects, Kambo is used spiritually to remove Panema — the negative or stagnant energy that manifests as bad luck, sickness, depression, lethargy, or a clouded mind. Clearing Panema is said to make life flow easier, with obstacles loosening and abundance returning.

The science

Kambo is not a poison — despite the persistent misconception. The secretion contains a unique cocktail of bioactive peptides and neuropeptides: short chains of amino acids that act as cellular messengers, much like hormones. They influence immune function, energy regulation, mood, inflammation, neuroprotection, and more.

Specific peptides found in Kambo have been shown to stimulate the immune, digestive, and nervous systems — some with potent anti-inflammatory properties, some that help clear toxins, enhance brain function, and even promote cell regeneration. Because our cells are familiar with peptides, the medicine is absorbed easily and works deeply.

Frog teaches us to honor our tears, for they cleanse the soul.
Kambo ceremony — preparation
Ceremony space
Frog pattern
Ritual setting
Frog medicine close-up

What people report afterwards

Conditions Kambo has been used to support

Karen Darke, master practitioner and head of the IAKP, has worked with thousands of people. The conditions where Kambo has shown positive effect include:

Kambo is not a cure-all and not a substitute for medical treatment. It is a supportive practice with real effects on body chemistry — which means it must be held with real safety standards.

The structure of a ceremony

A private Kambo ceremony is held one-on-one or with up to 3 people, allowing for an intimate, personalized experience. Total time: 4–6 hours. You can choose between a traditional Kambo Ceremony or a Kambo Retreat Day with breathwork and sound healing added.

Opening

We review the process together and set your intentions. We determine the number and location of points (or “gates”). For a first ceremony we start with a test point to observe your response and decide how many points are right for you. Traditionally points are placed on the right ankle for women and the left upper arm/shoulder for men. Depending on need: 3–9 points in basic or layered treatment.

I open the ceremony with a calming meditation, followed by a short breathwork session to bring you into your body.

The active phase

The points are made on the skin (small surface burns ≈3mm) and the Kambo is applied. Within minutes you feel the medicine rise. The purge follows. I’m present the entire time — hydration, monitoring, holding the space.

Integration

After the active phase you rest, hydrate, eat. We sit together. There’s often a quiet clarity that descends. I send you home with integration prompts, and we have a follow-up call a few days later.

Three formats

Single ceremony — from €220

The standard format. Right place to start.

Kambo Retreat Day — from €275

One day, one Kambo ceremony, plus breathwork, sound healing, and cacao closing. Held in private locations in or near Amsterdam. Best when you want a fuller container.

Warrior Treatment — from €600

Three Kambo ceremonies within one moon cycle (28 days). Used for deeper physical and energetic reset; often by people coming through heavier transitions. Includes integration calls between sessions and one final integration after the third ceremony.

Contraindications — please read carefully

Kambo is not safe for everyone. Do not book if you have or recently had:

We do a full medical intake before booking and will not proceed if anything is uncertain. This is non-negotiable.

Frequently asked

Is Kambo psychedelic?
No. Kambo is not psychoactive. You stay in ordinary consciousness throughout. The intensity is physical and energetic — the purge cycle is short (20–40 minutes) but very real.
How does it feel?

The first 5–10 minutes after application: heat rising in face and body, increased heart rate, possibly dizziness. Then the purge — which can be vomiting, sweating, sometimes elimination. Then a settling, and a clarity that often surprises people. Most people leave feeling lighter, more present, and slightly tired.

How many points / "gates"?
For a first ceremony I usually start with a test point to observe your reaction, then 3 points total. Experienced participants may receive 5–9 points in basic or layered configurations. Always tailored to you.
Where are points placed?
Traditionally on the right ankle for women and the left upper arm/shoulder for men. The skin is briefly touched with a heated stick to create small (≈3mm) surface burns; the Kambo is then applied. The marks fade over weeks, sometimes scarring lightly — many participants come to value them.
How long does the ceremony last?
Total: 4–6 hours. Intake and preparation take about an hour. Active phase 20–40 minutes. Integration, hydration, food, rest 2–3 hours. Plan to be off your phone and not driving immediately afterwards.
How should I prepare?

The day before: light meals, no alcohol, hydrate well. From midnight: water only — no food, no caffeine. Morning of: drink 2 liters of water in the 90 minutes before ceremony (we do this together).

How often can I do Kambo?
There must be at least 7 days between ceremonies. The Warrior treatment uses three ceremonies inside one moon cycle (28 days). After that I recommend at least 3 months before the next ceremony for most people.
Will I be safe?
IAKP standards require full medical intake, on-site monitoring throughout, hydration protocol, and emergency procedures. I will refuse a booking if anything in your medical history suggests it isn’t safe — that has happened, and I don’t apologize for it.
What about Kambo and plant medicine retreats elsewhere?
I run Kambo only in my own private container. I don’t add Kambo to other people’s ayahuasca or psilocybin retreats — too much in one container, and I have lineage commitments about how this medicine is held.

How to book

Start with a discovery call. We talk through your medical history, your reasons, and whether the work is right for you in this season. Booking is confirmed only after that call. Booking link & intake form sent privately.

Frog medicine asks for respect — from the practitioner, the participant, and from the lineage we’re standing in. I take that seriously.