Tambo Ilusión

I wanted to take some time to disconnect from my work/family/daily life, to be able to connect with myself surrounded by nature. Tambo Ilusion gave me this possibility and much more. The multiple amazing conversations that I shared with Johanne, her knowledge about vegetarian/vegan meals, yoga, reiki, etc were so fullfiling. I would definitely recommend Tambo Ilusion to my friends and people I love.

No words can describe my journey and all the experiences and knowledge I have gained at Tambo Illusion. I will forever be grateful; this I can say! It truly was a life-changing experience in so many ways. I am very thankful for everything I have learned, the connection I have made with Johanne and Armando and the beautiful nature and surroundings of Tambo Illusion. I was participating in the Reiki initiation retreat, I wanted to learn everything about working with energies. It took me quite a long time to find my master but one day the universe showed me Tambo Illusion and Johanne D. and instantly I knew this would be the place for my Reiki teaching. The training was exactly what I was expecting, actually even better. Because my connection with Jo grew and grew and she taught me so much, not only about Reiki but about life as well. The same with Amando, her husband. I have never ever in my life met people who are so caring, full of love and passioned about what they do. Passioned about making the world a better place and taking care of mother earth! The place they have created is pure magic – go and you will know what I am talking about! I fell in love in so many ways, so what started to be a treat of 5 days became a life-changing experience of almost 4 weeks! I never wanted to leave and I will be back, for sure. Jo makes the best vegetarian, vegan food I have ever tasted. She is really working with all that Umami flavored magic, my stomach has never felt better. And if you have any special needs or wishes regarding your diet, Jo will make it happen for you! The yoga she is giving is on another level, I know as a yoga teacher myself! I could write a novel about my experience at Tambo Illusion and my meeting with my master Jo and her husband, Armando. Maybe I will some day. For now all my gratitude goes there way, I feel so blessed and ready to start a new life. Thank you. I highly, highly recommend visiting and participating in retreats at Tambo Illusion. It is on another level, believe me I have tried a few during my life. You will absolutely never regret it and having Jo as your teacher will be your blessing. In gratitude, Aileen

Johanne and Armando have truly built a wonderfully unique, healing, and beautiful oasis in the jungle. I signed up for a solo Reiki Level 1 training (4 days / 3 nights) and it was worth every penny! Johanne has an incredible eye for detail and I was very comfortable and well taken care of the entire time. Very clear itineraries, wonderfully nourishing meals, comfortable and clean accommodation, lovely staff, beautiful location, and a very thorough and interesting training (with extra take-home reading materials) - Johanne went above and beyond! I will ddefinitelybe telling all my friends about the 'Tambo Ilusion experience'. And I hope to return sometime in the future again. Thank you again, Johanne and Armando for your warm hospitality!

Lovely, generous, kind human who feeds and nourishes you with warmth, kindness and delicious food. Johanne has put in years of backbreaking work to construct a spiritual sanctuary. The environment is stunning. Tarapoto is a very spiritual place in Peru and the jungle does t disappoint. If you’re not sure about Tarapoto or Tambo Illusion then I can assure you it’s a very generous and comforting experience. Wonderful experience

Tambo Illusion was a birthday present for my wife. Perfect for what I was looking for. Unique experience of vegetarian cooking and yoga/meditation. I could not find this combination of retreat anywhere in North America. Johanne is an excellent cook. A fountain of information regarding healthy lifestyle, vegetarian cooking and yoga. All meals were so tasty, and so many great smoothies. Daily cooking sessions were chock full of cooking tips and very enjoyable. We left the retreat knowing that we could use what we had learned and continue to expand our cooking repertoire using Johanne’s cookbook that was provided to us. Daily yoga/meditation sessions were excellent. Yoga studio had a perfect view of the jungle setting and awesome sounds of the jungle in the background. Joanne tailored the sessions specifically to address our needs (e.g., lower back pain, shoulder and side pain). It is very obvious that she has significant experience as a yoga instructor. We left each session feeling more grounded and relaxed. Cosy cabins for relaxing and sleeping. Very well equipped with everything you need. Intimate settings for cooking and dining. Wonderful lagoon to beat the heat. Mosquitos were not an issue for us. Our Tambo experience exceeded my expectations. Johanne and Armando are the perfect hosts. I would highly recommend Tambo Ilusion for anyone looking for an amazing vegetarian cooking and yoga experience.

Kudos to Johanne for creating a stunning experience. Whether you are looking for an escape from your grind, a place to reset or a venue to enhance your yoga / vegan / vegetarian skills, Tambo Illusion should be the top of your list. I don't usually write reviews - I can't be bothered, usually the experience is mediocre (restaurants, vacations etc) but Johanne and her team excelled. So feel free to read on for the specifics. Venue - gorgeous 34 acre private conservation area, lovingly cared for by Johanne and her husband, Armando. I landed in Lima airport from NYC and after a short 1.5 hr flight arrived in the bustling Tarapoto. Met by Johanne's Motortaxi driver, zero hassle - recognized me right away! Zipped through Tarapoto to the bumpy road leading to Tambo. Once through the private entrance the well manicured tropical paradise brought a sense of calm. Total 180 degrees from the hustle of Tarapoto. Timing / Weather - I chose to visit in February and was concerned because the weather app on my phone kept on predicting massive thunderstorms and torrential rain all day every day. Lesson #1 when it comes to Tarapoto, don't believe your weather app! 90% of my stay was in brilliant sunshine. I'm not saying Tarapoto doesn't have its rainy season, but outside of that, take your app with a grain of salt. Accommodation - During covid Johanne and Armando decided to upgrade the accommodation at Tambo. I loved the two bed, ensuite chalet, complete with an enclosed hammock area. Ok no AC but if that holds you back you need to examine your priorities! The beds have full mosquito nets - which worked perfectly. While I did bring deet I did not need it - the natural product worked great. Did I get bitten - yep but rarely (must be the calm yogic breathing :) Food - When searching for a yoga retreat I was drawn to the fact that Johanne offered a combination yoga / vegetarian experience. I had zero expectations of the quality of the cuisine - I'm not a vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan or whatever other options there are and rarely choose the vegetarian option. Loved everything (except one fruit that I can't recall and don't think I'll be searching out!). I've even made many of the recipes on my return to NYC. Each morning I was woken up with a refreshing lemon drink, brought to my chalet. The morning was spent preparing and eating breakfast and lunch - not sure I can do justice to the amount of knowledge and great conversation during these cooking sessions. I lost count of the number of smoothies, healthy teas, tips, tricks and insights that Johanne was able to impart. Over the years Johanne has created (and is continuing to add to) her cooking book. To be fair it is more than a cooking book, it is a 400 page guide to a healthy lifestyle. With tips on spices, shopping, super foods and much more. After the retreat Johanne emailed the pdf of her book to me, complete with personalized photos from the trip - thank you Johanne! Yoga - I've been practicing yoga