6+ weeks before: medical screening
- Complete our health questionnaire (cardiac, psychiatric, and family history).
- Obtain a 12-lead EKG (ECG) and a liver panel. Send results to our team. They are reviewed by U.S. medical doctors before you are accepted.
- Declare every medication and supplement you take: prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, herbal products. We screen for contraindications including QT-prolonging medications, MAOIs, and SSRIs.
Never stop a medication on your own. Some medications require a physician-supervised taper; others rule out participation. Our medical team will tell you what is possible and how to do it safely.
2 weeks before: body and mind
- Eat clean: whole foods, lighter meals, more water. There is no rigid required diet, but a cleaner body means less purging during ceremony and deeper spiritual work.
- Avoid alcohol and all recreational drugs from this point on.
- Reduce caffeine gradually to soften withdrawal headaches during the retreat.
- Begin setting your intentions. Iboga is a teacher. Write down the questions you are bringing to the medicine.
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Travel week
- Fly into Libreville (LBV), Gabon. Our team coordinates your transport to the village.
- Check visa requirements for your nationality well in advance; e-visas are available for most travelers. The Bwiti House team coordinates your entire visa application for you, fully remotely via email. No need to visit any consulate or embassy.
- Pack: passport, comfortable loose clothing, insect repellent, any approved personal medications in original packaging, and a journal.
- Consult a travel-medicine clinic about standard Gabon travel health advice (e.g., yellow fever vaccination requirements and malaria precautions).
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48 hours before ceremony
- Follow the instructions given by your provider on site.
- Stay well hydrated unless instructed otherwise.
- Rest. Arrive at ceremony as rested as travel allows.
Who must not take iboga
For your safety, we decline applicants with: a history of heart disease, arrhythmia, or long QT syndrome; a pathological EKG; significant liver or kidney impairment; a personal history of psychosis or schizophrenia; pregnancy or breastfeeding; or medications that cannot be safely paused. If any of these apply to you, tell us before booking travel.
Medical support at Bwiti House
Our retreat center is 15 minutes from the Bifoun Medical Center, a government-recognized hospital with cardiac monitoring, emergency response capacity, and intensive care services. Since 1990, no medical issues have been linked to iboga itself at our location, a record built on strict screening and experienced traditional providers.
Read our full safety protocols: iboga-safety-medical-protocols
Bwiti House provides traditional Bwiti iboga retreats, not medical treatment. This page is educational and harm-reduction guidance, not medical advice. Consult a physician about your specific health situation.
