Yes, there is a legal way to take part in a psilocybin retreat in the Netherlands. Truffles, which grow underground, are not listed in the Dutch Opium Act. The mushrooms of the same fungi have been banned there since December 1, 2008. That is why every legal psilocybin retreat in the Netherlands works with truffles.
This guide is written for visitors from the US and the UK. It covers the law, the research, the risks and the planning. It promises no effect and does not replace a talk with your doctor.
The Dutch Opium Act works with two lists of controlled substances. Since December 1, 2008, mushrooms that contain psilocybin have been on List II. Growing, selling and possessing them became illegal.
Truffles are a different part of the same fungus. They are small, firm lumps that form underground. They have nothing to do with the truffles you eat. The 2008 ban named the mushrooms and left the truffles out.
So when a Dutch provider calls something a mushroom retreat, ask what they work with. A legal retreat in the Netherlands uses truffles. Our page on whether a truffle ceremony is legal explains the law in more detail.
Sources: Opium Act (Opiumwet), Dutch government, wetten.overheid.nl
Under US federal law, psilocybin is a Schedule I substance. Two states have built their own programs. In November 2020, Oregon voters passed Measure 109. The Oregon Health Authority now licenses service centers and facilitators, and the first centers began serving clients in 2023.
Colorado followed as the second state. Its law, SB23-290, was signed in May 2023. Colorado licenses centers and facilitators through two state agencies.
Outside those programs, the options at home are few. That is one reason people search for a psychedelic retreat in the Netherlands. When you compare options for a psilocybin retreat in Europe, the Netherlands stands out because the legal status of truffles is written into law.
Sources: 21 CFR 1308.11, Schedule I (US federal regulation), ecfr.gov · Oregon Psilocybin Services, Oregon Health Authority · Natural Medicine FAQ, Colorado Division of Natural Medicine
In 2006, researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore ran a well-known study. Healthy adults received psilocybin once, in a calm room with two guides present. On another day they received a different substance. They did not know in advance which one they got.
Two months later, the volunteers said the session had real personal meaning for them. They also described lasting positive changes in how they looked at things and how they acted. Friends and family, asked separately by the researchers, noticed changes in the same direction.
The researchers asked again after 14 months, in a follow-up published in 2008. 58% counted the session among the five most meaningful experiences of their lives, and 67% among the five most spiritually significant. 64% said it had increased their well-being or life satisfaction.
At Imperial College London, researchers interviewed 20 people six months after a clinical study. Two themes kept coming back. People felt more connected: to themselves, to others and to the world around them. And they found it easier to let feelings in, instead of pushing them away.
These are small studies, in a clinic, with trained staff in the room. They describe what those people experienced. They are not a promise of what you will experience.
Sources: Griffiths et al. 2006, Psychopharmacology · Griffiths et al. 2008, Journal of Psychopharmacology (14-month follow-up) · Watts et al. 2017, Journal of Humanistic Psychology
A good retreat starts well before the ceremony. A careful provider gets to know you first, asks about your health and your medication, and says no when it isn't a good fit. That conversation is what lets the day itself feel calm.
During a ceremony, a difficult moment can come up, such as a stretch of anxiety. That is part of it, and it is why a guide stays in the room the whole time.
A ceremony is not for everyone. It is not suitable if you or a close family member ever had psychosis or schizophrenia, or if you have bipolar I disorder. It does not combine with lithium or MAO inhibitors. With antidepressants such as SSRIs and SNRIs, the effect can be reduced or unpredictable, so talk to your doctor first. Never stop medication on your own.
A ceremony is not a replacement for medical or psychological care. Read how Rosa handles safety.
Sources: Johnson, Richards, Griffiths 2008, safety guidelines
Both are a guided psilocybin experience. The difference is mostly time. A one-day psilocybin ceremony takes most of a day, and you sleep at your own place afterward. A retreat lasts two days or more, with an overnight stay. You have more time to arrive beforehand and to rest afterward.
Group size matters more than the label. In a small group, the guide knows everyone by name. Ask how many guests there are per guide. Ask how the provider helps you prepare, and what happens in the days after. That part is often called integration.
The Johns Hopkins researchers published safety guidelines in 2008. They were written for studies, but they also help you choose a provider. Questions you can ask anyone:
Sources: Johnson, Richards, Griffiths 2008, safety guidelines
Talk to the provider before you book a flight. A call lets you ask your questions and lets them screen you. If the answer is no, you have not lost a ticket.
Mind the time difference when you plan that call. For most of the year, Amsterdam is 6 hours later than New York and 9 hours later than Los Angeles.
Arrive at least a day early. Jet lag and a ceremony do not go well together. A night of sleep and a slow morning help you start rested.
Bring nothing home. Psilocybin is illegal under US federal law, and in the UK these mushrooms are a Class A drug. Taking truffles across a border is illegal, also within Europe. Everything that belongs to the retreat stays in the Netherlands.
Check your travel insurance before you go. Read the terms, and ask your insurer directly if anything is unclear.
Sources: 21 CFR 1308.11, Schedule I (US federal regulation), ecfr.gov · Drugs penalties, UK government, gov.uk
Yes, when it works with truffles. Truffles are not listed in the Dutch Opium Act. The mushrooms of the same fungi have been banned in the Netherlands since December 1, 2008.
No. Psilocybin is a Schedule I substance under US federal law, and in the UK these mushrooms are a Class A drug. Taking truffles across a border is illegal, so everything stays in the Netherlands.
Truffles are firm lumps that some fungi form underground. Mushrooms grow above ground. Both contain psilocybin. In the Netherlands the mushrooms are banned and the truffles are legal.
Prices vary widely. A single day without an overnight stay costs less than a retreat of several days with a room and meals. Group size, the number of guides, and whether there is an intake and follow-up also play a role. Always ask what is included before you book.
Some providers in the Netherlands offer private ceremonies, for one person, a couple or a small group of your own. The guide then has all their attention on you. The screening beforehand stays the same.
Always discuss it with the provider and your doctor first. With lithium or MAO inhibitors a ceremony is not possible. With SSRIs and SNRIs the effect can be strongly reduced or unpredictable. Never stop medication on your own.
A stretch of anxiety or restlessness can be part of the experience. A good guide stays in the room the whole time and knows how to help you settle. You are never left alone with it.
No. Many people come for the first time. A good provider prepares you in advance and explains what the day looks like.
A ceremony is not a replacement for medical or psychological care. Read how Rosa handles safety.
Up to here, this page was about law, research and planning. From here on, we introduce ourselves. The studies above say nothing about our ceremonies.
Rosa has guided truffle ceremonies in the Netherlands for 4 years. The group ceremony in Amsterdam runs from 11:00 to 18:00, with at most 8 people, for €295 per person. A private ceremony costs €495. Every ceremony includes meditation and live sound healing with singing bowls. Rosa guides in English.
Rosa also runs a two-day truffle retreat with an overnight stay in the Elsterdome in Elst (Gelderland).
Before anything is booked, there is a free 30-minute intro phone call. Rosa asks about your health and your medication, and tells you honestly if a ceremony is not right for you.
