Visitors to Peru are being warned about the risks of participating in ‘spiritual cleansing’ in the Amazon area and Cusco.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said shamons and other individuals offer the service, often referred to as Ayahuasca or San Pedro.

Tourists are given a brew containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an hallucinogenic drug.

“Consumption of this brew is not regulated and its interaction with existing medical conditions isn’t well understood,” says the FCO’s updated advice for Peru.

“People have suffered serious illnesses and in some cases death after participating in these ceremonies.”

It added that spiritual cleansing retreats are usually some distance from populated areas making it difficult to access medical attention for those who need it.