The small village of San José del Pacifico doesn't actually have much to offer. Nevertheless, thousands of backpackers are drawn to the highlands of Oaxaca every year. The reason is psychedelic mushrooms. The "magic mushrooms" are an integral part of the indigenous culture, which is why their consumption is tolerated here. In the rest of the world, “magic mushrooms” are currently making a comeback. On the one hand, as a lifestyle drug that allows stressed managers to experience their limits without much effort. But also as a research object: The active ingredient psilocybin contained in the mushrooms is said to help with depression or anxiety disorders.

Tourists come for the psychedelic mushrooms

In San José del Pacifico they are everywhere. And many come – especially for her. "Why am I here? Because of the mushrooms. And the mountains," says a German tourist. "Actually all backpackers who come here take them. But I don't know yet. We were still skeptical. And we actually decided no," say two other tourists. Psychedelic mushrooms. Or magic mushrooms. "We came here to take the mushrooms. We did that yesterday," says a young woman. Another said: "We thought it all made some sense. That our hostel was designed specifically for this. Everything was so... forest-like. You can see why people do it here of all places."

Here in the highlands of Oaxaca, psychedelic mushrooms are part of the indigenous culture. Therefore their consumption is tolerated. And almost the entire village lives from the tourists' borderline experiences. Navarro too. He offers mushroom trips in his garden. And in the way that corresponds to the indigenous ritual. Only after a sweat treatment in the Temazcal, the traditional Mexican sauna. "If you want to do it right, you first have to cleanse your body and your mind," explains Navarro Temzcaliero. "My Temazcal is medicine. It makes you breathe better, hear better, it relaxes you, you're no longer tired, you're no longer in pain. It brings you into the moment." Be in the here and now. In harmony with nature. That is the goal. But tourists keep coming to him who just want to experience the crazy mushroom trip. Without ritual. Without Temazcal. In the village the mushrooms are sold like chewing gum. But here the Temazcal is part of it. If someone only wants the mushrooms and no Temazcal, then I say: the drug dealer is waiting on the street. I am a medicine man.