A truffle day on holiday goes best when it is planned like a day off: a free day in the middle of the stay, a familiar room, a sober companion, nothing else in the mix and no traffic. This page sets out those points for visitors, with the sources behind them. It is no substitute for advice from a doctor if you have a health condition or take medication.
Pick the right day
Avalon gives 4 to 6 hours for most of its truffles, and DRUGSinfo, the information service of the Dutch Trimbos Institute, says that a user is not yet sober when the main effects wear off (DRUGSinfo). In practice the whole day is gone.
- Not the day you arrive. Travel, a new place and a late night are a poor start.
- Not the day before you leave, and never the day you travel. You also need time to clear out leftovers (going home).
- A day without plans afterwards. Avalon's Valhalla page puts it simply: "No plans afterwards, no obligations."
A sober companion
Avalon's truffle pages ask for a sober companion, especially for a first time, and DRUGSinfo defines a trip sitter as someone who has not taken anything. Their job is quiet: stay nearby, keep the door shut and the water topped up, answer the phone if needed and call for help if something goes wrong. If you are in a group, at least one person stays sober for the whole session.
The room
A rented flat or room you already know is the easiest place: your own bathroom, a fridge, a door you can close, and no staff or strangers. Before you start, put away anything sharp, close balcony doors and keep water, a blanket and some light food within reach.
Stay away from water. The FCDO warns that "every year people drown in the canals of Amsterdam and in canals elsewhere in the Netherlands", mostly after heavy drinking or cannabis (FCDO travel advice). Canal walks, quaysides and boats are for another day.
What not to mix with truffles
- Alcohol and cannabis. Avalon's pages for Atlantis, Valhalla and High Hawaiians say not to combine truffles with alcohol, medication or other substances. The FCDO goes further for travellers: "mixing alcohol, cannabis and wild mushrooms can be fatal."
- Lithium. In an analysis of online reports, 47% of 62 reports of lithium combined with a psychedelic described a seizure (Nayak et al. 2021).
- Antidepressants and MAO inhibitors. Avalon warns against combining truffles with MAO inhibitors and SSRIs. People taking SSRIs or SNRIs also reported weaker than expected effects, which can tempt someone to take more (Gukasyan et al. 2023).
- Other medication. If you take anything on prescription, ask your own doctor or pharmacist before your trip, and never stop prescribed medication to make room for a truffle day.
Who should skip it
Avalon's pages list who should not use truffles at all: anyone under 18, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and anyone with a history of psychosis or schizophrenia. Some pages add heart conditions, high or low blood pressure and diabetes. If one of these applies to you, the plan stops here.
No driving, no cycling
Dutch law forbids driving any vehicle under the influence of a substance that impairs driving, and a bicycle counts as a vehicle (Wegenverkeerswet 1994, article 8; RVV 1990, article 1). That includes the evening after a session, and a hire bike back to the flat. Walk, or take a taxi with your companion.
During the session
Effects usually begin within an hour; DRUGSinfo gives 20 to 60 minutes. The first hour can feel like nothing is happening. Wait it out rather than eating more.
If the session turns difficult, small changes often help: a different room, lights down or up, other music, fresh air at an open window, a glass of water, a familiar voice. Anxious moments tend to pass when nothing is added and nobody rushes. If you feel uncomfortable on a strong truffle, that is a reason to choose a gentler tier next time, which the choice guide covers.
When to call for help
In the Netherlands the emergency number is 112, for ambulance, police and fire. Call it for chest pain, a seizure, someone who cannot be woken, breathing problems, or anyone who is a danger to themselves. Tell the operator what was taken; ambulance staff are there to help.
For non-emergency police questions the FCDO lists 0900 8844. For questions about drugs, the Trimbos Institute's Drugs Infolijn is on 0900 1995.
The day after
A headache later the same day or the next morning is common after psilocybin and passes on its own; in a controlled study the headaches were "neither severe nor disabling" and gone within a day (Johnson et al. 2012). Sleep, eat, drink water and keep the next day light. If you have truffles left, this is the day to decide: a second, smaller session later in the stay, or the bin.