It’s a simple question that has a slightly complicated answer. Typically, the average trip will last 4 to 6 hours, but there are key factors that increase or decrease that timing.

While there is no exact number of hours you can predict, most people agree that a day off work and away from responsibilities is needed to properly experience a mind-altering and magical mushroom trip.

First, let’s dive into the world of hallucinogens to gain a better understanding of how long the psychedelic effects of magic mushrooms last. The more you learn about psilocybin products and their psychoactive properties, the more you can make informed decisions about safely enjoying them and experiencing the impressive wellness benefits.

Magic mushrooms grow in nature and do not contain artificial chemicals. However, unlike the mushrooms we buy at the grocery store, ‘shrooms’ are part of the “Psilocybe” genus. They contain the psychotropic compounds psilocybin and psilocin, which act on the brain’s receptors and cause a hallucinogenic experience or trip.

About 20-75 minutes after ingesting magic mushrooms, the body converts the psilocybin to psilocyn in the stomach, and voilà, your trip has begun!

Now let’s explore the factors that influence how long your psychedelic trip will last:

There are about 200 types of Psilocybe mushrooms which contain varying levels of psychoactive compounds. They all vary a little bit in how long they last in your system. In Canada, most people buy the more popular magic mushroom strains (dried, powdered, edibles, teas, etc.) from a trusted online dispensary, where products are lab-tested and measured.

Albino Penis Envy, for example, is a highly potent strain that lasts a long time. Penis Envy is another popular strain with above average potency, but it kicks in faster than others. Blue Meanie is a bit milder, as is Golden Teacher.

It’s important to pay attention to the strain of your mushrooms on each trip and make note of your experiences and sensations.

With a moderate dose of 1-3 grams, your trip can last about 4-6 hours. Taking more advanced doses, combined with a stronger strain of shroom, your journey will likely last 7-8 or more hours.

With a mild dose of mushrooms, the effects are much less intense, but not necessarily shorter. Again, each person’s experience will be different.

• Mild Trip: .5 – 1 gram (not to be confused with a microdose, which is a smaller amount)
• Moderate Trip (great for beginners) : 1 – 3 grams
• Intense Trip: 3 – 4 grams
• Very Intense / Mega Trip (for experienced psychonauts): 4 – 5 grams

Just as with alcohol, cannabis and other recreational/therapeutic substances, each person reacts and metabolizes these items differently. For example, body type, weight and individual metabolisms will impact how the body processes the magic mushrooms and how long you feel the effects. A petite person with a fast metabolism may experience a slightly quicker or stronger hallucinogenic experience than someone who is larger or has a slow metabolism.

Another important factor is how much food is in your stomach. The less you have eaten on the day of your special journey, the speedier it kicks in, and the more potent and/or long-lasting the impact. Keep in mind that an empty stomach can result in feeling nauseous during your trip, so eating a small amount of food is a good idea.

A popular practice with more experienced ‘shroomies’ is called lemon tekking. It involves soaking your mushrooms into fresh lemon juice for up to 20 minutes. It is believed that the citric acid in the juice helps speed up the process of breaking down psilocybin into psilocin (the psychedelic ingredient), which in turns speeds up the work your stomach has to do.

Instead of waiting up to an hour or more to kick in, lemon tekking means you shave some time off this process. It also results in a more intense psychedelic trip, and it tastes better than eating dried mushrooms plain!