Honey Hunting in Nepal

Itinerary of Honey Hunting in Nepal

Honey Hunting tour cost cover details

Where is mad honey harvested in Nepal?

Mad honey is one of the most famous things you will find in Nepal. The honey is dangerous when consumed in higher doses, and some are likely unable to digest the slightest bit of the honey’s taste. The cliff honey is hunted by local honey hunters in Nepal.

Many have come to Nepal to taste and experience the trip that mad honey leads to. The mad honey in Nepal is harvested in the Annapurna region. Hence, you get the experience of cultural and Himalayan exploration and that of a tradition that is one of the unique yet most lethal ones in the world. We will hunt in the rocks of the small hill of the Annapurna region.

You will stay in a local homestay before going hunting.  We will tour Bhujung village, a beautiful small town in the Gurung community that also falls under the Gurung cultural heritage belt in Lamjung. The town has tea gardens, water mills, and rice terraces. Lamjung Peak appears up close, and the Namuna mountain pass is close to the town.

Honey hunters from Nepal

People collect wild honey from the feral bee colonies Apis Laboriosa. It lives within the isolated forest in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal. The world’s largest honey bee, Apis Laboriosa (the giant Himalayan honey bee), may be a wild bee. It makes its comb cliff overhangs on the Rockies.

Within the foothills of the Nepal Himalaya lives a brave tribe of Gurung people. They risk their lives climbing up cliffs to reap honey from one of the most dangerous honey bees in the world. The locals have been following this tradition for many years. It holds great religious and cultural importance to the people here.

A Nepali honey hunter hunts honey within the cliffs or rocks. Most of these hunters are farmers, cultivating rice, corn, and vegetables for their use. According to the local people, about 200 years ago, two tribes of Gurung and Ghale people left Tibet and settled in Lamjung’s honey-hunting site.

From then on, the locals started collecting wild honey from the cliffs and trading it. First, they prepared ropes made from braided strips of bamboo. Some hunters made ladders from those ropes, while others stayed to collect the honey. According to the honey hunters, the highest quality is in May and June.

The honeybees usually made their beehives on gigantic cliffs in the Jungle. They collect nectar from poisonous Jungle flowers, making natural organic honey. The hunters first pray and respect the spirits of the forest. They also perform a ceremony to appease the cliff gods. They preferably offer flowers, fruit, and rice and pray to the spirits for a secure hunt.

Honey Hunting in Nepal tools and equipment

Honeycombs are the nests that honeybees make. This is where honey hunters find the most authentic and purest honey. Due to the hardship one must endure to get the honey, original honey is always expensive in the market.

Honey-hunting tools and equipment are used to extract honey. They ensure that everything goes smoothly from the beginning of the extraction journey to the end.

These tools and equipment are made from traditional materials in the most conventional manner possible. If you are to go and discover the process of honey hunting, you will find that even the honey hunters from modern times do not use modern tools to do their work. Many of the tools and equipment are most possibly unheard of, even. The most common and mandatory tools and equipment for honey hunting include:

• Bamboo fiber ropes
• Prang (long bamboo ladder)
• Tokari (bamboo basket)
• Chhyakhal (basket lining)
• Tango (long bamboo stick)
• Saaton (bamboo stick)
• Chcora (filter)
• Donga (wooden wax pot)
• Dabilo (wooden knife)

These traditional tools are likely to accentuate the taste and maintain the uniqueness of the end product.

Honey hunting techniques

Honey hunting is a thrilling experience, even for Nepal’s most experienced honey hunters. How honey can be extracted from Nepal’s mountain hills in the most dangerous. Since honey is found in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, there is a big chance of getting into a lethal accident during the honey-hunting procedure.

However, honey-hunting techniques include going to the location and extracting honey straight from the honeycomb.

Below are the few techniques form the local honey hunters

• Choosing the best possible season: Spring and fall are the most preferable honey-hunting months. This season makes it easier for honey hunters to extract much honey. The honey can be stored for later months as well.
• Traditional equipment: The honey hunters only use traditional equipment to hunt for honey. These traditional equipment include bamboo ladders, hemp ropes, and highly thick clothes that prevent the hunters from getting stung by the bees.
• Smoke and fire: Honey hunters use smoke and fire to calm the bees and prevent as many accidents as possible.
• Harvesting: For harvesting, the honey hunters don’t do much other than leave a little honey in the natural habitat for a later population increase.

Enjoy the traditional Nepal honey hunting.

A traditional group from a local village carries out Honey Hunting in Nepal. The honey hunters are part of the Mogoals tribe and live in different parts of Nepal. This tradition has been passed down for generations, and the locals still follow it. Honey was the primary source of sweets in ancient times when there was no sugar.

Some indigenous Nepali communities, like Gurungs and Magars, are in this process. There are many mountain cliffs in Nepal where you can see wild honeybees. The Manaslu and Annapurna regions hills near the forest have few of them. Nepal honey hunters will mostly go to hunt in the Annapurna and Manaslu regions.

It makes hives on the vertical slopes of these cliffs, so it is a dangerous activity. Some cliff sites have local names of honey hunters who died during honey harvesting. Nepal honey hunting is an ancient tradition in the mountain areas of Nepal. In the past, people used to organize religious ceremonies before collecting honey.

They do this to protect themselves from the honeybee’s attack and any misshapen. The honey hunter from the local village celebrates honey hunting as a festival. They offer flowers, grains, and sheep to God before shooting. People organize the worship to respect the hard work of honeybees.

They honor their contribution to human survival. Everyone gets excited and curious to watch honey hunters working at the cliffs.

Taste the wild honey.

The well-experienced villagers hang from cliffs as tall as 300 m. They climb with the help of homemade ropes and Bamboo ladders. The leaders of the hunters collect honey in the bucket from the beehives and pass it down to another person. You can also taste the wild honey if you are in the hunting time.

Wild honey has medicinal value and is worth a lot of money in the international market. Nepal honey-hunting tours are interesting for tourists who want to learn the traditional knowledge and skills of honey-hunting in Nepal.

The trekking routes to and from the honey bee hives are exciting and breathtaking. Nepal honey hunting allows guests to see the beauty of the Nepali terrain and nature. At the same time, tourists can experience the culture. Thus, it adds more color to our delight.

Enjoy the Nepal honey hunting tour with the best view in the village of Annapurna region.

We can arrange honey hunting in different parts of Nepal. On this honey-hunting trip, we take you to the Annapurna region, one of the best Gurung villages. Honey hunting in Nepal is usually done in October and November in Autumn. It is also done in springtime from mid-April to May.

You will stay at a local homestay during the tour. We specially arranged the Nepal honey hunting tour in Lamjung District. It is near the famous Ghale Gaon and village, which is a renowned cultural Village. You can ask us for any alternative honey hunting itinerary in different areas.

What to pack for Honey Hunting in Nepal

Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal is an easy and short tour that allows you to pack your belongings in your daypack. Below is an idea of what to take.

• Trekking boot
• Flip flop/sandals
• Sleeping bag -10 degree
• Socks
• Walking stick
• Shorts
• Trekking trousers
• T-shirt
• Wind stopper, warm Jacket
• Hat (sun/cold)
• Rucksack/backpack with cover Weatherproof pack cover
• Head torch
• Water bottles
• Sunglasses
• Sunblock
• Raincoat or Umbrella
• Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, floss, etc.)
• Small first aid kit, e.g., plasters, paracetamol, antiseptic wipes, etc
• Some snicker, chocolate, candy

Health & Fitness

Nepal’s honey-hunting tour is short and easy, so anybody can do it. It is best for families with children and first-time trekkers with limited time. We must walk at medium altitudes (800 m-2500 m) during the hike. Any normal person can undertake this tour as it is a leisurely tour.

There are also transport facilities on the alternate route. So, if you have any problems for trekking or hiking, you can drive back to Kathmandu.

When is the best time for Honey Hunting in Nepal?

Honey Hunting in Nepal is not possible throughout the year. We can do the honey hunting in two seasons, late spring and late autumn. As a result, these are the times when you have the most chances to see the hunters at work. We run the tour two times a year.

The best time for a Nepal honey hunting tour is October/November and mid-April to May. The local people harvest honey during the summer (April to May). They also gather it during Autumn (October or November). Therefore, you can only go on the trip at the mentioned time.

Nepal Honey Hunting Tour Cost

The cost for honey hunting in Nepal tour is depends on group as the major cost is for the hunters of villagers payment and permit cost. Our honey hunting tour cost start from USD 1500 per person for minimum 2 person booking. If you are in big group we will offer you some discounted cost. Our Honey Hunting tour begins in Kathmandu, after make the trip preparation, We can then drive to Besisahar and from there can take local Jeep drive to the honey hunting stop with the  off-road tracks , Spending two days there with honey hunting activities then drive back to Kathmandu.

Book your Honey Hunting in Nepal for 2025/2026

Our Honey hunting tour for 2025/2026 booking is open. The tour is only run in a unique time frame, and limited seats are available. You can book in advance to find the space. We only run this tour from mid-November to early December and mid-April to Early May.