Nepal – Psychedelic Honey Hunting Trip

Let us start off by saying that,  THIS TRIP IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. Also, this is not an ordinary trekking trip, in fact, this is not about trekking. Consider the trekking and camping in the foothills of Annapurna in Nepal and the gorgeous views along the way to our destination and back as just the bonus if you come along on this extraordinary journey.

Why is this trip so extraordinary you ask?

Twice a year, deep in the jungles of central Nepal, members of the Gurung tribe harvest a very special honey from the steep Himalayan cliffs in an age-old tradition of daredevilry. There is a pooja that is organized before the hunt begins and then the honey hunters show their exceptional skills by hanging themselves from cliffs as high as 300 meters using just  Bamboo ladders and hemp ropes while harvesting the honeycombs of the Himalayan Honey Bee, the world’s largest honey bee. 

A fire is lit on the ground and the smoke drives the bees out of their combs. Depending on the location of the hive and the height of the cliff, smaller bundles of dried leaves surrounding wet ones are burnt and moved along the cliff by rope.The lead honey hunter collects honey in the bucket from the beehives and passes it down to the others

Once harvested, the honey is shared. All the community members who helped receive one portion, while the main honey hunter and those who pulled and guided the ladder get a double portion.

” But Why would I wanna go to Nepal to see honey harvesting? ”

Apart from the fact that this whole process and tradition is nothing short of a spectacle, here is the real kicker……

This honey is a psychedelic substance !!!

The Gurung people of Nepal consume a teaspoon of the honey every morning, its medicinal properties are believed to help boost the immune system and it even has incredible healing properties.

Internationally, Vice Magazine did an article and so did our very own Homegrown , on the honey hunters of Nepal last year and the topic caught the fancy of many. These were based on Raphael Treza’s film, where he caught the whole ceremony on film.

As fascinating as this centuries-old tradition sounds, it is currently under threat from commercialisation and constant extraction of honey that doesn’t give the bees enough time to repopulate and build hives which can disrupt this ages old tradition permanently.

So we are making sure that we work with the local community in Nepal to participate in a DESIGNATED BI- ANNUAL HUNT  to ensure that this amazing tradition stays alive and the local hunters and their families benefit from it without disrupting the cycle of the bees.

Check out the itinerary for the details of this extraordinary trekking and camping trip…..