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Bhanubhakta Nachhiring
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duration-icon

Trip Duration

8 Days
destination

Destination

Nepal
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Max. Altitude

2,100 m.
difficulty-icon

Trip Difficulty

Easy
group-size

Group Size

1-12
transportation

Transportation

Private Vehicle
accommodation

Accommodation

Hotel/Teahouse
activity-icon

Activity

Trekking and Honey hunting
meals

Meals

All Inclusive
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Start / End

Kathmandu
region

Region

Annapurna
best-season

Best Season

Spring & Autumn

Trip Overview

Think of yourself being at the bottom of a massive cliff where a man is a simple shirt is climbing a rope ladder towards a swarm of giant bees. No protection and no safety gear, just bravery and skill. This describes what Mad Honey Hunting is all about in Nepal.

Mad honey is obtained from the world’s largest honeybee, the Himalayan Cliff Bee. This insect builds large nests on the cliffs. The bees get their food from the nectar of high-altitude rhododendrons, which provides this honey with its red color, it’s taste and slight narcotic properties.

This Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal tradition has been preserved by the Gurungs living in central Nepal for many years. The hunters climb up bamboo ladders, create smoke underneath the combs, and cut the honeycombs with the help of long poles and a sharp knife attached to its head.

Unlike other Nepal trekking adventures, this Mad Honey Hunting Trek is very different. Here, there is no need to reach the peak or pass any popular passes. You will be walking in villages, terrace fields, and rhododendron forests, spending nights in family-owned homestay accommodation, enjoying delicious Nepalese meal – Dal Bhat cooked over open fire, and learning more about remote Nepal way of life of locals.

Our Mad Honey Hunting Trek in Nepal 8 Days itinerary gives you all the time you need to witness the harvest, communicate with the hunters and explore the unique landscape without much hurry.

What is Mad Honey?

Mad honey is a special kind of honey only produced by the Himalayan cliff bee (Apis Laboriosa). The bees collect nectar from the wild rhododendrons in the high hills, but some of them have grayanotoxins in them, which get transferred to the honey.

Grayanotoxins are responsible for the red color and distinct taste of mad honey. They are also the reason why mad honey has the fame that it does. Grayanotoxins can cause dizziness, vomiting, and low heart rate. That is why we do not sell mad honey as a health food, and we do not recommend consuming in large quantity at once. But it is also beneficial for health if consumed in small quantity like half spoon or 1 full spoon.

Even so, it is an integral part of their culture. For decades, the Gurung people have collected this honey. They view the collection process not as harvesting but as a ritual that involves their connection to nature, the offering of something sacred to the forest and the bees, and their skills.

During your Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal tour, you will hear this story from the mouth of the local residents. Your guide will explain everything about the plant, the bee, and the dangers associated with it.

If you decide to taste this honey, be sure to consult your guide and your doctor first

Itinerary of Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal: 8-Day

Namaste! One of our team awaits you at Tribhuvan International Airport, holds a banner with Epic Trek Nepal, and transport you to your hotel. After checking in, take a shower and rest a little bit, as Kathmandu is noisy and crowded, give yourself enough time to acclimatize.

The guide comes in the evening for the brief about the Mad Honey Hunting Trek. You will discuss your itinerary, Mad Honey Hunting Trek, and the village manners that you will need in the future. Your gear will be checked, and your passport copy will be handed to you for the permits.

If you are still energetic, then you may stroll around Thamel to get last minute essentials such as snacks, rain jacket, trekking poles, etc. Now go to bed early, tomorrow you are setting off to Lamjung.

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Activity: Airport pickup and hotel transfer

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Max. Altitude: 1400m./4,593ft.

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Accommodation: 3 Star Hotel

If you are traveling in a private group, we can arrange a fully customized trip based on your preferences, group size, and travel dates, available any day you choose.

Includes/Excludes

What is included?

  • Airport pick up and drop off
  • 2 nights in a 3 Star hotel in Kathmandu and 1 night in Pokhara (twin share with breakfast)
  • Private vehicle from Kathmandu to Khudi and Bhujung to Pokhara
  • Teahouse accommodation in Khudi, Ghalegaun and Bhujung
  • Three meals a day during the trek with tea/coffee
  • Experienced and licensed English-speaking trekking guide
  • All required permit and local entry fees
  • First aid kit

What is not included?

  • International flight to and from Kathmandu
  • Nepal entry visa fee
  • Pokhara to Kathmandu flight
  • Extra night in Kathmandu or Pokhara
  • Travel and medical insurance, including emergency evacuation
  • Personal gear and equipment
  • Expenses for extra meals, drinks, snacks, charging devices, hot showers, Wi-Fi, laundry, and other personal costs are not included.
  • Porter is not available in package, but it can be arranged on request at an extra cost, where one porter carries up to 25 kg (shared between two trekkers) to reduce your load and make the trek more comfortable.

Trip Information

Why Choose Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal?

The majority of Nepal trekking package give you scenery and mountains. In Nepal’s Mad Honey Hunting, you get to experience the story. It allows you to witness an ancient custom, not one that has been created for tourists.

You get to experience extremely rare and dangerous tradition. Few communities in the world still continue to collect honey through this age-old tradition. In Lamjung, the local Gurung hunters use hand-built wooden ladders to collect honey in cliff combs, much like their fathers used to. On Day 5, you will observe the hunt from a distance and witness each step of the process.

You don’t need to worry about crowds. All of the trails in the Annapurna Circuit become popular in high season, but the village near Ghalegaun and Bhujung remains uncrowded. You will meet locals, goats, and the occasional student along the trail but no other tourists.

You move at a leisurely pace. The highest overnight accommodation location in your Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal is Ghalegaun, approximately 2,100m. There are no passes in our itinerary, so high altitude shouldn’t be an issue. If you are comfortable with hiking four to six hours per day, this Mad Honey Hunting Trek should suit you well.

Best Time for Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal

The best time for Mad Honey hunting in Nepal takes place in spring because rhododendron bloom in the hills of Lamjung. In some village, locals also hunt in autumn, but that depend on year to year. The hunters from Bhujung decide themselves the time of their hunt, and we check with them to make sure we set our departure day accordingly.

The flowers and weather are the decisive factor here and your travel date needs to be very flexible. Bees need intensive blooming to make their honeycombs full, so the late or poor blooming shifts the date of harvesting. Heavy rainfall, strong wind or cloudiness makes a cliff dangerous to climb, and the hunters won’t start harvesting in such conditions.

That is why the timing of the harvests varies from area to area and year to year. Two cliffs in the same valley may ripen a week apart. Poor spring weather may cause a week delay of the date of harvesting. On the day the leader hunter makes a decision which must be followed by others.

We cannot guarantee a harvest during each of our departures. The bees, the weather, and the hunters are the ones who decide. We can only guarantee our flexibility.

If the hunting shifts by a day or two, the schedule of your Mad Honey Hunting Trek Nepal 8 Days will remain unaffected, and you may even join in another honey hunting expedition.

In case the hunters push back the harvest date or cancel it, the Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal continues as per schedule. This means that you still visit the hunters in Bhujung, watch their ladders and equipment, and learn about the honey hunting process. In addition, you can:

  • Explore the rice terrace fields and village paths around Ghalegaun and Bhujung.
  • Cook dal bhat with your homestay family.
  • Meet with the local beekeepers
  • Take the Day 6 trek to Ghanpokhara.

Check with us before booking the tour. A successful Mad Honey Hunting Trek always aligns with the season.

How difficult is the Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal?

This Mad Honey Hunting trek is considered one of the most difficult and dangerous ones for hunters in the Himalayas, but not for you. You mostly watch it from the ground doing nothing., just watching a history in front of you.

For the first part of the trek, there are some trekking days which is easy to moderate difficult. You just need basic fitness and not any mountain experience. If you can hike up to 5 to 6 hours daily, then it’s enough for you to do this trek.

During the hunting day, first comes the climb to the cliff. But before that local villager perform a sacrificial ritual for the success of the hunt. Then after they begin their climb and hunt. This activity is very difficult and technical as the bees make their combs on the vertical wall of rock far above the ground. Hunters go up the bamboo and rope ladder that constantly shakes under their feet which they have to balance it while collecting the honeycomb.

Next – the bees. They protect their nests from intruders fiercely. Although the smoke helps them to become quiet, there are moments when stings happen. Here hunters have to be very calm and experienced.

There is additional other factor that holds the process, such as weather conditions – wet rocks, strong wind, and poor visibility. This is why the leader hunter can stop the process anytime.

Permits and Rules

Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal requires fewer permits than the average trek. The trek does not enter any restricted areas, so no special trekking permit is required. Since the majority of the trek passes through the Annapurna Conservation Area like Ghalegaun and Bhujung, ACAP entry permit will be required.

According to the rules that are changing every year, the requirement of TIMS card or local fees might also be applicable. We research the current rules before every trip departure.

There is no need to arrange the documents by yourself. All permits in Kathmandu will be arranged by Epic Trek Nepal. All you have to do is to send us a copy of your passport well before departure.

Here are some basic rules of behavior in the village that you need to follow for your safety:

  • Always trek with the licensed guide.
  • Follow instructions of the lead hunter on Day 5.
  • Stay at the ground viewing point and never come close to the cliff or the combs.
  • Do not use the drone near the bees and hunters.
  • Ask permission before you take photos of people, houses or ritual offerings.
  • Take away your trash, including plastic bottles.

Be careful when purchasing mad honey as a souvenir since it is prohibited by many countries and can be confiscated during the custom check. We do not sell it, but still, make sure that you know about the restrictions of your country.

Cultural Experience and Traditional Honey Hunting

No one ever becomes a honey hunter by studying it in a book. In Gurung villages, young men years observing their father, uncles and elders before they ever attempt to climb up the ladder. They learn to interpret the environment, the weather and even the bees themselves.

The skill set is very practical in nature. Elders teach their juniors how to make and check the ladders, how to use the smoke and to cut the comb without killing the bees. They also teach all the prayers and sacrifices that must be performed prior to every hunt.

Every person in the group knows how do their respective task. It is the leader of the hunters who decides when to go hunting, what climbers to choose and whether to cancel the hunt because of unfavorable winds or bees’ behavior.

During the hunting, on your day 4 to Bhujung, you will meet the hunters before the harvest. They will allow you to see their tools and their stories as well as answering your questions through your guide. It is here that Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal will change from an idea to something real.

On the day 5, actual hunting day, do not forget that you are witnessing a tradition and not a technical act. Simple things are very useful for this:

  • Stand behind your guide and at the viewing point.
  • Be silent.
  • Ask for permission before taking photos of local people.
  • Avoid strong perfumes and bright clothes which may annoy the bees.
  • Do not ask hunters to repeat anything or hurry a step.

It is important for hunters to have visitors who are willing to hear and learn. Such respect will make the Mad Honey Hunting Trek successful for all participants.

Accommodation and Meals on the Mad Honey Hunting Trek

During Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal, you will sleep in comfortable and simple rooms giving you authentic village experience with warmth and hospital of people rather than luxury.

On arrival in Kathmandu and in Pokhara, you will stay at a tourist hotel in a twin share accommodation. The rooms are equipped with private bathrooms, hot showers, and Wi-Fi access. You can have some good night sleep on days 1, 7, and the last day.

During your stay in Khudi, you will stay in a small and neat guesthouse next to Marsyangdi River. In Ghalegaun and in Bhujung, you will stay in Gurung homestays. The families here provide you with comfortable accommodations. You should expect two single beds, cozy blankets, and communal bathrooms. There won’t be private bathroom or shower facilities, so do not have high expectations.

Food is the best thing about our treks. The village people prepare tasty food using the kitchen stove and you eat it together. You will get egg, toast, porridge or Tibetan bread for breakfast with tea. The lunch and dinners include dal bhat, which is the combination of rice, lentils, and seasonal vegetables. Dal bhat is served in refills, so don’t hesitate to ask for it.

Your guide arranges other options too like noodles, momos, and soup for you. Vegans and vegetarians will have good food at the trek site. Please share your allergy and dietary details at the time of booking.

As per our Mad Honey Hunting Trek in Nepal 8 Days itinerary, we take care of all your accommodations and trekking meals.

Packing List for Mad Honey Hunting in Nepal

Pack light. This trek will remain under 2,200m, so no bulky equipment required. The mornings may be cold in spring, and village nights can become quite cold. Layering helps you to remain comfortable.

Clothing

  • 2-3 quick-dry t-shirts
  • 1 fleece or light down jacket
  • Waterproof rain jacket
  • Trekking trousers and a pair of shorts
  • A hat that would keep you warm and one sunhat
  • Thermal wear to be worn during evening hours

Footwear

  • Trekking boots with good traction
  • Camp shoes or sandals
  • 4 pairs of woolen or synthetic socks

Equipment and Gear

  • Backpack (25–30 litres)
  • Trekking poles
  • Headlight with extra batteries
  • Refillable water bottle and purification tablets
  • Sun glasses, sun block and lip balm
  • Insect repellent

Personal Items

  • Passport, copies, and insurance documents
  • Simple first aid kit and medicines
  • Phone or camera with a charger
  • Gift or notebook for the local family

Do not carry perfume, fragrant lotions, and colorful clothes. These might lure or irritate the bees. Pack your camera in a dry pouch. The sleeping bag is available from our team on request. This will help keep your Mad Honey Hunting Trek packing light.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Nepal, mad honey hunting is a traditional way of extracting honey from giant Himalayan cliff bees. Hunters using rope and bamboo ladders climb up and cut combs from the rocky cliffs. Honey is collected from the nectar of the rhododendrons and has a reddish color and sharp taste.

Mad honey hunting happens in the central Nepal hills in the villages of Gurung people. During the trek, you will visit Lamjung district where you will stay at Ghalegaun and Bhujung. The hunters of these villages continue the tradition for many years.

To complete our Mad Honey Hunting Trek in Nepal, you will need 8 days designed specifically for the adventure. It allows us sufficient time to trek in, meet our hunters, witness the harvest and return back. There is also an additional day just in case of any delay.

The spring is the main season since that is when the rhododendrons flower blooms. Some villages hunt during the winter, but this depends on the year. We will check the exact time with the Bhujung hunters before confirming our departure date.

Yes, in most of the cases. People witness the honey hunters harvesting honey from a cliff from a safe place picked by the leader of the honey hunters and the guide of the tourists.

Yes, this kind of honey hunting is quite dangerous for the honey hunters. They climb up a swinging ladder on the sheer cliff while being chased by angry bees.

Mad honey contains grayanotoxins that may result in symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and slow heart rate. We do not sell, offer, or recommend it. If you want to try it, just taste a spoonful and not much than that to avoid risk.

No. The Mad Honey Hunting Trek is suitable for beginners. If you can trek for 4-6 hours on rugged terrains, then you will be fine.

Your lodgings will include tourist hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara, a guesthouse in Khudi, and Gurung homestays in villages. The rooms in the villages are basic and clean. The bathrooms will be shared, and hot water is very limited.

Trip Reviews

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Epic We used Epic Treks Nepal to organize our trekking adventure in Nepal. Our original plan was to trek in the Manaslu region, but unfortunately, the weather had other plans. The agency quickly arranged an alternative trek in the beautiful Nar Phu Valley, which turned out to be an amazing experience. Throughout the entire trek, we felt well taken care of and safe. Epic Treks Nepal was flexible, professional and always open to our suggestions and ideas. We can wholeheartedly recommend this agency! If you're planning a trekking adventure in Nepal, don't hesitate to trust them with your trip. Highly recommended – thank you for an unforgettable experience!
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Dominika k
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Trustworthy and kind We really loved our experience working with Epic Trek. They are kind and professional without being overly pushy. They helped us plan our trek in the Everest region as well as a trip to Pokhara. There are so many tour guide companies to work with but we would absolutely choose Epic Trek again.
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Kathryn M
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Annapurna circuit trek I booked the Annapurna Circuit trek with this agency and had an amazing experience! The pre-hike communication was exceptional. I had a ton of questions and they answered everything quickly. They even met me warmly at the airport. My guide, Balkrishna, was incredible and went out of his way to make the trek memorable - I highly recommend him! The agency was incredibly flexible, adapting all transportation seamlessly to my needs. To top it off, their goodbye was just as warm as their welcome, ensuring I got to airport security safely. Highly satisfied with their services!
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Adventurer818487
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Amazing experience with great service Had my whole 3-week solo trip to Nepal organized by Epic Treks Nepal - safari at Chitwan, hotel stay in Kathmandu and the main reason for my trip, Manaslu Circuit Trek. Everything was arranged great, I got the support I needed even before the trip and during it. Also airport pick-up and drop-off was arranged. The cake at my birthday at the teahouse while trekking was a lovely surprise! My trekking guide Dinesh was amazing, took such a good care of me 24/7! Could not been happier with the experience. Great service from day one, wonderful people. Also great value for the money. Pretty sure I will do another trip with the company.
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Silja O
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EBC trek Bhanu helped me with arranging everything I needed (even renting quality hiking gear for a very low price) for the EBC trek. We stayed in touch during the trek in case I needed anything and thus everything went smoothly. I can recommend booking a trek with this company (or just jeeprides and gear which I did) to everyone
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Daan d
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Great value and service for your money We did want a jeepsafari and a jungle walk in Chitwan. We booked it by Epic Track Nepal: what a great service: the arranged evening for us, we had to go by place, because of the landslides, that was proceed by them. The resort where we did stay was Perfect and the wildlife we did see was awesome. The guides were really nice: we would recommend Epic Track Nepal.
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Michel S
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Nepal I had a fun trip on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, which was my first visit. Although I couldn't reach the summit during the monsoon after 13 years, I made good memories.
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Trail54308798703
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Perfect KTM day tour I had a wonderful experience with Epic trek for my Kathmandu day tour, and our group was genuinely satisfied with the entire service from beginning to end. Everything was very well organized, and the communication before and during the tour was clear and professional. Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and very attentive, and he explained the history, culture, and significance of each place in a way that made the experience much more interesting and enjoyable. The itinerary was also well planned, so we were able to visit the main attractions without feeling rushed, while still having enough time to explore and take photos. I especially appreciated how flexible and accommodating the team was whenever we had questions or needed a little extra time at a certain location. The transportation was comfortable, the schedule was managed efficiently, and overall the whole day felt smooth and stress-free. It was a great way to experience Kathmandu in a short amount of time, and I felt that the service was well worth the price. I would definitely recommend this tour company to anyone visiting Kathmandu, especially if you want a reliable, comfortable, and enjoyable day tour with a friendly and professional team. I would be very happy to use their service again in the future!
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Sora
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Once in a life time experience in Annapurna Circuit trek I had an amazing experience on the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Epic Trek gave me such a memorable adventure from start to finish. I especially want to thank the Bhanubhakta, who accompanied me throughout the entire trek. He was incredibly helpful, kind, and always made sure everyone was safe and comfortable. I truly appreciate his support and highly recommend Epic Trek to anyone planning a trekking adventure in Nepal!
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Quoc Huy N
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Everest base camp trek in good hands Awesome experience. They were very knowledgeable people about the paths, the altitude adaptation and the best pace to keep. They were always nice and accommodating to my needs. It's been one of the best experiences in my life. I fully recommend it.
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Andrés S
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