Our Harvest Story : The Mad Journey Behind Every Jar

Harvest Story • Lamjung (Gurung) & Myagdi (Magar), Nepal

Community-led harvest

In the cliff forests of Lamjung and Myagdi, mad honey is not gathered — it is earned. In Myagdi, the harvest is led by the Magar people. In Lamjung, it is rooted in the Gurung community. The route is long, the work is careful, and the handling is small-batch — so every jar reflects true origin.

📍 Lamjung + Myagdi origin 👥 Gurung + Magar communities 🌿 Seasonal harvest 🏔️ Himalayan honey hunting

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Village to forest: a two-day journey

The harvest begins with villages gathering supplies for a two-day forest expedition — ropes, bamboo tools, smoke materials, food, and clean containers. Trails wind through steep hills and river crossings until the team reaches the cliff zone, where they camp overnight and prepare for the climb.

Ritual, respect, and careful handling

Before hunting begins, a ritual is performed to honor the forest and pray for safety. Bamboo ladders are repaired, ropes are tested, and roles are assigned. Smoke is used to gently guide bees away as hunters descend the cliff and collect wild honeycomb by hand.

Shared harvest, celebration, then Kathmandu dispatch

The honey is filtered through traditional bamboo strainers and carried back to the village. The harvest is shared among families — some kept for home use, the rest prepared for sale. After celebration, we collect the village’s share and begin the long journey to Kathmandu for careful packing and dispatch worldwide.

The Journey, step by step

Village → Forest → Cliff → Community share → Celebration → Kathmandu → Dispatch

Village gathering and essentials packed

The community gathers and prepares supplies for a two-day forest route: ropes, bamboo tools, smoke materials, food, and clean containers. Every role matters — honey hunting is coordinated work built on trust.

Villagers preparing supplies for traditional mad honey hunting in Nepal — Preparation — the harvest begins with planning, not the cliff.

Honey hunters trekking through forest trails and streams toward remote cliff hives in Nepal — Into the forest — distance and terrain shape the harvest.

Two-day forest journey

The team follows forest trails and stream crossings toward remote cliff zones. Weather and river levels decide the pace.

Honey hunters crossing a river on the way to remote cliff hives in Nepal — River crossings — part of reaching wild cliff hives.

River crossings—again and again

To stay on the safest line, the group crosses the river repeatedly — 21 crossings on this route.

Camp setup and overnight rest

By late day, the team reaches the hunting zone and sets camp. Meals are prepared, tools are arranged, and the group rests overnight — because cliff work demands calm movement and steady focus.

Preparing meals and setting camp during traditional honey hunting trip in Nepal — Camp night — preparation for the next day’s climb.

Tools checked and roles assigned

Before the cliff, the team checks ropes, bamboo tools, and containers. Roles are assigned so the work stays controlled, coordinated, and safe.

Honey hunters preparing tools and supplies before the harvest in Nepal — Readiness — careful preparation protects the harvest and the team.

Securing bamboo ladder and ropes for traditional honey hunting in Nepal — Ladder security — careful knots and shared responsibility.

Repairing and securing the bamboo ladder

Bamboo ladders and ropes are tested and secured. This is where teamwork becomes safety.

Preparing smoke for traditional honey hunting in Nepal — Smoke and signals — calm movement and clear coordination.

Smoke, signals, and calm movement

Smoke is prepared to gently guide bees away. Communication stays constant — timing matters.

The cliff face

Wild hives sit high on rock walls. Every movement is deliberate, with teamwork from above controlling stability and pace.

Cliff face where wild bee hives are harvested during Himalayan honey hunting in Nepal — The cliff face — where the work becomes vertical and precise.

On the rope: the harvest is collected

The hunter is lowered while the team above controls stability. Honeycomb is collected carefully — from hive to basket — keeping handling clean and deliberate.

Honey hunter on rope collecting wild cliff honey during traditional harvest in Nepal — On the rope — trust, technique, and teamwork.

Lowering a basket filled with honey during traditional honey hunting in Nepal — Lowering the basket — careful handling from cliff to trail.

Lowering the honey basket

Once collected, the harvest is lowered carefully back to the trail. Clean handling continues at every step.

Filtering mad honey using a traditional bamboo strainer in Nepal — Traditional filtering — simple tools, careful handling.

Filtering with a bamboo strainer

Honey is filtered to remove wax particles while keeping its raw character and natural aroma.

Return to the village

The team returns along trails and crossings, protecting the harvest from heat and moisture — then the village share begins.

Honey hunters returning to the village after a Himalayan mad honey harvest in Nepal — Return — the harvest travels back by trail and teamwork.

Community share

In the village, honey is divided among households. Many families keep some for home use, and the rest is prepared for sale — supporting livelihoods while keeping the harvest community-led.

Celebration and cleansing ritual

After a safe harvest, the village celebrates with music, food, and dance. In some communities, a cleansing ritual is performed for hunters returning from the forest — a cultural practice of renewal and protection.

Collecting the village’s share for sale

After celebration, we collect the portion prepared for sale and organize batches so sourcing stays traceable — bridging village tradition with responsible export.

2–3 day journey back to Kathmandu

We begin a long 2–3 day journey back to Kathmandu, keeping the harvest protected for quality — the bridge between remote Himalayan villages and your order.

Packing and dispatch

In Kathmandu, we pack the honey for safe transit and dispatch as quickly as possible. From cliff harvest to shipment, our promise is simple: real origin and careful handling.

More than honey

A collective effort to keep tradition alive

This is not just honey in a jar. It is a collective effort — hunters, helpers, families, and villages in Lamjung (Gurung) and Myagdi (Magar) working together to protect a living tradition while supporting local tribal communities.

Every season keeps skills alive, keeps culture visible, and keeps livelihoods rooted in the Himalayas. When you choose authentic mad honey from Nepal, you become part of that story.

Let the rest of the world go mad about it — for us, this is heritage in a jar.