Mad Honey Hunters

In the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, mad honey hunters risk their lives to harvest hallucinogenic honey from cliffside hives.

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Harvesting Mad Honey in the Himalayas

In the rugged Himalayan foothills of Nepal, mad honey hunting is a centuries-old tradition practiced by the Gurung people. Twice a year, skilled hunters risk their lives to harvest a rare, psychoactive honey produced by Apis laboriosa— the world’s largest honeybee — from hives clinging to sheer cliff faces. The bees feed on rhododendron nectar, which contains grayanotoxins that give the honey its hallucinogenic properties.

To reach the hives, hunters climb up using handmade rope ladders and bamboo scaffolds, often without harnesses or modern safety gear. The process is physically demanding and spiritually significant, involving rituals and offerings to forest deities before the harvest begins. Smoke is used to drive the bees from their hives, and long poles help dislodge the honeycombs, which are then lowered in baskets.

Mad honey is prized for its medicinal and aphrodisiac qualities, though its potency can cause dizziness, nausea, or even temporary paralysis if consumed in excess. Despite the dangers, this practice remains a vital part of Gurung culture, passed down through generations. It reflects a deep connection to nature, resilience, and reverence for ancestral knowledge in one of the world’s most breathtaking landscapes.

Joel Santos was there in 2024 to film a television documentary — an experience that, in retrospect, proved to be one of the most physically demanding and life-threatening undertakings of his career.