Honey Hunting Tour in Nepal Overview
You may hear Nepal often for Mount Everest or may think Nepal about rugged trails for trekking and some tours in the Himalayas or rafting, paragliding, bungee jumping, and other wonderful activities, but Nepal is not only limited to these, but you as well can experience the wonderful Honey Hunting.
Honey Hunting Tour in Nepal is an exciting and adventurous activity and it can be a real test of your daring because this tour is not for faint-hearted. Climbing a cliff and extracting honey is an intense activity and is very challenging. You can see people harvesting honey from the high cliffs and you will be the next!
Some Facts
Scientific researchers have proved that the hunt for wild honey is one of the oldest activities continued by humans for survival, and according to the study of rocks in various parts, it has been found that honey has been hunted in Nepal since 1300 BC.
Many people in some villages, especially in western Nepal, depend on honey for their livelihood. They harvest honey from the largest species of bee in the world, called Apis, which is labor-intensive. These bees live on the high cliffs of the foothills and the honey hunters risk their lives to harvest the honey to survive.
How is Honey Hunted?
The honey hunters build rope ladders and baskets to access the combs after the bees are washed away with smoke by lighting a fire under the hives. Honey harvest usually takes place twice a year, when hunters come together and migrate into the Himalayas to take on this huge task with mortal danger.
To harvest one colony, the honey hunters take two to three hours, depending on the location of the hive and the size. The harvesting ritual, which varies slightly from community to community, begins with a prayer and sacrifice of flowers, fruit, and rice. Then a fire is lit at the base of the cliff to smoke the bees from their honeycombs.
From above, a honey hunter descends the cliff that is attached to a ladder with ropes. While his friends fasten the rope and ladder from the top and lift the spring tools up, the honey hunter fights territorial bees while cutting pieces of honey from the comb.
Thus, get ready to experience the thrill of Honey hunting in Nepal.
