Trying Mad Honey in Nepal: “Little bit, you feel happy. Too much, you sleep on floor.”
I was in a dusty little shop in Thamel, Kathmandu, looking for snacks and toothpaste, when something strange caught my eye: “Mad Honey – Product of Nepal.” It looked like any regular jar of honey, but the label had a small warning symbol and one curious line: “Consume with care.” What in the world?
I asked the man behind the counter. He grinned. “Very famous. From the mountains. Little bit, you feel happy. Too much, you maybe sleep on floor.”
Can I Try?
Himalayan Mad Honey. Photo credit: Dominic Milton Trott at Flickr
Mad Honey: Nature’s Buzz from the Himalayas
This isn’t your average bee juice. It’s called mad honey, and it’s made by the Himalayan giant honeybee (Apis laboriosa), which gathers nectar from rhododendron flowers growing high up in the mountains. These flowers contain grayanotoxins – naturally occurring compounds that, in small amounts, can cause lightheadedness or euphoria, and in higher doses, full-on hallucinations.
Yes, you heard right: hallucinogenic honey.
Harvested on Cliffs, Hanging by a Thread (Literally)
The honey is harvested by traditional Gurung tribesmen in central Nepal. These guys aren’t just beekeepers—they’re cliff ninjas. Every spring, they climb hundreds of meters up sheer rock faces using rope ladders, often barefoot, to reach wild hives. With smoke to confuse the bees and baskets to collect the combs, they harvest the honey in an ancient ritual that’s as dangerous as it is beautiful.
It’s one of those moments where nature, culture, and bravery collide.
Cliffs with honey, only very skilled locals can harvest it. Smkbhatt, CC BY-SA 4.0 Creative Commons, via Wikimedia Commons
Medicine, Aphrodisiac—or Just a Wild Ride
Locally, mad honey has been used as medicine for centuries—treating everything from digestive issues to sore throats. Some even claim it works as a natural aphrodisiac. But it’s also taken recreationally. A spoonful gives you a mild buzz. Two or three? You might wake up wondering why the trees are breathing.
This stuff isn’t just famous in Nepal. It’s shown up on Joe Rogan’s podcast, in Vice documentaries, and on the travel bucket list of every wannabe psychonaut with a camera.
Caption: Apis Laboriosa, the little chemist. So fascinating! Credit: L. Shyamal, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
The Fine Line Between a Trip and a Trip to the Hospital
But let’s be real: it’s not candy. Too much can cause nausea, low blood pressure, fainting—or worse. In some parts of the world, people have ended up in the ER after mistaking it for regular honey.
So if you're tempted: start small, don’t mix it with alcohol, and maybe don’t try it right before a hike.
Back in the Little Kathmandu Shop: Can I Try?
I had a flight to India next morning, so buying a whole jar of honey wasn’t really an option. But I still wanted to try it. As a true anthropologist, I want to experience cultural phenomena first hand. I offered to pay for just a small spoonful, but the shopkeeper smiled and said he’d give it to me for free—if I bought a few souvenirs.
Deal.
I picked out some fridge magnets, incense, and a carved wooden Ganesha, then took my dose and wandered off into Kathmandu’s busy, chaotic, and delightfully unpredictable streets.
And then it kicked in.
It wasn’t like being drunk—more like being gently unplugged from everyday logic. A warm buzz spread through me. I felt oddly connected to everything. I couldn’t stop smiling. Not in a creepy way (I hope), just... joyfully wide-eyed.
I think I got a good, light dose.
Lucky me. Could’ve ended up hallucinating in the airport security line trying to explain to a customs officer why my passport was “breathing.”
Some links to check out for further exploration: