DOLAKHA: Groups of men risk their lives to harvest much sought-after wild honey from hives on high cliffs in Dolakha district.
- A honey hunter climbs a hill carrying bamboo rope in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- Honey hunters climb a hill carrying rope and other tools required for harvesting cliff honey in Dolakha, 185 kilometres east of Kathmandu, , Nov. 19, 2021. High up in mountains, groups of men risk their lives to harvest much-sought-after wild honey from hives on cliffs. Photo: AP via RSS
- Honey hunters pointing to a cliff as they prepare to climb a hill carrying tools required for harvesting cliff honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
Hiking for hours through the steep mountains, a group led by experienced honey hunter Devi Bahadur Napali carried food, bamboo ropes, sharp bamboo sticks and other tools needed to harvest the honey.
A minor slip could mean falling hundreds of feet and sure death for the hunters, who carefully navigated the steep and narrow openings on the mountain.
Before starting to climb a steep cliff high above the Tamakoshi River, group leader Nepali reminded the group to ensure they had enough food, water and local alcohol.
- Honey hunters make a fire to distract bees from hives before they harvest the cliff honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- A honey hunter holds a bamboo rope ladder as team leader Devi Bahadur Nepali, climbs to harvest cliff honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
They piled up grass and logs at the bottom of the cliff and lit a fire to smoke the bees out of their hives.
- Devi Bahadur Nepali, an experienced honey hunter climbs on a bamboo rope to harvest cliff honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- Devi Bahadur Nepali, an experienced honey hunter climbs on a bamboo rope to harvest cliff honey in Dolakha district, on November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
Nepali climbed up a ladder made from bamboo rope with a sharp bamboo stick in one hand and a basket in another — the stick to break off the hives and the basket to collect them.
- Devi Bahadur Nepali, an experienced honey hunter climbs on a bamboo rope to harvest cliff honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- A honey hunter watches his team leader harvest cliff honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- Honey hunters watch their team leader climbing on a bamboo rope and harvest cliff honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
Dangling in the air, he sliced off pieces of hives and caught them with the basket, then gave a signal to a teammate to use a rope tied to the basket, full of dripping hives, to lower it to the ground. Two other team members prepared to clean off all the bees and squeeze the hives to extract the honey.
- Devi Bahadur Nepali, an experienced honey hunter climbs on a bamboo rope to harvest cliff honey in Dolakha district, on November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- Devi Bahadur Nepali, an experienced honey hunter climbs on a bamboo rope to harvest cliff honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- Honey hives and bees falling off a cliff during harvest in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- Honey hunters carry harvested cliff honey before they remove dead bees and squeeze the honey out of the hive in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
Thousands of bees hovered over the men’s faces, which were protected by face nets.
- Honey hunters squeeze honey out of a hive in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- A honey hunter shows a bee larvae after harvesting honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- Honey hunters eat bee larvae after harvesting honey in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
- A honey hunter shows his hands swollen after being stung by bees while harvesting in Dolakha district, on Friday, November 19, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
Nepali’s hands were swollen badly. He was stung on his hands, feet and elsewhere on his body. He drinks the alcoholic beverage, he said, to make the pain bearable.
- Devi Bahadur Nepali, a honey hunter poses for a photograph as he sets out for harvest with his team in Dolakha district, on Saturday, November 20, 2021. Photo: AP via RSS
On this day, the group was able to harvest around 34 litres (9 gallons) of honey from the cliff colony. They will be able to sell it at a market for Rs 3,000 ($25) a litre.
Source: RSS/AP
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