Trek in Nepal's Far West: Between Mountains and Yarsagumba Harvesting (page 2 of 2)

Hello, It's a really beautiful region, and great idea to trek in western Nepal, which still feels authentic. I don’t quite get how one goes about collecting those famous yarsagumba, though. Could you kindly shed a little more light on this project for us? Thanks, and have a great day! Adventure !!!

Thanks for the feedback

Hi there, Yarsagumba is a very special little champion that parasitizes a caterpillar. It grows on the caterpillar’s head. When you harvest it in the wild, you’re actually collecting the caterpillar along with the fungus. You can find it around 4,000m in certain areas of western Nepal like Dolpo and Mugu, as well as in Tibet. It’s said to have aphrodisiac properties and even stronger performance-enhancing effects than amphetamines (and supposedly undetectable in blood tests). It sells for a fortune, especially in China. Maybe the Chinese athletes used it in the last Olympics? 😏

Thanks a lot, Djalma, for your reply, but the Yarshagumba region is reserved only for locals from the same district (region/province), so we can’t take just anyone there to collect them. A few years ago, people from the Gorkha district were killed in clashes when they went to the Narphu region (another district). Plus, without a permit from the local government, I don’t think we can do these activities anymore. Adventure!!!

It depends on the location—harvesting sites manage their processes differently. In Nar Phu, only locals are allowed to go, with strict controls on harvests and fixed prices. Other regions are much more flexible, like Darchula, Saipal, and Dhorpatan/Rukum. The goal isn’t to spend four months digging through the earth—it’s just to experience the activity over a few days. The aim isn’t to keep the precious harvest for ourselves but to give it to the locals who welcome us. Specifically for Darchula, we’ve befriended several locals who allow us to run this kind of program—I don’t think they’d accept just anyone, which is why we offer it there. While we get along very well with the locals in the Nar and Phu valleys, such a program isn’t feasible there at the moment. With your extensive experience in the field, Mr. Khakurel, I’m sure you know that depending on the region and mountain ranges, some things are more or less possible with locals and the local committees regulating activities and tourism. For such custom and unique programs, you often have to venture far from traditional routes 😊

Thanks a lot, Djalma, for your reply, but the Yarshagumba area is reserved only for locals from the same district (region/province), so we can’t take just anyone there to gather them. A few years ago, people from the Gorkha district were killed in clashes when they went to the Narphu region (another district). Plus, without a permit from the local government, I don’t think these activities are allowed anymore. Adventure!!!

Namaste, Taking Europeans there and promoting these practices is completely disrespectful and irresponsible. Locals no longer work their lands, villages are emptying, and very few people manage to live off these harvests. Tashidelek, Gilles

Namaste Taking Europeans along and promoting these practices is completely disrespectful and irresponsible. Locals no longer work their lands, villages are emptying, and very few people manage to live off these harvests. Tashidelek Gilles

Making such generalizations is risky and doesn’t reflect reality, which varies greatly from one region to another. While thousands of Nepalis leave every day to work abroad, considering it "abnormal" for some to spend two to four months harvesting yarsagumba in the mountains seems like a judgment disconnected from reality. This activity often fits into a seasonal logic: livestock in the highlands, crops (on hold or waiting for the monsoon), tourism (during the monsoon)... Many families divide their time and homes according to the seasons. A good number of Nepalis living in the highlands have multiple homes based on their activities: one at lower altitudes from Kartik to Phalgun and another in the highlands for the rest of the year. I invite you to visit the Nar Phu or Rukum regions, or even the Tsum Valley in January, to see the empty villages—it’s normal.

Saying that "locals no longer work their lands" is an oversimplification that doesn’t match what we observe on the ground. Many people supplement their income with yarsagumba, and if it weren’t economically worthwhile, no one would spend several weeks in the highlands. Nepalis are hardworking but not foolish. Who could believe that locals abandon their land for 8 to 10 months a year just to harvest yarsagumba?

I don’t know where this idea comes from, but before making such claims, it would be better to ask local communities rather than spreading misinformation. Residents of Darchula, Mugu, Dolpo, Rukum, or Manang could tell you about it directly.

Finally, our approach isn’t to "promote" the harvest but to share an experience of local life. We don’t come to replace locals in their activities or encourage Europeans to spend four months in Nepal harvesting yarsagumba. Instead, we aim to understand a facet of Nepali life, their daily routines, while respecting the people and their choices and supporting the local economy.

Terry

Your message suggests you might not know Nepal very well.