Villagers across Nepal are abandoning their homes each spring to participate in the high-risk hunt for yarsagumba, a highly valuable fungus known locally as "yarsha gumba" and in Tibetan as "yartsa gunbu." This parasitic fungus, prized in traditional Chinese and Nepalese medicine as an aphrodisiac, commands prices up to £20,000 per kilogram in its raw form, despite strict regulation by Chinese authorities.

The fungus, scientifically identified as Ophiocordyceps sinensis, infects the larvae of ghost moths, ultimately sprouting a thin stalk from the insect’s buried body as snow melts in the spring. Harvesters scour alpine meadows above 11,500 feet on the Tibetan Plateau for the tiny, matchstick-sized shoots, often spending weeks exposed to severe cold, fierce winds, and thin mountain air. The annual collection season regularly empties towns along the Nepal-Tibet border, with schools closing and entire communities relocating for several weeks.

In Nepal’s Gorkha district, for instance, all 812 households in one ward of Chumnubri Rural Municipality have reportedly moved to high-altitude pasturelands to participate in the harvest. Some families employ caretakers from lower-lying villages to look after their homes during their absence.

Fifty-one-year-old hunter Pasang Phunjo Lama, who has collected yarsagumba for more than three decades, described the physically demanding and unpredictable nature of the search. “The cold is brutal, the winds are fierce and the air is thin,” Lama said. He noted that a successful season might bring in around $5,000 over two months, a sum significantly higher than what farming alone would yield.

The fungus was first documented by British botanists in 1952 at Chyakhur meadow, Nepal. It gained international attention following the 1993 World Track and Field Championships, where Chinese athletes, credited by their coach with consuming yarsagumba, secured multiple gold medals and broke world records. This exposure fueled a surge in demand, predominantly from Chinese buyers, who now dominate the trade.

Despite its economic benefits for impoverished communities, yarsagumba faces significant threats from climate change, over-harvesting, and increasing demand. In the past three years, 39 people have lost their lives during the perilous hunts, underscoring the danger involved.

Rajendra Bajgain, a former Nepalese parliamentarian, warned the species is nearing extinction and urged government intervention to regulate harvesting more strictly. He proposed limiting collection to once every three years instead of annually to preserve future yields.

For many locals like 32-year-old Dawa Tshering, the hunt remains a vital lifeline. He recounted that while the fungus was once abundant, finding just a few pieces a day now feels fortunate. In his 900-person village, families collect around 15 kg each season, sharing the proceeds equally. This income supports them throughout the rest of the year, highlighting the fungus’s central role in the region’s fragile economy.