Annapurna Aroma

Annapurna Aroma It is a company mainly engaged in cultivation and contract farming, distilling and processing of aromatic plants.

We produce essential oil and supply from Nepal to worldwide..

Few aromatic plants grow in environments as extreme as Spikenard, which thrives high in the Nepal Himalayas and is caref...
21/07/2026

Few aromatic plants grow in environments as extreme as Spikenard, which thrives high in the Nepal Himalayas and is carefully harvested by local mountain communities each season. Growing naturally between 3,000 and 5,000 meters, Spikenard has adapted to the harsh mountain environment, where low temperatures, intense sunlight, and a short growing season contribute to its distinctive aroma and complex chemical composition.

Harvesting Spikenard is both physically demanding and deeply rooted in traditional knowledge. Collectors often spend hours trekking through rugged terrain to locate mature plants, carefully harvesting them while following practices that help protect wild populations for future generations.

As a slow-growing species listed under CITES Appendix II, Spikenard requires responsible management to ensure its long-term survival. Sustainable harvesting, community forest stewardship, and traceable sourcing not only help conserve this valuable Himalayan resource but also provide an important source of seasonal income for mountain communities.

At Annapurna Aroma, we work closely with local collectors and community forest user groups to promote responsible harvesting and sustainable sourcing. By combining generations of local knowledge with conservation practices, we strive to protect Nepal's rich botanical heritage while producing high-quality Spikenard essential oil for the global market.

Native to the Himalayas, Himalayan silver fir grows naturally between 2,500 and 4,000 meters, where steep terrain, cold ...
16/07/2026

Native to the Himalayas, Himalayan silver fir grows naturally between 2,500 and 4,000 meters, where steep terrain, cold temperatures, and limited infrastructure make every stage of production more challenging.

Unlike many agricultural crops, Himalayan Silver Fir cannot simply be harvested and transported to a nearby processing facility. The collection areas are often several hours from the nearest road, making the transportation of fresh plant material both difficult and inefficient.

For this reason, distillation units are transported to the mountains instead of transporting the harvested material to the distillery. The equipment is designed in separate components so it can be carried into remote locations and assembled close to the harvesting sites. These units are typically installed in naturally sheltered areas, where the surrounding landscape helps reduce heat loss and maintain the temperatures required during distillation.

This approach minimizes the time between harvesting and processing while reducing the need to transport large volumes of fresh plant material through challenging mountain terrain.

In high-altitude regions, essential oil distillation units are often established close to the plant collection areas due...
09/07/2026

In high-altitude regions, essential oil distillation units are often established close to the plant collection areas due to the challenges of transporting fresh plant material from remote locations.

The equipment used for these sites is designed to be portable and transported in separate components. Once it reaches the production area, the unit is assembled and operated near the harvesting locations.

The placement of these distillation units also requires careful consideration of the natural surroundings. They are often set up in sheltered areas protected from strong cold winds. These naturally protected locations help reduce heat loss and act as natural insulation, supporting the temperature stability required during the distillation process.

This approach allows distillation to take place directly in high-altitude environments where the plants naturally grow, reducing the need to move large quantities of raw plant material across difficult mountain terrain.

02/07/2026

A beautiful flowing river, breathtaking mountain scenery, and an unforgettable experience for someone visiting the Himalayas for a few days.

But what if this wasn't an adventure? What if it was simply part of your daily life?

During a recent FairWild inspection in one of our sourcing areas, this was how we crossed the river. There is no bridge. Instead, local communities rely on a manually operated cable crossing, where people pull the rope by hand until the passenger reaches the other bank.

For us, it was a brief experience. For many families living in these remote Himalayan villages, it is an everyday necessity. Crossing rivers, walking steep mountain trails, carrying heavy loads, and travelling long distances are all part of accessing schools, markets, healthcare, and work.

This is just one of the many realities of life in rural Nepal that often goes unseen.

When we talk about sustainable sourcing, we often focus on plants, certifications, and traceability. Equally important are the people behind every harvest. Understanding the challenges they face reminds us why supporting rural livelihoods, creating local income opportunities, and building resilient supply chains matter just as much as protecting biodiversity.

Behind every bottle of essential oil is a landscape, a community, and countless journeys that are rarely visible.

26/06/2026

๐‘…โ„Ž๐‘œ๐‘‘๐‘’๐‘‘๐‘’๐‘›๐‘‘๐‘Ÿ๐‘œ๐‘› ๐‘Ž๐‘›๐‘กโ„Ž๐‘œ๐‘๐‘œ๐‘”๐‘œ๐‘›, commonly known as Sunpati, is a wild aromatic shrub found in the alpine and subalpine regions of Nepal. It grows at high elevations, often on steep, rocky slopes, and is collected by hand during the harvesting season.

The plant is valued for its aromatic leaves and flowers, which are used to produce essential oil and other herbal products. In traditional Himalayan communities, it has been used in incense, herbal preparations, and aromatherapy. Its essential oil is known for its fresh, herbaceous scent and is commonly used in formulations intended for relaxation and grounding.

Harvesting Sunpati requires significant physical effort because collectors must travel to remote mountain areas and gather the plant carefully to avoid damaging the natural population. At Annapurna Aroma, we support responsible wild harvesting practices and work closely with local collectors to help protect the species while also creating important income opportunities for families in mountain communities. This work provides a valuable source of livelihood for people living in remote areas, where economic opportunities can be limited, and helps support both sustainable harvesting and local well-being.

Sandalwood (๐˜š๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฃ๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ), locally known as Chandan, is an aromatic tree valued for its distinctive woody fragrance an...
10/06/2026

Sandalwood (๐˜š๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฃ๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ), locally known as Chandan, is an aromatic tree valued for its distinctive woody fragrance and long history of use across perfumery, wellness, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Growing in Nepalโ€™s mid-hills at altitudes between 700 and 1,200 meters, the tree typically reaches heights of 4 to 9 meters and is especially prized for its heartwood , the source of sandalwood essential oil.

Unlike many aromatic plants where leaves, flowers, or herbs are used, sandalwood essential oil is obtained from the heartwood, where aromatic compounds gradually develop over time. This is one reason sandalwood harvesting looks different from many other botanicals.

In sandalwood production, maturity matters. The characteristic aroma of sandalwood develops slowly within the wood over years of growth. Harvesting too early can affect both the aromatic profile and oil yield, making the timing of harvest an important consideration.

The essential oil is extracted through steam distillation of the heartwood, containing naturally occurring constituents such as ฮฑ & ฮฒ-santalol, santyl acetate, and santalene, which contribute to its warm, woody scent and wide use in aromatherapy, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications.

The harvesting season generally takes place from March to June, when mature wood is prepared for distillation to ensure suitable oil quality and aromatic composition.

Working in mountainous landscapes often requires more than physical endurance. It also requires familiarity with the ter...
08/06/2026

Working in mountainous landscapes often requires more than physical endurance. It also requires familiarity with the terrain.

In many Himalayan regions, local harvesters navigate steep slopes, rocky pathways, and remote areas that can be difficult to access. Over time, experience with the landscape becomes an important part of the harvesting process, understanding seasonal routes, identifying safer pathways, adjusting to changing weather, and knowing where particular aromatic plants grow.

This connection with the terrain can influence how harvesting activities are planned and carried out, especially in areas where accessibility changes with altitude and season.

When discussing botanical sourcing in mountain regions, local knowledge of the landscape is often an important part of the process that receives less attention.

Himalayan Silver Fir (๐˜ˆ๐˜ฃ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ด) is an important tree species found throughout the Himalayan region. While it ha...
05/06/2026

Himalayan Silver Fir (๐˜ˆ๐˜ฃ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ด) is an important tree species found throughout the Himalayan region. While it has traditionally been used as a source of firewood, growing awareness of its ecological and economic value has encouraged more sustainable approaches to its use.
One such approach is needle-only harvesting for essential oil production, where needles are collected while the tree remains standing and continues to grow. Combined with the planting of new saplings, this practice supports both resource utilization and forest regeneration.
Beyond its value as a natural resource, Himalayan Silver Fir contributes to mountain ecosystems by supporting biodiversity, stabilizing soil, protecting watersheds, and storing carbon within forest landscapes.
As we mark World Environment Day, it is important to recognize that long-term forest conservation depends not only on protection, but also on sustainable management practices that create value while maintaining healthy ecosystems for future generations.

Juniper Berry (๐˜‘๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ถ๐˜ด ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ด) is one of the Himalayan regionโ€™s valued aromatic plants, naturally growing in Nepalโ€™s...
03/06/2026

Juniper Berry (๐˜‘๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ถ๐˜ด ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ด) is one of the Himalayan regionโ€™s valued aromatic plants, naturally growing in Nepalโ€™s northern and mid-hill regions at elevations between 3,000โ€“3,500 meters. Known locally as Dhupi, juniper has long been appreciated for its distinctive woodsy, sweet aroma and traditional significance in Himalayan communities.

From February to April, when the berries reach their peak potency, Juniper berries are carefully wild harvested from high-altitude regions of Nepal. Sourced through contracted community forest groups, harvesting is carried out with attention to maintaining sustainable collection practices while supporting livelihoods in mountain communities.

The berries are steam distilled to produce essential oil rich in naturally occurring compounds including limonene, alpha-pinene, myrcene, and cedrol. Widely used in aromatherapy, Juniper Berry essential oil is valued for its refreshing, cleansing qualities and is often appreciated for creating a calming atmosphere. When inhaled, it is known for its respiratory-clearing properties, while in skincare applications it offers a refreshing and purifying effect.

Through responsible wild harvesting, traceable sourcing, and collaboration with local forest communities, we continue supporting the sustainable use of Nepalโ€™s valuable aromatic plant resources.

01/06/2026

In many remote and mountainous regions, harvesting aromatic plants is one of the most demanding stages of the process. Steep slopes, rocky paths, unstable terrain, and long distances make harvesting and transporting plant material physically challenging. Every step requires effort, balance, and endurance, especially when carrying freshly harvested biomass across difficult landscapes while ensuring it reaches the distillation site in time to preserve quality.
Despite these harsh conditions, harvesters continue their work with remarkable commitment and resilience. Their understanding of harvesting seasons, plant maturity, and careful handling practices plays an essential role in maintaining the quality and yield of essential oils.
Women harvesters, in particular, are making a meaningful contribution in this space, reflecting growing opportunities for participation, livelihoods, and empowerment within rural communities. Their strength and dedication continue to shape the journey from plant to product.

Address

Siddhicharan Margh 167, Shantinagar Gate, New Baneswar
Kathmandu
44600

Opening Hours

Monday 10:00 - 18:00
Tuesday 10:00 - 06:00
Wednesday 10:00 - 17:45
Thursday 10:00 - 17:45
Friday 10:00 - 18:00
Sunday 10:00 - 17:45

Telephone

+97714107655

Website

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