Expanding markets of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and increasing interest in traditional medicines and health foods have resulted in a growing trade of these NTFPs at local, national and international levels. The trade provides income-generating opportunities for rural people in developing countries but may also jeopardize sustainable harvest levels. The objective of this study was to investigate the trade chains and contribution to rural households of two commercially important NTFPs in Bhutan; the insectpathogenic fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis and the mycorrhizal mushroom Tricholoma matsutake. Access mapping and commodity chain analysis was used as analytical framework. Information on household incomes, quantities, time spent, prices, and expenses were obtained through semi-structured interviews with collectors, middlemen and traders including exporters. Net income was calculated for all actors. Distribution of incomes between actors was calculated. Collectors of O. sinensis obtained a higher net income per kg than middlemen and traders while the opposite was the case for T. matsutake. Collectors of O. sinensis earned an average of 70% of the household’s cash income from collection and sale of the product while T. matsutake on average constituted 9% of collectors’ household income. Based on the study, opportunities for increasing NTFP collectors’ net income are discussed. Overexploitation and habitat destruction was a common concern among collectors of O. sinensis and T. matsutake. Further research on the biology of the species, the resource base and the impact of increasing collection and trade is needed to ensure sustainable harvest levels.