Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Upon arrival you will be met and assisted by an Escape 2 Nepal representative and transferred to Shangri-la Hotel which is located 15 minutes from the airport and 5-10 minutes from the tourist district of Thamel. This Hotel provides comfortable accommodation and excellent facilities as well as one of Kathmandu’s best gardens.

Day 02: Kathmandu
A pre-trek briefing will be conducted today in which maps and other general information will be distributed. This will also offer you the ideal opportunity to ask any last minute questions that you may have. A half day sightseeing tour will also be arranged. Overnight Shangri-la Hotel.

Day 03: Fly Kathmandu-Pokhara (3080’ / 940m) and begin trek
Transfer to the airport for the 30min flight to Pokhara. After arrival in Pokhara, transfer to the Ker & Downey Pokhara office where there will be a briefing by your trek guide (in the garden). This will also offer you the ideal opportunity to ask any last minute questions that you may have. After the briefing, transfer by road with your guide & porters to the trek start point of Lumle {1-hour}. The walk will follow a ridgeline in the lower foothills of the Annapurnas with surrounding views of the Pokhara Valley. This route then drops to the Modi River Valley, where Ker & Downey's Sanctuary Lodge is located at 3470 ft/1060 meters. The lodge has magnificent views of the sacred and unclimbed Fishtail Mountain, or Machhapuchhre, as it is locally known. Lunch is at the lodge followed by an optional walk to the nearby village of Birethanti or the afternoon is free to explore the surrounding river valley. (Trek time 3 hours). Overnight Ker & Downey Sanctuary Lodge.

Day 04: Sanctuary Lodge – Himalaya Lodge (6600’ / 2000m)
In the morning, leave the lodge walking out through the outlying farms following the Modi River Valley. Soon you begin to climb out of the valley & up towards the mountains. The trail passes through small hamlets, terraced rice fields and forests. Arrive in the afternoon at Ker & Downey's Himalaya Lodge in Ghandruk (Trek time 5 hours). It is from this lodge that there are magnificent close up views of the surrounding mountains. Snacks are provided en route with a late lunch served at the lodge. Overnight Ker & Downey Himalaya Lodge

Day 05: Chomrong/Sanctuary "Gates" (7120’2170m)
Our trail heads steeply downhill to the Kyumnu Khola, a tributary of the Modi Khola, where we will stop for lunch. In the afternoon, we climb to a ridgeline on the west bank of the Modi Khola, gaining a spectacular view of the Matterhorn-like spire of 23,000-foot Machhapuchhare. We continue along to Chomrong, the last permanent village below the Annapurna Sanctuary, set at the base of Hiunchuli (20,782' / 6300m). Overnight at a local Lodge.

Day 06: Bamboo (8333’ / 2540m)
Hiking through lush rhododendron forest festooned with ferns and orchids, we reach Kuldi Ghar, a small settlement perched on the steep-sided valley. We descend quickly across rock slabs into a bamboo forest. The trail continues through a dense bamboo forest, often over a tangle of roots and fallen bamboo that can be slippery when wet. Overnight at a local Lodge.

Day 07: Bamboo – Deurali (10,597’ / 3230m)
Following the trail uphill then downhill through bamboo forest, we climb gradually but steadily until we emerge into the open spaces above treeline. After hiking across a grassy pasture at Tomo (8,400' / 2545m), we reach the narrowest point in the canyon, Panchenin Barha, the natural “gate” to the sanctuary, with its small trailside shrine. Before 1956, no one of low caste, no foreigners, and no “impure” foods such as pork, beef, chicken, garlic, and eggs were allowed beyond this shrine into the sacred confines of the Annapurna Sanctuary. Overnight at a local Lodge.

Day 08: Annapurna Base Camp (13,550’ / 4100m)
The gorge widens as we climb towards Hinko Cave and finally we feast our eyes upon the full glory of the Annapurna Sanctuary. Ahead of us lies the lateral moraine of South Annapurna Glacier, with the Modi Khola flowing to our right. We pass through the Machhapuchhare Base Camp (12,150'/3680m), site of a 1957 British Expedition to Machhapuchhare that climbed to within 200 feet of the summit. Because the peak is sacred to the Gurung people and considered the home of a Gurung goddess, Nepal’s government subsequently declared it off limits to climbers and it has remained unclimbed since.

The trail then continues to Annapurna Base Camp and contours the broad, grassy, and sometimes snow-covered valley. When we reach base camp we are surrounded by a 360- degree panorama of incredible Himalayan peaks: Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, Fang, Annapurna II, Roc Noir, Glacier Dome, Gangapurna, Annapurna III, and Machhapuchhare. Overnight at a local Lodge.

Day 09: Himalaya ( 9580’ / 2920m)
After we enjoy our last views of the Annapurna Sanctuary, we head out the “gate” and begin our descent to the Modi Khola Valley. Overnight at a local Lodge.

Day 10: Chomrong (7120' / 2170m)
We have a number of steep ascents and descents today to Chomrong, passing through spectacular Rhododendron and Bamboo forest.

Day 11: Beehive (4450’ / 1340m)
We continue downhill, heading back to Chomrong, then detour off our former trail and head steeply down to the "New Bridge" on the Modi Khola. From here, the route flattens out somewhat until reaching the small settlement of lodges, known as Beehive. Overnight at a local Lodge.

Day 12: Sanctuary Lodge (6600’ / 2000m)
We join the main trail again today, trekking mainly along the flats until we reach the Ker & Downey Sanctuary Lodge for a final night on trek. Overnight Ker & Downey Sanctuary Lodge

Day 13: Pokhara (3080’ / 940m) to Kathmandu (4265’ / 1300m)
We walk down to the road head near Birethanti and continue by bus to Pokhara. Once back in Pokhara, we bid farewell to our trekking staff and return to Kathmandu by air. Upon arrival in Kathmanu, before returning to the hotel, we’ll visit Boudhanath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal and an ideal place for last minute shopping. Overnight at the Shangri-la Hotel.

Day 14: Day in Kathmandu
Today enjoy a leisurely lunch at the exclusive Shivapuri Heights Cottage in the hills just north of Kathmandu. Overnight at the Shangri-la Hotel.

Day 15: International flight
Transfer to the International airport for your final departure from Kathmandu.

Note: The routing of the trek may be modified according to local conditions and at the discretion of your trek leader.