ANZAC Day Memorial Tour

Location: Istanbul

Accommodation: Bogaz Hotel

Depart Istanbul in the early morning. Enjoy an afternoon tour of the battlefields, cemeteries, and other important sites.

Meet the group in the reception area of the Istanbul meeting point hotel at 7:45am. The Chief Experience Officer (CEO) and fellow group members will be waiting. Depart at 8am sharp to get started with the busy day ahead. Travel to Gallipoli (Çanakkale) by private vehicle, stopping en route for a quick local lunch. Visit ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, the war cemeteries, and many other important sites. There will also be time for individuals to visit relatives' grave sites. This is the only day with access to these sights. After the tour, continue on to Çanakkale for the night.

Additional Information: We can help book pre-tour accommodation the night before the tour starts at the time of booking. It is advisable to locate the meeting point hotel the night before the tour begins (if you aren't already staying there).

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

ACTIVITY: Visit this moving and beautiful site, a great complement to any trip to Turkey, even for those not familiar with the Battle of Gallipoli. Tour the grounds to see ANZAC Cove, the war cemeteries, and Lone Pine. Learn how the Turks fought off the numerically superior, but badly commanded, Allied forces who were forced to withdraw nine months later; this battle holds special significance for Australians and New Zealanders, as both nations lost many soldiers.

Location: Çanakkale

Accommodation: Bogaz Hotel

Meals: BREAKFAST

Visit Troy with free time in the afternoon to explore the busy harbour town with a thriving student population. In the evening, journey to the Gallipoli ceremony site.

Enjoy a guided tour of Troy and learn more about the ancient fables surrounding this legendary city. Spend some free time exploring Çanakkale in the afternoon. Have dinner in Çanakkale then travel to the ceremonial area near ANZAC cove for the night. There will be grandstands set up and visitors camp out overnight to reserve a spot. Spend the evening tucked into sleeping bags in the grandstands at the ceremonial site in readiness for the dawn service.

Additional Information: The evening may be very cold— please come prepared with appropriate shoes and clothing. We will provide sleeping bags but it is recommended that you bring a personal sleep sheet to place inside.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

ACTIVITY: See historic Troy, made famous by Homer’s “Iliad,” (and more recently by Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt). Tour the city that, for centuries, was regarded as just a myth, until its ruins were found in in the mid-19th century. Imagine what a great city this must have been, while taking a tour of the remains. Don't miss the chance to have a photo taken with the Trojan horse.

FREE TIME: AFTERNOON Enjoy free time to explore.

ACTIVITY: Sleep at the ceremonial site in the grandstands tucked into cozy sleeping bags for the night. It may be cold, but waking up in ANZAC cove for the dawn service will be unforgettable.

Location: Anzac Cove

Meals: BREAKFAST

Attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service. Opt to attend New Zealand and Turkish morning memorial services. Travel back to Istanbul where the tour ends on arrival in the late evening.

Attend the unforgettable dawn service commemorating the Battle of Gallipoli and ANZAC Day. After the service, walk 5km (3.1 mi) to the Australian cemetery at Lone Pine, before continuing a further 2km (1.24 mi) uphill to Chunuk Bair for the New Zealand ceremony, which will end at approx. 1:30. After a quick lunch, drive back to Istanbul where the tour ends on arrival. Please note that our arrival to Istanbul is in the late evening, so please book any onward travel no earlier than 11pm. We are able to arrange post-tour accommodation if you'd like to extend your stay. Please ask at the time of booking.

Additional Information: Note that the 7km (4.4 mi) to Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair are uphill and the temperatures are warm at this time of year. Extra bottled water is suggested.

ACTIVITY: Attend the unforgettable dawn service commemorating the Battle of Gallipoli (Çanakkale) and ANZAC Day, marking the first major military action fought jointly by Australian and New Zealand forces during WWI. The ANZAC Dawn Service is an immensely moving experience and a sombre, yet momentous, tribute to the many thousands of soldiers who lost their lives throughout the battle on both sides.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.