ANZAC Day Memorial Tour
Start: Istanbul Finish: Istanbul
Duration: 2 Nights
Physical rating: 2 - Light
Special diets catered: Vegetarians, Vegans
Tour Operator: G Adventures
Group size: 1 - 15
Age range: You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.
Tour operated in: English
Prices From:
Tour Overview
With symbolic links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli, stand in the morning breeze and pay respect to the fallen on ANZAC Day at a dawn vigil. This special three-day trip includes a private bus along the Dardanelles, from Istanbul to the memorial site commemorating the common sacrifice for all of the nations involved. This moving tour will also include visits to other important sites such as Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, and the war cemeteries, making this visit to Turkey a unique and beautiful experience.
Highlights
Itinerary

Day 1: Istanbul/Çanakkale
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.
Day 2: Çanakkale/Troy
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.
Day 3: Anzac Cove/Istanbul
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.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Hotel (2 nts), sleeping bags for the ceremony.
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Meals
2 breakfasts
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Troy visit
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Gallipoli battlefields and sites tour. Troy visit. ANZAC Day dawn service. Country-specific memorial services. Sleeping bag use.
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Sleeping bag use
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ANZAC Day dawn service
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Gallipoli battlefields and sites tour
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Country-specific memorial services
Meals Included
Transport
Accommodation
Your Peace of Mind Options
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Low Deposit
G Adventures requires a deposit of 200 GBP to secure a place on this tour, and the final balance is not due till 60 days before departure..
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Secure payments
All payments to TourHub are deposited into an externally regulated Trust account.