anzac bronze - 12 days

Tour Information
Starts in: Istanbul
Ends in: Istanbul
Start Date: Tue 22nd April
End Date: Sat 3rd May
Prices: Click here
Local Payment Required: No
Breakfast: 10, Dinner: 6
Hotel rating: 3 Tourist Class

Day 1: 22 april - Istanbul Welcome to Turkey and your ANZAC experience! From here, it is easy for you to arrange a transfer at small cost via Havas airport bus or taxicab (see go guide for info) to the centre and your hotel. Rest of day free in Istanbul. Overnight – Istanbul Day 2: Istanbul - breakfast Morning walking tour of the old city or free day to enjoy Istanbul your way. When the sun sets, party after dark in Istanbul! With dinner, belly dancers and entertainment, it’s a top value evening and an awesome way to break the iceberg and meet fellow travellers. Overnight – Istanbul Day 3: Istanbul - Gallipoli - breakfast Today, enjoy a cruise on the Bosphorus, the strait that divides European from Asian Istanbul.

Istanbul by night • 3 course dinner • live entertainment • meet fellow travellers • belly dancers • turkish venue • a great night out! Tickets can only be purchased before arriving in Turkey. Prices

Afternoon drive to Gallipoli Peninsular (evening arrival) with chance to grab a bite and stretch our legs before transferring to the Dawn Service site. Sort a vantage spot on the grass or cliffs, then take in the loaded atmosphere as the legendary wait for first light commences. Overnight – Dawn Service site (ANZAC Cove)

Day 4: ANZAC Day - Gallipoli - Ayvalik
Today, the 25th April marks the reason we came to Turkey and Gallipoli. Dawn and first light signals the commencement of the annual Dawn Service, attended by Australian and New Zealand and other foreign dignitaries, military personnel and a strong following of regular Australian and New Zealand folk. The poignant and emotive service commemorating this important and historical date allows us time to reflect.

After the Dawn Service, we’ll have until mid afternoon to independently explore the region and also attend the National Service of Australia or New Zealand at Lone Pine or Chunuk Bair. On the road in the vicinity of Lone Pine and further uphill to Chunuk Bair there are many memorials and fortified trenches – still clearly visible amongst the scrub after 90 years. Take this opportunity to see as much as you can. During the late morning or early part of the afternoon, the National Services of Australia and New Zealand are held at Lone Pine Memorial and Chunuk Bair Memorial respectively. The walk to these cemeteries involves a walk uphill. Chunuk Bair is further up the hill. Owing to the timings of the respective Memorial Services, it will not be possible to attend both services. The service at Chunuk Bair usually starts about 1 hour after the Australian service at Lone Pine. If you’re a Kiwi, continue straight up the hill to Chunuk Bair as it’s a good walk uphill and you’ll be struggling to view the Aussie service and get to the Kiwi service on time. Timings of the National services will be advised after the Dawn Service.

This afternoon, we re-group at a designated pick-up point (probably Chunuk Bair and Lone Pine) for the drive to Ayvalik - a coastal fishing town on the Aegean coast cloaked with pine forests and rich with olive orchards. Arriving, we check in and earn a well-deserved rest after an emotion-filled day at Gallipoli. (Timings on 25 April subject to coach traffic). Dinner and overnight – Ayvalik

Days 5 - 6: Ayvalik - Kusadasi - breakfast
Guided sightseeing at the ruins of Pergamum and the Roman ruins of Ephesus. Pergamum is home to one of the steepest, vertigo - inducing amphitheatres in the classical world, and famous for its asclepion (medical centre) and Ephesus, positively the best-preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean, and among the best places in the world to get a feel for what Roman life must have been like. A demonstration is given at a local carpet weaving and dyeing house and there is free time to relax and enjoy coastal Kusadasi, top up your tan, shop the colourful markets or walk the waterfront. Dinner and overnight (2) – Kusadasi

Day 7: Kusadasi - Pamukkale - breakfast
Today, we travel to the cotton castles of Pamukkale, Famous for its unique cascades of natural mineral rich pools, perhaps opt for a swim at the Pamukkale Thermal. Dinner and overnight – Pamukkale

Days 8 & 9: Pamukkale - Cappadocia - breakfast
Inland via ancient Konya, stopping at the Mevlana Whirling Dervish Museum we drive onward to Cappadocia. On day 9, guided sightseeing of a region famed for its amazing landscape, underground cities and open-air museums of Göreme and Zelve. Dinner and overnight (2) - Cappadocia region.

Day 10: Cappadocia - Ankara - Istanbul - breakfast
Driving west to Ankara, visiting the Mausoleum of Atatürk onward to Istanbul. Overnight - Istanbul

Day 11: Istanbul – breakfast
A free day to further explore Istanbul your way. Overnight – Istanbul

Day 12: Istanbul - breakfast
Tour ends after breakfast and hotel check out at 12noon

Note: Istanbul sites are closed on the following days, this in NO WAY affects your touring program: Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Spice Market - closed Sunday, Hagia Sofia - closed Monday, Topkapi Palace closed on Tuesday.

Heading to Egypt? Check out our great 9 day King Tutankhamen or 9 day budget Gobus tour, both perfectly timed to start the day your tour ends!