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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS..
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IS IT OKAY IF I TRAVEL ALONE?
Yes! Lots of our travellers travel alone, so don’t be afraid to turn up solo – you will certainly leave with a stack of new-found friends! We use 3* hotel accommodation on our ANZAC tours and we will match you up with another same-sex traveller so you won’t have that unwelcome, pesky ‘single-supplement’ to pay! |
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ARE MEALS INCLUDED?
Breakfast is included every day apart from ANZAC day itself, no other meals are included so you are free to try all sorts of fabulous Turkish food - it's fresh, tasty, cheap and great! |
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DOES GOBUS CHARGE A LOCAL PAYMENT?
No! |
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HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD I BUDGET FOR?
Budget on around USD $30-50 per day and that will cover your food, drinks and the odd souvenir - take more if you're planning on purchasing plenty from the Grand Bazaar! Entrance fee's will be approx USD $5 on the 4 day Absolute ANZAC tour and approximately USD $8 for tipping the tour leader/driver and on the 11 day ANZAC in Focus tour budget approximately USD $85 for entrance fees (dependent upon how many optional activities you choose to do) and USD $30 for tipping. |
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WHAT SHALL I BRING?
You will need to pack a sleeping bag to wrap around you at the Cove and lots of warm clothes! The weather in April can be very cold at night, and remember you will be sitting out all night prior to the Dawn Service. Gloves, scarves, beanies and lots of layers is the way forward, but during the day you could well be in a T-Shirt lapping up the sun! Conclusion? Take a mixture! |
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WHEN & HOW SHOULD I BOOK MY ANZAC TOUR?
ANZAC Day is a pivotal day in the travelling calendar of many Aussies & Kiwi's so the earlier the better as there is a capacity limit … in other words we will sell out! So, if planning to make the pilgrimage this year then don’t delay - call us up and get your seat secured and we will do the rest! |
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ARE MY FLIGHTS INCLUDED?
There are no flights included in your tour but there are plenty of carriers that fly in and out of Istanbul so book early and get yourself a bargain price! If your heading onward to Egypt, try Turkish Airlines. THY offers open jaw flights between London, Istanbul and Cairo, check the web for more details or ask us, we can arrange flights on your behalf! |
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
- VISAS: Aussies, Kiwi's & Brits can obtain a visa upon arrival at Istanbul International airport for a maximum stay of 3 months.
Currently, Australian passport holder: USD $20.00/Euro 15
New Zealand: Do not require a visa for a stay of up to 3 months
British: GBP £10/Euro 15/USD $20
South African: Must be obtained prior to arrival
- VOLTAGE: 220 Volts. Sockets are of the European, 2 pronged variety. If taking a camera, mobile phone or hairdryer, be sure to pack a power adaptor.
- MONEY: The Turkish Lira 1 GBP = YTL2.5 / 1 EURO = YTL2.1 / 1 USD = YTL1.5 / 1 AUD = YTL1.2 (as of August 2009)
Subject to fluctuation.
Pound Sterling, US Dollars or other major currencies can be exchanged into New Turkish Lira (YTL) locally or in advance of departure. Istanbul Atatürk Airport offers speedy currency exchange facilities adjacent to the baggage hall. Additionally, exchange facilities are available at various bureau de changes and banks in major towns have ATMs.
- TIME: Turkey is 2 hours ahead of GMT.
- HEALTH ADVICE: Please visit your local GP or health clinic for professional up to date advice on what vaccinations you need, but generally if visiting Turkey it is recommended that you be vaccinated for Tetanus and Polio, if you haven't had a booster in the last ten years. Food and waterborne diseases are more common, so we recommend vaccinations for Typhoid (valid 3 years) and Hepatitis A (validity varies). Make sure you drink bottled water and that the cap is sealed before you drink it. Remember, a healthy traveller is a happy traveller so check with the professionals and be sure you're covered against the unexpected!
- CLIMATE: Turkey can be quite a mixed bag around April time - the days can be amazingly warm but the temperatures will drop severely at night! Take a choice of clothing as you will need to layer up to keep warm in the evenings, particularly in the Cove on the eve of ANZAC day.
- FOOD: Believe it or not kebab in pita bread is not the only food you get in Turkey! The food is absolutely scrumptious and ranges from meze's of houmous, dips, stuffed vine leaves & cheese cigars for starters followed by meat kebabs, lamb chops and oodles of stunning vegetarian dishes. To follow will be a huge selection of seriously sweet desserts - so something for everyone!
MORE ABOUT ANZAC DAY...
WHAT HAPPENS ON ANZAC EVE?
On the 24th April we make our journey from Istanbul to the Gallipoli Peninsular. En route we will stop at a large supermarket, giving you the chance to purchase all the snacks and drinks you need to see you through the night! There are also stalls at the ANZAC Dawn service site where you can buy chips, burgers, kebabs and hot drinks. Your main luggage will remain in the coach so you will need to take a day pack filled with everything you need i.e. food & drink, torch, hat, scarf, gloves, WC paper, wet wipes, camera etc. When we arrive at the Dawn Service site you will need to grab a prime spot to camp out overnight. However, due to limited room you won't be 'camping' as such with tents or lying out horizontal in your sleeping bags. You will need a foam cushion as you'll be sitting on the grass or on plastic seating all night and it's not very comfortable! You'll want your sleeping bag wrapped around you all night because it gets incredibly cold waiting for the first light when a bugle call will mark the commencement of the Dawn Service.
Temperatures will be low at this time of year so make sure you bring warm clothes and a waterproof coat. Toilet facilities are provided however due to the crowds, it is advisable to bring your own personal loo roll! Alcohol is absolutely not permitted in the Dawn Service site and we ask all passengers to respect this. Not surprisingly, there are always a few chancers that try and smuggle alcohol in year on year, so please don't tarnish the good reputation of GOBUS and stick to the rules - there's plenty of time to 'get the beers in' on tour! After the Dawn Service concludes you'll have loads of time to explore the many trenches and memorial sites as you make your way up to either Lone Pine or Chunuk Bair for the Australian or New Zealand National services. If you're a Kiwi then head straight to Chunuk Bair as it's a good 60-70 minute walk uphill and you will struggle to make both services. Due to the distance between these two sites you will need to make a choice - Lone Pine or Chunuk Bair.
Just to summarise - you will need
- Warm clothes - such as gloves, hat, scarf & a waterproof coat
- Day Pack, as large rucksacks will not be permitted into ANZAC Cove
- Suitable walking shoes for reaching Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair (60-70 mins walk uphill)
- Sleeping bag (for wrapping around you, not stretching our horizontally due to space constraints)
- Alcohol is not permitted in the Dawn Service so please respect this and help preserve the good reputation of GOBUS!
Once the services are over you can return to your designated coach to continue your onward journey.
THE HISTORY OF ANZAC
On 25 April 1915, Allied soldiers including Australian and New Zealand troops (who famously became known as the ANZACs - an acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) landed at what has since become known as ANZAC Cove to commence the Allied offensive against the Turks with the intention of capturing the Ottoman capital and the road to Eastern Europe during WW1. Some half a million lost their lives in ferocious combat. A lasting legacy of this fateful campaign are the many poignant war memorials including the national memorials of Australia and New Zealand - Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair, along with numerous carefully tended cemeteries, the remains of crudely dug trenches (most often the only form of protection for troops on both sides) and of course ANZAC Cove. Our brave men are remembered on the 25th April and GOBUS offer two tours designed around the ANZAC day Dawn Service.
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At the break of dawn on 25th April a bugle calls in ANZAC Cove signalling the start of the evocative Dawn Service. This service takes place every year to commemorate those brave men who lost their lives in battle and Gallipoli is the spot to be. This is a pivotal day in the travelling calendar of many Aussies & Kiwi's so if it's on your OE 'must-do' list then make sure you enlist on a tour to the Cove, pronto! The space constraints at ANZAC Cove will limit how many people can attend this momentous occasion so if you want to be amongst the privileged few (thousand!) to remember our brave forefathers then avoid disappointment and make sure you don't miss the bus! Lest we forget.
This short tour of Egypt takes in all the best sites in 9 intoxicating days. Visit the Pyramids, sail down the Nile, check out amazing Abu Simbel and explore the Valley of the Kings!
On the 25th April ANZAC Cove is definitely the place to be! If you want to visit the Cove to commemorate those brave men who lost their lives in battle in Gallipoli then GOBUS is your ticket!
