ANZAC Day Tours, Gallipoli 2021. Starts: 21st April. In just 6 days you will take in the delights of Istanbul and explore the WW1 battlefields on the Gallipoli Peninsular and remember those fallen at the Dawn Service.
Trip Highlights
Included
Not Included
Itinerary
Istanbul - Gateway to the Exotic East
21st April 2021. Welcome to Turkey and the start of an exciting ANZAC experience! On arrival you'll be met and transferred to your hotel in Istanbul. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore an captivating and culturally rich city that touches both Europe and Asia.
Depending on your arrival time in time into Istanbul, you may wish to consider joining our Optional Backstreets Of Istanbul Tour taking place today. The tour commences at 9am. For further details of the excursion, please see our tour Trip Notes.
Overnight: Istanbul
Istanbul Old City Tour
We'll spend the morning cruising the amazing Bosphorus strait, the geographical divide between Europe and Asia. Later we'll return to dry land and discover the old city on a guided sightseeing tour, taking in the stunning Iznik tiled Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome area, the 6th century Hagia Sofia, the ancient Underground Cistern and more. This afternoon time is given for you to explore the mammoth Grand Bazaar and exotic Egyptian Spice Market, the latter located opposite the ferry terminal. Afterwards, you can opt to stay and discover the old city by night or return to the hotel.
Overnight: Istanbul | Breakfast
Gallipoli - WW1 Battlefields
Istanbul - Gallipoli - Canakkale/Ayvalik. This morning we depart Istanbul and head across the dardanelles waterway that forms the continental boundary between Europe and Asia. Later in the day we will explore ANZAC Cove and the many memorials dotted across the WW1 battlefields. Our guided tour takes in sights including ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine Memorial and cemetery, Chunuk Bair Memorial and cemetery, the Nek, Johnston’s Jolly and the many fortified trenches still clearly visible amongst the scrub after all these years.
Overnight: Ayvalik/ Canakkale | Breakfast
ANZAC Eve at Gallipoli
Cannakale/Ayvalik – Troy - Kilitbahir - Gallipoli. This morning we enjoy a short-guided tour of Troy. The legend of the lost city of Troy and Homer’s poetry was brought to life by its rediscovery in 1863. We then continue to the village of Kilitbahir, situated on the eastern shore of the Gallipoli peninsula, and dominated by the fortress of the same name. You'll have some free this afternoon before early this evening we all relax at before entering the Cove. Once we're in Anzac Cove you are free to visit the memorials and trenches that dot the area before taking our places amongst the many at the Dawn Service site for the atmosphere-charged ANZAC Eve vigil.
Overnight: Dawn Service Site (Anzac Cove) | Breakfast
ANZAC Day - Gallipoli 2021
Gallipoli - Istanbul. Today, the 25th April is the reason we came to Turkey and Gallipoli. Dawn and first light signals the commencement of the annual Dawn Service, attended by Australian, 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 gives us time to reflect. Lest we forget.
The service lasts for an hour and public wreath laying at the ANZAC Memorial site is possible afterwards. Later this morning Australian’s have the opportunity to visit the Lone Pine Memorial Service. Our New Zealanders are invited to attend the New Zealand service at Chunuk Bair later on in the morning, after which everyone will be picked up (exact time and location to be confirmed with your guide). We anticipate an early afternoon departure time from Gallipoli for onward travel to Istanbul. Crossing the Dardanelles by ferry we will arrive into Istanbul later this afternoon.
Overnight: Istanbul
Istanbul - your way
26th April 2021. After a final breakfast and hotel check out at 12 noon our tour sadly concludes. We go home with some wonderful memories.
Breakfast
Combine this tour with Egypt!
If you like our ANZAC Digger tour and are interested in combining this trip with a holiday in Egypt, check out our 13 day Giza & Gallipoli or 18 Day Anzac & Ancient Egypt tours.
This trips offer the best of ancient Egypt with visits to the legendary Pyramids of Giza and Valley of the Kings, plus felucca sailing, Luxor Temple by night and more.
Prices & Dates
Departure dates noted with a 'G' are guaranteed to operate. All other departure dates are guaranteed with a minimum of 4 persons. Prices shown are per person when there are 2 persons sharing a room. The 'Single supplement' is compulsory for solo travellers or if your booking party cannot reach the minimum of 2 persons in a room and the amount needs to be added to the per person price. The single supplement offers the comfort of your own room and is also available to any other person wanting their own room.
Extra Prices
Person
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An excellent trip, one of the best I have experienced, thank you.”
The tour was comprehensive and wonderful. Being able to experience Gallipoli and learn about the war from a Turkish perspective was invaluable. Our guide Reggie was the best! He was so knowledgeable and friendly, went out of his way to help me during the tour. I have expressed to all of my friends that a tour in Turkey wouldn't be complete without Reggie.
Thanks for a great tour!”
Reggie was an absolute star and a wonderful guide. His knowledge of the history and sites was great and he shared it in such an easy way. His tours were fun and relaxed. You could ask him any questions and while he told you when to be careful he certainly didn’t scare anyone with unnecessary warnings. I would most definitely book another tour, particularly if Reggie was the guide.
The coach was comfortable and clean and fine for the trip though I think it wouldn’t have been so comfortable if we had had a full tour compliment and you spent longer travelling.
Information on the ANZAC ceremonies was excellent - it was a real shame that you couldn’t do both the Lone Pine service and make it to Chanuk Bair in time for the NZ service but there isn’t much you can do about that. We were well informed and I think it is important to make sure that continues as I know there were other visitors who had been told conflicting information and didn’t make it to Chanuk Bair when that was the main service they wanted to get to.
I thought both the Backstreets tour and the City tour were very good and I would highly recommend doing both of them if people have the opportunity.
I am really pleased I booked with On the Go Tours. I had the most amazing experience and felt comfortable and safe because everything was so well organised. ”
I took your ANZAC digger tour last week and it was amazing. Experiencing the dawn service at Gallipoli was truly moving and our tour guide Reggie was so funny and knowledgeable. He answered our endless questions not just about ANZAC and Turkish history but also modern Turkish life in general. The tour was better for having him as our guide and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to other Australians considering touring Turkey. ”
I really enjoyed the time i spent in Turkey. As I had Recep for 2 tours that I did, I found we developed a good friendship. He was a excellent guide whose knowledge was excellent and he was never unable to answer a questioned asked to him. This added to the whole experience as you were never wondering about any unknowns. Our tour bus was great as was our driver who always had a smile even after a long day behind the wheel. All Fantastic. ”
Excellent fun.Very enjoyable.Loved meeting new people.Would not hesitate to recommend.”
We really enjoyed the tour, we felt we saw enough of Turkey to whet our appetite to want to come back and explore further, the tour was a good introduction. Ali was a great Guide, very knowledgeable, with a great sense of fun and humour. He also was very organized with meals and sorting the accommodation. He was also conscious that there were a few older people on the tour and was considerate towards their needs.”
Murat by far is the best tour guide I had had the pleasure to be associated with. His wealth of knowledge of the various ancient sites and Turkey was by far very comprehensive and detailed.
Nothing was to much trouble for him and he kept us entertained. He showed us and explained a lot of the modern history as well as the ancient history of TURKEY.
If I get back to Turkey again I would request that Murat be our guide.”
Thank you very much. I really enjoyed my tour. Thanks for all your great advice along the way, really enjoyed the history. ”
Guide excellent, Gallipoli Excellent, Istanbul Excellent. ”
In Brief
Extra Tour Info
An excellent trip, one of the best I have experienced, thank you.”
