Essential ANZAC & Egypt 2025

Wednesday 23 April 2025. Welcome to Turkey. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the incredible city of Istanbul. Istanbul is easy to get around on foot and there are plenty of attractions dotted about the old city known as Sultanahmet. Maybe head to the Grand Bazaar or the Egyptian Spice Market, both open today! This evening after our welcome meeting opt for a drink in the bar, a great way to break the ice and meet fellow travellers.

Istanbul - Gallipoli. Spend the morning at leisure in Istanbul. This afternoon we drive to Gallipoli. En route to the peninsula we'll stop for a bite to eat, stretch our legs and stock up on supplies for the evening ahead. Upon arrival (exact time subject to Dawn Service Site opening hours) you will be given instructions about where to meet with your coach on 25 April, after the services have concluded. 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.

Gallipoli - Istanbul. A poignant bugle call along with first light heralds the start of the Dawn Service. Lasting around an hour, the service is a special and moving experience and it's possible to lay a wreath at ANZAC Memorial site after the service has concluded. Later this morning Australians have the opportunity to pay their respects at the Lone Pine Memorial Service, while New Zealanders can attend the service at Chunuk Bair. After the Chunuk Bair service we anticipate an early afternoon departure time from Gallipoli, for our return journey to Istanbul. Please note: the 2025 national memorial services at Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair are subject to confirmation.

Saturday 26 Apr 2025. Istanbul - Cairo. Our ANZAC tour of Turkey comes to an end today and our Egypt adventure begins.

Please Note: The flight from Istanbul to Cairo isn't included in the cost of the tour. Turkish Airlines offers flights from Istanbul to Cairo and open jaw tickets are available into Istanbul and out of Cairo. If you require assistance we can arrange flights on your behalf. Please provide us with your incoming flight details to Egypt and we will be there to meet you at Cairo airport and transfer you to our hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Upon arrival to Cairo the remainder of the day is at your own leisure before the rest of your Egyptian adventure. Perhaps relax by the hotel pool or for those that are arriving before 8.30am, join our optional Backstreets of Cairo tour which departs the hotel at 10am (best booked prior with your travel consultant). This optional tour takes you off the beaten track in Egypt's bustling capital, visiting Downtown Cairo, the exquisite mosques and monuments of El Moez Street in Islamic Cairo, Garbage City and the incredible Cave Church of St. Simon.

Cairo - Aswan. Our tour begins with a visit to one of the world's most famous sights this morning - the legendary Pyramids of Giza and the iconic Sphinx. Built over 4500 years ago, the three great pyramids are sole survivors of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.

This afternoon we take a guided tour of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which contains an incredible array of relics and antiquities including the treasures of King Tutankhamun and his spectacular gold funerary mask. Our sightseeing today also includes a visit to a government supervised Papyrus Museum. This evening we board the night train to Aswan.

Please Note: the Grand Egyptian Museum is scheduled to open in late 2024, though an official opening date has yet to be released. If travelling prior to the opening of the new facility we'll visit the Egyptian Museum instead.

Our train pulls into Aswan early this morning and we check into our hotel. Then we take a scenic boat ride out to Agilika Island for a guided tour of the beautiful Philae Temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Isis. Travelling back to Aswan we visit a perfume oil emporium before spending the rest of the day at leisure. Relax by the hotel pool, explore Aswan's colourful souks and watch a beautiful sunset over the Nile.

Today these in an early morning optional excursion to the magnificent Temple of Abu Simbel. The gargantuan rock-cut temple at Abu Simbel was created to revere the mighty pharaonic ruler King Ramses II. Guarding the entrance to the temple, the four colossal statues of Ramses II sit majestically, staring out across the desert.

The rest of the day is free to relax, enjoy the hotel facilities and independently explore this attractive riverside city. Time can easily be spent strolling along the broad Corniche watching felucca sailboats tack, ambling around the city's souk - renowned as the best outside of Cairo, sitting in floating restaurants listening to Nubian music.

Aswan - Kom Ombo - Luxor. This morning we bid farewell to Aswan and drive to the ancient temple of Kom Ombo, which is dedicated to the crocodile headed god - Sobek. After a guided tour of the temple we travel on to Luxor. Home of the legendary Valley of the Kings and Temple of Karnak, 4000 year-old Luxor is ancient Egypt at its best! Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

This morning is free to relax by the pool or independently explore the ancient city of Luxor, which is often referred to as the world's greatest open-air museum. This afternoon we enjoy a guided tour of the Temple of Karnak, a magnificent religious complex, dedicated to the Theban gods and built on a gigantic scale. In evening there's an optional tour of the beautiful Temple of Luxor (book and pay locally). This remarkable temple and the Avenue of Sphinxes which leads to it, are most spectacular at night when they're illuminated by hundreds of atmospheric lights.

Luxor - Cairo. We travel to Luxor's West Bank this morning for a guided tour of the legendary Valley of the Kings, which is home to an array of beautifully decorated pharaohs' tombs, three of which you can enter. Arriving at the West Bank we will be greeted by the towering 18m-high Colossi of Memnon and after the Valley of the Kings we enjoy a tour of the beautiful Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Returning to the hotel the afternoon is free to relax by the pool. This evening we board the overnight train to Cairo.

Saturday 3 May 2025. This morning we arrive back into Egypt's bustling capital. We return to our start hotel which marks the end of our tour.

Day use rooms can be purchased at an additional cost or you may wish to purchase extra nights and extend your stay. You could also do some last minute souvenir shopping we offer an optional visit to Cairo's bustling Khan el Khalili bazaar. There is an included departure transfer to Cairo airport.

Please note flights should not be booked to depart before 2pm. Cairo post tour accommodation can be arranged on request.