11 Day ANZAC Day Tour - Starts & Finishes in Istanbul

11 Day ANZAC Day Tour Detailed Itinerary and Trip Notes
4 Day ANZAC Tour
ANZAC Day at Gallipoli - What to Expect

For those with a little bit of extra time, our 11 Day ANZAC tour allows you to participate in the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Gallipoli and then see some of Turkey's main attractions.

Price:  GBP840 / AUD1370 per person twin share GBP 905 / AUD1480 per person single


Day 1 - 24th April - Welcome to Istanbul
We meet at the Aya Sofya in Sultanahmet in Istanbul at 6.30am for a 7am departure to Gallipoli. Along the way we will stop so you can stock up on supplies to see you through the night and the following day.

Once we arrive at the Gallipoli peninsula, we will do a tour of the battlefields with one of the most experienced Gallipoli tour guides in Turkey.

Following the tour we make our way to Anzac Cove in the early evening, to make sure we have a good spot for the long night ahead. Overnight at ANZAC Cove (Please note: no accommodation is provided for tonight - you will sleep under the stars to get the full ANZAC experience)

Day 2 - 25th April - ANZAC Day at Gallipoli
We will awake before sunrise for the Anzac Day Dawn Service. After the service you will make your way on foot to either the Lone Pine Memorial or the Chunuk Bair Memorial for the Australian and New Zealand services. Unfortunately the tight timing of the services and long walking distances makes it difficult to attend both services.

Our bus will pick you up at the designated meeting point after the Australian and New Zealand services, and we will make our way to Kusadasi - a port town a short drive from Selcuk, where the ruins of Ephesus are located. We will stop for dinner along the way. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 3 - 26th April - Ephesus
Guided Tour of Ephesus. Ephesus is the most visited ruin site in Turkey. The facade of the library alone is worth the trip. After a trip to the Virgin Mary's house, this afternoon we drive to Pamukkale, where we will enjoy a poolside barbeque and stay the night.

Day 4 - 27th April - Pamukkale
Today we do a guided tour of Pamukkale, which takes you to see the amazing travertines (calcium pools) and the ruins of the ancient spa town of Hierapolis. Night in Pamukkale.

Day 5 - 28th April - Fethiye / Oludeniz
Depart Pamukkale for Fethiye and the beautiful town of Oludeniz with one of the most stunning beaches in Turkey. On the way, we stop in Dalyan to experience a mud bath and visit the famous turtle beach. Free Afternoon. Night in Oludeniz.

Day 6 - 29th April - Oludeniz
Today, weather permitting, we will do a boat cruise around beautiful Oludeniz Bay. If the weather is not kind to us, this activity will be substituted with a visit to a hamam and the ghost town of Kayakoy. Night in Oludeniz.

Day 7 - 30th April - Olympos
Today we drive from Oludeniz to Olympos where you will have the experience of staying in a tree house. Situated on the Mediterranean coast, the tiny village of Olympos today hides the fact that it was once a powerful city holding an out numbered three seats in the 17th Century six seat federation until piracy brought about its demise. Tonight you will have the amazing experience of climbing Mt Olympos to see the Chimaera, also known as Yanartas or Burning rock. The Chimaera are flames that burn from the crevices of the rocky slopes of Mt Olympos. Night in Olympos.

Day 8 - 1st May - Antalya / Konya
Today we travel to the warmth of the city of Antalya, situated on a rocky coastline, with the impressive Taurus Mountains in the background. We will visit the Roman ruins of Perge with its amazing stadium and unusual Hellenistic-Roman gate towers. Then we move on to visit Aspendos which has the best-preserved Roman theatre in Turkey, and one of the best in the world. After a day of ruin-hopping, we move on to Konya where we will spend the night.

Day 9 - 2nd May - Konya to Cappadocia
This morning we visit the Mevlana (Whirling Dervish) museum before travelling to Cappadocia where we visit Ilhara Valley, where you will see dozens of painted churches carved from the rock which have survived the centuries. We will also visit Derinkuyu Underground City, extending eight levels underground, and carved out of volcanic rock. Night in Goreme in a cave hotel.

Day 10 - 3rd May - Cappadocia
OPTION : Before sunrise enjoy a fabulous 1 hour hot air balloon ride over the top of the amazing landscape of Cappadocia. Celebrate with a champagne on landing.
Full day tour of Cappadocia visiting places such as Zelve Valley, Goreme Open Air Museum and more. Night in Cappadocia in a cave hotel.

Day 11 - 4th May - Cappadocia - Ankara - Istanbul
This morning we drive to Ankara where we visit the "must-see" Museum of Anatolian Civilisations which houses the best artefacts from all of the major excavations in Turkey. We then make our way back to Istanbul where our tour finishes this evening when we drop you back to the Aya Sofya.

Inclusions:
  • Fully registered, english speaking tour guide.
  • 9 nights hotel accommodation (one night sleeping out at ANZAC Cove)
  • 9 breakfasts
  • 9 dinners
  • Entrance fees
  • Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking coach.
Not included:
  • Drinks
  • Tips
  • Entrance to the Cleopatra Antique Swimming Pool at Pamukkale

We recommend you read our guide to what to expect on ANZAC Day to help you make the most of your trip.