ANZAC 2025 Memorial Tour of Turkey - 11 days
ANZAC 2025 Memorial Tour of Turkey - 11 days
ANZAC 2025 Memorial Tour of Turkey - 11 days
11 Days Starting and ending in Istanbul
Visiting: Istanbul, Cappadocia, Cappadocia's Goreme Valley, Pamukkale, Ayvalik, Eceabat & Gallipoli
Tour operator:
Tour code:
151/AMT
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
2 - 32
Age range:
18yrs or 16yrs accompanied by an adult
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact On The Go Tours with specific dietary requests
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Tour Overview
ANZAC Day Gallipoli 2025. Starts: 16th April. Take in the highlights of Turkey and attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Gallipoli on this 11 day tour. Marvel at the spectacular landscape of Cappadocia and discover the remarkable Roman ruins of Ephesus and Pergamum. See Istanbul's iconic Blue Mosque and paddle in Pammukale's thermal pools. Visit legendary Troy and Gallipoli's WW1 battlefields, before commemorating the brave ANZACs on ANZAC Day in 2025.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Istanbul
Location: Istanbul
Wed 16th April 2025. Welcome to Turkey and the start of a unforgettable ANZAC experience! Airport to hotel arrival transfer. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. If you are arriving to Istanbul early, we recommend 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. This evening meet your guide and fellow travellers at a welcome meeting.
Day 2: Istanbul
Location: Istanbul
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we set off on guided tour of the old city, taking in the stunning Iznik tiled Blue Mosque, historic Hippodrome area, 6th century Hagia Sophia (exterior only), ancient Underground Cistern, Topkapi Palace and more. This afternoon, we take a relaxing cruise on the Bosphorus Strait. Look out for waterside palaces framed by a modern city skyline dotted with expansive domed mosques and towering minarets of traditional Ottoman style. Afterwards there's free time to independently explore. From here you can either stay and discover the old city by night or return with your guide to our hotel for a little rest and relaxation.
Day 3: Cappadocia
Location: Cappadocia
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Istanbul - Cappadocia. Today we depart Istanbul and begin our lengthy journey across the country towards Cappadocia. We'll make a number of stops on route. After arriving into Cappadocia this afternoon, the rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 4: Cappadocia's Goreme Valley
Location: Cappadocia's Goreme Valley
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Perhaps the jewel in Turkey’s crown, Cappadocia is an extraordinary national treasure. Gaze in awe at this unbelievable landscape with its cave dwellings and phallic ‘fairy chimneys’ landscape that are the stuff of fables. Whole troglodyte (hermit) villages, subterranean churches and fortresses have been hewn from the soft, porous, eerily eroded rock of Cappadocia. A guided tour of the region takes us to the World Heritage listed Goreme Valley where we’ll see stunning examples of rock-cut Byzantine churches, chapels and temples, and Zelve monastery with its jaw-dropping landscape of towering eroded rocks.
Day 5: Pamukkale
Location: Pamukkale
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Cappadocia - Konya - Pamukkale. It's an early departure this morning as we head for Pamukkale. On the way we visit the 13th century Seljukian masterpiece of Sultanhan Caravanserai before arriving in Konya. In Konya we visit the Mevlana Museum also known as the Green Mausoleum which is the original lodge of the Mevlevi Whirling Dervishes. We then continue our drive to Pamukkale for our overnight stay.
Day 6: Pamukkale
Location: Pamukkale
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Pamukkale - Ephesus - Kusadasi. Famed for its unique cascades of natural mineral rich pools, Pammukale captures the heart of any traveller. Here we can paddle our feet in the warm water flowing over the terraces or take a relaxing dip in the Pamukkale Thermal Baths. Just beyond the thermal pools we make a stop at the Roman ruins of Hierapolis.
This afternoon we continue to the legendary Roman ruins of Ephesus. Easily the best-preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean, Ephesus stood as a vast Roman city with a population nearing 250,000. Rumoured to have been founded in the 13th century BC, it became the Roman capital of Asia Minor and enjoyed prosperity thanks to commerce and visiting pilgrims who flocked for a glimpse of the magnificent Temple of Artemis - one of the Seven Ancient Wonders. Strong archeological remains can be seen at Ephesus including the Great Theatre (once capable of seating 25,000 spectators at one time), Curetes Way (one of the main thoroughfares) the Temple of Serapis, the elegant façades of the Temple of Hadrian and the awesome Library of Celsus - underlining its status as a centre point for Roman urban life. Off Curetes Way are ancient public toilets, a brothel, remains of fountains and various temples. We end our day at our hotel in Kusadasi.
Day 7: Ayvalik
Location: Ayvalik
Accommodation Name: Overnight: Assos
Meals Included: Breakfast
Kusadasi - Pergamum - Assos. This morning we drive north, stopping at the Roman ruins of Pergamum and its impressive hillside amphitheatre. We also visit the neighbouring Asclepion - a Roman precursor to modern-day hospitals - before continuing onto to Assos.
Day 8: Eceabat & Gallipoli
Location: Eceabat & Gallipoli
Accommodation Name: Overnight: Assos / Canakkale
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we 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.
Day 9: Cappadocia
Location: Cappadocia
Accommodation Name: Overnight: Dawn Service site (ANZAC Cove)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Assos – Troy - Kilitbahir - Gallipoli. After a morning at leisure 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. After exploring Kilitbahir we stop in the town of Eceabat for dinner (at your own expense) before entering the Cove. Once we're in Anzac Cove you are free to visit the memorials and trenches in the area before taking our places among the many at the Dawn Service site for the atmosphere-charged ANZAC Eve vigil.
Day 10: Anzac Day - Gallipoli 2025
Location: ANZAC Day - Gallipoli 2025
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 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.
Day 11: Istanbul
Location: Istanbul
Meals Included: Breakfast
Sat 26th April 2025. You tour ends after breakfast and hotel check out. We hope you have had a wonderful holiday in Turkey and a memorable ANZAC Day 2025 experience.
What's Included
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Accommodation
4 - 5 star -
9 breakfasts and 4 dinners
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9 nights 4 - 5 star hotels
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1 night at the Dawn Service site
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Guided sightseeing of Ephesus, Pergamum, Pammukale/Hierapolis and Cappadocia
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Guided sightseeing of Istanbul including the Blue Mosque, Underground Cistern, Hagia Sophia (exterior), Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome area and Egyptian Spice Market
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Guided sightseeing of Gallipoli, battlefields and war memorials (subject to site opening times set by the Anzac Day Organising Committee)
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Cruise along Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul
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English speaking, degree qualified Turkish tour guide
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Airport arrival transfer on day 1 from Istanbul International Airport at any time, or from Sabiha Gokcen Airport at 11am and 3pm only
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All relevant transfer and transportation in private modern air-conditioned vehicles
What's Not Included
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International flights and visa
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Attendance Pass for ANZAC. Please see the Trip Notes for information on how to obtain your attendance pass - these are free of charge but need to be registered for in advance
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Tip for your tour guide and driver: as a guideline we recommend you budget EUR €5 - 7 per day, per traveller for your guide and EUR €2 per day, per traveller for your driver. Tipping your tour guide and driver is an entirely personal gesture
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Entrance Fees: EUR€265-285pp, paid in EUR
Age Policy
18yrs or 16yrs accompanied by an adult
Check out our Q&As
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1998
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
Reviews from travellers on this tour
1 Select your preferred date
Wednesday - Saturday
Apr 16, 2025 - Apr 26, 2025Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 600 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of on the go tours charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.