A visit to Gallipoli for ANZAC Day is a life-changing experience. This tour gives you the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the 50,000 Australians who served at Gallipoli, including the 8000 who never came home. The tour visits all of the key sites in Istanbul and on the Gallipoli peninsula – the highlight being the Dawn Service on Anzac Day.
Day 1 - 20 April 2026 | Arrive Istanbul
Welcome to our very special tour! Please make your own way to our centrally located Istanbul hotel. This evening we will meet our Historian and come together for a welcome dinner.
Day 2 - 21 April 2026 | Istanbul - Gallipoli
Our journey in the footsteps of the Anzacs begins today. The group will assemble at our central meeting point in Istanbul at 8.00am for the 5-hour drive to the Gallipoli peninsula. As we drive along the shores of the Sea of Marmara and the straits of the Dardanelles, we will be viewing the waterway that the British, French and Anzac troops were intended to secure during the Gallipoli campaign. This inconspicuous stretch of sea was the cause of the carnage at Gallipoli. On arrival at the Gallipoli battlefield area we will enjoy a local lunch in the port town of Eceabat before crossing the Dardanelles by ferry and visiting Cimenlik Fort in the town of Canakkale. This fort was heavily engaged by Allied warships during the naval battles of February and March 1915 – a huge unexploded British naval shell is still embedded in one of the fort’s walls!
Day 3 - 22 April 2026 | Anzac Sector
Today we will visit the battlefields that were the birthplace of the Anzac legend. We will explore Anzac Cove, North Beach, Shrapnel Gully, Lone Pine, The Nek, Quinn’s Post, Chunuk Bair and many more. The most moving part of this experience will be spending time in the cemeteries where thousands of Anzacs lie, and seeing the graves of legendary Anzacs including John Simpson, the ‘man with the donkey’. Lunch is included at a local restaurant today.
Day 4 -23 April 2026 | Cape Helles & Suvla Bay
Today will be spent exploring a lesser-known, but no less important, chapter of the Gallipoli story, the battlefield at Cape Helles on the southern toe of the peninsula. British and French troops landed on the beaches at Helles at the same time the Australians came ashore at Anzac Cove. More than 30,000 of them were killed in nine months of fighting, as they desperately tried to advance northwards and link up with the Anzacs. Today we will visit the cemeteries where many of them still lie, as well as the beaches where they were mown down as they came ashore. We will also pay our respects to the soldiers on the other side of the line, the Turks, at the impressive Martyr’s Memorial overlooking Morto Bay. We will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant in the pretty village of Seddülbahir, before discovering the story of the Anzac’s forgotten battle at Gallipoli with a visit to the battlefield at Krithia. Hundreds of Australians and New Zealanders were killed here during a murderous advance in May 1915, yet today the battle is virtually unknown. This afternoon we will drive north to visit the battlefields at Suvla Bay, scene of missed opportunities and bitter disappointment during August 1915.
Day 5 - 24 April 2026 | Troy Excursion
The pace will be relaxed today to prepare for our busy day tomorrow. In the morning we will travel south to tour the ancient city of Troy, immortalised in the tales of the Trojan War and the story of the famous Trojan Horse. Lunch will be at a local restaurant and this afternoon we will have time at leisure, a chance to rest before a long night and day ahead. In the evening we will depart for the Anzac Day Dawn Service.
Day 6 - 25 April 2026 | Anzac Day
An Anzac Day we will never forget! We will continue our transfer to the Anzac Commemorative Site by coach. As the dawn breaks over the Gallipoli peninsula, we will join thousands of fellow Australians and New Zealanders in a once-in-a-lifetime event, the Dawn Service at Anzac Cove. As the sun rises behind us, the strains of the Last Post will echo across the valleys and ridges of Gallipoli, silent now but once the scene of so much sacrifice and tragedy.
Following the service, we will walk up to Second Ridge to attend the Australian service at Lone Pine. After the service we return to our hotel.
Day 7 - 26 April 2025 | Gallipoli to Istanbul
We farewell Gallipoli this morning and return to our Istanbul hotel. This evening we will come together for a spectacular farewell dinner on a Bosphorus River Cruise, the perfect way to reflect on such a wonderful tour.
Day 8 - 27 April 2025 | Depart Istanbul
Sadly our travel comes to an end after breakfast at our Istanbul hotel.
Please note: Itineraries are subject to change due to operational reasons. In addition, your Historian may alter the sites visited on each day to suit local conditions. Any changes will be advised closer to the time of departure.
Book by 30 June 2025 to save $300 per couple!
Tour Dates: 20 - 27 April 2026
Call our local travel team on 1300 414 198 to book your place on this unforgettable tour. We can also assist with flights and additional accommodation before or after the tour.
Prices are subject to availability at time of booking and may change or be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Includes 8 nights’ accommodation in 4-star properties
Is Travel Insurance compulsory?
Yes it is a condition of travel on this tour that each passenger is adequately covered by an appropriate travel insurance policy. We strongly advise taking out Travel Insurance at the time of making your booking to provide full cover. If you would like a competitive quote, please call our travel team on 1300 414 198.
Travel at 60 and supplier booking conditions apply
Deposit required to secure booking, final payment due no later than 120 days prior to travel.