Commemorate Anzac Day 2025 in Gallipoli

Departures & Pricing

Upgrades, transfers, accommodation and more can be quoted on enquiry — call 1300 414 198.

Itinerary

1. 1

   Sunday, 20 April 2025 | 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.

   Included Meals: Welcome DinnerStay: The Kent Hotel or similar, Istanbul
2. 2

   Monday, 21 April 2025 | 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! 

   Included Meals: Breakfast & LunchStay: Buyuk Truva Hotel or similar, Çanakkale
3. 3

   Tuesday, 22 April 2025 | Anzac Sector

   oday 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. 

   Included Meals: Breakfast & LunchStay: Buyuk Truva Hotel or similar, Çanakkale
4. 4

   Wednesday, 23 April 2025 | 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.

   Included Meals: Breakfast & LunchStay: Buyuk Truva Hotel or similar, Çanakkale
5. 5

   Thursday, 24 April 2025 | 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.

   Included Meals: Breakfast & LunchStay: Buyuk Truva Hotel or similar, Çanakkale
6. 6

   Friday, 25 April 2025 | 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. 

   Included Meals: Snack boxStay: Buyuk Truva Hotel or similar, Çanakkale
7. 7

   Saturday, 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.

   Included Meals: Breakfast & DinnerStay: The Kent Hotel or similar, Istanbul
8. 8

   Sunday, 27 April 2025 | Depart Istanbul

   Sadly our travel comes to an end after breakfast at our Istanbul hotel.

   Included Meals: Breakfast

   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.

Accommodation

Book this tour

Send us an enquiry and a consultant will be in touch, or call 1300 414 198 for personal help choosing a departure.