This 11 day tour, starts and ends in Istanbul, Turkey. Whilst the ANZAC Day ceremonies are the central point of the tour it also visits, amongst other places, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Kusadasi, 5 UNESCO Heritage sites in all.
Welcome to Istanbul, where you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Tonight, meet your guide and the rest of your group.
After breakfast, you enjoy a fully guided tour of the only city to span two continents, visiting the Blue Mosque, St. Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace (including Hagia Irene and the Harem), the Hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar. Tonight don't miss the optional Turkish Folklore evening.
One of the most emotionally touching places in Turkey, today we visit the WWI Battlefields of Gallipoli including Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair Memorials, ANZAC Cove, The Nek, Johnston's Jolly, original trenches and tunnels.
Awake before sun rise for the ANZAC Day Dawn Service. We become aware of the almost deafening silence as the moving service to commemorate our fallen forefathers on this special day begins. You will then have the chance to attend the Australian or New Zealand Memorial service before returning to the hotel in the afternoon.
Depart from Canakkale and head towards Troy where we will explore the and award-winning Troy Museum and the ancient city of Troy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk through the legendary city walls, stand where heroes like Achilles and Hector once battled, and marvel at the remnants of temples and theatres that whisper stories of a glorious past.
Absorb yourself in history today with a guided tour of Ephesus and a visit to the site of the Temple of Artemis. Feel the mystical atmosphere of the ancient city and theatre before continuing to the former Greek village of Sirince, famous for its fruit wines. Carpet weaving has long traditions in Turkey and at the carpet village we learn how the carpets are made by hand and what determines their value.
This morning we will enjoy a display of locally handcrafted leather goods before heading to the magnificent white calcium terraces, known as Travertines, in Pamukkale where we also tour the ancient city of Hierapolis. Take a dip, amongst ancient columns, in the hot springs that were used in Roman times for their therapeutic powers.
Today we travel the ancient Silk Road visiting Sultanhani Caravansary and the Mevlana museum in Konya along the way. Tonight, don't miss the optional traditional Turkish folklore evening!
Marvel at the lunar landscape of Cappadocia today as we visit the Goreme Valley Open Air Museum and the fairy chimneys, and explore the many levels of an underground city.
Early morning departure to the nation's capital, Ankara where we visit Anitkabir, mausoleum of the famed Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, before returning to Istanbul.
Our tour concludes after breakfast and we bid farewell to our new friends.