ANZAC 2008
COMING SOON !!!
(14 Days Itinerary)
23nd April - 6th May
Istanbul - Gallipoli - Troy - Ephesus - Fethiye - Pamukkale - Cappadocia - Istanbul
HIGHLIGHTS;
LOCALLY GUIDED TOUR OF ISTANBUL, including BLUE MOSQUE, HIPPODROME and UNDERGROUND CISTERN; NO CAMPING; CAPPADOCIA, KONYA, FETHIYE, PAMUKKALE AND HIERAPOLIS, KUSADASI (EPHESUS), CANAKKALE, TROY, 2 NIGHTS IN ECEABAT, FULLY GUIDED TOUR OF GALLIPOLI including ANZAC COVE, SHRAPNEL VALLEY, CONKBAY HILL, LONE PINE (Aussie memorial) AND CHUNUK BAIR (Kiwi memorial), ANZAC DAY MEMORIAL SERVICES; Packed BREAKFAST AND Packed LUNCH ON ANZAC DAY
Day 1 Monday 23rd April
Arrive in Istanbul and City Tour
Own arrangements to Istanbul. Check into your city centre hotel and be greeted by your PP rep. All rooms are twins, doubles or triples. At 2.30pm, meet your Turkish guide and PP rep along with fellow travellers; we will go over the itinerary and timings for the tour in detail, this briefing will be held in the hotel's bar/reception area. We then take you on a city tour of Istanbul and introduce you to some of the cities many sights. Included are the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque and Underground Cistern. In the evening we offer you the opportunity to experience a traditional Turkish belly dancing cabaret show with dinner and drinks cost £30.
Day 2 Tuesday 24th April
Cove Tour – Gallipoli (Eceabat)
After an early breakfast we depart for Gallipoli. On arrival we take you on a tour to ANZAC Cove to learn of the fate of over 10,000 Australians and New Zealanders. We visit the memorial sites at ANZAC Cove, Shrapnel Valley, Conkbay Hill, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair as well as the many cemeteries. We then tour the Kabatepe Museum and orientation centre we then drive to Eceabat and you check into our accommodation. Our pensions, while only basic, sure beat camping. Eceabat is the closest town to Anzac Cove and Best of all you are in the centre of the pre-Anzac Day commemorations. After checking in you then have the opportunity to relax before we drop you at Anzac Cove early evening so you can get your spot for the Dawn Service.
DAY 3: Wednesday 25th April- Gallipoli – Memorial Service - Eceabat
Packed breakfast is supplied today. It is a good idea to bring a sleeping bag and warm clothes, as it can get very cold in the early hours. Later you can attend the Australian Memorial, Lone Pine and the New Zealand Memorial Service at Chunuk Bair. After the ceremonies we then make the short journey to Eceabat and you have the rest of the evening free to reflect upon a very moving day.
DAY 4: Thursday 26th April Eceabat – Ayvalik (via Troy)
After breakfast we cross the Dardanelles to Canakkale and visit the ancient city of Troy on our way to the beach side town of Ayvalik, where we will spend the night.
DAY 5: Friday 27th April – Ayvalik – Kusadasi (Ephesus)
After a leisurely start we drive to Kusadasi taking in the archaeological wonder that is Ephesus. This magnificently preserved ancient Greco-Roman town will give you an excellent insight into an historic civilization. We then visit the house of the Virgin Mary. We take the opportunity to visit a tridational carpet and leather factory. Then it’s a free evening to enjoy the area of Kusadasi.
DAY 6: Saturday 28th April – Kusadasi
After breakfast you have the day free to take in the sights of Kusadasi or relax and eat seafood for which Kusadasi is famous.
DAY 7: Sunday 29th April – Kusadasi – Fethiye
After breakfast we take the leisurely drive to Fethiye, taking in some of the beautiful country side of forest and mountain ranges. Fethiye, the land of lights, where the torrent of civilizations created in the time tunnel and gliding from inaccessible summits of wild Tourus Mountains meet to the foamy dark blue water of Mediterranean.
DAY 8: Monday 30th April – Fethiye/Olu Deniz
In the morning we venture down to the lagoon at Olu Deniz. We then drive out to the ghost town of Kaya Koyu and later we walk to the nearby Lycian Tombs. Early evening we travel back to Fethiye.
DAY 9: Tuesday 1st May – Fethiye - Pamukkale
After breakfast we travel to Pamukkale and the famous 'Cotton Castle', the calcified basins with the naturally hot mineral water cascading down the hillside. We also visit the archaeological site of Hierapolis.
DAY 10: Wednesday 2nd May – Pamukkale - Konya– Cappadocia
After breakfast drive to Cappadocia via Konya. Konya is the spiritual and temporal home of the Whirling Dervish and Mevlana.
DAY 11: Thursday 3rd May - Cappadocia
After breakfast we visit the rock fortress in Ortahisar, the underground city of Kaymakli and we head up to the Uchisar castle for a fantastic view of the area. In the evening there is time to do a little shopping and then relax in one of the local restaurants and bars.
DAY 12: Friday 4th May - Cappadocia
Depart from the hotel to visit Dervend valley to see the unique fairy- chimneys. Then visit Zelve open air museum, the side of a 4th century monastery, where three canyons meet in one valley. Drive to Pasabag (Monk Valley) to see the interesting mushrooms-shaped pinnacles. In the afternoon visit another beautiful open-air museum at Goreme where the rock-cut churches of Christian settlements date back hundreds of years. Also see the natural castle at Uchisar.
DAY 13: Saturday 5th May – Cappadocia – Ankara - Istanbul
After breakfast we drive to Istanbul via Ankara, which is the capital of Turkey. We will see the museum of Ataturk and the museum of Anatolian Civilizations. This is our last evening together and a great opportunity to farewell new found friends.
DAY 14: Sunday 6th May – Istanbul
The tour ends after breakfast. If you are staying an extra night we can arrange for you to go on the Bosporus cruise tour (cost £15) and can point out the Grand Bazaar for shopping, or a Turkish bath, if you wish to experience one.
Price: 429 £ SOLD OUT
For the dawn service please bring your own sleeping bag and thick clothes.
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