Itinerary

24th April 2011, Sunday - Istanbul - Gallipoli Peninsula

13:00 Depart for Eceabat from Istanbul.
There will be a rest stop half way where you can buy nibblies for the night ahead.
18:00 Enter the town of Eceabat where we will grab our Gallipoli goodies bag and home made pie for munching on for our drive to the service site.
19:00 Join the convoy of TJs TOURS buses for departure to the Dawn Service site where we will grab a space in the large crowd and wait, listening to the pre dawn program.

25th April 2011, Monday - ANZAC Day Services

05:30 Dawn Service commences as the sun breaks the skyline behind the Turkish Sphinx.
07:30 While waiting for your bus to transfer you to the next service you can eat breakfast on the grass with the group or feel free to tell your leader that you want to go exploring; take your breakfast pack and walk the ridges and old trenches to the next service. Australian and/or New Zealand National services. (Service times for these have yet to be released)
Lunch at restaurant back in town.
Late afternoon Buses depart for Eceabat, where you will check into your accommodation, have a shower and a well-deserved sleep.
19.30 Screening of the Gallipoli movie. And parties around town if you wish to attend.

26th April 2011, Tuesday - Gallipoli Peninsula

8.30 -10.30 Breakfast awaits.
9.30 Documentary: The Fatal Shore
12:00 Restaurant lunch to start off the tour.
Departure for Gallipoli battlefield tour of the ANZAC area.
5 hour tour visiting:

• Kabatepe War Museum.
• Beach Cemetery (John Simpson's grave).
• ANZAC Cove.
• Ari Burnu - first ANZAC landing place.
• Lone Pine - main Australian memorial.
• Johnson's Jolly - walk in the original ANZAC & Turkish trenches and view the tunnels.
• Turkish memorial.
• The Nek - main scene depicted in the movie Gallipoli.
• Chunuk Bair - main memorial for the New Zealand soldiers.

Already toured Gallipoli with us before? Then you could use the day to go exploring in the trenches.

27th April 2012, FRI - Troy & Pergamum Tour - Izmir

After breakfast at hotel, check-out & drive to Troy. The Greek poet Homer wrote about the ancient city Troy in The Iliad. Troy is one of the world's most important archaeological sites because of its place in literature & what it tells us about a critical early period in the development of European civilization. The large replica of the Trojan horse at the front of the ruins, is part of the myth of the Trojan War. After the city of Troy we will proceed to Pergamum. The site of ancient Pergamum is set on a steep hilltop, the capital of Pergamum kingdom after the death of Alexander the Great was a cultural center having a large library rivaling that of Alexandria in Egypt. After the tour, we will drive apx. 2 hrs to reach Izmir. Transfer to hotel upon arrival. Overnight in Izmir.

28th April 2012, SAT - Ephesus

Check out from hotel & driving south to visit the Ancient City of Ephesus which is among one of the best preserved Greco-Roman Cities in the world enabling one to genuinely 'soak in' the atmosphere of Roman times. Enter through the Magnesia Gate & begin a slow, downhill walk with your guide into the ruins of this Roman provincial capital. After lunch, we depart to visit the House of Virgin Mary where she is said to be brought here by St. John & have spent the last of her days. The tour also includes a visit to the remains of Artemis Temple which was one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. We drive back to Izmir to pick up luggage from the hotel & refreshments. Transfer to Izmir Airport for Istanbul flight. Overnight in Istanbul. Optional: You can choose to stay in the region or continue on south to the Turkish Coast. Or you may cross over to Greece from Kusadasi to Samos with a ferry.

29th April 2012, SUN - Istanbul Departure

Free day at leisure. Check out from hotel & depending on your flight time, transfer to Istanbul Ataturk Airport International Terminal for homebound flight.