Leave your centrally located Istanbul hotel in the early morning by air-conditioned coach. Then, relax on route to the infamous Gallipoli Peninsula, the site of one of the bloodiest military campaigns of WWI. As you travel, hear hard-hitting facts from your guide about the failed Allied land campaign that began in April 1915 with landings of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). The ANZACs were expected to beat back Ottoman Turkish forces and capture Istanbul — known then as Constantinople — to help struggling Russian forces. By January 1916, however, the campaign was over, and Allied troops evacuated, with a believed total loss on both sides of 100,000 lives.
After about 5 hours, arrive at Gallipoli for your guided tour of its key sites. Visit ANZAC Cove, the beach of the 25th April landings, and The Nek, the scene of a tragic Australian attack. Spend time, too, at Johnston’s Jolly, where the original Turkish and Allied trenches still stand.
You’ll also view the haunting memorials that remember the dead. Visit the poignant Australian Lone Pine Cemetery and Memorial engraved with the names of nearly 5,000 soldiers, and see the New Zealand Memorial at Chunuk Bair, the site of a heroic New Zealander stand in August 1915.
Your tour includes a stop for lunch in the early afternoon, with your meal included and drinks available at your own expense. At around 6pm, leave the battlefields and relax as you drive back to Istanbul, where your tour ends with a hotel drop-off. Please note: the order of activities as described above may be subject to change on the day of your tour.
This was an awesome experience. Our guide was so knowledgeable and friendly. Although a long day. Very spiritual, very sad at times but well worth the honour to pay respects to those that fought so we could be here today.
It was a full day (early start; late finish) but worth it. Knowledgeable guide and fun group of Aussies on the tour. Turks are great people and it is a crying shame we went to war and killed each other. No shame on the soldiers but poor show on generals and politicians.
The briefing and information received by Baruk was great. Great way of presenting all the Information and specific details. Humerous and engaging. It was a great day.
A very good day with an excellent guide who knew the history from both sides. The minibus was comfortable and not too arduous. We visited the relevant sites and heard stories of valour and bad decision making which is what Gallipoli is all about. An essential pilgrimage for ANZACS
Excellent - all went very well - the minibus from Istanbul was comfortable and our guide to ANZAC Cove etc was excellent, and very knowledgeable A very pleasant and informative day..
Was an honour to see the ANZAC Battlefields at Gallipoli. My guide, Hasan, was really knowledgable and interesting, helped me learn a lot. Hasan was also funny and a really good story teller, so he made a good day great and very memorable. It is a long day with a long drive from Istanbul, but if you are like me and really want to see where our ANZAC bravely stood, then its worth it.
Great tour. The group size was about 15 in a nice mini bus which was really good. Pick up and drop off from my hotel was very useful in such a large city. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. He also gave great insight from the Turkish perspective as well as the Anzac which was very interesting.
Our guide, Charlie, was extremely knowledgeable. He certainly made our trip an unforgettable experience.
The actual Gallipoli experience was OK The young guy that was our guide was too glib for our taste about a very poignant pilgrimage family members made to visit the battle sites of Gallipoli. The main problem we had was the transportation on the way back to Istanbul when we were squished in the back for five hours and the level of service regarding food etc and the extreme squash were well below our expectations. Our complaints to the Crowded House company were dismissed rudely we felt and although the driver was very professional we felt that the owners of the business were not open to any criticism or suggestions for improvements
Our tour guide was extremely Knowledgeable and gave great insights to the different areas around gallipoli
perfect just what I wanted, saw everything, good commentary, the stops were the right length of time but we were able to stay longer if we wished. I will recommend for any NZ or AUS
The tour was fantastic our tour guide was very knowledgeable and would highly recommended the operator except I’m so disappointed I paid over twice the price going through Viator than I would have buying a ticket from the hotel the operator and everyone else on the tour paid it was a rip off!
Small group (10). Picked up from hostel at time advised. Stop for breakfast (own expense) then lunch (provided - tasty soup, maze & fresh fruit). Guide (Bulant) was knowledgeable, informative and hospitable. Long day - 6am till 10pm - but we’ll worth the effort to learn more about both Aust and Turkish links to this historic battlefield. Our timing seemed to be good (Tuesday second week of Nov) - no crowds, just our group at most of the stops, the weather was fine and warm.
What a great experience. Highlighted by the amazing depth of knowledge of our guide Baurok. He truly brings the stories to life with everything from the overarching strategy of the campaign down to tiny details about food and water etc. Very highly recommended.
Well, what can I say. My sister and I were thrilled to have Burak as our guide. His passion for his work left us in no doubt that he thrives on the history of Anzac and his country. We learned so much more about the landing and the disorganisation of the whole lead up to the landing. We both reccommend this tour as a must do. I must add that our drive back was like a ride through hell. Too fast and too much traffic. But we did arrive home in one piece thankfully.
<p>Great well organised trip<br/> Highly recomended</p>
<p>Fantastic tour. Great guide Mahmoud very knowledgeable brought tears to our eyes.</p>
<p>Very special place for all Australians, New Zealanders and Turkish people. Great to see this with an unbiased viewpoint with a Turkish guide. However, it is a long day! Nearly 18 hours in total, including about 12 hours on the road. But the good side was a thorough all areas guided tour of Gallipoli and Anzac Cove and the memorials.</p>
<p>Long day but well worth the effort<br/> Driver and two guides were very friendly, helpful and informative<br/> Not too many toilets during tour of Gallipoli itself so be aware</p>
<p>the best part of our holiday in Europe - our guide was passionate, knowledgeable and seemed pleased to be showing us the battle field.<br/> lots of stops, on and off the bus to visit sites and a good explanation of what happened at each of the sites. Great photo opportunities.</p> <p>And while the pickup from the hotel was efficient, our bus driver told us nothing about where we were travelling, how long it would take, what stops we would have and our arrival at the meeting place had no explanations as to what was going to happen next.</p>
<p>Had a fantastic time. <br/> The tour guide was amazing who obviously had a real passion for the history of the area.<br/> The drive from Istanbul was worth it definitely.</p>
<p>The tour wasn't 15hours, it was more like 18. The guide we got in Gallipoli was a world of knowledge. The bus seats are very small so hard on the knees if you are over 5'5.</p>
<p>While the tour was great and the guide was very knowledgable I think the title and additional cost of the tour was wrongly advertised. A small group tour to me is no more than 12 people however we were on tour with nearly 40 people. It was really disappointing as we were expecting the small group tour to be quite intimate and have more access to the guide however as it was so large I didn't feel we got the same experience. If I had know it would be such a large group I would have booked the normal tour. If I have any family and friends thinking of doing this tour I wouldn't recommend it as the normal tour would suffice.</p>
<p>It was a really fantastic day. Long, as everyone else said. Take your own snacks and water. </p> <p>Our guide really knew what he was talking about but at times I found him hard to understand. </p> <p>Definitely recommended if you're a kiwi or an aussie</p>
<p>Amazing trip, worth every cent. Something every Aussie should do, very informative guide, long day but worth it !</p>
<p>Amazing guide, so much knowledge. A moving experience. Long day but well worth it</p>
<p>The day was very good! The guide was knowledgeable and thorough and very interesting! Very full one day trip. Extremely worthwhile</p>
<p>What an amazing day. Very long but completely worthwhile. Informative experienced guide who took us to so many pivotal places in our history.</p>
<p>Thoroughly enjoyed Gallipoli and will recommend this tour highly, extremely moving experience!</p>
<p>Be prepared for a very long day however this tour is well worth it. Pickup from your Hotel at 6 am and drop off back to your hotel close to midnight. About 5 hours drive to Gallipoli and then another 5 hours back to your hotel in Istanbul. A few things in regards to Neon of which we were not happy about. As we booked this tour with Neon we expected a Neon Tour Bus to pick us up. However, the Tour group that took us was Hassle Free Tours. The guide (Munt) did not speak to us much at all on the 5 hour journey to Gallipoli only to tell us when it was time to have a break and what time to be back on the bus. When we finally arrived in Gallipoli another Tour Guide (Murat) took over and then it started to get a lot better from there. We had lunch (which was okay) before we set off on our tour around Gallipoli. Murat was excellent, spoke very good English, had a great sense of humour and his knowledge on the history of Gallipoli is very extensive. He gave us a great insight and an unbiased account of the strategies they used and how these soldiers suffered through this sad time. We started from the beginning right to the end and took in all the important landmarks. About 6pm we headed back to Istanbul - quite exhausted - and arrived back at our Hotel around midnight. The drivers both ways were excellent. However just a heads up that the food in these road side services doesn't look too appetising and if you have a sensitive tummy you are better off bringing some of your own snacks (we had bananas etc). Well worth it.</p>
<p>The tour of Gallipoli itself was extremely good, but the whole day was spoilt by the lack of communication regarding the transport from Istanbul to Gallipoli and return. We were part of a very full tour, and without exception every person was disappointed in the confusion caused by the lack of advice that was forthcoming on the outward and return journeys. Otherwise this would have been a very very good experience.</p>
<p>This tour was great. The bus ride was quite long and our bus had problems with the airconditioning, but apart from that it was comfortable and enjoyable. The tour of Gallipoli itself was informative and interesting, the guide was very knowledgeable and his information was interesting to listen to. We had a couple of waits, one at the lunch break and one after the tour, while we were waiting for other people who were meeting us from another tour, and this was a little annoying. All in all the tour was good though and I would recommend it to others.</p>
<p>The most amazing tour we did on our 4 week holiday!!! The drive to and from Istanbul is long, but comfortable and you can nap :) The tour itself was amazing - a must do for any Kiwi's or Aussie's. Once you start the tour there aren't alot of toilet stops so pace drinking your water! Also bring snacks for the drive there and home. Such a beautiful place to visit would go back in a heart beat!</p>
<p>Although its a long drive it is worth every minute! Our good was wonderful and so knowledgable and adapted the tour to how we liked it and what we wanted to see. Sends goosebumps down your spine being there. A must do trip, loved it!!!</p>
<p>It's a long trip but well worth it. The tour guide was very knowledgable</p>
<p>Bus was comfortable, tour guide was informative. A very memorable experience.</p>
<p>A very full day but comprehensive.<br/> Made special by our excellent professional guide and his delightful sense of humour</p>
<p>Very worthwhile tour for those interested in the Australian and New Zealand history in 1915. Day trip is very long, with no particular hurry to get you there or get you home, around 5 hours each way. The guide when you arrive is excellent and has a great balance in the presentation of Turkish and Allied events. Recommended, but only for those who can handle the bus trip, (driver and roads were fine)</p>
<p>This was the most moving experience of my life, unforgettable, guide was very informative, don't leave Turkey without being drawn into this tour, it has a hold on you as soon as you step onto Anzac Cove, it's very haunting, you can feel the presents of all those boys and men that lost their lives on the shores of a the unforgiving coastline of Turkey.</p>
<p>Learnt so much about the Anzacs as well as the Turkish side of the battle. This tour was informative and well worth the trip from Istanbul.....great day out and such an important part of Aussie history</p>
<p>The best thing about the day was the guide. The site itself was fascinating. The day was made longer by delays in picking up from hotels and the changer to other buses. The bus was small and cramped for the long day.</p>
<p>Gallipoli is incredible and well worth the long trip from Istanbul. The included lunch was lovely and overlooked the water. The tour guide at Gallipoli was very friendly and informative. The only negative was the delays caused by stopping in three different places on the trip. One was for a 45-minute break, about an hour after we left Istanbul. The second break was after the afternoon at Gallipoli. We were returned to the restaurant where we had lunch and told the wait there would be around 45 minutes - however we could buy our dinner there! Around 90-minutes later we had another break at a retail outlet and food shop for another 45-minutes or so. We definitely got the sense that these additional stops were designed for the "tourists" to spend.</p>
<p>As an Australian, this tour is a must. The whole area is steeped in history and emotion and the guide that we had was so knowledgeable and so interesting - he made the day. It is a long trip from Istanbul but it is definitely worth it. Lunch was really good.</p>
<p>The trip was great, it is a very long day but GALLIPOLI is a must for any Aussie, Kiwi or Pom. <br/> The tour guide was great, fantastic knowledge and just the right amount of time at each spot.<br/> The downside was the bus trip home, heavy traffic after the EID Holiday. That was ok, however what is not ok was the fact the bus driver and his off sider, who did not pick us up at the start of the day, had no idea about our hotel location or other peoples hotel. This added at least another hour to an already long day. So a must do trip but please make sure all drivers have a good understanding of hotel locations.<br/> Milton</p>
<p>The saving grace of this tour was that the guide taking us around the Gallipoli area, he was superb, he could not have been better. Also pick up was on time . However, the small mini-bus - 15 seater for 15 of us, meant we were cramped and it was not suitable for such a long trip of 5 hours or more each way, though okay for locally around Gallipoli area - just not on main roads when a larger more comfortable bus is needed. The driver on the way out was a nightmare. He wandered all over the road, used the indicators only once (in view of a police car), did not use his seatbelt and took 6 incoming calls plus made one outgoing one also - NOT using hands-free. To westerners this is unacceptable and we felt put us at risk. The stops en-route seem to be more to suit the driver and courier's cigarette breaks than the client's convenience. The first stop on the way out was abysmal! Filthy cafe, slow service and the toilets next door in the OPet garage disgusting. Returning driver was much better, but still cigarette stops required even though we were behind schedule and back at midnight only.</p>
<p>It was a hot Wednesday, an early day that started with pick up at 6:45am. A long ride on a mini van where I could catch up on some sleep but also taking the opportunity to overlook the suburbs and countryside of Istanbul. Overall even though half of the day was taken up by getting there and back the 5-6 hours that was the tour there was educational and memorable with a passionate Turkish tour guide . Being able to learn and see it through the eyes of the countless soldiers who fought tirelessly and the number that lost their lives seem to outweigh the amount that survived. Best to do this day tour and also have another day available for Troy. I know I will be going back for that. Most cemeteries and memorials were situated by the beach and is quite peaceful where people would go swim. The lunch provided at a restaurant in Maydas (situated by the ocean) was tasty.</p>
<p>Enjoyed the trip overall. The small bus wasn't that comfortable for the ten hour trip. Lunch was ordinary at best. Guide was very good.</p>
<p>Absolutely fantastic excursion and was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. Our tour guide was brilliant and very informative. It's a very emotional experience to be there and hear about the many things that happened and to see the memorial and see the trenches where our Aussie Diggers fought and I am very glad I experienced it - my dad fought in the war so I am sure he would have been proud to know that I visited there.</p>
<p>This was a great day trip and fulfilled our expectations of visiting Gallipoli. It was an incredibly long day but worth it and our only complaint was the lunch stop was very ordinary. But other than that, it was a fabulous experience.</p>
<p>We had a great time on this trip - was great to see in person a piece of Aussie/Kiwi history. It was a long day, but we were given so much information from a wonderful tour guide once there in Gallipoli. Don't expect too much on the bus trip - we were hardly given any information to or from Gallipoli which we were hoping for. We did however have the opportunity to watch a Gallipoli documentary on the way back in the bus which was good. Would definitely recommend this if you have any interest - it is a very informative, educational and eye opening day.</p>
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