Anzac Day Tours 2009 Turkey

                                  5 Day ANZAC TOUR (A-Alpha)
The five day Anzac tour (A) is ideal for those people who have limited time but wish to attend the Anzac Day Commemorations and get a taste of what Turkey has to offer.  The tour starts and finishes in Istanbul and includes a fully guided tour around the Gallipoli region on the 23rd April before heading back to the area for Anzac Day.
 

Early Booking Discount available until 30th September 2008
4-5-6 DAYS ANZAC TOURS  a) 1-3 people = 5% discount  b) 4-6 people = 7% discount  c) 7-more people = 10% discount	Please Note = These discounts are off   the tour prices and not additional activities  such as Early Acc, Gala Dinner, etc...

Start Date: 22/04/09
Finish Date: 26/04/09
Start: Istanbul
Finish: Istanbul
Places Visited: Istanbul – Gallipoli - Edremit
Duration: 5 days – 4 Nights
Price:  Double/Twin/Triple : £199.00–Single : £249.00
If you are travelling alone and would prefer to pay the lower rate then we can match you up with someone of the same gender to share a twin/triple room (Subject to Availability).
 
·  Includes all entrance fees,
· Transportation in a fully Air-Conditioned, Non-Smoking new model Luxury Coach, 
· Fluent English speaking professional tour guide for the duration of the tour,
· FREE T-Shirt,
· A range of Gallipoli documentaries & movies to watch during bus journeys,
· FREE Flashlight for the dark night at the Dawn Service and to take home with you,
· Anzac Day memorial services at Gallipoli,
· All accommodation as per itinerary in 3 & 4 star hotels,
· We have Turkish, Australian and New Zealand staff who have good knowledge of Gallipoli and Turkey,
· Private Security,
· No camping! No hidden extra costs. Don't wake up to Nightmares,
· We have been running Anzac tours for many years and know what Anzac day in Gallipoli is all about.
 
Day One: Wednesday 22nd April - Arrival in Istanbul
Welcome to Turkey and the beginning of your Anzac tour!
Once you have checked into your hotel (Please note check in times vary between hotels but are normally no earlier than noon) you have the rest of the day free to explore Istanbul and you will meet your guide later that evening who will give you information about the tour and answer any questions you might have.  Today depend on your arrival you can join us on the optional Bosphorus Cruise and Gala Evening.


If you arrive into Ataturk International Airport on the 22nd April then your tour includes an airport transfer to your hotel and you will be met at the airport by the Sammy's Travel team.  Paid airport transfers from Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul on the 22nd April are also available at certain times (Please see FAQs) and if arriving by alternative means then you will be provided details of your hotel in April by email so you can make your own way there.
Overnight: Istanbul
 

Day Two: Thursday 23rd April - Istanbul to Gallipoli - Guided Tour of Gallipoli
After an early breakfast we drive to the World War I Battlefield of Gallipoli stopping along the way to have a break for lunch. You will also have an opportunity to watch a movie about Gallipoli so you get a feel for the type of people who fought in this war and to help you picture conditions 94 years ago. This afternoon on a fully guided tour, you will visit the Kabatepe War Museum, Anzac Cove, Hell Spit Cemetery, Lone Pine, The Nek and the Chunuk Bair War memorial. 


Your guide will reveal stories of battle woes and will bring alive the legend of the Anzac's. By visiting the peninsula on the 23^rd April we get to spend more time exploring without the crowds from other tours that arrive on the 24th. This evening we will travel to our luxurious accommodation, where an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner awaits.
Overnight: Edremit
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner 


Day Three: Friday 24th April - Rural Village Visit and Prepare for Anzac Day
Today you will see and enjoy the rural side of Turkey. You don’t need to wake up early in the morning as we will leave after breakfast for Tahtakuşlar. Here you can observe the ideal Turkish village life of nomads as you look around the only village museum in Turkey (awarded by Unesco).  In this museum there are objects about the fauna & flora of Turkey and all the handcrafted nomadic arts are displayed. Turkish people are Nomadic in origin but today most of them have settled on the top of mountains. There are more than 40,000 nomadic villages and tribes in Turkey and one of them is the picturesque Village of Çamlibel which is on the outskirts of the mythological Olympos Mountain (today’s Mount Ida).  They are waiting for you here to show you the famous Turkish hospitality and friendship. A guest is a king in Turkey therefore you will be made welcome with food and drink while you relax.  In the afternoon we head back to the hotel to enjoy the rest of the day. Make sure you get plenty of rest because ANZAC day will be a long busy day. A buffet dinner will be served so you can fill up before departing for Gallipoli late afternoon.  We arrive at Anzac Cove to ensure we get a good spot for the dawn service. Don't forget your sleeping bags, warm clothes, wet weather gear and torches because Gallipoli is still as dark and cold tonight as it was 94 years ago when your ancestors landed. 
Overnight: Anzac Cove
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner


Please Note: We recommend bringing a small day pack with you to carry things around during the overnight stay and also during the day on the 25th April as you will not be able to access your main luggage from when you leave Edremit until you arrive in Istanbul on the night of the 25th.  Your main luggage will be securely locked away in the coach overnight.


Day Four: Saturday 25th April - ANZAC Day (Gallipoli to Istanbul)
At first light the day begins with the Dawn Service held at the ANZAC Commemorative Site, which will be followed by the Australian and New Zealand memorial services held at Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair respectively. Today is the reason you came to Turkey, to commemorate the sacrifice your forefathers have made. Emotions run high and this afternoon you will travel back to Istanbul, arriving there in the late evening.
Overnight: Istanbul
Meals: Lunchbox


Day Five: Sunday 26th April - The end of the tour
After breakfast the tour finishes and we bid farewell to our new found friends and exchange e-mails. Wherever you are heading to next you will take unforgettable memories and a new understanding of this country that plays such an important part in your history.
Meals: Breakfast


Tour Includes:
Arrival Airport Transfers
Arrival airport transfers are free for customers arriving at Ataturk International Airport between 8am and midnight on the 22^nd April. For full details on how our airport transfers work and getting to your hotel on the first day of the tour then please see the FAQ section.


IMPORTANT:  It is essential that customers who wish to use our transfer service send us full flight details including airline name, flight number, terminal number, arrival time.  It is your responsibility to ensure we have this information before 7th April 2009 otherwise we cannot guarantee that a transfer will be available.


Accommodation: 2 X Night Istanbul (3 Star), 2 X Night Edremit (4 Star) + Anzac Cove
Meals: 3 X Breakfasts, 2 X Dinners, 1 X Lunchbox
Transport: Air Conditioned (Non Smoking) Coach
All Entrance Fees
Professional English speaking Guide
Gallipoli Tour
Nomadic Village Visit
Anzac Day Memorial Services


Tour Excludes:
Meals unless stated
Departure Airport Transfers
Drinks
Flight Tickets
Personal Expenses
Tips for Guides and Drivers


Important Information:
If you wish to arrive in Istanbul earlier than the 22^nd or stay longer than the 26th then we can arrange pre & post tour accommodation for you although we have limited availability of this.  The cost £20 for a Double/Twin/Triple or £30 for a single room.  Please indicate that you require this when making your booking.


 If you are travelling alone and would prefer to pay the lower rate then we can match you up with someone of the same gender to share a twin/triple room (Subject to Availability).


General Travel Information:
When booking an Anzac tour it is important to ensure that your tour operator is a member of TURSAB which is the Turkish regulatory body of tourist activities.  It is illegal for non-members to operate tours in Turkey without a TURSAB license and membership number.  Damlacan Tourism is a member of TURSAB (License No:1714).


Notice: Before you book with any agency, it is most important that you check all the details of the services offered. Low budget offers usually don't cover many services, such as: entrance fees, standard of the coaches, accommodation in Gallipoli, professional lecture about Gallipoli, private security, doctor, professional guide (not an escort or offsider), references of the agency and background.


Australian Govt. Announcement access Gallipoli ANZAC Day 2009 The Australian Dept of Veteran Affairs is making special arrangements for those with special needs in an effort to assist aged and infirm visitors.
Read more about this at:
http://www.dva.gov.au/commem/anzac/gallipoli01.htm#assistance
Also note from their website : "Travel by passenger car to these services is not allowed and on completion of the Dawn Service, official coaches will depart before public coach departures to meet Turkish protocol  requirements." 


Please, Read the notice from Australian Embassy :
A brief warning from the Australian Embassy web site: "Accommodation in the Gallipoli area, particularly for the night of 24 April, is very heavily booked well in advance of ANZAC Day. Intending travellers will need to make bookings as early as possible to secure accommodation.