About
HISTORY
The dawn landings of Australian and New Zealand troops on 25 April 1915 were a symbolic coming of age for two new nations of the British Commonwealth. The ultimately ill-fated campaign cost over 11,000 Australian and New Zealand lives and today is the centre of memorial services commemorating the fallen from that and all subsequent military campaigns.
FANATICS @ GALLIPOLI
Fanatics first visited Gallipoli in 1996 and we have been organising groups to attend the services with our local travel partners Fez Travel for over two decades.
WHY DO GALLIPOLI WITH FANATICS?
Accommodation
Our tour stays in quality hotel accommodation in Istanbul and throughout Turkey. Our Istanbul hotel is superbly located in historic Beyoglu on the banks of the Bosphorus waterway close to the Galata Tower and Taksim Square.
Our Tour
Both our 5 Day and 11 Day tours include a guided tour of Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district ending with a visit to the Grand Bazaar.
Our 11 Day tour also includes some incredible sightseeing including the ruins of Troy, the port town of Kusadasi, Ephesus (one of Turkey's best preserved ancient cities), the famous cotton terraces of Pamukkale, the out-of-this-world landscape of Cappadocia, and the national capital Ankara. Our professional local guides provide some added historical background from a Turkish perspective.
Atmosphere
All tours observe the sanctity of Gallipoli by not drinking around the battleground site. The Gallipoli peninsula is an extremely serene site and visitors cannot help but be overcome by the memorials of past sacrifice of a generation of young Allied and Turkish citizens.
Upon our return to Istanbul we share in a couple of yarns over a beer and of course the traditional game of two-up!
Local Culture
We have been working with our Turkish tour partners Fez Travel for over 20 years in order to put together a tour program that not only covers the best of Gallipoli and the Anzac Day services but also some of the incredible sights and experiences this amazing country has to offer. Tourists never cease to be amazed at what Turkey has to offer and longer stays are richly rewarded. All of our tours include the services of a full-time Turkish tour guide and our extended tour options include various cultural programs on their tour itineraries.
TOURIST VISAS & EVENT REGISTRATION
Australian & New Zealand passport holders do not require a visa for stays in Turkey of up to 90 days.
All attendees also need to register their attendance at the Gallipoli services before the event. Registations can now be made online HERE.
BEFORE YOU GO
Pre-departure Information
Three weeks before the tour we will email you and update our website with details on getting to your accommodation, what to bring and any last-minute tips to make sure you get the most out of Turkey.
Online Resources
An excellent source of historical information on the Gallipoli campaign is available on the Australian War Memorial's website HERE.
GETTING THERE
A number of airlines connect Turkey and Australia via stops in Southeast Asia or the Middle East. Prices start from around AUD $1,800. Istanbul has two main airports - Istanbul Airport (coded 'IST'), is the busiest of Turkey's major airports and located 55km north of Istanbul, and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (coded 'SAW') which caters mostly for budget airlines and is 55km east of the city centre.
From London Turkish Airlines and British Airways fly into Istanbul (New) Airport (IST) and Pegasus and Easyjet fly to Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW). Arrival and departure airport transfers are included in the tour.