Gallipoli
A pilgrimage of remembrance on a wild peninsula
Gallipoli (Gelibolu in Turkish) is the long, wild peninsula on the European side of the Dardanelles where the 1915 Allied campaign cost more than 56,000 Commonwealth, French and Ottoman lives in nine months of trench fighting.
For British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand families this is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations on earth — Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, Cape Helles and the Helles Memorial are scattered across pine-clad cliffs above bays the troops never reached. We send British clients here to find a great-great-grandfathers grave, to walk the trench lines with a licensed military historian, and to stand on V Beach at the moment the Lancashire Fusiliers landed before dawn on 25 April 1915. Outside the battlefields, the peninsula itself is wild, empty and beautiful.
The five experiences that make a Gallipoli trip unforgettable
Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair
The two most-visited ANZAC memorials, set 2km apart on the high ridge; we run private guided half-days with a Turkish military historian who speaks fluent English.
Cape Helles and V Beach
The British and French sector at the southern tip of the peninsula, with the Helles Memorial (20,500 names with no known grave) and the rusting hulk of SS River Clyde still visible from the cliff.
57th Regiment Memorial
The Turkish memorial honouring the regiment that died almost to a man holding the Chunuk Bair line; an essential counterweight to the Allied story.
Anzac Cove dawn ceremony
Every 25 April the Australian and New Zealand governments host a sunrise service attended by 8,000+ pilgrims; we book accommodation up to 12 months ahead for this event.
The right month makes the trip
Ideal: April to October, with 24-25 April for the ANZAC Day services
The peninsula is open year-round but November to March can be cold, wet and windswept. April marks the campaign anniversary and ANZAC Day; the British Memorial Service at Cape Helles falls on the same morning. May and September give clear walking weather without the dawn-service crowds.
Combine in a single trip
- →Troy and Canakkale (1 hour by ferry across the Dardanelles)
- →Istanbul (4 hours by car, ending or starting the trip)
Gallipoli: questions British travellers ask us
Can you help me find a great-great-grandfathers grave at Gallipoli?
+
Yes — this is one of the things we do best. Send us his service number, regiment and (if known) date of death and we will pre-locate the grave or memorial panel using the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database, brief our guide accordingly, and bring you to the exact stone or panel on the day. Many British families do this with a wreath; we can pre-arrange a poppy wreath laid at your time slot.
When is ANZAC Day and how do I attend the dawn service?
+
ANZAC Day falls on 25 April every year. The Australian and New Zealand governments host a sunrise dawn service at Anzac Cove from approximately 5.30am, followed by the Lone Pine service for Australians and Chunuk Bair for New Zealanders. Numbers are now controlled (8,000 capacity by ballot for Australians and New Zealanders only — British, Irish and other Commonwealth visitors attend the British service at Cape Helles at 9am the same morning). We book accommodation 12 months ahead for ANZAC week.
How long do I need to see Gallipoli properly?
+
Two full days minimum. Day one covers the ANZAC sector — Anzac Cove, Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, the Nek, the 57th Regiment Memorial. Day two covers the British and French sector at the southern tip — V Beach, W Beach, Cape Helles, the Helles Memorial, the Turkish Cape Helles Memorial. One-day trips from Istanbul are physically possible but you will see only the highlights and miss the V Beach landing site.
How do we get to Gallipoli from the UK?
+
Fly direct UK-Istanbul (4 hours) on Turkish Airlines, BA or Pegasus, then private car 4 hours south-west to Eceabat or Canakkale. Alternatively fly Istanbul to Canakkale (CKZ) on a 50-minute internal flight (we book this on the same itinerary if you prefer to avoid the road). Most clients do both — drive down via Tekirdag and fly back.
Is Gallipoli suitable for older British relatives or those with limited mobility?
+
Yes, most of the major memorials and cemeteries are accessible by car with short flat walks (Lone Pine, Chunuk Bair, the 57th Regiment Memorial). Anzac Cove itself is at the foot of a steep cliff but the road runs alongside. We arrange wheelchair-accessible private vehicles on request and brief the guide to take a slower pace. We have taken many British clients in their 80s and 90s on this trip.
Other destinations
Your Turkey trip, written from scratch
Tell us your dates, taste and budget. We will return within 24 hours with a fully costed, day-by-day itinerary — no obligation, no fee.
Free, no-obligation enquiry
Plan your Gallipoli trip with our concierge
Tell us a little about who's coming and when — we'll send a tailored itinerary within one working day. No pushy sales, no spam.