Updated 24 April 2025
Anzac Day commemorative services in Gallipoli, Türkiye
Safety
Middle East
Updated 24 April 2025
The 2025 Anzac Day commemorative services at Gallipoli will be held on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 April. More information on the services, what to expect at Gallipoli, and what to bring, can be found on the Australian Government's page about Anzac Day events in Gallipoli.
New Zealanders attending the 2025 Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will require an attendance pass. You can get a pass by registering on the Overseas Commemorations Website.
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 struck Türkiye on 23 April. The earthquake epicentre was in the Sea of Marmara in the Silivri area about 80 km west of Istanbul and occurred at around 12:50pm local time.
The earthquake was felt across Istanbul and was also felt at Gallipoli in Çanakkale Province. Local authorities have reported that there were no deaths and no major structural damage has been identified.
The earthquake has not impacted plans for the Gallipoli commemorations on 25 April. If you have any questions or concerns about your travel plans please contact your tour company, travel provider or accommodation.
All New Zealanders planning to attend the Gallipoli Anzac Day Commemorative Services are encouraged to:
The Gallipoli Peninsula is about 4 hours' drive from Istanbul. The nearest towns to the commemorative sites are:
The peninsula is a national park, and there is no public transport to it. It’s recommended you go as part of a guided bus tour.
Security and crowd management at the commemorations are the responsibility of local security staff. If you attend, you’ll go through an airport-style screening at the entrances to sites, including bag searches. Follow the instructions of security staff at all times.
Local health authorities provide limited medical support at the commemorative sites. Support is designed for medical emergencies rather than minor ailments. Bring your own first aid kit (e.g. sunscreen, band-aids and paracetamol) as these are not provided. Ensure you have medical insurance before you go overseas.
Facilities designed for persons with disabilities or restricted mobility are not generally available in Türkiye. Before organising your trip, contact a travel agent, tour operator or the local tourist authority to find out whether local transport, accommodation and attractions will cater for your needs.
For this region of Türkiye, we advise you to exercise increased caution (level 2 of 4). Read our full travel advice for Türkiye.
You will see there are areas in south-east Türkiye that we advise New Zealanders avoid non-essential travel to, and other areas that we advise New Zealanders do not travel to (along the Syrian border).
Exercise increased caution elsewhere in Türkiye, including in Ankara, Istanbul and on the Gallipoli peninsula, due to the heightened threat of terrorism and the potential for civil unrest.
Protests
Read our advice about the recent protest activity in Türkiye.
New Zealanders in Türkiye are advised to avoid all political gatherings, protests and demonstrations as even those intended to be peaceful can escalate and result in violence. You should adhere to any instructions and restrictions issued by the local authorities, including curfews which can be imposed or extended with little warning.
Terrorism
There continues to be a high threat of terrorism in Türkiye, with isolated attacks conducted by various terrorist groups or individuals occurring in November 2022 (Istanbul), October 2023 (Ankara) and in January and February 2024 (Istanbul). New Zealanders throughout Türkiye are advised to remain alert and keep themselves informed of potential risks to safety and security by monitoring the media and other local information sources. We recommend following any instructions issued by the local authorities and exercising a high degree of vigilance in public places, especially around government buildings and sites associated with Turkish security forces.
Stay Safe
Be security conscious around landmarks and places known to be frequented by foreigners, such as embassies, tourist locations, shopping malls, entertainment areas, public transport facilities, airports, hotels, nightclubs, restaurants, places of worship and identifiably western businesses.
The security environment in Türkiye may change between now and Anzac Day. We recommend that New Zealanders travelling to Türkiye for the Anzac commemorations regularly monitor SafeTravel and our travel advice, which will be kept under close review in the lead up to the event.
Consular staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be in Türkiye over the commemorative period to provide on-the-ground consular assistance required by New Zealanders attending the Gallipoli commemorations.
For information on the kind of consular assistance the New Zealand Government can and cannot provide, read the information we provide in our When things go wrong section.
Throughout this period, New Zealanders requiring consular assistance should contact the 24/7 Consular Emergency Line on +64 99 20 20 20. The emergency numbers in Türkiye are:
Foreign travellers may also contact the Tourist Police in Istanbul on +90 212 527 4503 during office hours.
Street Address Kizkulesi Sokak No.11, Gaziosmanpasa, Ankara, Türkiye
Telephone + 90 312 446 3333
Fax +90 312 446 3317
Email [email protected]
Website New Zealand Embassy to Türkiye | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (mfat.govt.nz)
Hours Mon - Fri 0830 - 1700