Tour Inclusions

5 Nights
7 Meals 5 Breakfasts, 2 Dinners
Battlefields
Driver
Tour Leader

ANZAC on the Western Front

6 days
France / Belgium
Max 18 Passengers

Overview

From the trenches of Ypres to monuments marking The Somme, our ANZAC tour maps Australian and New Zealand troops’ movements in WWI – delving into the stories of the soldiers’ involvement in the battles of the Western Front. With poignant visits to cemeteries and national memorials on the agenda, this history-themed journey is perfect for those wishing to learn more about their countrymen who fought and died in the Great War.

Tour Starts/Ends
1 Overnight Stop
Day Stop

Tour Highlights

Have the opportunity to pay your respects at your relatives’ graves with visits to significant sites
Delve into the Australian story on the Western Front at the Franco-Australian Museum
Visit the Wellington Quarries – a network of underground tunnels dug by the New Zealand Tunnelling Company

Gallery

Tour Itinerary

Expand Full Itinerary

Day 1 - Lille (France)
After meeting the group in Lille, we’ll kick off our history-laden journey with a delicious welcome dinner. Accommodation: Hôtel Couvent des Minimes (or similar)
- Meals
  - Dinner
Day 2 - Lille – Ypres (Belgium)
Today’s itinerary will take us from Lille to Ypres via the historic Messines Ridge. Our first stop will be the Passchendaele battlefields – where we’ll walk in the footsteps of WWI allied soldiers who fought to break the German line in 1917. Next, we’ll pay our respects at Polygon Wood and Tyne Cot Military Cemetery before visiting the shell-scarred Hill 60. This afternoon, there’s an opportunity to explore the fascinating Hooge Crater Museum – home to a unique collection of WWI artefacts and reconstructed trenches. We’ll enjoy some free time this evening in Ypres – our home for the next two nights. Accommodation: Albion Hotel (or similar)
- Meals
  - Breakfast
Day 3 - Ypres
Today, we’ll continue to delve into the moving stories of the West Flanders Front, beginning with a visit to the In Flanders Fields Museum – a unique institution that commemorates the four-year trench war and conveys a contemporary message of peace. This afternoon, you’ll be free to explore Ypres at your leisure. A medieval town that was completely destroyed during WWI and rebuilt anew, there is plenty of history to uncover here. This evening we’ll reconvene to attend the playing of the Last Post at the iconic Menin Gate. Whilst renovation to the Gate is ongoing, we’ll still be able to experience the ceremony that has been performed here daily for almost 100 years. Accommodation: Albion Hotel (or similar)
- Meals
  - Breakfast
Day 4 - Ypres – Fromelles and Arras – Amiens (France)
Today it’s out of Belgium and across the border. Our destination? Fromelles, the site of the disastrous attack of 19 July 1916 – where we’ll pay a poignant visit Pheasant Wood Cemetery and the fascinating exhibition nearby. After, we’ll move on to the Wellington Quarries: a network of tunnels built by the New Zealand Tunnelling Company as part of the preparations for the Battle of Arras. We’ll remember Australia’s role in this battle at Bullecourt with a stop at the Digger Memorial later this afternoon. Concluding the day in lovely Amiens, we’ll have the evening to spend as we wish. Accommodation: Hôtel Le Prieuré (or similar)
- Meals
  - Breakfast
Day 5 - Amiens – Somme – Amiens
The Somme still captivates the soul and it’s here that the ANZACs first saw major action in 1916. Today we’ll visit Pozières and Mouquet Farm – significant sites for the Australian soldiers, as well as Longueval and Flers, which were similarly monumental to the Kiwis. Before returning to Amiens, we’ll also take some time to remember the colossal loss experienced by Great Britain with a visit to the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. Reconvening this evening, we’ll reminisce on our unforgettable tour over a farewell dinner. Accommodation: Hôtel Le Prieuré (or similar)
- Meals
  - Breakfast
  - Dinner
Day 6 - Amiens – Villers-Bretonneux– Lille
As the home of the National War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is central to Australian WWI commemoration and memory. Today we’ll visit the Franco-Australian Museum, a site paying tribute to the brave Australian soldiers who helped save the town and a monument to international solidarity. We’ll make a brief stop at the Sir John Monash Centre before shifting our focus to the last year of the war – with a visit to Le Hamel. Our tour will conclude upon our return to Lille.
- Meals
  - Breakfast

Tour Inclusions

Accommodation

- 5 nights in hand-picked accommodation

The Crew

- Experienced Tour Leader and Driver

Transport

- Premium mini-coach transportation

Other Information

I have ancestors who fought in the region. Are we able to visit any spots of personal significance?

We love helping our groups explore personal connections at specific historic sites or cemeteries in Belgium and France – as long as they’re not too out of the way of our official tour route. Have a chat with your Tour Leader on the first night of your tour and they’ll do their best to add any extra stops to your itinerary.

How much walking can I expect to do?

This tour features several fascinating walking tours which take you across weather- and war-beaten battlefields, through vast and tranquil cemeteries, and into eerie subterranean caverns. We’d recommend packing your comfiest pair of walking shoes and preparing for muddy conditions on rainier days.