D-Day 75 th Anniversary Tour to UK & France Led by Prof. Glen Harper (War Studies, Massey University) & David B. Hill (Award-winning Tour Director & Historian) Tour Coverage: Group Size: Length: United Kingdom & France Minimum 16 PAX & Maximum 20 PAX 16 Days / 15 Nights (with Optional extension of 5 Nights) History Leader of the Tour: Prof. Glyn Harper, War Studies, Massey University I am Professor of War Studies at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. I was the Director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies for eight years and am now Massey Project Manager of the Centenary History of the New Zealand and the First World War. I joined the Australian Army in 1988 and after eight years transferred to the New Zealand Army, where I reached the rank of lieutenant colonel. I was the New Zealand army s official historian for the deployment to East Timor and am the author of more than twenty books many which achieved best seller status. Tour Director: David B. Hill With a passion for people and history, I started guiding tour groups out of London in 1976. After twenty-five years in hospitality, aviation and tourism, in 2003 I returned to guiding, through NZ, Australia and Europe. In 2007 I received a Global Recognition Award from US company Grand Circle Travel. In 2014 I received a Te Papa Tupu Maori Literature Trust/Creative New Zealand Award as an emerging writer. My first book, based around the fall of Singapore, will be published by Huia in 2019. A graduate in Political Studies and Art History, other interests include architecture and music. I am a Life Member of both the New Zealand National Trust and the Auckland Museum and Institute, and a member of the Military History Society and the Author s Society.
Itinerary Day 01 26-May-19 [Sunday] DEPARTURE DAY AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Flight NZ282 from Auckland by at 00.55 to Singapore Day 02 27-May-19 [Monday] ARRIVAL DAY LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT Flight SQ308 from Singapore to London Heathrow Arrival at 3.20pm Transfer to Hotel The day is free for rest and recovery Overnight in Holiday Inn Whitechapel or similar, London 3-course Dinner with drinks included
Day 03 28-May-19 [Tuesday] LONDN After breakfast, the coach will pick you up We start our tour at the beginning, with a visit to Churchill s War Rooms, from where much of the planning and execution of the D-Day invasion was controlled. In the afternoon we enjoy a guided tour of the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth. We proceed to have a relaxed dinner at a local restaurant, before being transferred to the Hotel. Overnight in Holiday Inn Whitechapel or similar, London
Day 04 29-May-19 [Wednesday] LONDON Breakfast at the Hotel Our coach picks you up and take you to Imperial War Museum, Duxford Britain s largest Aviation Museum, to learn about war in the air Lunch is at a local pub (own expense) We continue through the English countryside, to Bletchley Park, Bedfordshire, from where the covert war was conducted We then enjoy a leisurely dinner Overnight in Holiday Inn Whitechapel or similar, London
Day 05 30-May-19 [Thursday] PORTSMOUTH After breakfast, we check out from the Hotel. Transfer by Coach to Portsmouth, where the day is spent at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, and includes a visit to HMS Victory, and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport Overnight in Holiday Inn Portsmouth or similar, Portsmouth
Day 06 31-May-19 [Friday] PORTSMOUTH Breakfast at the Hotel. By way of diversion, we visit Stourhead National Trust Garden in Wiltshire. We enjoy an included lunch there at the Spread Eagle Inn In the afternoon, we visit to Bovington Tank Museum, Dorset. Enjoy the included dinner Overnight in Holiday Inn Portsmouth or similar, Portsmouth Breakfast, 3-course Lunch, 3-course Dinner with drinks included
Day 07 01-June-19 [Saturday] JERSEY / ST. HELIERS After breakfast at the Hotel, check out. The Coach will transfer us to Poole Today we experience the sea journey, taking a ferry from Poole to Jersey, in the Channel Isles. The day is free for you to relax With the sea journey behind you, dinner is at your own discretion and expenses Overnight in The Best Western Royal Hotel or similar, St. Heliers Breakfast
Day 08 02-June-19 [Sunday] JERSEY / ST. HELIERS Breakfast at the Hotel We tour the island, and visit the Jersey War Tunnels complex, giving consideration to the unique circumstances around occupied Britain. Afternoon is free for your leisure Overnight in The Best Western Royal Hotel or similar, St. Heliers
Day 09 03-June-19 [Monday] LISIEUX After breakfast, check out Transfer by Coach to the Ferry Terminal After a short ferry ride to St Malo, we arrive in Normandy. We will visit Mont St. Michel, and Omaha beach, on the way to our hotel in Lisieux. Overnight in Mercure Lisieux Hotel Normandie or similar
Day 10 04-June-19 [Tuesday] LISIEUX Breakfast at Hotel Touring Normandy today. We first visit Bayeaux Tapestry Museum Then travel to St-Mere-Eglise, where we visit the Airborne Museum, Utah beach & the Azeville battery; we return home via the village of St Lo Overnight in Mercure Lisieux Hotel Normandie or similar
Day 11 05-June-19 [Wednesday] LISIEUX Buffet breakfast in our hotel. The Highlight of the Tour: Today we are privileged to be able to witness Daks over Normandy, the spectacular D-Day 75th Anniversary event. On 5 June 2019 we will follow into the footsteps of the Greatest Generation! About 250 men and women will board the aircraft in the United Kingdom to, exactly like 75 years before, fly across the English Channel and to jump into the historic drop zones of Normandy. They will be wearing WWII style Allied uniforms and will jump military round parachutes. It will be an event which has no equal. History in the making. Again! Just like in 1944. Overnight in Mercure Lisieux Hotel Normandie or similar
Day 12 06-June-19 [Thursday] LISIEUX Breakfast in the Hotel Anniversary Ceremony: On 6 June 2019, the official international ceremony celebrating this major anniversary will take place on one of the landing beaches and will be attended by and will be attended by many Allied Heads of State. We will attend this ceremony.
Day 13 07-June-19 [Friday] YPRES Breakfast in the Hotel We visit Henri Matisse s garden at Giverny We then visit the Great War battlefields of Picardie and northern France. At Arras en route, we visit Carriere Wellington Museum (audio guided tour) This is followed by Caterpillar Valley CWG We will be transferred at the end of the day to our Hotel in Ypres Overnight in Hotel Novotel Ieper Centrum Flanders Fields or similar
Day 14 08-June-19 [Saturday] YPRES Breakfast in hotel From our base in Ypres, we visit Ploegsteert, Messines We then visit Passchendaele & Memorial Museum 1917 in Zonnebeke, the German friedhof in Langemark, Polygon Wood, Tyne Cot cemetery. We return to Ypres in time to experience the Last Post at the Menin Gate Overnight in Hotel Novotel Ieper Centrum Flanders Fields or similar
Day 15 09-June-19 [Sunday] Le Quesnoy Breakfast in the Hotel Program TBA Overnight in Hotel Novotel Valenciennes or similar
Day 16 10-June-19 [Monday] PARIS Breakfast in the Hotel YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF DEPARTING BACK TO AUCKLAND DIRECT TODAY OR CHOOSE TO EXTEND YOUR TRIP AS FOLLOWS Extension Program (We need a minimum of 6 people for the extension to go ahead) Visit to Les Invalides and the Musee de L armee. Attend a performance of the Folies Bergère, Montmartre (Category 3 Ticket included) Group dinner Overnight in Mercure La Defense or similar Breakfast, Dinner at a local restaurant (drinks on own)
Day 1 (Extn) 11-June-19 [Tuesday] PARIS Breakfast in hotel YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF DEPARTING BACK TO AUCKLAND DIRECT TODAY OR CHOOSE TO EXTEND YOUR TRIP AS FOLLOWS Free day for your own exploration and relaxation Overnight in Mercure La Defense or similar Breakfast
Day 2 (Extn) 12-June-19 [Wednesday] PARIS - SINGAPORE Breakfast in hotel Transfer to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Visit Fort Canning - guided tour of the Battle Box, the command and control centre for the Malayan Campaign, WW2 Overnight in Hotel TBA, Singapore Breakfast, Dinner at a local restaurant (drinks on own)
Day 3 (Extn) 13-June-19 [Thursday] SINGAP0RE Breakfast in hotel Visit Fort Canning - guided tour of the Battle Box, the command and control centre for the Malayan Campaign, WW2 Overnight in Hotel TBA, Singapre Breakfast
Day 4 (Extn) 14-June-19 [Friday] DEPARTURE DAY SINGAPORE AIRPORT Relaxed Breakfast in hotel Check-out, store the luggage in the Hotel, explore on your own. Transfer to Singapore in time to catch the flight departing at 10.25pm Fly to Auckland by SQ285 Day 21 15-June-19 [Saturday] ARRIVAL IN AUCKLAND Cost 1. Base Package 16D/15N a. $9,050 (Twin Share) + Airfare b. Single Supplement: $2,050 2. Extension Program 5 Nights a. $3,200 (Twin Share) b. Single Supplement: $500 Payment 1. A non-refundable deposit of $500 with booking Cancellation Policy 1. Until 40 days prior to travel date, full refund minus an administrative fee of NZ$200. 2. Within 40 days prior to travel date, there is no refund.
Inclusions 1. Flights: Return economy ex-auckland (with an option of upgrades) 2. Accommodations: As outlined in the itinerary 3. Activities & Tour as outlined in the itinerary, including entrance fee 4. Transport: A/C Coach for road transfers and Ferry transfers 5. : As outlined in the itinerary 6. Tour Leaders (Prof Glyn Harper & David B. Hill) 7. All applicable taxes Exclusions 1. New Zealand Domestic flight tickets 2. Visa formalities and fees, if you hold a passport other than New Zealand and visa is required for your nationality 3. Travel / medical insurance will be quoted separately 4. Hotel mini-bar, snacks, beverages, laundry, telephone calls and all other similar incidentals 5. Tipping for services & Shopping expenses Terms & Conditions For our full terms & conditions, please click here.