Ankara School Trip: Preparing Students for an Overnight Departure

A school trip from Istanbul to Ankara is usually an intensive programme that departs at night and returns the following night. Three things make this pace easier: planning the ceremony appointment at Anıtkabir as the very first task, preparing students for the overnight journey and discussing the topics in class beforehand. For a well-prepared group, the Ankara trip is the most powerful real-world counterpart to lessons on the history of the Republic.

The programme at a glance

The Ankara Tour in our catalogue is an overnight-departure programme lasting about 22.5 hours:

• 00:30 Departure from Istanbul
• 03:30 Rest stop
• 06:30 Arrival in Ankara and breakfast
• 09:00 Anıtkabir (the official ceremony requires an appointment), the War of Independence Museum, the First and Second Parliament buildings
• 13:00 Lunch break; Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and Ethnography Museum
• 17:00 Departure for Istanbul
• 21:00 Rest stop
• 23:00 Arrival in Istanbul

Sharing this outline with parents speeds up the permission process and answers the question "Where will my child be, and when?" from the start.

Step 1: The ceremony appointment

Holding a wreath-laying ceremony at Anıtkabir on behalf of the school is one of the most meaningful moments of the trip. The ceremony requires an appointment, and its date and time shape the rest of the programme. So the first step in planning is to confirm the date, and the second is to start the appointment process. Once the date is fixed, we plan the appointment process on your group's behalf.

Within the school, decide the following in advance:

• Which students or teachers will carry the wreath and sign the memorial book?
• What will the group wear for the ceremony? School uniform is the most suitable choice.
• Will there be a short rehearsal with the students who will sing the National Anthem (İstiklal Marşı) together?

Step 2: Preparation in class

Spreading the topics across lessons before the trip means students can say "I know this" on site. Our suggestions, stop by stop:

For Anıtkabir: the main periods of Atatürk's life, the fronts of the War of Independence, and the battles of Sakarya and the Great Offensive. The museum at Anıtkabir tells the story of these battles through large panoramas, so students become far more engaged when they see scenes they already know.

For the First and Second Parliament: 23 April 1920, the opening of the parliament, the proclamation of the Republic and the first reforms. You can ask students to prepare an answer to the question "Which decisions were taken in this hall?"

For the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations: the Hittites, Phrygians, Urartians and Çatalhöyük. Seeing these civilisations, covered in social studies and history lessons, in chronological order at the museum makes the timeline tangible.

For the Ethnography Museum: the traditional crafts and clothing of Anatolia, plus the fact that Atatürk's body was kept in this building until Anıtkabir was completed.

You can find details of the stops in our Anıtkabir visitor guide and our article on the First Parliament and Ankara's museums.

Step 3: Preparing for the overnight journey

The hardest part of an overnight programme is that students start the day short of sleep. To ease this:

• Advise students to rest on the day before the trip.
• Ask them to bring a neck pillow and a light blanket or cardigan.
• Announce from the start the rule of dimmed lights and a quiet hour during the first hours on the coach.
• Add a phone charger and a small power bank to the list.
• The breakfast stop on arrival in Ankara matters for getting the group together; use this time without rushing anyone.

Although the programme departs overnight, there are rest stops along the way. For schools that want a gentler pace, an option with an overnight stay can be discussed at the quote stage.

Step 4: On the day of the trip

• Do a headcount at every stop; appointing a responsible student for each small group speeds this up.
• Remind everyone of the rule of silence in the Hall of Honour at Anıtkabir.
• Give students small tasks in the museums, such as "Find the piece you like most in the Hittite section and note its name."
• At lunch, check that students have enough water and food; the day is long and involves a lot of walking.

Dividing tasks among the teachers

With large school groups, several teachers take part. Agreeing before the trip who is responsible for what saves a lot of time on site: one teacher might handle the ceremony arrangements and the wreath, another the headcounts and student lists, and another health matters and medication. It is also good practice for every teacher to carry a copy of the parent contact list.

Step 5: After you return

A short review in the first lesson after the trip helps what was learned to stick. Suggestions:

1. Ask each student to write a few sentences about the moment that impressed them most.
2. Have groups prepare a "Republic timeline" poster and place photos of the stops on it.
3. Play a game of remembering the names of the towers at Anıtkabir.

You can find general planning information for school trips on our school trips page.

The list to send to parents

• Departure and estimated arrival times
• School uniform and comfortable shoes
• A coat or cardigan suited to the season; Ankara's winters are cold and its summers hot
• Water bottle and snacks
• Regular medication
• Neck pillow and charger

Frequently asked questions

How long does an Ankara school trip take?

In our catalogue programme, the Ankara Tour leaves Istanbul at 00:30 at night and returns to Istanbul at around 23:00; the total duration is about 22.5 hours.

Is an appointment needed for a school ceremony at Anıtkabir?

Yes, the official ceremony requires an appointment. Once the date is confirmed, we plan the appointment process on your group's behalf.

Isn't the overnight journey tiring for students?

The programme departs overnight and there are rest stops along the way. For groups that want a gentler pace, an option with an overnight stay can be discussed at the quote stage.

Which year groups is the Ankara trip suitable for?

It is a trip with a direct curriculum link for middle and high school classes studying Atatürk's principles and reforms and the history of the Republic. Because of the overnight pace, we recommend considering the option with an overnight stay for younger pupils.