Small-Group Yosemite Day Tour from San Francisco

Overview

Yosemite National Park is a must-visit California gem, and this day trip from San Francisco makes it easy. Leave the urban hustle-bustle behind and journey through Central Valley, Gold Country and the Sierra Nevada foothills to UNESCO World Heritage–listed Yosemite National Park. Take a 1.5-hour narrated van tour of Yosemite Valley, including Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls and El Capitan, and then set off on your own for three hours to explore independently. Numbers are limited to 23 on this small-group tour, ensuring a more personalized wilderness experience.

City: San Francisco

Sun 27 Oct

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $179.00

Make a reservation

Sun 27 Oct

Starting at $179.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Yosemite National Park entrance fee

Narrated in-coach tour of Yosemite (1.5 hrs)

Full-time professional, knowledgeable guide

Transport by biofueled mini-coach

Hotel pickup and drop-off from select SF hotels

3 hours of free time in the Valley

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
Face masks recommended

What To Expect

San Francisco Bay

As you settle in for the journey, we’ll pass by some exceptional San Francisco sights. Catch views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and the incomparable San Francisco Skyline as we head east on the Bay Bridge. The journey to Yosemite typically takes about 4 hours.

Oakdale

You’ll taste a piece of California’s rich agricultural hub as we pass through a slice of the Central Valley famous for specialty fruits and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cherries, and strawberries. Here we will also make a stop at a grocery store for you to pick up lunch and any other supplies you'll need for the day.

Tunnel View

We’ll continue into the mountains as we connect with the rich history of California’s gold country, passing through some of the first settlements built during the Gold Rush. Take in the earthy forest smell as we make our way to the heart of the park. Your guide will pepper you with stories and historical facts about the different sights. The climb through Yosemite Valley offers breathtaking views as we wind our way up to 4,500 feet above sea level. Arrive at Yosemite National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, massive sequoia trees and biological diversity. Admire famous Half Dome, depicted in famous photographs by Ansel Adams, and watch rock climbers scale El Capitan's 3,000-foot (914-meter) sheer granite rock face. Enjoy incredible vistas from the Tunnel View overlook, and end your in-coach tour near the base of Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America.

Yosemite Valley

The suspense is over! Once we reach the drop off location, you’ll have around 3 hours of free time to explore. Want to hike or bike around? Your guide will point out the best spots on your map. You’ll have options to meander or bike down paved paths, hike the trails, engage further with the park’s history at the visitor center, or visit the Ansel Adams Gallery. Although you could spend three weeks in Yosemite, the three hours you get on your own is enough time to understand why Yosemite is one of America’s most popular national parks.

Yosemite Falls

During your free time in Yosemite Valley, you can talk a walk or bike around the base of Yosemite Falls to take in its beauty.

Ansel Adams Gallery

During your free time in Yosemite Valley, you can choose to visit the famous photographer' gallery to view a collection of Ansel Adams' original photographs.

San Francisco

Once we’ve had our time to explore, we’ll come together in the late afternoon and set our course back to San Francisco, stopping for a short break before arriving back in the city. You will arrive back at your hotel by around 8:30 – 9:00 p.m. to sleep off the days’ adventures.

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Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (350)

btzar

Oct 2018

Had a great (& really long) day tripping from San Francisco to Yosemite with the adorable Ariel. With limited time in the park I wanted to get in a little hiking and in her words 'she's got me'. Perfect weather for a short, beautiful hike, totally recommend!!

Hugo_Wa

Oct 2018

I took the daytrip from SF to Yosemite today. It is quite a long drive from San Francisco (4 hours including a rest stop half way), but it is certainly worth it. The first hour of the drive (once having passed the bay bridge) is a less interesting, but once you get to the central valley, the view starts to get interesting and the scenery keeps changing: Farms, drier land, a descent into the Sierra Nevada, getting into the forests of Yosemite..... In Yosemite we had 3 hours of free time. Obviously this is not enough to see everything, but it is enough to walk around the valley, see the fall (although dry in this season), the meadows, the surrounding granite rocks..... Molly was the perfect guide for this trip. Thanks a lot for taking us to Yosemite . And thanks a lot for advising the California Turkey ;-) Truly recommended

kirstynz7

Oct 2018

We took this 1 day tour on a stunning warm October day. Tour pick up was not from hotel we were staying at, but we were instructed to go to Hilton Union Square, luckily was only a 10 minute walk from our hotel. Then the bus had an engine warning light come on, so we had to wait for a replacement bus. Although we thoroughly enjoyed the valley and scenery we didn't get the multiple photo stops as indicated in itinerary on route, we just stopped once for photo at Tunnel View which was spectacular. We had 3 hours free time but felt there wasn't enough suggestions of options for what to do in this time. We walked around valley floor and ate picnic lunch by river which was beautiful but if we had our time again would have either hired a bike or used free bus and gone to end of valley to take a decent walk. Maps supplied were bit useless and only given to us as we arrived in the valley so no time to really plan what was our best options in the 3 hours. I think the maps and a list of realistic options for walks etc should have been given to us as we were picked up in the morning. Then we could have had a chance to read the blurb and make some plans ahead or arriving at Yosemite. Our female guide and driver was lovely and a good safe driver. I can't recall her name. Food stop on way there and back was ok. Supermarket was very slow at making sandwiches to order so get in quick for these if that's what you want as they were really good sandwiches! Warning to those who don't have good English, there was no audio in any other language.