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)

Jungha_K

Jul 2018

sorry but it was not like tour. It was like a transportation to go there. We passed many view points which other travel agency were stopped.

Paula M

Jun 2018

My husband and I did this tour with Nicole as our guide. She was very friendly and knowledgeable. Yosemite is a long way from San Fran and the scenery on the way wasn't exciting but it's definitely worth the long drive. We got 3 hours of free time to go for a hike and to see the falls. Nicole stopped at all the good photography locations. Her driving and music taste were excellent and overall it was a great day. Would definitely use this company again.

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Thank you so much for your great review, Paula! We are looking forward to having you join us for another adventure soon!

alicelr2018

Jun 2018

I thoroughly enjoyed our Yosemite In A Day tour and thought that it was an excellent tour given the time constraint of one day- if you are pushed for time this is a great way to get a taste of the park. Yosemite is absolutely breathtaking and is a must-see! The day consisted of driving to Yosemite (4 hours), 1 hour drive into the park (with a stop for photos), 3.5 hours of free time in Yosemite Valley, 1 hour drive out of the park (including a stop at El Capitan), and then driving back to San Francisco (4 hours). Our tour guide was really lovely and provided an interesting commentary about the bay area and the park. The bus was also very comfortable with great air-con (it sounds like it was different to the bus mentioned in an earlier review). I will stress though that because it is a significant drive to Yosemite from San Fran, we only had 3.5 hours of free time in the park. I did manage to see a few highlights including Yosemite Falls, the Visitor Centre, Yosemite Village, El Capitan and Tunnel View throughout the trip, however as soon as we got there I realised just how much there was to see/do and I wish that I had booked a multi-day trip so I could do longer hikes and other activities! Overall, I thought that Incredible Adventures was an excellent service and I can't see how they could make the tour better given that it is a day trip. I would recommend this tour to people who are only wanting to go for a day and see the highlights of the park. However if you are wanting to explore more of the park, do longer hikes, kayaking, or other outdoor activities I would recommend booking a longer multiple-day trip. Yosemite is so beautiful and if you are in California I highly recommend visiting!

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Thank you so much for your kind words about our Yosemite One Day tour. We do encourage people who really want to experience all that the valley has to offer to stay more than one day, but we're so thrilled to hear that you had such a great experience within the short amount of time. We hope you'll come back and adventure with us again soon!