Private Yosemite One Day Tour | San Francisco

How it works

Your Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Private Tour begins with a convenient pickup from any hotel in San Francisco, then crosses through California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley before climbing into the rocky Sierra Nevada mountains. Relax as you learn the colorful gold rush history of the region. The tour pauses halfway to Yosemite to stretch your legs and grab refreshments.

Soon after reaching Yosemite National Park, you will experience the quiet solitude of the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. You will not doubt for a second that these Yosemite trees are among the largest living creatures on the planet. No picture does them justice, but that should not keep you from trying!

In winter, when the Tuolumne Grove trail is snow-covered or unsafe, we substitute this experience with other attractions.

Hearts will race as we head down into Yosemite Valley and make the next stop at Inspiration Point — a view of the valley made famous by Ansel Adams and hundreds of artists since. Take a moment and then some selfies with your group with El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, Glacier Point, Cathedral Peak, and Bridalveil Fall as your backdrop.

Once we reach the floor of Yosemite Valley, you will have a couple of hours of free time to grab a quick picnic lunch. Then, check out the Ansel Adams Gallery or the Yosemite Valley Wilderness Center in Yosemite Village. Both are great spots to pick up some souvenirs and gifts for friends back home.

Yosemite Valley is home to more than 400 types of species of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. In Spring, wildflowers blanket the valley floor. The Lower Yosemite Falls, Mist and Meadow Loop trailheads, near Yosemite Valley Lodge, are guaranteed to delight group members of all ages.

After re-boarding your tour vehicle, you day has more highlights. The tour makes a photo stop at El Capitan Meadow where your gang can get straight on view of the Yosemite icon, an impressive vantage point for Cathedral Rocks, and, if the season is right, Horsetail Fall which produces the famous “firefall” in late-February.

Your private tour of Yosemite ends on a high note at Valley View. This spot serves up a view along the banks of the Merced River framed by El Capitan and the imposing spires of Cathedral Rocks. This is a great spot for your “saying goodbye” selfie with the whole group.

As the tour exits Yosemite and begins the return trip from Yosemite to San Francisco, there will be some quiet time for you to flip through photographs and reflect on your day. Since you will have worked up an appetite, your guide will select a spot for a brief dinner break (not included in the tour price).

Things you'll need

*The client will need to provide the address for their hotel pickup within the San Francisco area

This is an All Day (15 hr) Experience so please be prepared with:

Comfortable shoes for walking

Extra spending money for meals, snacks, souvenirs, etc

A light jacket (easily removable) in case of wind

Camera

Water bottle

Warm clothes and a waterproof jacket (during the winter months)

Hat and sunscreen (during the summer months)

Sturdy umbrella (if the forecast calls for rain)