Full Day Yosemite Tour

It’s true that Yosemite is much too vast to see in one day. It is, after all, the size of Rhode Island. But the tour guides and drivers are Yosemite experts with many years of experience. They know where to go and when to be there to maximize your day and make your Yosemite trip fun, relaxed and memorable. Instead of searching through guide books and maps, looking for parking at each stop and figuring out what to do for lunch, your day will be spent seeing the sights in a comfortable 28-passenger touring vehicle.

The full day tour includes frequent photo stops and a chance to walk to a waterfall or two. During the warm months, you’ll be able to walk among the Giant Sequoias and enjoy breathtaking views from Glacier Point. The bus trip itself provides ever-changing views and the chance to learn about the history, geology, flora, fauna and current events of this remarkable park.

Although Glacier Point and the Mariposa Grove are closed in the winter, the winter tour offers other rewards. Winter is the most peaceful time in Yosemite. Fewer crowds mean a better chance of seeing wildlife. As the winter snow pack builds in the high country, Yosemite Falls comes back to life, and the sound of ice crashing over the falls punctuates the stillness of the valley. You may be fortunate enough to see Yosemite Valley’s already astonishing beauty enhanced by a mantle of snow. The skilled drivers take the worry out of negotiating mountain roads in the winter.

Water and soft drinks will be available throughout the day, and we even provide lunch so you can make the most of your time in Yosemite.

Points of Interest on the tour:

*Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove are seasonal, as are many of the waterfalls.
This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond control.

Fees & Schedules

The fare includes hotel pickup/drop off, park fees, lunch and beverages. Gratuity is not included.

Please be ready ten minutes prior to your scheduled pick up time. Return times are approximate.

Schedule and price changes are based on when Glacier Point is open. The exact date of Glacier Point opening/closing isn’t known until it happens, but it generally opens the weekend prior to Memorial weekend and closes after the first significant snow storm, usually about the middle of November. Our prices are based on those dates, but  if you’ve paid for a Summer tour and Glacier Point is closed, the tour company will refund the difference.

Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice are non-refundable. There is a $5 per person service fee for all other cancellations.

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Half Day Yosemite Tour

If you are pressed for time, or just want a quick introduction to Yosemite, consider the half day options. These fast-paced tours tend to be smaller and more intimate. You can focus in on the areas of the park that most interest you and still get an in-depth introduction to the natural and human history of Yosemite from knowledgeable guides.

Mariposa Grove and Glacier Point

This tour lets you experience both the quiet stateliness of the Giant Sequoia trees and breathtaking views from Glacier Point.

When reports of the Giant Sequoia trees reached the East Coast in the 1800s, most people thought they were exaggerated. These massive trees were once thought to be the largest living things on earth. Although we now know of the existence of colossal fungi and that aspen groves are a single organism, the Giant Sequoias are still unequaled for sheer grandeur.

Glacier Point rises 3,214 feet over Yosemite Valley. From this high perch the views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome and the High Sierra are unforgettable. On your way to Glacier Point you’ll pass through forests and wildflower meadows and get a taste of the “High Country” that many consider the most appealing region of the park.

Yosemite Valley

When people think of Yosemite National Park they think of Yosemite Valley. With an area only seven miles long and no more than a mile wide, this is a fraction of the 747,956 acre park. Yet many of the features Yosemite is famous for are concentrated in this narrow valley.

Driving through Yosemite Valley is like driving through a giant’s Japanese garden: new perspectives unfold every moment. With your guide doing the driving, everyone in your group will be able to savor this. There are photo stops at Tunnel View, one of the most famous vistas in the park, and several other scenic locations. You’ll see El Capitan, Sentinel Rock, Half Dome and other famous features and have time to walk to at least one waterfall.**

**Bridalveil Fall runs year round, but other falls, including the famous Yosemite Falls, are seasonal.

Half Day Tour Fees & Schedules

June - August

Half Day Tour Prices

 

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Yosemite Sunset Tour

Imagine yourself walking along a mountain path about an hour before sunset. Alpenglow spreads a golden patina over granite boulders and wildflowers. The scent of vanilla drifts from Jeffrey Pines that have been basking in the sun all day.

A gentle climb leads to a panoramic view of Yosemite from the top of Sentinel Dome. You savor a picnic dinner as crimson or purple hues engulf the western slopes of the Sierra and shadows climb the cliffs of Yosemite Valley. Birds chatter as they settle in for the night and a Night Hawk screeches as it swoops upon its dinner. Bats perform an aerial ballet above you. Half Dome seems to glow with an inner light until it, too, succumbs to nightfall.

A hush falls over the high country as you retrace your steps in the growing twilight. On your journey back to civilization, your mind dances with images of one of nature’s most majestic temples bejeweled in the sunset.

The Sunset Tour includes a picnic dinner with a deli salad, fresh fruit, jumbo cookie and your choice of:

· Roast turkey wrap with cranberry mayonnaise

· Tri-tip wrap with pepper jack cheese and Caesar dressing

· Veggie wrap with avocado, tomato, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts and roasted red peppers

· Kid's turkey sandwich

· Assortment of sliced meats, cheeses, baguette and lavosh.

Your tour includes water, soft drinks or sparkling cider. You are welcome to bring a bottle of wine to sip as the sun sets over Yosemite.

The trail to Sentinel dome is only three quarters of a mile long and takes approximately 30 minutes to walk. You can see 80-percent of the park from the 8,122-foot dome. We’ll provide flashlights for your walk back that you can keep as a memento of your evening at Yosemite.

Sunset Tour Schedule and Rates

Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays June through August

Price includes Park fees, Picnic Dinner, beverages, and souvenir flashlight.