Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Tour from San Francisco w Pickup
Description
See more of Yosemite in less time with early park entry. This year-round guided day trip from San Francisco covers the park’s top sights, including Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Tunnel View, and the iconic Giant Sequoias of Tuolumne Grove. Spend 5 full hours in the park taking in the best views and landmarks. If you want the most complete Yosemite experience in one day, this is your tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Join us on this breathtaking tour of Yosemite National Park, whose towering granite peaks, cascading waterfalls and nature trails are perhaps the most stunning in the world. This award-winning tour spends the most time in Yosemite and includes a unique hike among ancient Giant Sequoias. Your tour begins with a convenient hotel pick up in Downtown San Francisco.
Enjoy the scenic drive as your guide shares how a flash of gold in the American River sparked the California Gold Rush.
Stop for breakfast and grab a quick bite at a nearby supermarket or Starbucks.
Enjoy a scenic drive into Yosemite National Park as you head toward a breathtaking viewpoint made famous by photographer Ansel Adams.
Iconic vista point offering panoramic views of El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, and Half Dome.
A short walk to the base of this 617-foot waterfall, known for the mist that blows in the wind.
Capture a perfect reflection of Half Dome in the Merced River as you drive over Sentinel Bridge.
The heart of the park, where travelers have 2–2.5 hours of free time to grab lunch and explore. Take a walk to Lower Yosemite Falls, hike the Meadow Loop, or just relax and soak in the views at your own pace.
During your free time in the valley, take a walk to Yosemite Falls—one of the tallest waterfalls in North America. Enjoy the views, take photos, and soak in the power and beauty of this natural wonder.
Hop back on the bus and head to El Capitan Meadow, where you’ll stop to discover the world’s largest granite monolith and the legendary climbers who brave its towering cliffs.
As we are leaving Yosemite Valley, we will make our final stop at Valley View which serves up a panoramic landscape framing the Merced River, El Capitan and the imposing spires of Cathedral Rocks.
A 1-hour and 15-minute stop to hike among a grove of Giant Sequoias—some of the oldest and largest trees on Earth. Standing among these giants is a humbling and unforgettable experience. *When the Tuolumne Grove trail is snow-covered or unsafe (November-March), we always spend extra time in Yosemite Valley.
Enjoy a scenic drive through the historic town of Groveland, a charming Gold Rush-era village with rustic buildings and rich California heritage.
On the way back, we’ll stop for dinner at a plaza with fast food, a sandwich shop, a taqueria, Hawaiian BBQ, and a supermarket—something for everyone.
Wrap up your adventure with a comfortable ride back and drop-off in San Francisco at your original pickup location.
Yosemite National Park
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick-up details and times are as follows: 5:20 AM – Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway (1500 Van Ness Ave). 5:25 AM – Motel 6 (2850 Van Ness Ave). 5:30 AM – Zephyr Hotel (250 Beach St), Avis Car Rental (500 Beach St). 5:40 AM – Hilton Financial District (750 Kearny St), Fairmont San Francisco (950 Mason St). 5:50 AM – Hilton San Francisco Union Square (251 Mason St), JW Marriott (515 Mason St). 6:00 AM – The Mosser Hotel (54 4th St). 6:40 AM – 7-Eleven Convenience Store, Livermore (891 Airway Blvd, Livermore).
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Non-U.S. residents aged 16 and older will be charged an additional $100 park entry fee per person after completing their booking. This fee will be collected by the tour operator via a separate payment link. Note that holders of the “America the Beautiful Non-Resident Pass” do not pay the $100 fee; the $250 pass covers up to 4 people at the entrance.
- From November to March, when the trail is unsafe due to snow and ice, we replace the Sequoia hike with extra time in Yosemite Valley.
- The tour stops around 8:30am for breakfast, 1pm for lunch, and 6pm for dinner on the way back. Meals are not included.
- California law requires tour guests to bring a car safety seat for all children under 8 years and under 4' 9" (1.4 meters) in height
- Winter in Yosemite is much colder than San Francisco. Wear warm clothes and shoes with rubber soles and good traction.
Reviews(3,541)
Sharon our tour guide made this trip absolutely memorable. Long trip in and out from San Fran. But Sharon made it enjoyable both ways. She adapted to the needs of all of her travelers and took us to all the greatest sights available for the day. The sights were simply amazing. And would highly recommend this excursion if you only have short time and 1 day! Please don’t sell your self short and second guess it was amazing! The communication was exceptional for any tour that i have ever taken!
Sharon was above and beyond the most gracious tour guide I’ve experienced. She was an exceptional driver, knowledgeable, and personable. Even as things sometimes went sideways she was calm cool and collected. We had an absolutely magical time with her and throughly enjoyed our trip to Yosemite! I cannot recommend Sharon and extranomical any more highly. Everything was organized and on time. The communication between the app and text was fantastic. Do not hesitate if you need to book a tour!
Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such an incredible Yosemite day trip and that Sharon made the journey so enjoyable with her knowledge, energy, and personal touch. It’s great to know the day felt well organized, comfortable, and memorable from start to finish. We truly appreciate the recommendation! ❤️ We hope to welcome you on another tour soon!
Glenda was amazing!!! We seen the highlights and she got us around the crowds and recommended stops to optimize our time.
Thank you for your kind feedback! We’re so glad you had enjoyed your time with Glenda. We’ll be sure to pass along your compliments.😊
So looooong on the bus! But where they did take us was pretty
Guide was great. Yosemite was amazing. The bus was awful. Noisy engine and rattling. Rough ride and uncomfortable seats. Air conditioner unable to cool bus.
Absolutely perfect. Toby was an amazing guide, nothing negative to say. The whole day was great- really informative & nice vibe. Would recommend to friends and family!
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re delighted that you had such a memorable Yosemite tour and that Toby helped make the journey both fun and informative. We appreciate your recommendation!🥰
Our Driver and guide Glenda is the best 5 🌟
We truly appreciate your great feedback. Thank you for being part of the adventure!❤️
An amazing day in Yosemite from San Francisco. Our tour guide Andy Howse was incredible and made the trip with the kids fun, educational, and insightful! Definitely recommend him if you can request him! We wet picked up from our hotel early in the morning and rode the bus to Yosemite the kids go to sleep along the way. With stops for bathroom breaks and food on the way there and back. Made the trip easier than driving and dealing with the crowds. We were taken to the sites and were able to get off and explore. A great day trip, we saw everything we wanted to see. Highly recommended
Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such an incredible Yosemite day trip and that Andy made the journey so enjoyable with his knowledge, energy, and personal touch. It’s great to know the day felt well organized, comfortable, and memorable from start to finish. It’s great that the drive felt smooth and the day flew by with his humor and guidance. We truly appreciate the recommendation! ❤️
Good experience with Mr. Toby
Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re grateful for your support and are delighted you enjoyed your tour.😊
Did a 1 day Yosemite tour with Dustin and it was great. He told us loads of interesting facts throughout the journey and gave us tips and tricks at the stops. Each of the locations we visited were amazing, would definitely recommend it!
Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such an incredible Yosemite day trip and that Dustin made the journey so enjoyable with his knowledge, energy, and personal touch. It’s great to know the day felt well organized, comfortable, and memorable from start to finish. We truly appreciate the recommendation!🥰
