Small Group Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco
Recommended by 98% of travelers
San Francisco, USA
- 14 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Visit Yosemite National Park without the hassle of planning a long day of driving or coordinating park logistics from San Francisco. Traveling in a small group, you'll journey through California’s Central Valley before exploring Yosemite Valley’s most famous sights, including Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls. A stop among giant sequoias adds another iconic California landscape to the experience.
- Walk among ancient sequoia trees and enjoy free time to hike in Yosemite National Park
- Skip the transport planning with hotel pickup and drop-off by minibus included
- Enjoy a more personal experience in a small group limited to 15 travelers
- Explore beyond the city with a seamless day trip to one of California’s most iconic natural landscapes
What's Included
- National Park fees for US Residents
- All activities
- Hotel/port pickup and drop-off (from select hotels in San Francisco)
- Local taxes
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- No Pick-up/Drop-off from residential addresses or hotels outside of San Francisco
- Government FeesPlease note that new National Park fees apply for international visitors. If applicable, this fee is collected in-destination and not at the time of booking.
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Hotel pickup time in the following zones: Fisherman's Wharf/Lombard Street Corridor: 5:15 am - 5:30 am Union Square/SOMA: 5:15 am - 5:30 am
Start time.5:30 am
Itinerary
After pickup from selected hotels in San Francisco, board a comfortable minibus for the drive to Yosemite National Park.
Entering the national park, stop for a hike among Yosemite’s giant sequoias—ancient redwood trees whose trunks span up to 40 feet (12 meters) in diameter. Your drive continues into the Yosemite Valley, stopping at Tunnel View for the quintessential photo op of that includes Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan, and Half Dome.
After a close-up look at the falls, head to El Capitan, the world’s largest exposed granite monolith. Search for rock climbers ascending its sheer face, which rises thousands of feet above the valley floor. Then it’s on to see Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, whose lower and upper cascades form North America’s tallest waterfall.
During free time to explore on your own and purchase lunch (own expense), you can hike among numerous paths, snap more photos at the base of Yosemite Falls or visit Yosemite Village. Then meet back up with your guide for the return drive to San Francisco, with another quick stop for food in the Central Valley before your full-day tour ends with hotel drop-off.
Entering the national park, stop for a hike among Yosemite’s giant sequoias—ancient redwood trees whose trunks span up to 40 feet (12 meters) in diameter. Your drive continues into the Yosemite Valley, stopping at Tunnel View for the quintessential photo op of that includes Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan, and Half Dome.
After a close-up look at the falls, head to El Capitan, the world’s largest exposed granite monolith. Search for rock climbers ascending its sheer face, which rises thousands of feet above the valley floor. Then it’s on to see Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, whose lower and upper cascades form North America’s tallest waterfall.
During free time to explore on your own and purchase lunch (own expense), you can hike among numerous paths, snap more photos at the base of Yosemite Falls or visit Yosemite Village. Then meet back up with your guide for the return drive to San Francisco, with another quick stop for food in the Central Valley before your full-day tour ends with hotel drop-off.
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (Pass By)
San Joaquin Valley (Pass By)
1
Tunnel View
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Merced River (Pass By)
2
Yosemite Valley
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
3
Half Dome
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Yosemite Falls
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
5
El Capitan
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
6
Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
7
Bridalveil Fall
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Car seat required for children 8 years old and under; not provided
- Please Note: National Park fees may apply for international visitors. If applicable, this fee is collected in-destination and not at the time of booking.
- The trip is accessible for most of the tour. However, at the end of the day, we go on a hike to see the giant sequoias. This is NOT advised for people with back, heart or knee problems. It is also not wheelchair accessible. Unfortunately, this is only way to see the sequoias.
- There is a possibility that the Giant Sequoia hike will not be available due to winter weather conditions.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
KARIN_G
Can't recommend this enough! This is the best way to see a lot of Yosemite and the Sequoias when you only have one day! Both were stunningly gorgeous! Our guide, Trevor, was amazing. He clearly loves Yosemite and the Sequoias and was very good at sharing his vast knowledge and some really cool videos of the history of climbing El Capitan with us. He was so friendly and helpful and interesting!
Reviews
4.9
based on 4,106 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
Cheryl_M, Sept 2026
I travelled with my husband and 10-year-old grandson. Our guide, Sharon, was very knowledgeable and helpful. We would not have had the same experience on our own. Sharon took us to great viewing spots and helped us capture some great photos. Travelling on a smaller bus/van felt more comfortable and intimate as Sharon made a point of learning all of our names.
Andrew_C, Sept 2026
Derek was an excellent guide and brilliant with the photos
He knew where to get the best shots and helped us all achieve them
Rosemary_A, Sept 2026
Sharon was an absolutely wonderful guide! Highly recommend her to anyone booking a tour. The sights were amazing!
John_P, Sept 2026
Kurt is an excellent travel host and it's definitely worth seeing Yosemite National Park at least once in your life!
Bryan_T, Aug 2026
Very extensive and informative tour. I was a bit concerned by the 5 PM first impression but Viktor more than redeemed himself over the next 15 plus hours. The assistance with photos, informative videos, commentary and telescope at El Capitan were fantastic. Overall, I don’t see how it could have been more enjoyable.
Megan_C, Aug 2026
If you are thinking about booking this tour, DO IT!! And cross your fingers you get Sharon! She is, hands down, the best tour guide in Yosemite history.
From booking to pickup, the whole day, and drop-off, everything ran as smooth as butter. Yes, that 5:20 AM pickup time is EARLY, but Sharon kept us completely in the loop so we were totally prepared. Plus, the moment the trip started, she was laying down incredible history, fun facts, stories, and background the entire way to the park.
Once we arrived, Sharon made sure we got the absolute best out of Yosemite! She took total care of us by organizing lunch, giving us awesome tips on where to go and what to do, and constantly checking in. When it started raining and the hike down Tuolumne Grove got a bit steep, she had umbrellas, extra water, and alternative options ready so nobody felt left out or uncomfortable. Talk about thoughtful!
And can we talk about her photo skills?! 📸 She took photos for us that look like they belong in National Geographic and even showed us how to take photos like Ansel Adams. LOVE ITTTTT.
Sharon didn’t just guide the tour; she made the trip! I had the best time soaking in all the sights and sounds of Yosemite. Thank you, Sharon, for an unforgettable adventure! 🙌🌲✨
Beverley_S, Aug 2026
This is a long day but truly worth it! The trip started very early but our tour guide, Trevor gave us some time in the bus to catch up on sleep before showing us a film of Yosemite. The sights and views we saw were amazing and Trevor was a ‘mind of information’. He then shown us another film on our return journey to ‘the city’. He is clearly passionate about his job and he ‘made’ our excursion memorable. I would definitely recommend this excursion especially with him as your tour guide.
Kelly_D, Aug 2026
Viktor was awesome! He was very detailed and explained everything great. He was very safe. Highly recommend him.
Heather_C, Aug 2026
We had a fantastic time on this tour. It definitely is an all day experience so expect that. Kurt was our tour guide and provided excellent service and information. It is a fairly long drive from SF but, there are various stops along the way for food and restroom breaks. Entertainment was also provided on the bus in form of films which were informational and interesting. Overall, highly recommend for a great time and awesome views.
Rivah_A, Aug 2026
This day was honestly a life-changing experience. We were guided by the amazing Trevor who has an awesome energy and clearly loves what he does and it shows. His facts and pacing of the day shows just how experienced he is and his consideration of the group was incredibly thoughtful and personal. It didn't feel as much like a tour and more like a personal experience and love of Yosemite that he was sharing with us. Genuinely could not be more happy with how this day went, loved every moment and every question I had, the Great Trev had an answer for it. Honestly the care and consideration that he put into this tour and presumably every tour was unparalleled and made the experience something completely special. It wasnt just some beautiful mountains and a cool valley, he was able to tell us the history and facts surrounding the ground we stood on in a way that provoked our awe real time. He explained ideas and facets surrounding the mountains I had never even consifered and had so much information to give he could've kept us entertained forever. I genuinely want to become a rock climber thanks to today. I've never spent so much on a tour ( also having to pay extra fees cause of new laws - yay international traveller! ) but despite my doubts, every single cent was completely worth it for the journey we went on today. Trevor is such a genuine person that we need more of in this world! Best Bay Tours is onto something great here, keep it up! TTF!!!! 🫡
( You had to be there )
Mi_L, Aug 2026
Kurt is a fantastic tour guide! He gave us great recommendations for the San Francisco area and was always happy to answer our questions. What really stood out was how much he genuinely cared about every member of the group and wanted to make sure everyone had a great experience.
Whenever someone wasn’t quite sure what they were supposed to be looking at, Kurt took the time to show us reference photos from his past experiences, which made the sights much more meaningful. He was friendly, sociable, and even joined us on the sequoia walk.
Kurt truly goes above and beyond to make sure everyone enjoys the tour. You can really feel his warmth, passion, and dedication. The views were absolutely beautiful, and the whole experience was wonderful. Highly recommend Kurt if you’re looking for a knowledgeable, caring, and personable guide!
Mark_H, Aug 2026
Trevor was very informative and had great vibes! Never a dull moment and was respectful to all the tour members. Great driver too!
Daniel_B, Aug 2026
Dustin was a great guide- he paced a long day with many excellent highlights that made the trip go quickly and enjoyably. Well done
Lindsy_W, Aug 2026
This is by far one of the best tours I've ever been on! Such a fun day in Yosemite! My tour guide Kurt was very knowledgeable and so kind, he made the trip 100 times better! If you only have 1 day I highly recommend this tour!
Mary_G, Aug 2026
This was an amazing way to see Yosemite in a day. Our guide, Alberto, was informative and kind. It was a great experience for everyone in our family. Would highly recommend.
Kaitlyn_V, Aug 2026
I enjoyed having Trevor as my guide! He really made sure to be personable with each guest and always went looking if someone wasn’t back in time (including me- sorry!). He was honest, informative, and very knowledgeable about the park!
Anonymous, Aug 2026
We had an amazing time at Yosemite yesterday. Our tour guide, Brian, was amazing! He helped with taking pictures, gave us background information on the rock climbers at El Capitan, brought us a telescope so we could see the climbers more clearly, and helped explain the different hiking trails. You could tell he loves what he does! We had just enough time at each stop to fully appreciate it before moving onto the next stop. I highly recommend this trip and Brian for those looking for a day at Yosemite while visiting San Francisco.
Laurie_M, Aug 2026
This is a must do!!! Trevor was our guide and he was phenomenal! Very informative, made sure everyone had the opportunity to take pictures and everyone had enough time exploring each of our stops. Very long day but was worth it. The hike back from seeing the Redwoods was one mile all uphill but worth seeing the Giants. The park is breathtaking . Favorite part of our trip to San Francisco!
Merna_T, Aug 2026
Kurt our tour guide was knowledgeable and professional, polite and careful driver, we highly recommend Kurt for more tourist who go to Yosemite park
Cristelle_L, Aug 2026
Kurt was an exceptional Yosemite tour guide! He was incredibly kind, calm, and considerate, and his knowledge of Yosemite was truly impressive. We always felt safe, comfortable, and very well taken care of throughout the entire tour. He also had great taste in music and showed us some really interesting documentaries, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Kurt went above and beyond to make our trip special, and we would highly recommend him to anyone visiting Yosemite!
Kara_P, Aug 2026
This was an excellent tour that my friends and I would highly recommend. It was by far the highlight of our vacation! We saw breath taking scenery, and our guide Sharon was very knowledgeable about Yosemite and the San Francisco area. There were ample opportunities to get off the bus and take photos. You are given 1.5 hours for lunch to explore and another 1.5 hours later on the tour to go on a hike to see the sequoias. If you are considering this tour, just book it, you won’t regret it.
ManfreyaSarah_G, Aug 2026
Our tourist guide is friendly and knowledgeable about the area. Offers beautiful scenery and memorable experiences. Provides good service at an affordable price.
Sharon_P, Aug 2026
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness the greatest majestic rock faces in the world amazing superb scenery which will take your breath away how nature should be
Fred_L, Aug 2026
This experience was well worth it. Seeing Yosemite and the Giant sequoias are an experience of a Lifetime. The Lords majestic creations are always the best. Victor, our tour guide was unbelievable. He explained everything, picked us up on time, there was not a moment that was boring. Very considerate of our personal needs and takes care of us like we were his own family. God bless you Victor. Thank you Brother.
Erica_B, Aug 2026
The guide Alberto provided a great experience - he was knowledgeable and personable. The tour was organized and stayed on schedule. It’s an express run through Yosemite where you see the highlights and have enough time to take pics and take in the scenery. Ample stops for restroom and food breaks.
Lynne_B, Aug 2026
This was one of the best tours I have ever taken! Kurt was so knowledgeable and entertaining which made the 15 hour day perfect. Yosemite and all of its beauty goes without question. The vigorous 2-mile hike down to the Giant Sequoias was a little taxing, but Kurt fully discussed the hike prior, providing additional insight into the elevation changes and terrain and emphasized it was not for everyone. Kurt was also great and related well with my 14-year-old grandson who likes to climb on, swing on, or jump on everything!! I found Kurt to be both professional as well as personable. He constantly asked if we had any questions, provided chilled water throughout the day and even stopped by a lovely small family owned Farm Stand. I highly recommend this tour and if you get Kurt, you will have won the jackpot!
Antiquia_N, Aug 2026
Sharon was a fantastic tour guide. Very knowledgeable and i learned quite a bit on the journey. I had an amazing time.
Nicky_D, Aug 2026
The overall experience was fantastic! Sharon was a wonderful guide. She provided tons of excellent history and insights at each point of the trip and was a joy to spend an afternoon with.
Chris_W, Aug 2026
Fabulous day out - v well organised and great host in Sharon - highly recommended ! It is a long day but a stand out one
Donald_P, Jul 2026
Alberto was our driver/guide, he was Awesome, informative and entertaining . We absolutely loved our day trip to Yosemite and would recommend Viator for this . Very well planned out to see the top areas Yosemite has to offer. D. Powell
From $239.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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