Small Group Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco

Recommended by 98% of travelers

San Francisco, USA

High interest

Booked 10+ times today.

14 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9

· Laura_N ·

Jul 2026

Bonus: great information about climbing. Very motivating trip, wonderful places, the weather was on our side. The organization was done right to the second, I felt like the guide and the team took care of us. The whole trip was very interesting and well organized.

· Sherine_S ·

Jul 2026

Truly a wonderful trip!! The sights across the whole day were magnificent - and what a humbling experience to see a tree that's over 1500 years old! Viktor was such a great tour guide - really knowledgeable and entertaining. You can tell how much he cares about not only being a great guide, but also about cultivating the right energy in the group and throughout the day. 10/10

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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 Fees

Please 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.

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (Pass By)

San Joaquin Valley (Pass By)

Tunnel View

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Merced River (Pass By)

Yosemite Valley

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Half Dome

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Yosemite Falls

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

El Capitan

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

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

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

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 4,094 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Fantastic Tour

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.

Trevs Troops !

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 )

Great Tour Guide

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!

10/10 would recommend

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!

Dustin was a great guide-...

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

Best day trip to Yosemite!!

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!

Excellent Day Trip

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.

I enjoyed having Trevor...

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!

Fun day at Yosemite

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.

This is a must do!!! ...

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!

Amazing and extra ordinary experience

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

Best tour guide ever

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!

Tour was the highlight of our trip

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.

Best choice!

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.

One from the bucket list ticked off

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

God made Yosemite.

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.

Yosemite Highlights in a day.

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.

Yosemite Small Group Tour with Kurt

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!

Yosemite

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.

Yosemite Trip with Sharon

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.

Truly memorable day

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

Alberto was our...

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

Absolutely breathtaking an absolute must …

Dawn_S, Jul 2026

I can honestly say this trip was worth all the money and all the hours. Our guide Per was amazing first of all from start to finish and a fountain of knowledge what a great guy… Yosemite took our breath away and thanks to Per we learned so much more the views the senary just kept on giving … plenty of time for lunch and to walk around we went to Yosemite Falls and Base Camp who has lunch at Yosemite Falls, I did and how beautiful it was.. Our final Journey to see the Sequoias the journey down and back up is not easy but we did it. Up there with one of the pinnacle moments thank you Per for an awesome amazing day

Fun

Samantha_B, Jul 2026

This was a fantastic trip! Guide was very knowledgeable. The day was very long but we saw highlights of Yosemite we would have never been able to see without doing a tour.

Best trip ever!!

Laura_B, Jul 2026

It was truly amazing!! Tour guide was very knowledgeable, knew the best spots for pictures, farm stands on the way.

We had Viktor as our tour...

David_A, Jul 2026

We had Viktor as our tour guide for our trip to Yosemite. Viktor was OUTSTANDING!! We had a diverse group for the tour, with people from all over the world. He was very engaging for all his guests and made sure he included all during all the activities. He was very knowledgeable about Yosemite and the various sites that we visited. He had a wonderful sense of humor and even though the day was very long, it didn't feel that way. The bus was comfortable for the long trip. He allowed for breaks at appropriate times and allowed stops for food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The stops in Yosemite were great locations for pictures. The hike to the sequoias was doable for all in our group. If I could give a rating higher than 5 stars for Viktor, I certainly would.

Yosemite Bucket List Checked

Sara_M, Jul 2026

This tour hits all the major highlights of Yosemite if your time is limited. Long day tour but definitely worth it. Yosemite gets HOT!Bring swimsuit for the river to cool down. Our tour guide, Alberto was knowledgeable and funny.

The most amazing place

Louise_G, Jul 2026

The experience was amazing from start to finish. Our guide, Sharon, was full of knowledge, laughter and wit! She really did make the trip amazing! We had a lovely group with us and enjoyed every second. Yosemite is absolutely beautiful and I would recommend this trip to anyone.

Trevor was very friendly...

Cheryl_S, Jul 2026

Trevor was very friendly before and during the trip to Yosemite National park. He was helpful giving info and tips throughout the trip. At the end of the tour during our stop for dinner, because it was late at night, there was no cashier and unfortunately I only brought cash and couldn't use a card to scan for payment. This is not helpful for us with no care bank cards on hand. And during the drop off at my hotel, because of traffic, I wasn't dropped off at the front of my hotel, rather the back of the hotel and I didn't got lost navigating back.

Great Day Trip

Viacheslav_O, Jul 2026

Really enjoyed this trip. Our guide - Sharon was very friendly and thoughtful. She showed us everything and explained every lil detail abt mountain climbing, forest and in general abt Yosemite park. Definitely recommend everyone to book this trip with her. I really like that they provide pick up option. As it was my first day in SF, I wasn’t really familiar with location. The group wasn’t big, so everyone got enough attention.