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 Fees$100.00 per person
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
Operating hours.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 3,999 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Manuel_R, Jul 2026
This tour was awesome and our tour guide, Derek, was the best. He was very engaging and very knowledgeable and helpful. He was also great at taking pictures. The tour was long but worth it.
Alison_M, Jul 2026
The driver was very fast. Food stops were disappointing. Lastly, we were not informed that the hike was going to be strenuous.
Gillian_R, Jul 2026
Very well organised tour. Good communication, knowledgeable driver guide and comfortable transport all enhanced the experience. We had perfect weather- 25C and sunny - no queues to enter the park and minimal traffic in the park. Although it is a long day, it didn’t feel it. Thoroughly recommend to anyone with a single day to spare in SF.
Harsha_K, Jul 2026
If you are thinking about booking a small group tour to Yosemite, do it—and make sure you get Sharon as your guide!
The small group dynamic was perfect because it allowed us to move efficiently, get off the beaten path. Sharon was fantastic. Her passion for Yosemite’s history, geology, and wildlife was contagious, and she knew exactly how to pace the day so we saw the iconic sights without feeling rushed. She went above and beyond to make sure we all had an amazing time. 10/10 experience!
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.
Emily_C, Jul 2026
The sites were beautiful and the guide was great. However, I think it should be noted that the only way to see the giant sequoias is to walk a mile down a fairly steep trail and then to turn around and hike back up it. You only have a short amount of time to do this and it is definitely physically challenging. This was the first sightseeing stop on the tour and wiped my family out for pretty much the rest of the tour. I don’t think the tour should be billed as a giant sequoias tour being a feature as it might not be feasible for many people to do this trek. Perhaps if this portion was allotted more time, it might not be as stressful, but we only had a few minutes to see, basically, two sequoias before heading back up the incline. Not worth it IMO. The rest of the sightseeing and picture stops were well planned and great. Just be aware about the sequoias portion. It was tough and rushed even for my teens.
Shakhnoza_B, Jul 2026
We had a wonderful experience on this Yosemite and Giant Sequoias tour. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and it was a great way to visit Yosemite in one day from San Francisco. The giant sequoias were unforgettable, and we had enough time to enjoy the beautiful viewpoints and take photos. Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and kept the trip well organized. The transportation was comfortable, and the entire day was smooth and enjoyable. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting San Francisco who wants to experience the beauty of Yosemite without the stress of driving.
Mirna_L, Jul 2026
Amazing day spend with family, our guide Derek was very knowledgeable, took us to beautiful spots where he helped us get great photos
Horatiu_M, Jul 2026
It was a breathtaking trip!!! Trevor wasn't just a knowledgeable tour guide, but a really funny person as well! We got to see the highlights of Yosemite and got to roam around for two hours, which was more than enough.
If you're feeling adventurous, I would recommend hiking Yosemite Falls during that time. Overall, it was great and it felt like time flew by!
Would highly recommend it to anyone having 1 day for it.
Julius_G, Jul 2026
While it was long and tiring it was also beautiful. We would do it again and enjoyed it very much. Go and enjoy!
Lyndsi_K, Jun 2026
Brian was energetic, hospitable, friendly, entertaining and knowledgeable. He shared photos, maps, provided history, brought telescopes to see climbers, took group pictures, and was an excellent driver. We enjoyed the front door service to and from our hotel and into and throughout Yosemite. It was a fantastic experience and an amazing way to end our family vacation.
sophiakmiller, Jun 2026
Derek our guide was fantastic, would 100% recommend him as his knowledge of the park and great photo spots made for a very enjoyable day. Well worth it and the scenery breathtaking
Vamshi_K, Jun 2026
Small group tours are always awesome. The whole group was great. The coordinator was awesome in giving us options that best suited us. Only one thing I wanted to mention: I wish they had picked us up at our hotel on the South SFO side, as parking during downtime is very challenging, especially given the tour's timing. Hope they understand our problem, those visiting SFO... they have hardly any knowledge of parking spaces in downtown.
Christina_C, Jun 2026
Brian our tour guide was friendly and made sure everyone had an amazing experience. Our guide knew the best places for photos and the transportation was comfortable.
Vincent_C, Jun 2026
A full day of memories and activités with a great guide very accommodating. It’s lot of driving but it worths it.
Joshua_W, Jun 2026
What an absolute amazing day my daughter and I had the pleasure of experiencing. An amazing tour guide Calder was. Would definitely recommend him.
Jane_R, Jun 2026
Sharon did a wonderful job as our tour guide for the day. It's a long day trip but the experience and views made it a once in a lifetime experience for us. You see a lot in a short time and given our limited visit this helped make the most of it.
Frankie_M, Jun 2026
It was an excellent experience and our guide Trevor was professional, courtesy and friendly. He was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the park as well as the wildlife. He made the tour engaging.
Abbie_A, Jun 2026
Great if you have one day to see Yosemite as a solo traveller.
It is a long day and long drive but got see some good spots and even a bear. :)
Been told July and August you can expect queues for a good couple of hours at the entrance and if this was the case it would have had a big impact on the day. Luckily took all of 2 minutes, I went on 7th June.
Viktor was knowledgeable and fun and catered to everyone.
Beware that non American residents will need to pay an extra $100 unless you have an annual pass. The annual pass can be used for a family of 4, I believe, so would work out cheaper if you are travelling as a family.
Overall a great day. Thank you.
Stephanie_G, Jun 2026
Derrick was AMAZING! and super knowledgeable! We had a wonderful day at Yosemite making memories with the family!
Lisa_C, Jun 2026
Kurt was very knowledgeable and it was a great way to see Yosemite. But it was a very long day 5:30am to 9pm. I think our stops were too long and could have been shorter so we can get back earlier.
Leslie_B, Jun 2026
Spending the day in Yosemite was amazing. Viktor was an excellent guide! Highly recommend this tour for those that only have a short time to enjoy the beauty of Yosemite.
Maria_W, Jun 2026
If you are planning a trip to Yosemite National Park and want an absolutely flawless experience, do yourself a huge favor and ask for Victor.
We took a trip with him yesterday, and I cannot thank him enough for making it so incredibly special. My son joined me on this trip to celebrate his graduation, and he haven’t stopped talking about how amazing the experience was—largely because of Victor. He is simply the best.
From the very beginning, Victor was incredibly punctual, professional, and respectful. Safety can sometimes be a concern on long mountain drives, but Victor made us feel completely safe and comfortable the entire time.
Beyond being a fantastic driver, he is a wonderful tour guide. He is exceptionally knowledgeable about the area, and what truly sets him apart is his genuine passion for Yosemite. You can really tell how deeply he cares for the environment, which added so much meaning to everything we saw. He is such a nice, thoughtful person who went above and beyond to ensure our day was perfect.
Yosemite is a breathtakingly beautiful park on its own, but having Victor as our guide made the entire experience infinitely better. I recommend this trip 1000%, and if you have the opportunity, absolutely request Victor. We wish him nothing but the absolute best!
Robert_K, Jun 2026
The entire day was spectacular. We had an early start, but 100% worth your time and $. Derrick, our guide was amazing, accommodating, funny and attentive.
Chantal_S, Jun 2026
You get to see the major highlights of Yosemite. It was really beautiful! Warning if you go on the weekend in the summer it might get busy with tons of visitors.
Andrew_B, Jun 2026
It’s a long day but a great way to see a lot of Yosemite without the stress of driving and finding a parking spot. Derek was a phenomenal host. His expertise and interesting stories were a perfect complement to the beauty of the park. Highy recommend him.
Michael_G, Jun 2026
This is an absolutely life changing experience, Viktor will not be your tour guide but your friend. He will show you the best spots and get your best angles. If i could book this trip at least once a week i probably would. The sights you will see on this trip will take your breath away. Half moon, el cap, the waterfalls, the sequoias, and so much more. You stop early to get some snacks at a grocery store and fill up your water and such then you make your way to one of the best experiences in your life. Like i said earlier book this trip. You will not be upset you did so, and while your at it see if you can request a tour guide, Viktor is the best person for this trip (no offense to the other guides lol).
Tamara_W, Jun 2026
it was a very long day but truly well worth it. Trevor was great to her guide talked to her quite a while and then would give us breaks while we are waiting. We watched a couple videos about the park and climbers. Very knowledgeable and professional.
Amy_M, Jun 2026
Sharon was an excellent tour guide. She knew all the great spots and was so time efficient! She also was very knowledgeable and taught us so much! This trip is so worth it!!!
Maricela_H, Jun 2026
We had an awesome time with Kurt! He made sure we got the best views and he took good care of us. Highly recommend this tour!😊
From $239.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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