Highlights of the Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Tour from San Francisco

• Private and flexible 1-day tour that includes a hike to Giant Sequoias
• Spends more than 5 hours in Yosemite Park
• Fully guided in English; audio guides in 8 languages
• Stops to explore Inspiration Point, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan Meadow and Valley View
• Photograph Bridalveil Fall, Glacier Point, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, and El Capitan
• The larger the groups, the more you save!

Tour Details

This is your chance to plan a private tour to Yosemite National Park  jam-packed with the towering granite monuments of Half Dome, Cathedral Peak, El Capitan, and other dramatic scenes formed eons ago. You will see Bridalveil, Horsetail and Yosemite Falls put on impressive water displays. Since it is private, take as long as you like to enjoy nature hikes in Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoia trees and on the Meadow Loop Trail to the Swinging Bridge.

Your Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Tour begins with a convenient pickup from any hotel in San Francisco, then crosses through California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley before climbing into the rocky Sierra Nevada mountains. Relax as you learn the colorful gold rush history of the region. The tour pauses half-way to Yosemite to stretch your legs and grab refreshments.

Soon after reaching Yosemite National Park, you will experience the quiet solitude of the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. You will not doubt for a second that these Yosemite trees are the largest living creatures on the planet. No picture does them justice, but that should not keep you from trying!

In winter, when the Tuolumne Grove trail is snow-covered or unsafe, we substitute this experience with other attractions.

Hearts will race as we head down into Yosemite Valley and make the next stop at Inspiration Point, a view of the valley made famous by Ansel Adams and hundreds of artists since. Take a moment and then some selfies with your group with El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, Glacier Point, Cathedral Peak and Bridalveil Fall as your backdrop.

Once we reach the floor of Yosemite Valley, you will have a couple of hours of free time to grab a quick picnic lunch. Then, check out the Ansel Adams Gallery or the Yosemite Valley Wilderness Center in Yosemite Village. Both are great spots to pick up some souvenirs and gifts for friends back home.

Yosemite Valley is home to more than 400 types of species of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. In Spring, wildflowers blanket the valley floor. The Lower Yosemite Falls, Mist and Meadow Loop trailheads, near to Yosemite Valley Lodge, are guaranteed to delight group members of all ages.

After re-boarding your tour vehicle, you day has more highlights. The tour makes a photo stop at El Capitan Meadow where your gang can get straight on view of the Yosemite icon, an impressive vantage point for Cathedral Rocks, and, if the season is right, Horsetail Fall which produces the famous “firefall” in late-February.

Your Yosemite experience ends on a high note at Valley View. This spot serves up a view along the banks of the Merced River framed by El Capitan and the imposing spires of Cathedral Rocks. This is a great spot for your “saying goodbye” selfie with the whole group.

As the tour exits Yosemite and begins the return trip from Yosemite to San Francisco, there will be some quiet time for you to flip through photographs and reflect on your memory-making day, Since you will have worked up an appetite, your guide will select a spot for a brief dinner break (not included in the tour price).

Special requests? Help with photos? Have a question? Just ask. Your Extranomical Tours guide is a Yosemite insider and there to help out every step of the way.

Why choose us:

Extranomical Tours is the San Francisco Bay Area expert for Yosemite tours. Travel and Hospitality Awards has honored us as the best Yosemite tour for its jaw-dropping natural beauty. We are delighted to have earned more 5-star guest reviews for Yosemite tour than anyone.

We look forward to using our experience and hospitality to host you on a private tour to this phenomenal national park in any season and on any day. We’re so confident that our Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Tour will amaze—it’s backed by a Satisfaction Guarantee.

Things to know:

During winter months, warm, layered clothing is often needed. You will need sturdy, comfortable shoes or boots with rubber soles and treads for the best experiences on the park’s trails.

The Giant Sequoias hike on this tour is dependent on snow levels and trail conditions and may not be available from October to May.

The hike to the Tuolumne Grove of redwoods includes 400 feet (122 meters) of incline on the return and can be difficult. It should not be attempted by guests with respiratory or cardio conditions.

Tour Itinerary

Private tours groups may request variations to the itinerary. Modifications must be approved in advance. Contact Guest Services at (415) 357-0700 or contact@extranomical.com.

06:30 AM to 11:00 AM

• Begin your Yosemite tour with a single convenient pickup in San Francisco
• Stop to pick up snacks and lunch for the park
• Learn all about the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Gold Country
• You guide prepares the group for a day in Yosemite National Park

11:00 AM to 12:30 PM

• Enter Yosemite National Park
• Conditions permitting, hike to 2,000-year-old Yosemite trees in Tuolumne Grove

12:30 PM to 1:30 PM

• Stop for the view of Yosemite Valley at Inspiration Point
• Photograph El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome and Cathedral Rocks
• Check out the water show put on by Bridalveil Fall and Yosemite Falls

1:30 PM to 3:30 PM

• Grab a picnic lunch at Yosemite Lodge (meal not included)
• Enjoy two hours of free time in Yosemite Valley
• Visit the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center and Ansel Adams Gallery
• Hike to the photogenic Swinging Bridge or Lower Yosemite Falls

3:30 PM to 4:30 PM

• Stretch your legs at El Capitan Meadow
• Photograph Horsetail Fall
• Take your last look at Valley View

4:30 PM to 9:00 PM

• Descend from the Sierras as you return from Yosemite to San Francisco
• Break for dinner and refreshments
• Watch as the sun sets into California’s golden hills
• Conclude the tour at your pickup location

Times are approximations. Traffic and unforeseen events can cause delays.  Please do not make travel plans on the same day as your tour

Note: The Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias may not be available in the Winter. If conditions are not safe, Extranomical Tours will substitute this experience.