Yosemite and Giant Sequoias One Day Tour from San Francisco

Amazing views and a smooth tour arrangement

The stops for bathroom breaks and snack opportunities were well planned, I appreciate that they stopped at outdoor shopping centers with a grocery store and a selection of not-too-pricey eateries (although we opted to bring our own cooler bag with meals and snacks). Stops for photo ops were sufficiently long to take in the scenery - the views are absolutely breathtaking on a clear day. We had a great driver (Ken) and guide (Randall) who both did a fantastic job, particularly with kind and clear reminders for participants to be back on time.

It's a great tour!

Entire tour she shared enough information related to the history of the place etc. It made the tour all the more engaging and entertaining. If you choose Extranomical Yosemite Tour, ask for this tour guide and no other. You will get more bang for the buck. Yosemite is magical and one day tour isn't enough. But if you are short of time and get the most from your day, choose this tour. Few things to keep in mind. Keep your water bottles and food with you. Go on weekdays for better all round experience. If you want to travel solo and website doesn't seem to allow solo booking, contact their customer support and convince them.

Beautiful day at Yosemite with Rob!

He drove safely, was very nice and had great humor. He was accommodating and even took us to viewpoints not included in the itinerary, which presented awesome photo opportunities. He seemed really passionate in showcasing Yosemite and SF in general. Overall a fantastic day out! Thank you

We really enjoyed our trip to Yosemite Valley and the giant sequoias grove.

El Gran Capitán, the Half Dome, all the gorgeous Falls, the meadows, the river and the forests were just beautiful. And the giant sequoias are amazing. All in all, a great unforgettable experience.

Yosemite is a magical place

Rob is an everyday guy who uses comedy and lived experiences to make this a truly memorable tour. He's also driving the bus. The stop off for groceries to keep the day running smoothly is also an efficient part of the tour. I met some fantastic people, walked miles, saw world class scenery of mountains, forests, water falls and wildlife Rob was the icing on the cake. An unexpected diamond in the rough. He makes an exhausting 17 hour day worthwhile. Well done Rob and Extranomical.

Well planned tour!

The schedule is well planned, with lots of fantastic and amazing view. The tour guide provided adequate time for us to take photos at specific destinations. It was not rush at all. The tour guide, Gino Zernitskiy is funny and passionate, his uplifting altitude really brings us to immerse and enjoy the nature with our whole heart. If you join this tour, you will never regret on it!

Knowledgeable Guide!

This is a great way to see Yosemite for those with limited time. I was in two minds due to the cost, but I'm so glad I went. It was an amazing day, Yosemite is incredible and it was well worth it. Our tour guide, Rob, was knowledgeable, enthusiastic and genuinely cared about providing us with the best possible experience, and gave us a real feel for the Park and the region. We were well looked after and he provided us with clear instructions throughout the day. The San Francisco tips were also appreciated as well! Thanks Rob!

Informative guide!

The guided tour to Yosemite was excellent. I hadn't been, but now I know why photographer Ansel Adams took so many pictures of the stunning scenery. The guide had lots of information to share on the drive from San Francisco to Yosemite. So, there was plenty to learn about the various places we drove through. The day was well paced and we got to see some spectacular sights.

Very informative guide!

I can't even begin to describe my feelings as I arrived in this heaven. Gino was our tour guide, very fun, very informative and very strict about time which helped us cover every single hot spot of what Yosemite could offer, every single of it. Gino was very informative and detailed in his explanation about the area so I feel like I learned a lot during the trip. He will make sure we pay attention to the main attraction that he was explaining about and some times he told us very hilarious and quirky jokes. Very fun trip I shall say! We first went to Tunnel View oh my god I was in awe. We even dropped by Bridalveil Fall, longer stop was at Yosemite Waterfall around 2 hrs and it was amazing and more than enough for me to take all the photos I needed and to bask in the Yosemite sunshine, soaking in its breeze. Make sure to have a good lunch here because after that you'll head to see Sequoias. And next, we even got to see El Capitan up close!! It was surreal oh god. Then after, we head to hike to see Sequoia. For me, the time allocated for hike in Sequoias which was just around 1hr 20mins should be stretched to maybe 1hr 30mins instead. The hike downhill was fairly okay but I gotta advise you to really sprint until you see the Sequoias since you will want to buy as much time as you can to hike back up to the tour bus. Please go see it, it's really worth it! The place was magical and felt like as if fairies live there lol I'm not even exaggerating. And also stick to your group tour mates for solo travelers as it helps so that you won't get left behind and they can help you take photos too! (Thank you to all my group tour mates for the wonderful photos and wonderful time!!).

Smooth trip!

An amazing tour with amazing tour guide Andy! The day was long, but went by smoothly with plenty of stops on the way, lots of information, and an animated and lively tour guide. I absolutely salute the organization of the day and how all activities and stops were kept running smoothly with clear and accessible information. The Yosemite park was stunning, I mean, with clear blue skies through the day, it was seriously hard to take a bad picture. The sequoia forest was impressive and I think lots opted to keep their energy for that hike which was indeed quite arduous coming back from due to the steep inclination (there were 2 offered during the day, a 2 hours one walking on flat terrain at the park, and the one required to go see the sequoias, both optional and much opportunities to enjoy the fresh air of the forests if not taking them); our guide was very diligent and ensured both hikes were well-described in terms of perks and difficulties and I think all had a great time. All in all plenty of time to explore, plenty of time to browse gift shops, plenty of time to exercise and follow the group into the more active parts of the day, and just enough resting time between activities. I also really appreciated that the 2 food stops of the day included the option of a grocery store, alongside interesting restaurants, and the park’s cafe.

We joined the Yosemite 1-day tour and it was just a wonderful experience. Especially the guide Gino was awesome with great experience and knowledge around the park to make flexible planning to make the day the best for everyone! Also small points like managing the time and making sure everyone is there before the bus leaves was impressing. I really recommend if you have to join a tour for Yosemite, to choose his tour.

Excellent photo stops!

A long but wonderful day out to Yosemite. Rob was our driver/guide. He showed us some excellent photo opportunities and we even got to see the GG bridge by night. He was a great driver and we really appreciated the lovely clean windows on the bus - this makes such a difference when taking photos on the move. A little more time at the dinner stop would have been nice but understand the time constraints.

Clever guide!

The company has a great follow-up system post booking of the trips.. they stay in touch with updates about the trip like pick-up time etc., and also happily address all queries on part of the customer with very little response time. The pick-up timings are almost always a little delayed.. and although they do try to reach out with the delay information.. the lack of internet connectivity for most tourists makes it hard to always become aware of these slight issues. The vehicle was luxurious, equipped with wifi. And although there was a slight glitch with the break system; the expertise of our driver-&-guide solved the issue in no time. Now coming to our driver-&-guide Rob.. he made the trip more fun with insightful information, fun facts and great suggestions for photos. He drove us safely through the winding roads, helped us reach our destinations on time and overall crafted a wonderful experience for us.

Amazing Experience!

Good experience. We were picked up at Hilton Union Square at 6 AM. The trip is ideal for someone who wishes to visit Yosemite but does not have the time to stay over. Through the tour the guide (In our case David) takes you to various photo points/breathtaking locations. Post that, one goes on the Giant Sequoia trail (it's a slightly uphill walk back - but should be fine even for those with moderate health) David our guide was wonderful, keeping us all engaged throughout the tour. He makes sure to guide through the tour, accompanying us on the Giant Sequoia walk. He even put on a movie on the way back showcasing a climber on the El Capitan at Yosemite. Truly cares about the customer's experience. Overall, this trip is for you if you are short on time/want a quick visit to Yosemite. However, in case you are looking to explore at a more leisurely pace would suggest you make the journey on your own.