San Francisco

Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco

Badge of ExcellenceSan Francisco, United States

From USD 219.00

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
San Francisco Tours
All San Francisco Tours
Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Unique Experiences
  • 14 to 15 hours
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada on this full-day trip to Yosemite National Park from San Francisco. Travel aboard a comfortable van through historic Gold Rush towns to reach the park, where you’ll be amazed by supersized natural wonders like Yosemite Falls and the granite cliffs of Half Dome and El Capitan. Take a hike among ancient sequoia trees, and enjoy several hours to explore the park’s wonders on your own.
  • Full-day trip to Yosemite National Park from San Francisco
  • Drive through gold rush towns to the scenic Sierra Nevada
  • Discover the Tuolumne Grove on a hike
  • Stop at Tunnel View for a photo op of the Valley and Half Dome
  • Choose from a range of activities at Yosemite, including walking or exploring the Valley Visitor Center
  • Hear commentary from a guide about Yosemite's natural landmarks such as El Capitan
  • Pickup and drop-off from select San Francisco hotels

What's Included

  • Expert guide and commentary
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off (most hotels in downtown San Francisco/Fisherman's Wharf area, but do not pick up outside SF city limits)
  • Guide Gratuities (for Private option ONLY)
  • Guide Gratuities (for Shared tour)
  • Child safety seat for children under 8 years old or 4' 9" (1.4 meters) required
  • Food and drinks, unless specified

Meeting And Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

  • Hilton San Francisco Union Square
    333 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA

    Meet at the Mason street entrance (Eastern entrance). Please check your email confirmation from Extranomical Tours or contact the provider to confirm your pick-up details and time

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

For Hilton Union Square - meet at the Mason street entrance (Eastern entrance). For other locations, please meet outside hotel main doors. If your hotel is not listed, please select Hilton Union Square or Hotel Zephyr Fisherman's Wharf or alternatively add your hotel and we will provide the closest pick-up location. You will be provided your exact pick-up location and time upon confirmation. Please always refer to the providers confirmation.

What To Expect

One of the most-visited parks in the United States, Yosemite National Park is famed for its wild beauty and massive natural attractions. After morning pickup at your San Francisco hotel (selected hotels only), cruise across the new San Francisco Bay Bridge and through historic Gold Rush towns as the urban bustle gives way to the rugged landscape of the Sierra Nevada.

When you arrive at the park, stretch your legs at Tuolumne Grove with a hike among some of the oldest and largest trees in the world (weather permitting). Crane your neck to see the top of the giant sequoia trees, including a tunneled-out tree large enough to drive a car through.

Continue on to Tunnel View for an unbeatable view of Yosemite’s photogenic valley framed by the giant granite formations of Half Dome and El Capitan. Look for expert rock climbers trying to scale the world-class cliffs and, in springtime, watch the thundering cascade of Yosemite Falls.

Enjoy some free time to explore the park on your own. Rent a bike and cruise along the flat paths of Yosemite Valley (not included), hike to a nearby waterfall or visit the Ansel Adams Gallery to see some of the most famous images of the park ever captured on film. Lunch options include a picnic on the Merced River or a casual meal at the Yosemite Lodge (own expense). Reconnect with your guide at the appointed time, and relax on the scenic drive back to San Francisco.

Please note: The weather in Yosemite is highly variable and includes rain and snow in winter and high temperatures in summer. The itinerary may be adapted to make the most of Yosemite during different seasons and times of the year. The giant sequoias are best visited between May and October. During the rest of the year, snow and ice conditions may prevent access to roads and trails, and other activities may be substituted.

San Francisco Bay Bridge (Pass By)

Sierra Nevada (Pass By)

Big Oak Flat Road (Pass By)

Big Oak Flat Information Station (Pass By)

Yosemite Valley

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Tunnel View

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Ansel Adams Gallery (Pass By)

Bridalveil Falls

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

El Capitan

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Half Dome (Pass By)

Lower Yosemite Fall Trail

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Merced River

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Yosemite Falls

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Yosemite Valley Lodge (Pass By)

Valley Visitor Center (Pass By)

Treasure Island (Pass By)

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Access to the Sequoia Grove can be difficult during winter months, generally October through May, and other activities may be substituted at the discretion of the guide
  • During winter months, temperatures in Yosemite can vary drastically to the ones in San Francisco. Therefore, it is recommend to wear winter clothes, especially shoes or boots with rubber soles and treads
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • The Giant Sequoias Grove is located at a higher elevation and the hike is dependent on trail conditions, especially from October through May. Ice and snow might make the trail unsafe to hike. The decision of whether it is safe to go on the hike will be made on a day by day basis. Therefore, a visit cannot be guaranteed. However, while the trail might be closed, guests get to spend more time in Yosemite Valley. There you can see all the other great sights Yosemite has to offer, including El Capitan, Inspiration Point, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and more.
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • As tour sizes vary, transportation is in a 13-passenger van or up to a 41-passenger tour bus
  • Near public transportation
  • Tour makes stops at approximately 8:30am for breakfast, 1pm for lunch and on the trip back for dinner. Meals are not included
  • Audio links are available in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Korean, Chinese and Japanese. Specify language at time of booking under special requirements.
  • For hotel pickups, please select the Hilton Union Square if your hotel is not listed
  • California law requires tour guests to bring a car safety seat for all children under 8 years and under 4' 9" (1.4 meters) in height. Any guest that does not provide their child's safety seat at the time of the tour and does not inform the tour operator may not be allowed to board the tour and will not be subject to refund.
  • Exact destinations & itinerary may differ due to weather, road conditions, and your guide's discretion.
  • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • For Private Tour option, size of vehicle will be dependent on size of your party
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travellers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveller Photos

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Featured review
Judy_T
Our tour guide, Gino was absolutely hysterical and very informative. We all had a great time! He really went out of his way to make sure we all got beautiful pictures of the parks! I would highly suggest booking this tour for anyone, visiting San Francisco!

Reviews

4.0
2,659 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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0
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Reviews by Viator travellers.
Showing 1-10 of 2,659 reviews
Beautiful Tour to Yosemite in September!
Kenya_L, Sept 2023
This Trip to Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias from San Francisco allowed me to knock something off my Bucket List for my 50th BDay! The Guide was personable, and couldn’t ask for better weather, beautiful blue skies! As a matter of fact, I was overdressed expecting it to be colder in the mountains but it wasn’t. 😬 Anyway, everything was GREAT…EXCEPT…when I booked this tour online it allow me to select Galleria Park Hotel as my Pick Up/Drop Off point, then a couple days before the tour, I got a text saying I would have to be Picked Up/Dropped Off at the Mosser Hotel. Mind you this is an All Day Tour that picks up very early and drops off late, so it was completely Dark in the Morning and at Night when I had to walk to and from the Meeting Point. Not necessarily safe for a Woman Traveling Alone in a Big City. That’s the only reason I gave it 4 Stars vs. 5, but I would still Recommend this Tour!
Would reccommend
Paula_K, Sept 2023
It was a great trip! Got to take some awesome photos….the audio quality made it hard to understand what the guide was saying but he made it a great trip!
Great tour
Roslyn_R, Sept 2023
This was a great trip, despite being a very long day. Our guide, Andy House, was very knowledgeable & entertaining. There were plenty of stops for photos as there was a lot to see. The scenery was breathtaking at times The hike to see the giant sequoias was memorable. I really enjoyed the whole day.
It's worth it!
Georgia_D, Sept 2023
It's worth it! Well organized! We loved it! It's a really long day but if you don't have enough days in SF, you should definitely do it! Thank you for everything!
Great one day tour!
Utkarsh_B, Sept 2023
Fantastic trip. Yosemite was beautiful. Not much traffic jams (probably due to weekday). The driver Roman was absolutely hilarious and fun. Overall a great trip.
Andy 5 star
Lisa_D, Sept 2023
Andy was 5 star. Go with him. Very knowledgeable, kind & courteous. Bus was good, just packed. Office staff helpful.
Great tour
Cath_R, Sept 2023
This was a great trip, despite being a very long day. Don, the guide, was very knowledgeable & approachable. There were plenty of stops for photos as there was a lot to see. The scenery was breathtaking at times The hike to see the giant sequoias was memorable. I really enjoyed the whole day.
Traveling was amazing....
Fari_M, Sept 2023
Traveling was amazing. Driver was very fun and knowledgeable gentleman. Very disappointed that bathroom was not working…... Also too much aroma in bus. Wish wouldn’t be too much of air freshener aromatic in the bus.
Great tour
Norman_H, Sept 2023
Andy was a great guide, loved the tour and would definitely book again with this company. Definitely recommend tour
Busy day but beautiful park
Maud_C, Sept 2023
Beautiful park, really worth the visit. Busy schedule but we’ll organiser. Bus provided was quite old with no charging USB stations.
Perfect day
Lubor_K, Sept 2023
All was perfect- guide, timing, driver, things to see. Very nice view on beatifull waterfalls. Thanks at all .
Quiet day in Yosemite
Lorna_R, Sept 2023
I loved driving along the Merced River and the photo stops where spectacular. However you had not indicated that there was a high degree of fitness for walk which included boulder scrambling and an arduous climb up if we wanted to see Sequoias. There were no other options offered to us, consequently spent a lot of time just waiting. Very disappointed.
It was a long day but...
Brad_S, Sept 2023
It was a long day but made memorable by our amazing tour guide Rob. His knowledge of Yosemite was second to none and made our experience even more worth it.
Absolutely awesome experience!
Kaleigh_H, Sept 2023
This was a great way of seeing Yosemite for the first time. The views were breathtaking, and it was very helpful having a knowledgeable guide with to show us around the park. Gino was our tour guide and he was amazing, and he made sure everyone had fun! I would definitely recommend this tour.
Yosemite
Denise_B, Sept 2023
Rocky start, the pickup point per viator wasn't on the list. Fortunately I reached someone in time and that got worked out. The vehicle wasn't the most comfortable, bad shocks. No restroom on board either. Minus 1 star for this. Our driver, Rob was however, the best. He took care of us, was accommodating, was safe and entertaining too. And of course Yosemite, so majestic. Happy we made the trip. We had 2 hours there. The time flew.
Awesome
2b7t4q66kq, Sept 2023
Tour guide was nice and he had immense and wonderful knowledge which he shared during the tour. Trip was awesome thanks
Beautiful place
Swati_O, Sept 2023
Trip started with a chaos on ac not working on bus, but team handled it well and got last minute bus change in the end. Our guide Andy howse was great. Trip was good ample time on stops. There was traffic due to labor day weekend but we still manage to check all points. Only issue was with driver Arlene or G. She was very rude. Since the trip started, she was very mean and rude the way she talked to everyone. We all understand safety and rules but there’s always way to say it without being rude. We were on vaccinations so was trying not to get this all get to us. But that’s not on tour people. It’s a trip worth taking.
Rushed but at least you get to see what you need to.
Amelia_W, Sept 2023
Overall, it was slightly underwhelming, probably because of the time of the year so it didn’t look as fascinating as it is in pictures. Our driver and guide, Don, was great in guiding us during this tour with some explanation and storytelling. Would have preferred if he had described better on the left or right of the view. Whole trip was quite rushed but understand it’s only a day trip.
Life threatening tour
Nadjet_H, Sept 2023
I made a booking to visit Yosemite National Park. I found this trip on Viator and booked it on the basis that hotel pick up is included. Surprisingly after paying and receiving the confirmation, an agent called to say that there will be pick up at some locations only, which means that I had to walk from the hotel where I was staying to the Mariott at Sutter Street at 5 am When I asked about the safety issue to walk from my hotel to the , they didn't seem bothered. Don't put your life or your family's life at risk. They also dropped us at 10pm at night at the same location. In a city which is unsafe , full of homeless and where everyone has . They should manage to pick up the customers at their respective hotels and understand that the customers' safety should come first!
A great snapshot experience
Alexander_L, Sept 2023
Andy was enthusiastic, helpful and knowledgeable on the locations.Yosemite was the highlight. The redwoods were less impressive compared to the ones in New Zealand.
Response from Host, Sept 2023
Great to hear you enjoyed Yosemite. I'm hoping to get to NZ soon, and will check out the redwoods there!
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