Meeting Points
- San Jose
Time
Address
6:15 AM
Signia by Hilton San Jose
170 S. Market St., San Jose
* We offer pick-ups at the Fairmont Hotel San Jose, 170 S Market St, San Jose, CA 95113, USA, at 6:00am.
* Please be advised that weather, road and trail conditions in the winter make it less likely that we will be able to enter Tuolumne Grove to see the Giant Sequoias from October through June. We will always do what we can to make the trip enjoyable, but safety is our priority, so the route and itinerary may be changed due to snow depth, road conditions, construction projects and detours.
* As unforeseen issues can cause delays or changes in these times, we suggest you not make flight or travel arrangements on the last day of the tour.
Day 1: Yosemite Tour From San Jose
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite tours and guided activities are a great way to discover the national park. You can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more. This nearly 2,000-square-mile Central California treasure that was established in 1890 contains giant sequoia trees, spectacular waterfalls, rugged mountains, pristine streams and unparalleled nature scenes. Yosemite National Park stretching through a portion of the Sierra Nevada Mountains welcomes more than 3.7 million people per year for activities such as hiking, camping, rock climbing, fishing, horseback riding, picnicking, skiing and snowboarding. Your Yosemite tour can lead you to Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Mirror Lake, Half Dome, El Capitan, Mariposa Grove, Tunnel View and Tuolumne Grove. Join a Yosemite tour and let our professional tour guides bring you to see Half Dome, waterfalls and more in this amazing natural place!
Bridalveil Fall
The 617-foot waterfall located within Yosemite National Park flows all year and might be best known from a famous Ansel Adams photograph. Ahwahneechee Native American legend says the spirit Pohono lives in the falls and puts a hex on anyone who looked directly at the falls. It also notes those who breathe in the water mist will have a better chance at marriage. Bridalveil Fall is the first waterfall that many guests see when entering the California national park.
Half Dome
The 4,737-foot granite dome-shaped rock formation of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range is located in California's Yosemite National Park and has metal cables along its side to assist hikers. Half Dome's 8.2-mile Cable Route is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Half Dome's image is featured in many logos and appears on the new California Driver's Licenses as well as a 1988 U.S. postage stamp and a 2005 state quarter. Iconic photographer Ansel Adams took many shots of this landmark in addition to other locations in Yosemite National Park.
El Capitan
The 3,000-foot tall rock formation in the Sierra Nevada Mountains within Yosemite National Park is extremely popular with rock climbers and at one time was thought to be impossible to scale. El Capitan often referred to as "El Cap" was pictured on the 2010 quarter for the "America the Beautiful" collection and is the largest pillar of granite in the world. It is one of the most recognized and popular landmarks in the park. The Spanish name El Capitan is a translated in English to "The Captain" and originated from the Ahwaneechee Native American word for captain.
Towering granite cliffs and Giant Sequoias headline this one-day Yosemite tour from San Jose butour expert guides will make sure you don’t miss the history, geology, wildflowers and wildlife thathave made this glacier carved valley the jewel of the national park system.
Your Yosemite day tour begins with a pickup at a conveniently located hotel in San Jose, then headseast crossing through California’s fertile San Joaquin (also known as Central) Valley and into therocky Sierra Nevada mountains. See 170-year-old mining towns and learn the colorful history of theregion.
This is the only Yosemite National Park tour where you will also experience the solitude of theTuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias, the largest living things onthe Earth. You’ll reconsider your placein the world—two-thousand-year-old trees can make people do that!
Your heart (and cameras) will be racing as you enter Yosemite Valley and enjoy stops at InspirationPoint and El Capitan Meadow. Take a moment at Half Dome, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls and BridalveilFalls.
Special requests? Help with photos? Just ask.Guests can enjoy this Yosemite National Park tour 365 days ayear. But no two tours are alike.
Tour Length - 15 hours approximately
6:15 AM-10:30 AM
Begin your Yosemite National Park tour with aconvenient pickup at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose Rest stop. Pick up snacks and lunch for the park
Learn the history of the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Gold Country
Be introduced to Yosemite as you cross the San Joaquin valley
10:30 AM-12:30 PM
Enter Yosemite National Park
Trail conditions permitting, experience a Giant Sequoia grove
12:30 PM-1:30 PM
Heart-stopping views of Bridalveil Falls, El Capitan and Half Dome
Be inspired at Inspiration Point/Tunnel View
1:30 PM-3:00 PM
Free time in Yosemite Valley
Hike the Meadow Loop or the trail to Yosemite Falls
Photograph the Swinging Bridge
3:00 PM-5:00 PM
Re-board the vehicle for more photo stops as we exit the park
Descend from the Sierras back to San Jose
5:00 PM-9:30 PM
Continue yourdescent from the Sierras
Stop for a break and dinner (approx 30 min)
Watch the sun set into California's golden hills
Conclude your Yosemite National Park tour back at the San Jose Fairmon
* Times listed are approximates only. Traffic and other unforeseen issues can cause delays or changes in these time which are out of our control. Please do not make flight/travel arrangements on the same day as your tour.
Your reservation is always subject to confirmation by email, normally within one to two business days.
* Adult age: 12 and older
* Child age: younger than 12(The minimum age for tours is 18 months.)
* All personal expenses
170 S. Market St., San Jose
* Baggage allowance policy:
This tour doesn't expect our guests to have luggage (suitcases and such). If guests do, they need to notify us 48 hours in advance and the luggage policy should apply.
* The tour is narrated in English but we offer complimentary audio guides in 8 languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Japanese, and Portuguese. You need to let us know which language you would like to request. Please leave us a message when you make reservation. On the day of the tour, you only have to hand a deposit of $20 per audio set or a valid photo ID to the driver. You will receive the money or ID back at the end of the day when you return the audio tours. Complimentary disposable headphones included but you are welcome to also use your own headphones.
* The pick-up time is from 6:00am. Please arrive at the pick-up location 10-15 minutes prior to the requested pick-up time.
* As a courtesy to fellow passengers, it's important to be on time. If clients are late or miss a scheduled pick-up time for the tour, please contact our office IMMEDIATELY. An alternative pick-up location may be arranged at the customer's expense, subject to availability. Any guest who misses their tour entirely will forfeit their seat on the tour. No refunds will be issued.
* For child under 8 years old:
Please note that for your child's safety, we require you to bring a child safety seat or booster seat for all children that are not at least 8 years of age or 4' 9" or 144 cm in height as dictated by California State Law. You will be required to provide your own child seat on all motor vehicle tours. Failure to provide a seat for your child will result in forfeiture of your seats on the tour without refund. If your child is 8 years or older or 4’9” in height you do not need to provide a child seat, however, please let us know.
* We will assess a cleaning fee of up to $100 for any passenger who permanently stains or renders this vehicle temporarily unfit for passengers due to spillage of any substance such that the vehicle must be taken out of service and cleaned.
* This tour/activity is overseen by a select local operator in the region. Upon booking your tour or activity and after receiving confirmation, you will be issued an e-ticket detailing the local operator's name and contact information. If you require assistance finding a specific tour, please contact us for more information.
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very good
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Worth it!
Amazing 1 day tour. Tour guide Andy and driver Jeremy were an amazing team. A lot to see in one day but Andy kept us on track and knew where to take the best pictures. Would highly recommend this tour. Saw the sun rise and set. Both beautiful scenes.
Great experience
First of all, we had the best tour guide his name is Andy Hows!! He was responsible professional and caring. He deserves a big reward.
It was the highlight of 2023
First of all, we had the best tour guide his name is Andy Hows!! He was responsible professional and caring. He deserves a big reward.
What a day!!!
What a day!!! Once I got in the van, the adventure started! I felt safe, knew where we were going and the plan for the tour. Bud driver and guide were super friendly, went out of their way to make the most of the experience and were very thoughtful of the needs of the visitors. They really made it a great day I won’t forget. Thank you for a great experience, I’ll be back!!!
What should I bring?
2023-06-03 22:58Winter weather in the Sierra Mountains can be dramatic and unpredictable. Since you will be spending 4-5 hours outdoors enjoying nature, we recommend that you dress in layers and wear warm, comfortable shoes or hiking boots. Bring a heavy water-resistant jacket, camera or phone, 1-liter water bottle, warm hat, sturdy umbrella (if the forecast calls for rain or snow), and some cash or a credit card for meals, snacks, and souvenirs.
Can I be picked up from a different location other than Signia by Hilton San Jose?
2023-06-06 22:58At the present time, we have only one pickup location in San Jose.
Do I need any special gear since there will be snow?
2023-07-28 22:58Our stops in Yosemite will be mostly flat and cleared of snow and ice. You will not need special equipment if wearing sturdy hiking boots or shoes with tread.
Where can I park my car near Signia by Hilton?
2023-09-06 22:58The Signia by Hilton has a parking garage but it is a bit expensive. We suggest trying the Impark Lot #367 at 285 S Market St just a block from the Hilton pickup location.
What is the difference between this and the Yosemite and Giant Sequoias One-Day Tour?
2023-09-23 22:58The main difference is that the trail to the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias is covered in snow and ice, making it unsafe without special equipment. Therefore, we substitute additional free time in Yosemite Valley for you to explore. There may be other modifications to the tour route to accommodate snow, road closures and detours on Yosemite’s mountain roads.
$289.00+
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Great experience
We had an amazing tour with this company to Yosemite National Park in winter. With our funny and helpful guide Andy and our lovely driver Jeremy, we went on an adventure through the snowy mountains of Yosemite. It was fun, stunning, and a real pleasure. Thanks guys!