Yosemite National Park is a national park in California.
Sierra National Forest and Stanislaus National Forest surround Yosemite. It covers about 759,620 acres of land, water, and rocks. To date, the National Park Service manages the park.
The park sits in between four counties of the state. These are Tuolumne, Mariposa, Mono, and Madera.
Because of its granite cliffs, clear streams, waterfalls, lakes, mountains, and giant sequoia groves, the park became a World Heritage site in 1984. It comes with meadows, glaciers, and a lot of biological diversity.
About 95% of the park is wilderness.
It is also one of the Sierra Nevada’s most extensive and least-fragmented habitat blocks. It supports a multitude of plants and a wide diversity of animals.
It is no wonder that Yosemite is widely supported for the things that it can do. Not only that, but Yosemite is a place, everybody visits when in California.
Planning a trip to Yosemite can be confusing. How do I go up? What is there to do in all that nature?
Here are 11 of the best tours to Yosemite that can solve your problems.
List of Contents
- 1. Off-Road Giant Sequoia 4×4 Tour
- 2. Full Day Small Group Tour of Yosemite and Glacier Point
- 3. Touring Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes, and Eastern Sierra’s Beautiful Wonders
- 4. Private High Country Fly Fishing Adventures
- 5. The Yosemite Audio Driving Tour
- 6. Yosemite Classic Camping Trips
- 7. Private Family Photo Day in Yosemite National Park
- 8. Family Fun Private Half-Day Fishing Tour
- 9. Yosemite Panorama Trail Self-Guided Audio Tour
- 10. Semi-Private Yosemite Tour with Lunch and Hotel Pickup
- 11. Vernal and Nevada Falls
1. Off-Road Giant Sequoia 4×4 Tour
The tour gets you on an off-road trip aboard a 4×4 Jeep.
See the giant sequoia forest near the south entrance of Yosemite National Park.
In this 40-minute fun ride into the forest, you can do some easy hikes through the trees. You also get to tour the Fish Camp, complete with 4WD thrills.
This tour is also your opportunity to get up close and personal with the massive trees of California.
The Jeep ride takes you to the area of the giant sequoias, a hike, and a stop at a grove of giant trees for a much-needed photo opportunity.
This tour includes taxes, fees, and all handling charges already paid. You also get to have an experienced guide and driver with you.
And what is great about this tour is that you can choose a pick-up at your hotel. Or you can also choose to go directly to the meeting point.
2. Full Day Small Group Tour of Yosemite and Glacier Point
The tour lets you get acquainted with the famous landmarks and many highlights of Yosemite National Park.
This full-day tour lasts nine hours and will take you the whole day to finish. It starts with your hotel and a journey to Fresno or Oakhurst.
From there, you will travel into Yosemite Valley via the South Gate.
Spend your day among amazing views of the national park. Here, you can do some stunning photography of some of the valley’s best features.
The Bridalveil Falls, the Half Dome, and even Yosemite Falls are some of the best locations you can photograph here.
You can also hike down the trail for about four miles. This hike is accessible only during spring and fall.
Or if hiking is not for you, you can always choose to stay on the bus.
The tour comes with lunch which you can eat along the trail. The tour also comes with entrance fees at the National Park.
You’ll be picked up by the bus at your hotel. Drop-off points during the journey are where you can refill your water bottles or take your lunch.
3. Touring Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes, and Eastern Sierra’s Beautiful Wonders
Your trip to Yosemite National Park will only be complete with a visit to the Mammoth Lakes.
Take this tour, and you will see Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes, and the breathtaking wonders of Eastern Sierra.
The destination is certainly something that should be on your wish list. This vacation package is perfect for nature lovers.
During this tour, you will have dreams come to life. The tour is with a company that has been in the industry for more than 15 years. The experience and the reputation come to the fore with this tour.
On this trip, you will have a vacation to see Yosemite and the Mammoth Lakes aboard an air-conditioned vehicle. The transportation will pick you up from your hotel.
You also get bottled water, meals, and other optional features like lunch.
4. Private High Country Fly Fishing Adventures
If you are into activities for your family, this is perfect for you.
Enjoy a private trip with your family to Yosemite National Park. This tour comes with a guide who will be with you from the start until the end of your tour.
Experience fishing at the Tuolumne and Merced Rivers. Spend some time at the watersheds with the local and experienced guides.
The tour comes with everything you need to enjoy the fishing trip. It comes with transportation, entrance fees, and even the necessary fishing equipment.
What is impressive is that the tour happens about 8,000 feet in the pristine high country of Yosemite National Park.
This tour is perfect for the adventurous side of you. It will take you away from the crowd of tourists for a memorable fly-fishing experience.
The activity happens on some untouched and high alpine lakes and streams. Spend the afternoon fishing for wild trout while enjoying an unprecedented view of the tallest peaks of Yosemite National Park.
5. The Yosemite Audio Driving Tour
Take a drive through Yosemite National Park on one of the best roads. This drive will take you to unimaginable roads with a view of the beautiful valley and its granite walls below.
See the awe-inspiring rock formations that all rise along the curving mountain roads. Upgrade the journey experience with a self-guided audio tour that will give you information and facts.
The audio tour will also provide you with local tips and driving directions.
And if this itinerary differs from your liking, the app-based audio tour will provide you with several other suggestions. There will be suggested itineraries that you can take.
With GPS, the app can deliver all the relevant information from your current location. It is the only customizable audio tour you can take of Yosemite National Park.
I like the tour because you can take it at your own pace.
There is no time limit.
There is no expiration.
Take the tour as you like it. No pressure here.
6. Yosemite Classic Camping Trips
Camping and hiking adventures are not just for the young.
In this classic hiking and camping adventure, you can hike and camp at Yosemite National Park without the rough experience. Nowhere will bears be around. There will be no fear of anything bad happening during the night.
The camping experience will include a shuttle from the campsite, daypacks, and lunch.
There will also be a few carefully selected camping destinations.
The tour will highlight various iconic and popular features throughout the park. Also, it will cover some lesser-known gems that are not popular among visiting tourists.
Hike to the top of the giant waterfalls if you can. You will pass through polished granite, alpine meadows filled with wildflowers and massive sequoia trees.
Atop the granite domes, you will stand and reach the top of a major summit.
Throughout, you will have a professional and knowledgeable guide. The guide will share Yosemite’s history and other important information that borders through geology, history, plants, and animals found in the park.
Do not worry about the camping equipment. The tour will have it ready for you. Transportation to and from each day’s hikes is also covered.
What more could you ask?
7. Private Family Photo Day in Yosemite National Park
If traveling with your family, you can capture memories with beautiful photos of the park and your loved ones.
Capture unforgettable memories of the vacation to the park with a photo safari. The photo safari will take place at the classic vista and other beautiful park locations.
The tour includes a guide and a professional photographer to document your trip.
Through this vacation, you can create a unique collection of beautiful photos for your photo album or social media accounts.
The personal guide can customize your itinerary. You can spend the day exploring or half of it relaxing in some location.
Throughout the trip, you will explore soaring rock walls, alpine meadows, and winding mountain roads.
The entire day tour with a guide and photographer will have you enjoy the most scenic spots of the natural park.
There is complimentary hotel pick-up and drop-off in the package.
8. Family Fun Private Half-Day Fishing Tour
Go on a fishing adventure with your family and friends for half a day.
This trip is a great way to experience and explore the Sierra Nevada while trying your luck at catching fish. There is trout in the Tuolumne and Merced Rivers.
And if there is something unique about this trip, it is its focus. Unlike the others, the main focus of this trip is the education to conserve nature as it is.
Of course, there is family fun, too.
Catch a trout and release it back using barbless hooks. Learn everything about the ecology of the river together with your family and friends.
The cost of the tour covers equipment which the tour company will provide. License fees are part of the amount you paid.
Head over to the Yosemite Valley. You can choose a morning or an afternoon schedule.
The tour comes with water and some snacks. It also comes with hotel pick-ups, taxes, and all other fees.
9. Yosemite Panorama Trail Self-Guided Audio Tour
You can leave the tourists behind in this self-guided tour and venture independently.
The Yosemite Panorama Trail Self-Guided Tour will have you tour the park privately and at your pace.
You can do this on your smartphone. All you have to do is grab your phone to download the audio tour. Once downloaded, you can start exploring as soon as you are ready.
While you traverse through the beautiful trail of 8.5 miles, you will sink into more information on the park’s history. You will also learn more about geology, the park’s ecology, flora, and fauna.
The audio tour takes about four hours. However, you can take your time. Press the pause button when you take your time to appreciate the beautiful wilderness.
Through this tour, you can get the perks of a guided tour. This time, however, there will be no crowds around you.
All you have to do is to download the app and access the tour whenever you are ready.
10. Semi-Private Yosemite Tour with Lunch and Hotel Pickup
Some tourists prefer to avoid impersonal and large-group bus tours.
If you are the type of person, you can skip these tours and take a full-day trip to the park. This time around, there will be fewer people with you.
The Semi-Private Yosemite Tour comes with lunch and hotel pick-up.
It will also be the same with other tours, with fewer participants this time.
Explore the vast acres of the park with a guide. The guide has all the stories and facts, most of which are unheard of by other visitors.
There is an option to choose from. You can go with a day itinerary that includes a short hike and the sweeping views of El Capitan. There is also an option to drive along the Merced River.
Of course, the tour includes bottled water, lunch, and a few stops for refills and rest.
11. Vernal and Nevada Falls
The guides are experts and some of the best in the industry. It is why the Vernal and Nevada Falls Tour is one of the most popular options.
The guides will show you the best that Vernal and Nevada falls can offer during the tour.
The guides will point out landmarks and even teach you about the history, geology, and ecology of Yosemite National Park.
The guides will help keep you safe during the trek.
During the tour, you will enjoy a day with sumptuous lunch, snacks, and excellent gear. Plus, you will have all the experts’ education and professional guidance.
Transportation is free. Bottled water too!
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Yosemite National Park is a national treasure.
It is home to different flora and fauna and has a massive contribution to the ecology of the surrounding counties.
Aside from that, it is a reminder of how beautiful and unique nature is.
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