Best of Yosemite Valley Day Tour
Yosemite National Park
5.0 (43 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Private Tours
- Includes Entrance into Yosemite
- Half-day & Full-day Versions
- Transportation Provided
- Stunning Yosemite Views
- Breathtaking Waterfall Hike(s)
- Iconic Photography Opportunities
- Top-shelf Backpack & Trekking Poles
- Breakfast, Snacks & Lunch
Description
Join Wildland Trekking for a wonderful half-day or full-day tour of Yosemite National Park! This sight-seeing and hiking tour is offered to anyone staying in the town of Mariposa; at Autocamp Yosemite; anywhere on the Highway 140 corridor east of Mariposa, or in Yosemite Valley. We will pick you up at your accommodations the morning of your tour and provide a refreshing continental breakfast while we enjoy a scenic shuttle along the Merced River into Yosemite Valley (unless you’re already in the Valley.)
Your guide will customize the tour based on your interests and desires, and explain the fascinating natural and cultural history of Yosemite while we visit the must-see highlights of the Park. You will experience iconic views, thundering waterfalls, towering granite monoliths, pristine rivers and more as we make our way through Yosemite Valley. Both the half-day and full-day tours include options for hiking, with the full-day tour featuring a longer hike.
You can read about the half-day and full-day versions, select dates and book online below. And we’re here 7 days a week to answer any questions at 800-715-HIKE (4453)!
SEASON
This hike is operated from March through October.
If you’re interested in this tour during the winter months, please check out our Best of Yosemite Valley Winter Tour.
$135-$620 Per Person
Season: Mar-Oct
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 1
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip follows well maintained trails. Some concerns include loose dirt, large stepping stones and tree roots. The half-day version and full-day version vary on the hiking distances and elevation gains as detailed below.
Hiking Distances:
2-6 miles
Backpack Weight:
10-15 pounds
Terrain:
Lightly Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
200-600 feet
Heights Exposure:
Light
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 10-15 pound backpack for 3-5 hours
- Hiking with occasional, light heights exposure
SOLITUDE LEVEL 1
- Level 1: around other hikers the entire time
- Level 2: around other hikers most of the time
- Level 3: around other hikers some of the time
- Level 4: see a couple other groups during the hike
- Level 5: most likely to have the trail to ourselves
Learn About Our Private Trips
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Options & Rates
Half Day Tour
- Hiking Mileage: 1-2 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: minimal to 500 feet
- Duration: 5-6 hours
Your tour will start with pickup between 7 and 8 am. Coffee and a continental breakfast will be provided. After a short shuttle along the scenic Merced River Canyon, we will make our way into Yosemite Valley.
In terms of the exact itinerary, it is customized to your group’s specific interests and desires. This is your day! With most groups, we start with a famous viewpoint that offers breathtaking views of the signatures sites of Yosemite Valley: Bridal-veil Falls, Half Dome, and El Capitan. From here, the guide will work with you to determine the best hike(s) to choose from. Options include pristine lakes, waterfalls, panoramic viewpoints, historical sites, the base of El Capitan and more. Our tour takes us in a loop around the Valley, and prior to departure, your guide will prepare a picnic style lunch with a great view. After lunch we will transport you back to your lodging for the conclusion of the tour.
Half Day Tour Rates
1 person: $570 per person
2 people: $300 per person
3 people: $260 per person
4-5 people: $175 per person
6 people: $135 per person
10 and under: $105 per person
*Prices do not include guide gratuity
Full Day Tour
- Hiking Mileage: 2-4 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: minimal to 1000 feet
- Duration: 8-10 hours
On the full day tour, we begin with pick up between 7 and 8 am. From here, we head into Yosemite Valley and begin our grand day of exploration. Like the half day tour, the full day itinerary is tailored to your interests and desires, but gives us more time for longer hikes and additional stops. Most groups enjoy starting at a famous viewpoint that offers stunning initial views of the Valley, where we can see Bridal-Veil Falls, Half Dome and El Capitan. Our tour from here takes us on a loop through Yosemite Valley, and we can embark on a series of shorter hikes to pack as much diversity in as possible, or we can tackle a larger hike to bigger views or a grander destination. Options include pristine lakes, waterfalls, panoramic viewpoints, historical sites, the base of El Capitan and more. Somewhere along the way, we’ll stop for a delicious, picnic lunch prepared by your guide.
Full Day Tour Rates
1 person: $620 per person
2 people: $350 per person
3 people: $310 per person
4-5 people: $260 per person
6 people: $225 per person
10 and under: $155 per person
*Prices do not include guide gratuity
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Tour dates reflect general availability. You will select your desired hike during the registration process. The season for this hike is March-October.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Round trip transportation from Mariposa, Autocamp Yosemite, anywhere on the Highway 140 corridor east of Mariposa or Yosemite Valley
- Entrance into Yosemite National Park
- A commitment to make the tour as exciting, challenging, informative, and full as you’d like, and as is possible in the half-day or full-day time allotment
- Breakfast, trail snacks and a picnic lunch
- Use of a top of the line, technical day pack
- Use of trekking poles
- Mandatory 5% national park fee that passes through directly to Yosemite
What's Not Included (Required)
- Lightweight hiking shoes or hiking boots
- Waterproof rain jacket or poncho
- Warm wool or fleece top (Spring, Fall, Winter)
- Warm hat and gloves (Spring, Fall, Winter)
- Water bottles or bladder (2 liters total capacity)
- Sunhat
What's Not Included (Recommended)
- A cold or frozen bottle of water or Gatorade (Spring, Summer, Fall)
- Sunglasses
- Knee braces (if needed)
- Sunscreen
- Camera
- Gratuity for your guide (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Food: What to Expect
Day hike tours include a continental breakfast, energizing trail snacks and a delicious picnic lunch. Your guide will customize the food for your hike, but as an example a typical lunch consists of gourmet sandwiches or wraps, fruit, veggies, chips, drinks and a dessert. On wintery or cold days you may be treated to soup or a hot, freshly cooked lunch (if you’d prefer a hot meal, please let us know!)
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Trip Logistics
Where Do We Meet?
We will pick you up at in Mariposa, CA; Autocamp Yosemite; anywhere on the Highway 140 corridor east of Mariposa or Yosemite Valley between 7:00 and 8:00 AM. Your guide will contact you approximately 7 days before your trip to determine the exact rendezvous time and location.
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval on a case by case basis
Weather in the Sierras
Being a high mountain environment, the Sierra Nevada Mountains are prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. This is an exciting aspect of being in the mountains. On trips in June, snow is a possibility, and the rest of the summer rain is always a possibility on your trip. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). See below for average summer temperatures:
| Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit) | ||||||
|
Month
|
Valleys
|
Alpine
|
||||
|
hi
|
low
|
hi
|
low
|
|||
|
January
|
49°
|
26°
|
45°
|
25°
|
||
|
February
|
55°
|
28°
|
46°
|
26°
|
||
|
March
|
59°
|
31°
|
48°
|
27°
|
||
|
April
|
65°
|
35°
|
54°
|
30°
|
||
|
May
|
73°
|
42°
|
62°
|
37°
|
||
|
June
|
81°
|
51°
|
71°
|
46°
|
||
|
July
|
89°
|
57°
|
77°
|
50°
|
||
|
August
|
89°
|
56°
|
81°
|
53°
|
||
|
September
|
82°
|
51°
|
71°
|
46°
|
||
|
October
|
74°
|
39°
|
62°
|
37°
|
||
|
November
|
58°
|
31°
|
51°
|
29°
|
||
|
December
|
48°
|
26°
|
46°
|
25°
|
||
Trip Reviews
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Sian P
Brilliant!
We had a brilliant time on the best of Yosemite valley tour, Mirabai was fabulous and really knew all the best spots and had some fantastic stories. Can’t recommend Wildland and Mirabai enough, they really went to great effort to make the short trip enjoyable, many snacks were had and the team were really able to tailor the time to what we wanted to see and hear about. If you’re on the fence about taking a guided tour then definitely go for it, whilst you might visit some spots you could find on your own the guides wealth of knowledge about the area, animals and people is invaluable. If you can and have the time, ask for recommendations of other places to visit/things to see or experience and do that the day after.
Alison G
Most Amazing Day!
What an amazing day we had in Yosemite! Truly breathtaking! Our guide Mirabai was very knowledgeable and made sure we all had the most perfect day.
Cindi Q
Above and Beyond
WT went above and beyond all of our expectations. Our guide, Matt considerate, conversational, adaptable to our interests and abilities, uber knowledgeable and an all around great guy to hang out with for the day. He had any and all gear we may have needed packed "just in case" he had water, snacks and two full meals (breakfast and lunch) and even managed to prepare to my preferences of gluten-free and high protein. I couldn't recommend Matt and Wildland Trekking more highly!
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