Yosemite & Giant Sequoias Tour from San Jose

El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, and giant sequoias in one day from the Bay Area

A full-day tour departing from San Jose that combines Yosemite Valley's granite cliffs and waterfalls with a peaceful walk among giant sequoias in Tuolumne Grove. The tour includes park entry, transportation, a live English-speaking guide, and five hours of free time to explore the valley at your own pace. Non-U.S. residents aged 16 and older pay an additional $100 park entry fee at checkout or on the bus.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Tunnel View15m
2. Bridalveil Fall10m
3. Yosemite Falls15m
4. El Capitan15m
5. Tuolumne Grove1h 15m

Yosemite National Park full-day tour

• Pickup in San Jose
• Drive through scenic landscapes
• Stop for breakfast
• Pass historic towns and mining communities
• Enter Yosemite via Arch Rock entrance
• Visit Tunnel View viewpoint
• Stop at Bridalveil Fall base
• Drive over Sentinel Bridge
• Free time in Yosemite Valley for lunch and exploration
• Walk to Yosemite Falls
• Visit El Capitan Meadow
• Stop at Valley View
• Drive along Merced River
• Walk among Giant Sequoias in Tuolumne Grove
• Drive through Groveland town
• Stop for dinner
• Return and drop-off in San Jose

The experience

You're picked up in San Jose and driven to a meeting point in Livermore, where you join the group for the drive into the Sierra Nevada. The route passes through Mariposa and historic Gold Rush mining towns, then enters Yosemite through Arch Rock. Your guide provides live commentary throughout, explaining the region's geology and history as the landscape shifts from foothills to granite peaks.

Once in the valley, you have two hours to grab lunch and explore on your own. Many visitors walk to Yosemite Falls, one of North America's tallest, or wander the meadows near Sentinel Bridge for views of Half Dome reflected in the Merced River. The tour stops at Tunnel View for photos framing El Capitan, Half Dome, and Cathedral Peak, then at Bridalveil Fall where mist rises from the base of the cliff. You'll also stop at El Capitan Meadow to see the world's largest granite monolith and learn about the climbers who scale it.

After leaving the valley, the tour heads to Tuolumne Grove for a walk among giant sequoias: some of the oldest and largest trees on Earth. From November through March, when snow makes the sequoia trail unsafe, you get extra time in Yosemite Valley instead. On the return, the group stops for dinner in Groveland (a Gold Rush-era town with multiple food options), then drives back to San Jose, arriving around 10:30pm. The bus has onboard WiFi, and free audio guides in eight languages are available if you prefer narration in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Korean, Chinese, or Japanese.

What’s included

• Comfortable transportation with onboard WiFi.
• park entry fee for U.S. residents.
• five hours inside Yosemite Valley with early entry.
• live local expert guide in English.
• free audio guides in eight languages.

Options for this experience

9 options

Yosemite and Giant Sequoias ExcursionGuide in English · 05:45Excursion to Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias

Spanish Tour05:45Excursion to Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias with a Spanish audio guide

French Tour05:45Excursion to Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias with a French audio guide

See 6 more options

German Tour05:45Excursion to Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias with a German audio guide

Japanese Tour05:45Excursion to Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias with a Japanese audio guide

Italian Audio Tour05:45Excursion to Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias with an Italian audio guide

Portuguese Audio Tour05:45Excursion to Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias with a Portuguese audio guide

Korean Audio Tour05:45Excursion to Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias with a Korean audio guide

Chinese Audio Tour05:45Excursion to Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias with a Chinese audio guide

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Friday, Saturday and SundayDeparts at 05:45

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (under 12)

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Audio guideSpanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Korean

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Extranomical Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Yosemite's most famous sights (El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall, and Yosemite Falls) without renting a car or navigating the park yourself. The five hours of free time in the valley lets you choose your own pace and which trails to walk, while the stops at viewpoints and Tuolumne Grove's giant sequoias give you the full range of the park in a single day. If you're traveling from the Bay Area and prefer not to drive, this is the only group tour departing from San Jose.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's included in the tour price?

Park entry for U.S. residents, comfortable transportation with WiFi, a live English-speaking guide, and free audio guides in eight languages are included. Meals are not included, but the tour stops for breakfast around 8:30am, lunch at 1pm, and dinner around 6pm, so you can buy food at each stop.

How much time do I actually spend in Yosemite Valley?

You have two hours of free time in the valley to explore and eat lunch. The tour also makes several stops at viewpoints and waterfalls (Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, and El Capitan Meadow) before and after your free time, so you see the major sights whether you hike or not.

What happens to the giant sequoia walk in winter?

From November through March, the Tuolumne Grove trail is closed due to snow and ice, so the tour replaces the sequoia walk with extra time in Yosemite Valley instead.

Do I need to pay extra if I'm not a U.S. resident?

Non-U.S. residents aged 16 and older pay an additional $100 park entry fee per person. This is collected at checkout or on the bus at the start of your tour. Holders of an America the Beautiful Non-Resident Pass do not pay this fee.

What's the physical fitness level required?

The tour requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness. Most of the day is spent on the bus, but you'll walk to Yosemite Falls during your free time and to the giant sequoias in Tuolumne Grove, so comfortable hiking shoes and the ability to walk on uneven terrain are important.

Can I book the tour in a language other than English?

A live English-speaking guide leads the tour. Free audio guides in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese are available. Specify your preferred language in the Special Requirements field when booking.